Roy Huff
Interview Questions:
First off I have to say thank you that I can
be part of the Massive Give away you are launching. It is a privilege to be
part of it.
Personal Questions:
1.
I visited
your blog for a comprehensible understanding where you come from and what makes
you tick. I like the piece on New Year’s resolutions and just as you I never
really made them since they were so easily broken. At the end if you can not
hold yourself accountable you have no one to blame but your self if dreams and
New Year’s resolution does not materialized. But I have learned that life
teaches and forces your hand to play the game and it is our willingness to
accept and take the matter further. We can either shrink away from the
magnitude of it or work with it and see how the doors open to step in and make
your dreams a reality. Your thoughts.
Well I certainly think that we all play the game, it’s just a matter of whether we believe it and are actively engaged or whether we pretend we are not and sideline our selves. The real question is what is our end goal. For some it’s happiness, for others it’s money, for still others it’s the latter in the hopes of achieving the former. How much we are motivated has a lot to do with what we believe, what we know about our own selves, and what we hope to learn. If one believes nothing or knows nothing about one self, it’s difficult to stay motivated for any extended period of time to achieve any end.
2.
Tell us
more about your support system and how you benefit from them. Not only as a writer
but as a human being.
I think surrounding one self with friends and family that are supportive
is very important. It’s been said that we become the average of all the people
we associate with. That being the case, who we choose to spend our time with
and listen to can have an immeasurable impact on what we believe, how we feel,
and the choices that we make. I am certainly no saint, and I have not always
made the best choices in decisions or friends, but if we stay mindful of that fact
then we will be more likely to make better friends and better choices. I have always been and hope to always be
an optimist. I don’t like to take no for an answer, and I don’t like to listen
to people who have no hope or no constructive outlook on the future. I think
people all too often take what people in authority or experts say as gospel,
but experts are human too. If someone says something that simply shuts down the
conversation or has nothing to add, then I tend to discount that and look
elsewhere. I try to glean bits of truth or advice where I can find them. This
should not be confused with positive confirmation bias, but rather a method for
gaining specific information and research necessary to further one’s goal.
3.
You have
5 degrees in 4 separate fields including liberal arts, history, secondary
education, and geoscience. Is it because you are inquisitive by nature that you
like to learn or is there a specific reason you have taken them?
It was a little of both, but I had a
specific goal in mind when pursuing those degrees. I am fortunate enough now to
say that I have achieved that goal.
4.
Often I
have witnessed how people blame their environment or circumstances as an excuse
not to excel, but yet, you proved them wrong. Personally, I think it is an
attitude problem, what is your take on this?
I completely agree. One thing that I take issue with is modern societies obsession with equality. We are not equal, and we will never be equal in any field, in any subject, or in any aspect in life. People all to often get hung up on the differences and the challenges they face. The beautiful thing, though, is that the differences and the challenges that make us unequal are also the same things that provide us an opportunity to hone different character traits by attempting to overcome the challenges that are unique to every person. Regardless of whether one is poor, a minority, has physical or mental disability, or lives with family that are not supportive, every person has a chance to achieve the goals or dreams they set for themselves if they accept those differences as opportunities to learn unique skills and hone specific strengths that are required to overcome those differences. The more difficult the obstacle, the greater the opportunity to develop one’s character. It’s all a matter of perspective. If one chooses to accept other people’s view of inequality or disadvantage as a negative, then one misses out on the chance to achieve greatness. If instead, a person looks at the obstacles presented as a method for learning, then there are no limits and no restrictions to the greatness that one can achieve.
I completely agree. One thing that I take issue with is modern societies obsession with equality. We are not equal, and we will never be equal in any field, in any subject, or in any aspect in life. People all to often get hung up on the differences and the challenges they face. The beautiful thing, though, is that the differences and the challenges that make us unequal are also the same things that provide us an opportunity to hone different character traits by attempting to overcome the challenges that are unique to every person. Regardless of whether one is poor, a minority, has physical or mental disability, or lives with family that are not supportive, every person has a chance to achieve the goals or dreams they set for themselves if they accept those differences as opportunities to learn unique skills and hone specific strengths that are required to overcome those differences. The more difficult the obstacle, the greater the opportunity to develop one’s character. It’s all a matter of perspective. If one chooses to accept other people’s view of inequality or disadvantage as a negative, then one misses out on the chance to achieve greatness. If instead, a person looks at the obstacles presented as a method for learning, then there are no limits and no restrictions to the greatness that one can achieve.
Reading the piece I got the sense that reading was not
only an escape from the circumstances but also a preparation for your own
books.
1.
Where did
the idea come from for the books Everville The First Pillar and Everville the
City of Worms?
The
first book came about as creative writing paper for a college English class. That paper became the basis for chapter
one in Everville: The First Pillar. The second
book, Everville: The City of Worms is a continuation of an ongoing series that starts where the first book left
off.
2.
How long
did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
From start to finish 2 years for the first book, but 75 percent of the book was written in two weeks. The length of time it took in the beginning was largely due to setting it aside as an idea for the future. When I decided to finish the book, it was just a matter of making the time to write it.
From start to finish 2 years for the first book, but 75 percent of the book was written in two weeks. The length of time it took in the beginning was largely due to setting it aside as an idea for the future. When I decided to finish the book, it was just a matter of making the time to write it.
3.
In
creating a new dimension for the books where did you start or did you see it in
a dream? I usually just pull the ideas out of the
air, though, I do get good ideas from time to time as I discuss ideas with
friends or family or do various things. Anything can be a source for
inspiration.
4.
Did you
physically mapped out the new world, or did you use a familiar country or town
to help you? I don’t work with an outline in the
beginning, or a map before hand. The world is shaped as I write it, so I take
notes as the ideas and maps get filled in throughout the process.
5.
Which
actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition or even a
series?
I like Jennifer Lawrence for one of the female leads. I could see John Malkovich or Christopher Walken as playing one of the older male characters. I would like a strong unknown male character to Owen Sage.
6. With which director would you love to work with?
Peter Jackson!
I like Jennifer Lawrence for one of the female leads. I could see John Malkovich or Christopher Walken as playing one of the older male characters. I would like a strong unknown male character to Owen Sage.
6. With which director would you love to work with?
Peter Jackson!
7.
What is
the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
With the help of his friends, a young college freshman is faced with the task of saving of multiple dimensions from a growing evil that is set on taking over the world.
With the help of his friends, a young college freshman is faced with the task of saving of multiple dimensions from a growing evil that is set on taking over the world.
8.
Will your
book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It will be self-published, though; I am open to it being picked up by an agency at some point in the future.
It will be self-published, though; I am open to it being picked up by an agency at some point in the future.
9.
If self
published why did you choose to go this road? I chose to self-publish because the
daunting task of getting a lit agent and publisher was becoming a mental
obstacle to writing the book. I felt I could make a quality book on my own, but
more importantly, I could gain the knowledge and experience necessary to make
myself a better and more successful writer if I just started writing and let
the chips fall where they may. I am certainly open to representation in the
future, but I’m not going to let the lack of an agent or the lack of a
publisher keep me from writing.
10.
What
other books would you compare this story to within the Science Fiction genre? I would say that the Lord of The Rings,
The Chronicles of Narnia, and Harry Potter are similar in certain respects.
11.
What else
about your book might pique the reader’s interest? I like to intertwine philosophy and
general moral principles in the story that everyone can relate to and benefit
from regardless of one’s religious or political persuasion. I think it also
adds to a sense of fulfilment when reading the story and allows one to better
engage and identify with the characters. I also like to write things that can
inspire people for the better. While I certainly don’t have a problem with
entertainment for entertainment’s sake, I personally like to add an extra
something that people can take with them in other areas of their life. If you
look at some of the more longstanding works, this is a common trait with many
of them.
12.
What has been the most
encouraging comment someone has made about your writing?
I think there were a few
comments like “This was the best scifi fantasy book I’ve ever read” or more
common comments like “I can’t wait for the next book.” Some comments conflict
with each other, but whenever someone expresses a desire to read the next book
or simply acknowledges they enjoyed the first one, that provides tremendous
encouragement.
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle / Paperback
And now available Book 3 in the Series
Everville: The Rise of Mallory Book #3
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/
paperbackwww.amazon.com/dp/1941957072/
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/paperback
www.amazon.com/dp/1941957072/
Visit the author's page.
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