There are three sources an author draws from: 1) What you have experienced; 2) What you have observed; 3) What you imagine. I drew from all three.
William V.M. McAllister III – 18 June 2015
The Back Flap
Michael could not have known when he flew into Bangkok to launch a new company that his life would change so dramatically. Working on million-dollar negotiations during the day and spending tropical nights accompanying his Thai-savvy business partner, Drake, through the hotspots of the city, Michael felt respite from the pain of his broken marriage in the exhilaration of Thailand. Yielding to its allure, Michael and Drake jet off to the unspoiled island of Koh Samui to enjoy its intoxicating escapes. There, Michael would meet the woman of his dreams, beginning a sweeping romance that would redefine both of their lives.
Malee, a beautiful young factory worker, caught Michael’s eye in a room filled with hustlers. Following her every move, fate would play its hand—and innocent touch would ignite a passionate love affair. Inseparable, Michael and Malee would spend the following days exploring the riches of Thailand, and nights caught in the embrace of one another’s desires. All was idyllic until Michael had to fly to New York, an extended separation, the first of several to come, that challenged their love and resolve.
Moving seamlessly across three continents, Malee: A Tear in the Ocean is an international romance that by turns takes the reader from the heights of euphoria to the depths of loss. Michael and Malee’s love weaves through culture, misunderstanding, and captivating desire. Wrenching the reader from passion to anguish and back again, Malee: A Tear in the Ocean, beckons you to experience the thrill of their journey.
About the book
What is the book about?
It is about the search for a lifelong partner – a man and a woman together. The converse is also true: it is about finding a way out of loneliness, of being without a mate – not having someone with whom you can both share your lives.
When did you start writing the book?
I began conceptualizing it about four years ago. Fleshing out the theme came first and, along with that, the ending. I believe you must always have an ending you are writing to. You can change the ending at any time (even several times) as long as you are writing to your most ‘current’ ending. If you are not writing to an ending, with the closure of each major character, then you really don’t know where you are going and this, for me, would quickly lead to a ‘What comes next?’ dilemma.
Then I began drafting. I write slowly because I am always trying to write the final draft from the outset. I always fail at this; I know I will fail; I know that some scenes or sections will change – some will change many times. I can end up rewriting a critical scene twenty times over the course of several months where at the end I am making just slight word changes. Subsequent scenes and/or sections often inform on a scene where I am having difficulty becoming satisfied with it.
After I finish a complete draft, I reach out to a few close friends and, later, a professional editor for their reactions. While they do not rewrite any section, their comments often serve as a catalyst that gives me an insight that had heretofore eluded me. Then I often have the wonderful moment of rewriting a scene lightning fast for now it is clear what has to be done and how it must be written.
How long did it take you to write it?
The whole process took me about three years.
Where did you get the idea from?
There are three sources an author draws from: 1) What you have experienced; 2) What you have observed; 3) What you imagine. I drew from all three.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I struggled with all parts because I am always searching for how to convey a description/action/emotion with the greatest economy of words. How much can I economize the words and still capture the entirety of what I seek. Ironically, the fewer the words it takes, the more powerfully it communicates. It draws the reader in to fill in all the emotion of the scene because while it is all there, the reader ‘completes’ it in her or his own way.
What came easily?
Relatively speaking, the dialogue. Many writers tell me that the dialogue is the hardest part. For me, once I get into what is happening, the dialogue flows (with carefully crafted nuance changes as I rewrite the book). It becomes a delight, not a burden, to write.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
As I alluded to above, I marvel at writers who can capture the moment with the greatest economy of words. To make a scene, description, emotion came alive in a sentence, or even just a phrase, is writing in its highest art form. I also love to read writers who delve deeply into the human condition that is part of all of us. In a non-comprehensive way, I would say writers such as Stendhal, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Camus, Paton, Dostoyevsky, Goethe, Rumi, Flaubert, Radiguet, Fitzgerald, Apollinaire, Salinger all have special writer’s gifts.
Do you have a target reader?
Women and men.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
If you write on the day when you least feel like writing, you are probably a writer. I tend to write: 1) first thing when I get up (often my current writing has even triggered a very early awakening) because unbeknownst to me, my brain has been working at something that I have not gotten quite right while I thought I was asleep. At these times I charge out of bed to get it all down right away; 2) at night when the day has quieted down, I write. If it is going well, I can write into the wee hours of the night.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Not per se. I often write down a series of trigger points for a chapter or major scene. BUT, I need to add, I have the story thought out, outlined, if you will, in my head before I begin, and I always know how it is going to end even though I may radically change the ending during the writing process (see my comments earlier). In this event, as I now have a new ending I write (or rewrite as necessary) to that.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I edit all the time. I think of myself more as a re-writer than as a writer.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I tried this, but as I would only want to listen to music that I enjoy in its own right (no pun intended), I feel that I am disparaging the music by relegating it to background music. If I wrote while listening to music, it would probably be best if I wrote while in an elevator.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
With modern technology and the Internet, one can bypass the traditional process. As this is my first book, I felt the traditional path would be extended and frustrating. If the book is as good as I think it is, it will launch on its own as an Indie.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Yes.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Yes. Winging it is unfocused and more likely to fail.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I think the answer to this question is contained in the summation of all of my previous answers. I would only add: If you believe in yourself, never stop believing and never stop trying.
About You
What would you like readers to know about you?
I am passionate in all that I do. I only bring to print writing that moves me. I am the toughest critic that I know.
What are you working on now?
Another novel, and I intend to try my hand at a screenplay – an entirely different animal I have learned.
End of Interview:
For more from William, visit his website.
Get your copy of Malee: A Tear in the Ocean from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook).