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Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Geoffrey Neil author of Dire Means.

 Good day Geoffrey and thanks for participating in our interview

 Norm:

 How did you get started in writing? What keeps you going?

 Geoffrey:

I’ve enjoyed writing since I was in about second grade. My first creative works were silly notes I hid for family members in their beds, cabinets or other places I knew they’d eventually look. My parents recently unboxed, blew the dust off and gave some of those faded notes to my wife, who enjoyed a good laugh over them. Later in life, (usually after a nasty break up) I’ve written extensive journals. I’ve probably typed a thousand password-protected Word docs in which I’ve consoled myself with reasons the breakup wasn’t my fault –which usually led to satisfying narratives of my ex’s’ unfortunate futures –strictly fiction, of course. Beyond an itch to create, the thing that keeps me going is a burning desire to show improvement –to write something better than before.

 Norm:

 What made you want to write about homeless people?

Geoffrey:

I do have great sympathy for homeless people. I’m amazed buy society’s indifference to them. Ignoring so many physically or mentally ill human beings passed out in gutters amidst crowds of smart, resourceful, relatively-wealthy people, is impossible for me to reconcile. I began to write Dire Means from this emotional perspective.

Norm:

How did you find your protagonist Mark Denny? Is he based on anyone you know?

Geoffrey:  

Mark was the name of the protagonist in a story I began on a Commodore 64 computer when I was 17. I never finished that story despite repeated promises to myself to do so. When I committed to finishing Dire Means, the name for my protagonist was obvious. Naming him “Mark” felt like completion of my unfinished work. Some of my friends and family think Mark is based on me, but we actually share only our profession and a few characteristics and quirks. I based Mark’s job on mine almost identically because I despise research.

Norm:

Was Dire Means improvisational or did you have a set plan?

Geoffrey: 

I wrote Dire Means from beginning to end without an outline. From what I’ve read on 1,001 web sites by experts on “How to Write a Novel”, I didn’t follow proper procedure. I gave outlining an honest try (probably 4-5 months worth), but when I began to draft based on the outline I felt like I had all the freedom of driving a train and there were so many places I wanted to turn that I became frustrated. Perhaps I didn’t outline correctly, but I’m done trying. I eventually used a method Stephen King shared in his book, On Writing: I began with an intriguing situation and reported what I saw happen, until it led me to the next situation.

Norm:

Where did the title Dire Means come from?

Geoffrey:

It began with an article I found on Wikipedia about “means justification”. (I wasn’t researching; I was just surfing!) The article provided examples and showed the shortcomings of justifying the means by the end and it fascinated me. I felt that it fit my story. In my mind, I twisted the word “means” into a double entendre (meaning both method and meanness). I chose the title Dire Means because I thought it would best fit the story’s gist –someone taking means justification to an absurd level.

Norm:

What do you want your book to do? Entertain people? Provoke thinking?

Geoffrey:

I wrote it with entertainment in mind. Several years ago when I shared with a friend my goal of writing a novel, she said, “There’s one primary rule: You’ve got to make it absolutely fascinating.” That’s how I set out, knowing readers would decide if I had succeeded.

As for provoking thought, much of the feedback I’ve received on this book so far is about how deeply it affected readers’ attitudes about homelessness. That surprised me because my intention was not to alter anyone’s opinion about helping homeless people. I just wanted to write a good story and I chose a social problem that I have feelings for as part of its foundation. In fact, when I finished the book, I was most excited about the technology integrated into the story. I had worked so hard to make the technological terms generic enough to avoid the rapid obsolescence that makes so many techno-thrillers seem silly only 2 or 3 years after publication. I was aware that Dire Means also contained a serious thread of social commentary, but I had no idea it would pierce readers emotionally and provoke thought as much as it has. The most common feedback I get is, “I’ll never look at a homeless person the same way again.” If not that, then readers sarcastically thank me for making them completely terrified of freight elevators.

Norm:

Did you learn anything from writing Dire Means and what was it?

Geoffrey:

Yes. I learned how difficult it is to write a book! I also learned what a phenomenal editor/literary consultant my wife is. I’ve learned to be more disciplined and I’ve discovered that it can actually be fun to put together an enormous, complex single document.

Norm:

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

Geoffrey:

The first thing that comes to mind is that I grew up loving television –and my parents rationed it so, naturally, I wanted more than I could have. In fact, I’m still deeply in love with TV and HD has only strengthened our relationship. As a result, I am not as well read as I would like to be. I cannot fathom what it feels like to have as many books in my head as you do, Norm. Being well-read provides a tremendous resource of creative possibilities from which a writer can pull. I’m working hard to make up for lost time by reading more and I’m actually enjoying it –especially since I’ve stepped into the writing game. Other than that, I’ve always been generally uptight and I worry about everything even though my living environment growing up has always been relatively comfortable. This definitely colors my writing.

Norm:

Do you worry about the human race?

Geoffrey:

Not as a whole. I tend to only worry about things that I feel I can affect with immediate results. The human race is too large a category for me. Show me a problem suffered by a smaller group and if I’m in a position to help, I’ll begin worrying for you right away.

Norm:

In fiction as well as in non-fiction, writers very often take liberties with their material to tell a good story or make a point. But how much is too much?

Geoffrey:

In fiction, I think you’ve taken a fatal liberty when your reader rolls his or her eyes after reading something that is ridiculous, then closes the book mid-story and tosses into a box (or worse, the trash). Other than that blunder, I’m all for telling a good story in the most creative, entertaining way possible. I’ve written some non-fiction too and always felt that truth was a clear boundary that limited my liberties much more in that arena.

Norm:

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Geoffrey:

For the craft of writing, Stephen King –particularly his On Writing book. For content and style, John Steinbeck –his work regularly flattens me.

Norm:

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Geoffrey:

Yes, I do. I want to thank them for taking the time to sit in on this interview. If you’re still here with us at this point in the interview, I’m guessing that you’ve either enjoyed or anticipate enjoying Dire Means. I always welcome comments and questions (and I’ve received quite a few) from readers. I have an appropriate amount of humility about my writing and I don’t take myself too seriously, so feel free to contact me.

Norm:

Where can our readers find out more about you and your book?

Geoffrey: You can find me at my web site: geoffreyneil.com or on Facebook. Dire Means also has a Facebook page; come by and be a fan. Between the two, you’ll have good tabs on any of my projects.

Norm:

What is next for Geoffrey Neil?

Geoffrey:

I’m working on book number two. It is untitled so far, and probably won’t have the socially conscious ingredients of Dire Means, but I never know since I have that horrible aversion to outlining. The story will have at least one character from Dire Means. This is a very “guessable” character if you finished the story. Some have also suggested a prequel that would include Pop’s history, evolution of his mental state and his rise to CEO of Trail Bladers Subterranean Data Destruction, Inc.

Norm:

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors

Click Here To Read Norm's Review of Dire Means

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