The Interview Part 2.
Continuing excerpts from a Dec. 14, 2014 interview with eBooks author, Stuart Murray. Part 1 provided a glimpse into the underlying themes, and here, in Part 2 is a continuance of that exploration, as well as an insight into the true, real life incident that provided not only the starting point for the story, but so much more.

“I am not sure anyone is completely good, bad, or evil. It all comes down to the preponderance of evidence that places individuals on one side of that line or another at a particular point in time.”

You said that one of the underlying themes in the book is an exploration of choice, and the consequence of decisions made relative to those choices. Care to expand? 
A life led is determined by every choice made, either by the individual, or for the individual. But it’s also restricted by upbringing, influences, available opportunities and the environment in which opportunities are presented. Opportunities, and the ability to accept, or not, are finite, and time sensitive.

As in a boy raised by a sponge diver would be more likely to consider pursuing that activity than a girl raised by a farmer who has never seen the sea.
Choices are based on a whole host of factors including lifestyle, ambition, interests, expectations and other potential, or competing opportunities. The fact that the boy is acutely aware of the opportunity may provide an insight that acts as a deterrent. The point I was making is simply that when a path is chosen, and pursued, other potential paths are discarded, put aside or taken off the table. It’s what follows that’s interesting. Was it the right decision, and now that’s been made what of the implications? That’s what is fascinating, interesting and worthy of exploration.

 What about the choices you made in writing the book?
The first choice was in the actual writing, and in dedicating thousands of hours to an enterprise that had a high probability of either failing utterly through my own ineptness, or in failing to find an appreciative audience.

And the second?
The second choice in writing this book was to develop the story and present it in a fresh and hopefully entertaining package that brings a certain unique perspective to the process.

As in the Montana setting?
In part. Montana is an underpopulated, wild and remote region of the planet, and therein lies a certain fascination. But the setting alone isn’t sufficiently unique. It’s a combination of location, as well as the lives led by the central characters that bring them into contact with one another at a particular point in time. Combining a disillusioned ex Marine, a powerful rancher, a crusty old salt and a beautiful woman, and developing the story of what evolves from that point was the vehicle drawn from a real life incident that happened during a vacation trip to Montana.

 Perhaps you could provide a little more insight into that incident.
I happened just as written in the first few chapters of the book, right up to the point where there was a high speed chase involving the police cruiser. By the time the police got involved the driver of the pickup truck, equipped with a heavy duty suspension and big off road wheels was making good his escape.

But the cops got him?
They did. And that was the point where it should have ended. Instead, that was when it got tricky, and a little ugly. The officer knew the driver, and he was providing a version of the incident that naturally suited him. All of a sudden everything flipped, hard question were being asked, motives were cast in doubt and the tension was building. There was a point where it could have gone either way.

So how was it resolved?
The driver of the truck unexpectedly admitted causing the incident that forced the car from the road and shattered the windshield. That changed everything. The cop walked the truck driver away for a quiet chat then returned with an offer that the costs of repairing the damages would be picked up in exchange for an agreement not to press charges.

Interesting, and that was agreed to?
Tempers were running high and the tension was on knife edge. But there was a need to end it. Call it wild west cowboy justice if you like, but it was enough, there was a resolution and after a written commitment was obtained we all went on our way.

Another underlying theme in the book takes a hard look at inequality and the struggle to advance in the face of adversity. Would you characterize that as essentially the age old battle of good versus evil; the nice guy taking on the bad.
Not necessarily. It depends on how these things are defined. I am not sure anyone is completely good, bad, or evil. It all comes down to the preponderance of evidence that places individuals on one side of that line or another at a particular point in time, and it depends on how situations evolve. The characters in the books all cross that line as required to varying degrees, and as needs dictate in order to survive, or to simply protect their interests. I think it's a question of how far a person goes over that line, and how long they stay that more accurately defines an individual's character.

The third part of The Interview, to appear in a future blog, will take a look at some of the book's more interesting characters.

Excerpts from an exclusive Interview with eBook author, Stuart Murray. December 14, 2014

“The essence of what I have tried to capture and present is an exploration of choice, and the consequence of the decisions made relative to those choices.”

In this interview the novelist opens up about the underlying themes, and the colorful, and often complex characters who inhabit, exist, and bring the pages to life

It has been a long time since Stuart started writing his first book as a teenager. That unfinished work, inspired by a creative desire, was written on a simple pad of paper, then lost, but never quite forgotten. The creative seed remained, dormant, neglected and hidden somewhere in the recesses of a fertile mind. A business career took precedence, along with constructing a life. Then something happened, an incident that could have caused injury or cost lives reignited the spark, and what took shape over the subsequent years emerged as not one, but two books titled Dangerous Perceptions Part 1 The Road To Nowhere, and Part 2 Unintended Consequences.

 First of all, congratulations on achieving the milestone of getting these books completed and out into the public domain.
Thank you, it’s been a long road.

 The book has been out for two months now. How have sales been?
On par with expectations.

Which is?
One copy was sold a couple of weeks back to my nephew.

And…
That’s about it. 

Wow, a family member who wouldn’t have felt under any obligation or pressure. That’s amazing!
What’s amazing is that he hasn’t returned it yet for credit.

So there’s a good probability he hasn’t read it.
That would be my thinking.

Okay dopy then. I mean, wow, holy crap mobile, look at the time! I need to wrap this up.
Oh come on, we just got started, and we both know you’re not going anywhere. Besides, don’t you need to ask something a little more interesting to make this a legitimate interview?

Long sigh, followed by; Fine, let’s begin by discussing, aah, skimming really quickly over what these books are about.
The synopsis provided on page 1 of the website provides a rough sketch of what the reader will encounter in terms of the story they can expect to find within the pages. But the essence of what it is about goes much deeper and can’t be adequately presented in a simple overview.

Explain.
It’s a story about the perpetual struggle of humanity to create a better existence at a micro level. It’s about hope, hopelessness, love, ambition and the need to evolve, move forward and simply survive the inequality; in terms of the balance of power and resources from which to draw, that separates people everywhere.

That is an ambitious undertaking. And you believe you captured those attributes in these stories?
To the best of my ability, and yes, it’s all been done before by better, more successful writers many times in various languages and formats. But the essence is the same: the struggle to elevate to a higher position in life through recognition of opportunity, by taking financial and personal risk, and in overcoming the associated obstacles, hopefully without endangering the life shared with someone special.

I can’t imagine that doing so is particularly easy.
No, it isn’t easy. The road is harder for some than others, and without the right balance success in one endeavor often results in the failure of the other. The essence of what I have tried to capture and present is an exploration of choice, and the consequence of the decisions made relative to those choices.

Part 2 of this interview will appear in this blog page sometime during the week of December 21

Here I am back with another blog posting, a little earlier than anticipated but with news that I want to share. First of all Kindle will be placing Dangerous Perceptions Part 1 The Road To Nowhere on sale for a limited time starting December 22.
At over 50% off the current list price that date is worth waiting for.

The other news is that an informal interview was conducted over the weekend with myself primarily to discuss the books. The focus is a closer examination of what is really going on behind the story, as well as a slightly more detailed look at the characters who engage in a passionately dangerous embrace in a remote area of Montana. They breathe life, produce color and imbue vibrancy into what would otherwise be nothing more than a blank, featureless canvas. This discussion provides a little more background, as well as insight into their personalities.
And in conclusion it's all wrapped up by looking at the direction to be taken now that these works have been completed.

Snippets and excerpts from that discussion will appear in this blog page starting this week.

It’s a sobering reality check to realize that all the months and years devoted to the creation of a piece of work, such as a novel, is nothing more than the beginning of the process, and not the end. There is an expectation that the final, final edit, the agony over cover design and introduction to a hundred agents is enough. The book is complete, the process finished, it's on the launching pad and success will surely follow. Publishers will fall all over themselves to secure this new work and produce thousands of copies. The title will appear on the New York Times Best Seller's List and suddenly John Grissom, David Baldacci, Brad Thor, Steve Berry, Steven King, JK Rowling and all the other well known writers will be wondering who the heck is this newbie nipping at their heals.
If only!
It somehow doesn’t quite work that way. Agents and publishers already have a stable full of known talent with proven track records that keep them busy. And they have an infinite amount of choice clogging the pipelines, bombarding them each and every day, every week, month after month, year after year. The chance of interesting an agent: the preferred and often only way to approach publishers, is exceedingly slim. Unless you happen to be a celebrity, or have the luck to click with the right person, who just happens to need a new client, in whatever genre the writer and agent share a common interest, at exactly the right time.
A tall order when agents admit to rejecting 99.9 percent of all work submitted by unrequested query introduction.
The alternative option is self publishing an eBook and listing it on the many eBook sites willing to offer it for sale, for sizable commissions ranging from 35 - 70%. Many writers, especially those who were on the cutting edge of this eWave, have had success, and while it is without doubt worth exploring it is also worth noting that this is the route the majority of writers unable to interest an agent are taking.
One site recently visited listed 130,000 writers placing books with them, many of whom have multiple listings. The numbers are staggering and promotion on these sites are just the same as at a bookstore; all the known authors are front and center and that lovingly produced work that was listed in the expectation of discovery is buried and consigned to a dimly lit back room where a search warrant is required to find it.
The lack of visibility and realization producing competition for attention and recognition quickly follows. Works that have taken months or years to produce are given away at very low prices, and often for free in the hope that much needed interest will be generated.
The reality is that many readers simply download all the free works offered and spend months working their way through them only to download another batch of free offerings when the need arises. Everything has value. Giving something away at no cost in the hope, rather than the expectation and promise of some form of compensation is questionable, encourages others to follow in order to compete, and that course of action is ultimately harmful to the entire community of writers.
When was the last time a baker handed out entire cakes as samples, a dentist filled a cavity for nothing, or a lawyer prepared a legal document all in the vague hope that the recipient would recognize the value and return when the same can be had from every other baker, dentist and lawyer down the street? They wouldn't and don't; they provide samples, or consultations and that's it.
Two or three sample chapters are enough for decisions to be made on the style of writing, and whether the prospective buyer is interested, or not. If it’s purchased and liked and judged to be worthwhile it is reasonable to assume future success will result. Giving away thousands of copies of an entire book just doesn’t make sense, and the people who picked it up certainly won't be buying it.