Despite
growing up in a small town, I always knew I was destined for bigger things. At
age eighteen, I enlisted in the US Navy, a move that allowed me to see the
world and explore my passion for life. After 6 years and an honorable
discharge, I settled into civilian life, earning my Bachelor of Science in
Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Technology Management.
Always eager
to challenge myself with new and different roles, I took on the role of
“Author,” writing my debut novel among the roles of full-time engineer, local
business owner, and family man. But, I have no plans to stop there!
I am an avid
outdoorsman, enjoy camping, hiking, snowboarding, shooting, and fishing, making
the Land of Enchantment an ideal
place to call home.
I look
forward to sharing my novel and experiences with all of you!
Charles’
latest book is the drama/suspense, The Jungle
Within.
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Can you tell us what your book is about?
The Jungle Within is
really two stories in one. The one side is about a husband named Evan, who gets
into a bad car accident and is taken to the hospital. At the same time that he
gets into the accident, his wife Katie, is having an affair with another man.
The book then proceeds into parallel paths. One story is about Evan and his
struggle while he’s in the coma, and the other is about Katie and her struggles
as she deals with what she did and the current state of her husband. The two
sides clash in tremendous fashion.
Why did you write your book?
I wrote The Jungle Within as a dare to myself. I always
thought I could write a book and so I challenged myself to do it. And I did. I
was surprised at how much fun it was. I struggled at first, quite a bit
actually. I even stopped writing for about 3 months. I kept finding excuses to
not write. One day I just found some drive and I finished the first draft in
about 3 months.
Are you consciously aware of the plot before you begin a
novel or do you discover it as you write?
With The Jungle Within, I knew the beginning and I knew the
ending. The middle part of the plot was the tough part. I found myself writing
and writing, sometimes having to back up, but as I developed the characters, I
discovered knew and fun ways to stir up their lives. It was all downhill after
that!
Does the setting play
a major part in the development of your story?
The setting in The
Jungle Within is everything. When Evan is in the coma he awakes in the jungle,
a metaphor for his mind. This is where his journey takes place. Readers have
pointed out that they don’t understand the cover, but once they get to a
certain point in the book it all starts to make sense.
Have you suffered
from writer’s block and what do you do to get back on track?
I have suffered from
writer’s block before. It’s hard to explain, but it feels as though the well
goes dry. You pull so much water out of it and one day there is nothing. That’s
the best way I can describe it. It’s hard because on one hand you know it won’t
be like that forever, but on the other, it feels like an eternity. What I do is
I completely disconnect from the story I’m working on. The more you try to
force it, the worse it gets. I find that when I let it come to me, it comes
from a place of inspiration, not a place of force. And it feels so much better
when it comes like that.
If we were to meet
for lunch to talk books, where would we go?
If I had my choice,
we would meet somewhere outdoors and surrounded by nature. I love being outside.
We came from the earth. It’s only natural that we love being near it. I think a
nice stroll through the woods would stir up some interesting conversations.
What do you like the
most about being an author?
My favorite part of
being an author is being in control. I’m not a control freak or anything like
that. It’s just like it’s this world that you can be the creator of. You can
make up people, places and things and give them purpose and meaning. You can
also use these stories to touch people in ways you wouldn’t imagine. We all
have an imagination inside of us. The beauty of being an author is nobody can
tell you your imagination is wrong. It’s your story. Tell it like you want to.
What is the most
pivotal point of a writer’s life?
I believe the most pivotal
part of writer’s life begins after their first novel. To me it felt like I was
through, but I was far from through. Unless you have a publicist, you have
really just started. People have to find your book, read it, share it, review
it and so much more. This is the point where you decide if you writing it was
good enough, or wanting to be a great writer is the real goal. All of this
while trying to write your next one. It can be difficult. This is probably why
most people don’t do it.
What kind of advice
would you give other fiction authors?
Never give up. I know that’s a cliché thing to say, but
there were times when I really, really wanted to quit writing. I could spare
myself all the work and criticism that came along with releasing a novel. But when
my final edition came to me in the mail it was a surreal moment. SO MUCH work
went into that book and there it was. Sitting in my hands staring back at me.
And in that moment, it was all worth it. The feeling is like a drug. The final
product is euphoric.