Exclusive interview with author Frederick A. Babb.

For the first time, author Frederick A. Babb has consented to an interview. Learn never before known facts and thoughts about this author that always emotionally challenges his readers.

(PRWEB) August 15, 2004 -- Frederick A. Babb is an author of a different breed. His work is emotionally challenging, sometimes controversial and never leaves the reader indifferent after reading his material. Here is a recent interview he conducted for an ezine magazine.

Question: With so many writers in todays industry, what was your reason for pursuing this career?

Answer: Writing has always been a hobby of mine. Being creative and able to control the destiny of the world you create is fascinating. A couple of years ago I was writing a humorous sports article for the bi-weekly newspapers in two military bases in Southern Spain. The feedback I received was overwhelming. It was the first time that I felt the true reward behind writing. No matter what any writer ever says, the best reward is connecting with your reader.

As for travelling the road to publishing books, I would have to say that a series of events were the driving factors behind me crossing over from just a hobby to being a published author. In the wake of my 20-year high school reunion, I discovered that a lady that was very special in my high school years had died of cancer at the young age of 23. This was around Christmas time and, after some research, I discovered that she had died on March 31, 1987. It is difficult to explain, but I was driven to write a story in her memory. Day after day, the story seemed to just flow from my fingers onto the paper and 15 years to the day of her death, I finished the story. That story was unforgettable and, thus, I titled it as such. Unforgettable" open so many doors to me and had far more reaction in the market than I had ever imagine possible. I had always thought that, if just one person were to read the novel, then the memory of this lady would live on. Soon, I was receiving letters from around the world through my website telling me how the book had had such a positive impact on their lives. As an author, that is the best reward possible.

Question: Is there anyone in particular that you would attribute to having played a role in your success?

Answer: I would have to say that I owe much of my success to my ability to connect with readers. My writing style is unique and one that will not leave a person neutral. Either they like it or they dont. Many talented authors have been more than generous to me in helping to improve my skills as an author. Cynthia Larson, an author from San Francisco, is one that has been with me from the very first day it seems and always is willing to give me advice and encouragement. Without sounding like I am making this into a drawn out thank you speech, I would also have to mention the publishers that have placed their faith in me and supported my projects. Ultimately, the person that played a huge role in my success is Cindy Marshall. She is the special friend that inspired Unforgettable". I would rather have never had published Unforgettable" and have her still alive than what reality actually is.

Question: What type of writing do you enjoy the most?

Answer: One with emotions. I have to express what one is feeling. Even in my upcoming non-fictional book about terrorism, I focused more on the emotional scars that are left behind rather than the gruesome details of terrorism attacks. A story without emotions is like reading an encyclopedia. You can get information, but it doesnt touch you.

Question: Do you have a style that resembles any famous writers? If so who?

Answer: Not really. My style is unique, as I have said. Maybe somewhere out there someone might be able to make a comparison, but I have yet to do such. I write to express what I feel. Attempting to copy the style of others would do no justice to anyone.

Question: What are the names of any books, articles, short stories or poems that you have in print or coming up to be published?

Answer: My debut novel was Unforgettable" about unconditional love. That was followed by my second release, Torn". Torn" went into a new direction of a triangle romance where not everything is taboo. This past spring, I released Freemans Perils". Freemans Perils" moved away from just romance and more into the suspense romance world. Some have sent me letters saying that it is the best work to date. However, the publisher that print it has made it very limited and the sales have yet to take off.

Coming up, I have Running of the Bulls" scheduled for release this fall/winter. It is the first in a Spanish Romance Trilogy that I am working on. The follow up books are titled Spanish Passion" and Amorous Amiga". I also have my book about terrorism ready to be sent for publication consideration. Titled Basta Ya!/Enough!", it takes a look at the history of terrorism as well as the emotional scars that fall in the wake.

Further down the road I have a novel that promises to take me in yet another direction. Seven seconds till Eternity" takes a new look at death from Deaths point of view. I have several other projects, but there is not enough hours in the day to get them all done.

Question: Do you belong to any writers forums or workshops? If so which ones and do you feel they have been helpful? Please give some details as to why or why not.

Answer: I belong to no official forum or group. My style is that of a person that comes and goes. I maintain contact and help all that I can to authors that ask for help. I also am not afraid to join messageboards of authors that I feel can help answer questions that I may have. Given that I live in Spain, it is difficult to partake in many on-line chats with authors in the USA because of the time difference.

Question: What are your writing goals?

Answer: As with any writer, we all have the goal of having that one Bestseller" otherwise we would never be sincere to ourselves. Some have their worked published to fulfill a goal in their life and are content on that one achievement. I want more. I dont want to be an author of a couple of books and spend the rest of my days talking about those books. My goal is to have at least 50 books published by the time I reach 65. That is a very ambitious goal because I will have to release 2 per year. For now, I am focus and I hope that I can maintain the rhythm to fulfill that goal.

Question: Where do you think you will be in one year, five years or 10 years?

Answer: One year from now, I will be where I am continuing the pursuit of my dreams. In the writing world, everything happens so slowly. Maybe in five to ten years I can drop my day job and dedicate my time to writing exclusively. Only the acceptance by the readers can make this a possibility.

Question: Where do you get your writing ideas and inspirations?

Answer: I have a distinctive way of setting up characters. I find someone that may be a friend or just know by sight. I take their physical appearances and transplant the personality that I want them to have. Then, I borrow from lifes experiences to bring out a story.

Question: What do you find to be the most difficult part of writing? For instance, character development, scene setting, plot etc.

Answer: Getting started. I always have ideas for novels. The first chapter is the hardest. I remember a saying, Start strong, carry them through the middle and leave an ending that will have them wanting more." Getting that strong start to get the reader hooked is the most difficult. Once I get past that stage, everything else is easier. I find the biggest challenge to be the fact that I attempt to make each book different from the others. When I first wrote Unforgettable", I received a lot of fan mail in favor of it. Torn" was completely different and some of the feedback was that I had ventured away from my style". Whether that is good or not, I dont want to sell the same story repeatedly under different names and characters. I always want to challenge the reader with new experiences.

Question: Which do you recommend, POD (Print on Demand), self-publishing or traditional publishing?

Answer: Every writer dreams of one day becoming a successful writer and being able to dedicate all their time to this profession. In between the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and getting started is a long road that many must travel. Not every writer will have the talent, patience and skills to complete the journey. Traditional publishers offer credibility and a certain degree of success, but they are extremely difficult to access for new authors. The POD industry, in its many facets, offers new authors an opportunity to create a fan base, polish their skills, and learn first hand the ups and downs of the publishing world. Nobody is naïve enough to think that they will have a bestseller with a POD publisher, but there is a certain advantage to new authors. Self-publishing is the most time consuming avenue to venture into. The plus side is that the author has 100% control of their product. The downside is that a person must have the resources, time as well as money, to promote their product if they want it to be successful.

Question: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Answer: Write if you enjoy it. If you are going to write for fame and fortune, you will soon find it to be a very unpleasant task. Your own manuscripts have to be your joy, not the possibilities of being successful. The cruel reality is that many authors are published but few are successful. There is nothing wrong with having the desire to be successful, but that desire needs to be secondary to your own contentment with writing.

Question: Would you like some advice from other writers and if so on what area?

Answer: I am a writer that pales in comparison to others and I would always be open to sincere advice that would help me in all aspects of the publishing world from improving my style to marketing aspects. Again, living in Spain has drawbacks and I must rely more on the Internet for sales than walking the bookstore path. I am a person that believes a day should not go by that we couldnt learn something to improve ourselves.

Question: Do you want to provide any closing comments?

Answer: Some have called me controversial because I have no problem stating what I think. In a world where people are always attempting to be politically correct or make a grand impression on someone for personal gain, I dont always fit in. If a publisher is not treating an author correctly, I am the first to defend the author. Likewise, if authors are not being dealt fairly by publishers, I will defend the authors. Grant it, this is sometimes professional suicide as it can close doors to publishers. However, if a person cannot defend what they feel is correct, how can they face themselves each day? For better or worse, I am my own person and I always encourage everyone else to be the same.

You can read more about Frederick A. Babb on his webpage at http://www.frederickbabb.com. He is currently in the final stages of authoring the much anticipated book on terrorism, Basta Ya!/Enough!"