Author: Randall Jarmon

Publisher: Mikvelk Publishing, LLC

ISBN: 9780983154983

Today, Bookpleasures.com is pleased once again to have as our guest, Randall Jarmon author of The Dalhart Pursuit and Flat Light.

Good day Randall and thanks again for participating in our interview.

Randall:

You’re welcome! I’m very pleased to be here.

Norm:

How did the process of writing The Dalhart Pursuit and Flat Light differ from one another?

Randall:

With The Dalhart Pursuit, I started off knowing the ending and basically used the ending planned. With Flat Light, I started off thinking I knew the ending, but the book’s characters changed it before I got there. It’s their fault.

Norm:

Did you learn anything from writing The Dalhart Pursuit that helped you with your writing of Flat Light, if so, and what was it?

Randall:

I think I am learning to listen more to the characters. I probably always did that. I think I always knew I should do that. However, until lately, I had not realized how much fun it can be. Once in a while it’s like sitting in a theater seat and watching those onstage do fascinating, unexpected things.

Norm:

What served as the primary inspiration for Flat Light?

Randall:

It was, I think, the realization that time could be a weapon. If an assassin throws a bomb, he’ll probably get caught. If the assassin puts a five-hour fuse on the bomb, he might, or might not, get caught. What if he put a twenty-five year fuse on the bomb? Would that work for sure? Enough time just might make all the difference.

Norm:

Is your work improvisational or do you have a set plan?

Randall:

I used to teach PERT charts, which might be the quintessential planning tool. So, I once briefly thought my stories could be planned.

Now I know improvisation works better for me. If I carefully outlined a novel, I would write it with only the experience and insight available at the outset. If I improvise as I go, I get new experience and insight with every chapter. There’s more material to build a good story from.

Norm:

How did you go about creating the various principal characters in Flat Light?

Randall:

Way down deep, Flat Light is a morality play. The good guys have to be virtuous and competent; the bad guys must be evil and competent. I seem to develop situations and mannerisms to signal the virtue, competence, and evil. In that careful process, the characters tend to create themselves as much as I create them.

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?

Randall:

The story has to be credible, but it does not have to be real. That’s the delight in fiction. For me, the idea is not to distract readers with inconsistencies, inaccuracies, exaggerations, etc. All those might be present – and even might be essential to the story -- so long as they remain unnoticed.

Norm:

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Randall:

It is hard for me to predict consistently how women will react to a story. Just ask my wife about that.

I thus have some very smart, very savvy women – and especially my wife! -- read early versions and give me feedback. I also have found two female editors who are remarkably good – one could even say they’re terrific. So, I strategically augment my masculine point of view with the insight of these highly talented women.

Norm:

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

Randall:

The best place is Randalljarmon.com   I am beginning to understand Facebook, Amazon’s Author Central, and Google+. I might even figure out Twitter someday. Even so, Randalljarmon.com   will always have the fullest information. It likely will have the best art work, too.

Norm:

What is next for Randall Jarmon?

Randall:

One long-term effort is finishing up a novel that will launch roughly in December. The word “December” is likely to be in the story’s title, which I still have not settled on. Finishing up that title is my short-term effort of the moment. The story is great – possibly my best to date -- but the title’s not going so well yet.

Norm:

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers that has not been covered in this interview?

Randall:

They might want to watch Amazon’s Kindle Select program. For at least a while, I will be starting my ebooks off there. Once I can figure out how to make the necessary Kindle Select settings, there will be some brief periods – brief, sporadic periods! --where I give away an ebook either for free or at a big discount.

Norm:

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

Follow Here To Read Norm's Review of Flat Light

Follow Here To Purchase Flat Light