Author: Ray Melnik
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-4502-1727-9

Click Here To Purchase BURNISHED BRIDGE


Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Ray Melnik, author of Burnished Bridge, The Room and To Your Own Self Be True.

Good day Ray and thanks once again for participating in an interview with Bookpleasures.com

Thank you for allowing me to talk about my story.

Norm:

How much research did you undertake when you wrote your most recent novella, Burnished Bridge, as well as The Room and To Your Own Self Be True? Could you describe your research process?

Ray:

Burnished Bridge deals with a wormhole which is a phenomenon that has fascinated me for many years and I had the benefit of having read several books already dealing with these events.

It amazes me how spacetime is described as a huge uneven fabric and that these events are rips that bridge between folds. They are believed to be able to bridge vast distances of spacetime.

When I researched for each of the novels and the novella, it was by reviewing previously read material. One book and video presentation by Brian Greene called The Elegant Universe had a wealth of most anything I needed to reference for thoughts, and the way he presents the science is the cleverest and most interesting you’ll find.

It is worth watching these 10 minute video segments http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html I continually keep up on the latest science of astro and quantum physics because starting with real science is not only the best source for my stories, but also because science is simply fascinating in itself. My interest in the science in general has never been for the math and formulas, but always for what it means about our existence; about who we are and what caused the universe to begin to evolve.

Norm:

Did you know the end of Burnished Bridge at the beginning?

Ray:

I did. Before I ever begin writing any book I have the basic story start to finish. I let the details unfold as it goes, but I always know where I’m going.

Norm:

Why did you write Burnished Bridge as a novella rather than a novel?

Ray:

It was just a simple love story that I thought needed to stand on its own, but a story I wanted to tell. I believed a novella was the right size to tell it. Later I planned to add the concept into the mix with the first two novels in the book I’m writing now. Alex, Elina and Project Glint team up with Kyle, Kaela and Project Stasis, to pull everything together in a series finale that was born in The Room.

Norm:

How did you go about constructing the character of Alex Dael? Is he patterned after someone you know?

Ray:

Alex was not modeled after someone I know, but Janine was; his love interest. Janine was inspired by a good friend I commuted with at the time. She introduced me to the song that inspired the idea for the story. I was frustrated to hear about her boyfriend whom I believe is too immature and was blowing his chance with a great gal. I constructed Alex to be the kind of guy I believe she deserves; a guy who adores her.

I did it the same backwards way in To Your Own Self Be True with one of the main characters, Dr Kyle Trace. His wife Danielle was modeled after a very good friend from London. Kyle trace was constructed to be the kind of guy I believe she deserved. Most of my characters are simply composites of people I’ve experienced, but one character’s personality was based on my own and that was Harry, in The Room.

Norm:

What do you want your work to do? Amuse people? Provoke thinking?

Ray:

Burnished Bridge was written only to be a love story with a wild twist, but in general I write to tell existential stories that I do hope provoke serious thinking. I believe I’m adding a point of view that can be very strange to most people, but after getting to know the protagonists, I hope they come to understand.

Norm:

Which writers have exerted the strongest influence upon you?  As a follow up, which writer do you admire and feel you could never emulate?

Ray:

The writers that have influenced me most are the existential writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. I realize that my stories are deep into the genre of science fiction, but to me that part is secondary and not influenced by any science fiction writers. It is the existential and human side that drives the stories. The writer I would say I admire most is Camus and would never dream of emulating him, but I’m simply happy to be influenced by his stories.

Norm:

How do you try to develop your writing skills?

Ray:

I keep writing. In between books I write short stories and essays.

 
Norm:

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Ray:

I find it difficult at times getting all the timelines straight. This series of stories intersect at various times of the past and future and I draft timelines with significant dates to keep it all straight. This fourth book will be the most complex of all, involving all of the previous timelines and a timeline from an alternate reality.

Norm:

What has been the best part about being published?

Ray:

Well it feels great when the books go to print and I roll back in the couch and read it as others will be reading it.

Norm:

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Ray:

The advice I would give is to be open and honest. I see some people who temper their writing because they fear it reveals a little too much about them.

Norm:

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Ray:

I love getting emails from readers. Most people don’t write, but the emails I get are nice to read. The part that amazes me most is how differently the same book affects different people. The readers who comment on Amazon are the gutsiest of all and I appreciate their comments very much.

Norm:

What is next for Ray Melnik and how can our readers find out more about you and your books?

Ray:

Each book was written to stand on its own, but there were always the common threads. Right now I’ve started the 3rd novel, 4th book in the current series and it pulls all the previous stories to a conclusion. It is the series finale called, The Gift. I have a site called Emergent Novels”at www.emergentnovels.com and on the site there is information about the three current books with, excerpts, multimedia intros, synopsis, reviews, cover art, my bio and more. In addition they can click on Emergent Stories for short stories and essays.

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?

Ray:

Just that the story idea itself was inspired by a song, Maybe, from my favorite folk artist Ingrid Michaelson. A reader should keep this link and when they are finished reading Burnished Bridge, they should click it, listen, and they will understand why. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKU3UuJhIxU  Besides possibly discovering this incredibly talented new artist.

Norm:

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

Ray:

Thank you, Norm.

Click Here To Read Norm's Review of Burnished Bridge

 Click Here To Purchase BURNISHED BRIDGE