A Talk with Donna Marie West, author of The Mud Man
1) Let'start with the obvious question. What is your Author name; use your Pen name if you have one.
Donna Marie West
2) What is your genre and what drew you to it?
I love unexplained phenomena, alternative history, science fiction, and fantasy. The Mud Man is a sort of anthropological science fiction, for want of a better term.
3) Which character of yours is your favorite and why?
Dom, of course. You need to read the book to understand why.
4) Which character of yours was the most challenging to write and why?
Dom, again, for obvious reasons. I did a ton of research to bring him to life in a believable way.
5) Did you receive encouragement from a mentor, family member, teacher, coach…?
Not really. My mentor is New Zealand author and poet John Irvine. He reads everything I write and always gives me his honest opinion.
6) What gives you the most satisfaction in the writing process?
Finishing a story. Also, knowing that readers have enjoyed reading it. And finally, learning as I go. I love learning something knew with each story or article I write.
7) Who would you cast as your most recent Main Character if your book became a movie or T.V. show?
Canadian actor Adam Beach comes to mind, although he might be a bit too old. Actually, I would like a lesser-known but capable indigenous actor to play Dom.
8) Do you read books in your genre, or do you prefer reading other genres?
I read lots of genres, but mostly thrillers, mysteries, and historical fiction. Also nonfiction, anything to do with ancient history, alternative history, paranormal and unexplained phenomena.
9) In your opinion, can a book series be too long?
I don’t know about “too long,” as long as the author keeps coming up with new plots. I do think between 5 – 12 books is perfect. I’m currently working on a series that will probably end at four books.
10) What is your favorite quote and why?
Not sure I have one. Will have to think about that. Okay, let’s go with Yoda’s “Do or do not. There is no try.”
11) What is one book that is currently on your To-Be-Read list?
The Ends of the World (nonfiction) by Peter Brannen. Also Tides of Fire, by James Rollins. And I’m waiting for Diana Gabaldon to get her next book in the Outlander series done and released! Sorry, that’s three . . .
12) Villain, hero or “show stealing” side character? Which would you be?
I don’t see myself being a villain. Either of the other two, I guess, depending on the story.
13) What is the name of your book/series? Tell me a little bit about them.
The book I’m currently promoting is The Mud Man. I would love to share the back jacket blurb with you (but no spoilers):
When anthropologist Veronica Booth is called to consult on a dig in northern B.C., she expects to see the usual remnants of early indigenous habitation. Never in her wildest dreams does she imagine finding a man’s body preserved a metre deep in a thawing bog. More shocking still—he’s alive, albeit barely.
The mud man, as Veronica initially thinks of him, matches no missing person reports and his DNA is like nothing on record. Radio-carbon dating of his clothes and items found with him return the impossible age of 9,500 years!
As he slowly recovers from his ordeal, the mysterious man reveals a host of incredible surprises, stunning Veronica and others who are growing close to him.
But can a man who lived millennia ago adapt to life in the modern world? Should he be expected to?
14) Do you have a website? If so, what is it?
I don’t, but I can be found on Facebook.
15) Where can we find and follow you?
Amazon author link: https://www.amazon.com/author/donnamarie.west
Goodreads author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7876668.Donna_Marie_West
16) Is there anything important that you would want my readers to know about you?
I don’t know if readers will think this important, but I do love to do research and tend to do extensive research for everything I write, both fiction and nonfiction. I’m also a freelance editor, so when I’m not working on my own stuff, I’m trying to help other authors with theirs. Or maybe it’s the other way around . . .
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