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An Interview With Darrel Day

Tell us a bit about yourself. What would you like us to know about you?

I am a 46 year old man that lives alone in a small town in Iowa. I have loved writing since I was very young and dreamed of one day seeing some of my works in print. I have written two novels that are published. I also love writing poetry. I have cut a C.D. of 13 of the 100 songs I have written. The C.D. is titled "SimplyD" and is still available today.
I love anything to do with the outdoors and do a lot of my thinking while at the lake. The trees and the water are inspiring to me. I am one of many that suffer from Bipolar2 and my writing helps me a great deal to stay focused.

What are you doing now? (Career? Married? Single? Children? Pets?)

I am actively working on my fourth novel now. The third novel, which is the sequel to my first novel is waiting to be published now. I am putting together a book of all of my poems and preparing to send the to my publisher.
I have been seperated from my wife of 23 years for almost five years. She went into a coma three years ago and after sixty-five days, she came out of it. She has not ever regained the use of her legs. We live side by side in duplexs and have a full intercom system that enables me to hear her should she need me for anything. Still my best friend and still loving her, we simply found that we needed our own space.
I have two beautiful daughters ages 21 and 23. They are wonderful blessings and have stood by their mother and I through many many "fires" in our lives. They are both gifts from God for their mother and I and we cherish them always.
I have one cat whose name is George. She is my buddy and keeps me company and laughing.

What is your favourite food?

My favorite food would have to be a tie between sea food and chinese cuisine. I enjoy them both and eat out as often as I can. I love trying new restruants.

What is your favourite colour?

My favorite color is blue of any shade

What is your favourite sound?

My favorite sound would be the sound of a baby cooing. There is nothing quite like it in the world

Who is your favourite person?

My favorite person would be Jesus. He died that I could be forgiven and free and is very much a part of my life.

What is your favourite place?

My favorite place is anywhere that is near a beach or the forest. Both places are filled with a serinty that calms me and allows me to think clear. That is where I go when I need to think.

What is your favourite memory?

Going to Key Largo in Florida each weekend to fish and swim in the ocean. I never feel more at peace then when I am walking or sitting along the shore line. We would go down to the shore and my father and I would fish for hours and just talk. He was my mentor and the man I most admire in this world.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

I have a pair of old bedroom slippers that I wear when I am writing. They are so very comfortable and keep my toes warm while I am writing. Once I slip them on, I go into another place that allows me to write freely and uninhibited.

What is your favourite word?

My favorite word is cool. I say it to almost anything told to me. It says what I can not or do not wish to say.

What is your favourite writers' quote and why?

The secret to writing is to say an old thing in a new way or to say a new thing in an old way. {Richard Harding Davis}
I like this quote because with all the new authors and new novels that come out daily, you truly do need to say it new. It may be the same story or the same poem, but when said in a different way, it can touch souls anew. The greatest compliment is to be aped by someone. So go ahead and ape your favorite writer. Just do it in your own style and words.

What is your most favourite quality about yourself?

I think that the fact that I can take any scenario, no matter how bad or burdeness it may appear, and make it a gift to learn and grow by. It is important to not let the woes of the world be your downfall, but rather take them, nuture them and make them a stepping stone to expand by.

What is the least favourite quality about yourself?

I think that the thing I care the least about myself is the way that I tend to not always finish what I have started. I am at times the worlds worst procrastinator and always figure there is a tommorow. I am working on that one.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

I think that I would like to be on a deserted island for a while. There, I could smell the ocean and see the world through clear eyes. It would be the perfect setting for any novel that I might desire to write.

What inspires you to write and why?

My inspiration comes from the feelings that are surrounding me at any given time. Falling in love, falling out of love, or just feeling love causes me to write with ease and the pureness of heart. Hearing stories of sadness or tradgedy will bring out my writing heart also. It really is all about where I am in my life as to what I write. Even my songs are a chronicle of every feeling I have ever had.

What is your favourite book and why?

I think that my favorite book would have to be the Bible. There are passages and guidance inside the Bible that shows where we have been and where we are going to. It is written in such perfect story form that you can see as well as hear the strength that of man in the worst of situations. It is a book of hope for all generations past, present and future.

What is your favourite genre and why?

Suspence would most certainly be my favorite genre as it intrigues the mind. With suspence, you can draw conclusions or speculate all the way to the end. It keeps the mind stimulated and alive and calls for only your own thoughts which can change from day to day and page to page

List your three favourite authors (any genre) and why?

My three favorite authors are Dean Koontz, Stephen King and William Wordsworth. Koontz and King both inspire my writing as they reach out and touch not just your eyes to read, but they touch your mind. I think that when an author can cause you to stop and think as you read, then you are getting two benefits in one.
Wordsworth is on this list because his poems also inspire my writing of poetry. He too touches the heart and the mind and intoxicates me with wonder at his words.

What do you think makes a writer successful?

I believe that to be a truly successful writer, one must have the ability to cause the reader to feel each word. Description is so important to a writers success. If you can not cause the reader to vividly see and feel your words, you will lose them and the chance to have them pick up a second book of yours.

Whta is it that makes you successful as a writer?

At seven years old, my blind eight year old brothers hand was placed on my shoulder. I became his eyes and he became my teacher. Through being his eyes and the need to describe the world to him vividly taught me to see the world in living color. I believe that my gift to cause people to feel my words and to see what I saw when writing. This I believe is what seperates me from other authors. That very Gift that I was given so many years ago taught me how to be a great writer.

What are your goals as a writer?

My goals as a writer are to reach as far as I can with my writing. I want to see my words filling in peoples days and nights with good writing. I hope to one day be a household name for my writing.

What is the best tip you can give to fellow writers?

When you write, toss out all inhibitions and just write. Do not ever be afraid to let your fingers and mind wander to the places they want to take you. It could turn out to be your most valuable and exciting journey.

What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

I hope to give them pure good reading. i want to take them inside the book and make them feel as if they are right where the book is happening. I want to be able to provide them with a name that is synonymous with great stories and good reading.

List your three favourite online writer-resource sites and why (include URLS).

My first choice for online writer-resources would be The Writers Gazzette. Krista Barrett's site provides everything a writer needs to help them in any type of writing references or sites to go too to achieve your finest writing. Her site is like a super Wal-Mart. Everything you need under one roof.{WritersGazzette.com}
My second choice would be The Brady Magazine. Krissy Brady has taken her site and revamped it to not only aide in writing skills, but provide a communication system. There, you can talk to other writers and get feed back from them.There are contests and workshops and guidance to the people that are looking for YOU. {BradyMagazine.com}
Third would have to be Google. There, you have the entire web at your fingertips. The places to sell, advertise, build yourself a name and seek and find answers to any questions you might have concerning your writing.

If you have published a book, tell us about your publishing success (title, publishing date and company, where it is available to purcahse).

I have two published novels out on the market right now. They are titled "Abduction" {publishing date Nov. 2004}and "Until Death Do We Meet."{publishing date Nov. 2005}They are both published through Publishamerica and are available to purchase from Publishamerica.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazonbooks.com, BooksAMillion.com, Powellsbooks.com and most books stores offline.

How long did it take you to write your book(s)?

Abduction took me about six weeks to write. It flowed so nicely for me. Until Death Do We Meet started out as a short story. I had written as a five chapter short story with 22,000 words,and took about two months to write. After Abduction was accepted for publication, I decided to return to Until Death Do We Meet. I sat down to make it a full length novel and within two months had cmpleted it as a 21 chapter, 130,000 word novel.

What would you do differently if you could repeat the same publishing experience?

I think I would do pretty much the same thing that I did with both books. I am not unhappy about the results I received from them. I would perhaps have studied up a bit more on the paths there are to take in getting my novel more exposure.

What have you learned about the publishing world?

Publishers CAN afford to be picky. The best way to get where you want to be is to listen to those that have made it there. The publishing world is not an easy place to enter. You have to give your very best 110% of the time. But the rewards are beyond anything you can imagine.

This is your chance to 'Talk Back' to your readers. What would you like to say to them?

I have learned that there are a lot of very wonderful and talented writers in the world. I pride myself in writing novels that are as close to reality as Fiction can be. I beleive that sales of your novel can greatly be increased or decreased by your connection with the reader. If you, the reader find my novel to be a good place to be and come to expect and find quality, you will become faithful readers and come back for seconds and thirds. I feel that when you read my novels... we will connect and you will find quality in my writing.

What's the one thing that you want them to know about your writing?

My writing is filled with description and vivid detail. because of the "gift" of my blind brothers hand on my shoulder, I was blessed to learn to see and write "In living color."As you progress from the beginnings of my writing {Abduction} to my next novel "Until Death Do We Meet", you will see the growth in my writing. And onto the third novel etc... But always you will see the things I see as I write the novel. Novels that were written to give, you the reader, the best novel you could read.
Darrel Robert Day Jr.

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