It was challenging to revisit the difficult experiences which form a framework around which the travel and international experiences take place in the book. However, it was those same challenges which make the places visited in the book even more meaningful, so they were experiences that had to be told.
Robert Babirad – 6 April 2021
The Back Flap
If you left behind what was familiar and went back to your authentic self, where might that lead? In “In-Transit Passenger: Making the Journey Matter,” the main character leaves behind an unfulfilling life at a law office in order to find greater meaning and a more meaningful life. A seemingly routine trip by boat suddenly turns into something much more significant, taking the protagonist back in time to those “in-transit” moments of the past and in turn to a truer and more authentic self. Can a simple trip change you by becoming so much more? Become your own In-Transit Passenger by embarking on your own next voyage today.
About the book
What is the book about?
This book is about moving past societal expectations and external voices through the process of rediscovering your authentic self. The main character leaves an unfulfilling career at a law office in order to find his true self and a more meaningful life. A routine trip on a ferry unexpectedly turns into something much greater as the protagonist goes back in time to the journeys of the past, which all still had something to say. These journeys go on to span North America, Quebec, the West Indies, Europe and North Africa and introduce a variety of people, cultures and places all with messages to share and indicators of the path back to authenticity.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing this book in 2014.
How long did it take you to write it?
The book went through numerous revisions before it took its final form, but the initial draft took about a year. However, the journals that the book is drawn from go back to 2004.
Where did you get the idea from?
The idea came from my experiences both in the legal field, teaching on the secondary level and then what I experienced as far as politics and the higher education system. All of these ideas worked together with journeys from the past where I had been the truest expression of my own self. I had kept journals from my travels and experiences throughout the years, but it wasn’t until they connected now with these other experiences that the idea for the book truly came about.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
It was challenging to revisit the difficult experiences which form a framework around which the travel and international experiences take place in the book. However, it was those same challenges which make the places visited in the book even more meaningful, so they were experiences that had to be told.
What came easily?
Revisiting the positive experiences, people and places throughout the world that I had visited came easily and was a wonderful opportunity to relive them once more. In a sense, bringing them back to life was the easiest and most enjoyable part of writing the book for me.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The characters have been made fictitious in the book, but are based on experiences, people and events that I experienced.
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?
I love reading and it would be difficult to narrow down the list of authors that have influenced me to only a select few. However, Julia Cameron has always been an author that has influenced me, because of her emphasis on the creative process. Additionally, Marcel Proust, Jorge Luis Borges, Willa Cather, Jane Austen, Charles Spencer, Dan Brown, Agatha Christie and J.K Rowling have all been influential. Marcel Proust is wonderful with his journey back in time to the past via the Madeleine cookie and then the trip that he takes the reader on through his early years. I have been influenced by Jorge Luis Borges ever since I read The Garden of Forking Paths many years ago and this year, Borges Profesor. Willa Cather has had a profound impact upon me with her wonderful descriptions of the Nebraska prairie and the descriptive and vivid contrasts that are conveyed in her novels. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has always been a favorite along with her other works. Charles Spencer’s historical writing has always been of great interest to me, along with how he brings history to life for the reader. The methodology that Dan Brown uses for teaching the reader something new while keeping the plot consistently moving in his books has also been influential upon me. J.K Rowling’s creation of a world that the reader becomes entirely immersed in has always been something that I have admired. I have been reading Agatha Christie and especially Hercule Poirot and Miss. Marple for many years and her books have been a consistent literary anchor in my life since I was introduced to them at a very young age by my grandparents. The list could go on and on, but those are the authors that come to mind most immediately.
Do you have a target reader?
I wouldn’t say that I have a target reader specifically. I think though that any person who is interested in travel or who is considering making a significant change in their life would be the closest to that criteria. My reader is also anyone who wants to get back to a truer and more authentic form of themselves.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I write in blocks or sections. The idea of writing a fifty thousand word book can seem overwhelming. So, I would focus on just writing about a particular country or experience at a time. I would then pick up with that the next day and work on it until it was complete. I created a preliminary outline for the book in order to have a clear direction for the work. However, I worked on each section gradually and completed it as a standalone unit before moving on.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I create a preliminary outline with the key events that I want the book to include and maybe a sentence or two under those events with specific notes that I want to remember to discuss. The beginning and the end of the book is generally outlined before I begin. However, I feel that a book has a life of its own. When I start writing, my characters or a particular event or situation that I’m writing about always seems to have something new or interesting to convey that I didn’t think of initially. So, there is an outline, but it is a loose one with plenty of room for expansion and growth as I go through my writing process with the book.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I will make small edits as I go through the book, however I generally wait until I’m finished. I know that the book will go through a number of revisions and edits after it is completed, so I wait to do a comprehensive edit of the text until a first draft at least is completed.
Did you hire a professional editor?
My book is published by a small press and they assigned me to a professional editor who worked with me on the manuscript after it was accepted for publication.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Sometimes, I will listen to smooth jazz, spa or some kind of relaxation music. At other times, I’ll put the television on with various travel videos or something similar, but keep it on mute. The visuals help keep me creative without the distraction of any noise when I choose that option.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No, I didn’t submit this book to any agents.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I like the freedom that an indie or small publisher offers. I also like that there is less of a bureaucracy. I enjoyed the direct relationship that I had with my editor who worked with the book until we were both satisfied with how it had turned out.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The publisher asked me about my vision for the cover and we discussed what I did and didn’t want included. They had a graphic designer who then took those suggestions along with other ideas that I submitted and came back with a cover that I was very pleased with.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I have given presentations at local libraries along with interviews and appearing on podcasts and blogs. Social media will play a role and I created a page with visuals to accompany the places that I discuss in the book. The book has also appeared in international newspapers and publications as part of the lead up to its publication.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
It’s a long process; and it is important to stay motivated and committed to your vision.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in New York.
Where do you live now?
At the present time, I am still living in New York. However, that may change in the near future.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I am ever working toward my dream of relocating permanently to the Amalfi Coast or Côte d’Azur.
What are you working on now?
I am presently working on a romance novel set on the international scene.
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of In-Transit Passenger from Amazon US or Amazon UK.