This Week’s Feature Author Interview with
Michael Parker
Hi Michael Parker, welcome to the Indie Publishing Group website. Introduce yourself to us. Tell everyone who you are, where you’re from, what do you enjoy doing, hobbies and interests.
My name is Michael Parker: Mick to my wife, Mike when she wants something, and Michael when I’m in trouble! As a youngster growing up in post war London, I read avidly, devouring the popular children’s books and the classics like Scrooge, Tom Sawyer, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and many others.
I have been married to Pat for 57 years. We have four sons, ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. I have had various occupations over the years: labourer; merchant seaman; electrician in the Royal Air Force; maintenance technician in the food industry (factory), and worked in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Air Force. I retired when I was 55 and a year later moved out to Spain with my wife.
Over the years, I have had nine novels traditionally published, and now two more self-published. All my back titles are available on Amazon.
My hobbies are football (watching), speedway and writing. I became a born again Christian while living in Spain and played keyboard in the Praise & Worship group at our church.
We lived in Spain for seventeen years and returned to England in 2014.
When did you start writing and why?
I never knew I wanted to write until I was in my early twenties. My first novel was typed by my sister, carbons et al, but it never saw the light of day. I was 37 when Macmillan published my first novel, North Slope. I was described as a gifted narrator in the Financial Times. Since then I have had nine novels traditionally published (all now available as indie books), and have self-published two more.
Which is your favorite book you have written and what gave you the idea for it?
My favourite book should be North Slope, because that was the first one I had published, but I have to confess that Hell’s Gate is my favourite. The story is set in British East Africa in 1898. The inspiration came from reading about the construction of a railway line from Mombassa on the east coast to Lake Victoria in Uganda.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
How did I come up with the title for my latest book? Where the Wicked Dwell came out of the blue. I’d used the main character’s name, Marcus Blake, as a working title, but when it came to something inspirational, I hadn’t a clue. Then suddenly the words filled my head and I knew that was it.
Who helped you with the cover?
I designed the cover myself using PhotoShop. For the earlier books, my son designed the covers. The inspiration for the design was to find a way of expressing the evil that exists in our everyday life. We all know it exists, but are not always aware of how close it is to us.
What are some of the themes of your stories?
The themes to my story are a combination of the wickedness of Satanism, and the slide into its maw by innocent people.
What’s your process when you sit down and decide to start writing a book? What is your process and do you have a system?
I have no rigid writing process. When I worked for a living, I was a shift worker, often on nights, sometimes twelve hour shifts, so a writing schedule was pretty ad hoc — I wrote when I could. Even when I was retired and living in Spain, it didn’t change. I also find myself making excuses when I sit down to write to avoid doing it. Little jobs come to mind that need my attention. I call writing my “Sweet Curse”: the writing is the sweet bit, but the curse is the hours involved and the rejections that come along. I wouldn’t change it though; I have to write.
Who are some of your favorite characters and why?
My favourite characters? Reuben Cole in Hell’s Gate because of his strength and determination. Hannah Bowers in Hell’s Gate because I probably fell in love with her. Conor Lenihan in The Eagle’s Covenant, because he was as hard as iron, a killer (not that I like killers), but fell in love with the woman whose son he had kidnapped. I have no favourite characters that other writers produce.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Favourite authors? Hammond Innes, Mickey Spillane (from my teenage years), C.J.Sansom, and probably many more who are no longer with us. I have no favourites among the modern batch of writers.
Have you got anything you’re working on now?
My latest WIP is likely to be a sequel to The Eagle’s Covenant. It isn’t set in stone yet, but I’m playing around with it.
If you could have any super powers what would they be?
Super powers? As a born again Christian, the only super power I would cherish is ‘Healing’.
If you could travel to any location in the world where would you go?
Where in the world would I go? Goodness, what a question. We have a son who lives in Australia. We’ve been there a few times, but it doesn’t make it our favourite. I don’t think there’s an answer to that. Wherever my wife is, that’s where I want to be.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years’ time?
In five years’ time? I hope to still be alive, living with my wife and writing books (best sellers, hopefully!)
Thanks so much for taking the time to do an author interview. Take a minute and check Michael Parker out on the links below!
Michael Parker Amazon Author Page
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