Fact or Fiction?

It's no secret that I've written a novel entitled "The Long Road from Perdition".  When I asked writers to read the book and offer some constructive criticism, I was a little taken aback that they thought the book was factual. Some even believed that I was Nicholas and was narrating my life through his character.

Since then, I have had others read the book and wonder the same thing.  I don't want to give away the plot, but there are some absolutely heartbreaking moments that are intertwined throughout the book.   I feel that it is much like life really is; heartbreak, anguish, joy, happiness and back to heartbreak again. I want to emphasize that the book is not factual.  I did write about certain events that are known to me and used certain characteristics from a variety of people I've known throughout my life to create characters.  I believe every fiction writer does this.

The fact that people are wondering about this book tells me I've accomplished what I set out to do.  I want readers to think about Nicholas and his struggles long after the last page is turned.  I have to admit, he almost seems real to me as well.  And, at times, during the writing of this book, I felt I was typing as fast as I could to get the plot, emotion and dialogue down as I was seeing and hearing it in my head.  It's almost as if I was watching a movie playing of it in my head.  Perhaps it was watching Adrien Grenier on an episode of Entourage that encouraged Nicholas's physical features...or maybe the plot developed after hearing Jonny Lang's anguished Wander this World.

All I know is that it all came together and became a novel that I'm very proud to have written.  Thank you readers for your comments...I'm grateful.

JRS

Sometimes being Bellied Up to a Bar brings Inspiration

Sometimes when I'm seated at a bar and get an idea for a character, I wonder to myself, "Is this how Ernest Hemingway started in Key West?"  I would then imagine a bunch of six-toed cats running freely throughout a home on the edge of lapping waves where sunrises and sunsets are celebrated daily by the locals.

While Hemingway wrote classics while he lived in his tropical paradise, he certainly is THE master of the written word and I am just another wordsmith.  But, I do think we share the propensity for observing others at any cost.  It is this quality that brought to me some of the characters in "The Long Road from Perdition".  I remember I was seated at a bar in New York where a couple of gals were tending bar.  Both were older than the average barkeep and that much more interesting to watch in action.

One of the ladies was dressed a bit too young for her age and had a pair of eyes that she used to stare down an unruly customer or to flirt shamelessly with a new face sitting across from her.  I watched with interest as she mixed drinks, slammed them down and put the gents in their place. I swore if I ever had a book where I could fit in these bar lovelies, that I would.  Voila!, she became 'Bug-eyed Sue.'  The other woman was older than her counterpart but oozed a sensuality that left every man vying for her attention.

I was fascinated. These women had every customer whether male or female, wrapped around their french manicured fingers. The sultry one gave me a look and actually made me blush.  "Oh look, the quiet one is shy..." I was hooked, I grinned like an idiot turning more crimson by the second.

Everytime I go back to New York, I make a point of seeing the gals.  Funny, the bar is not in the best area of town, but these gals are woman enough to keep their customers firmly under their spell.  I always look forward to gazing at the sultry one and her friend with the eyes.  It makes the scotch I'm drinking go down that much smoother under the slow moving fans which conjure memories of Key West.

JRS

Buddy, Can You Spare a Book Review?

It's true, I've been hounding people to post reviews of my new novel onto Amazon.com, Good Reads.com, Facebook, Twitter, anywhere there is a connection between the written word and people.

So, imagine the smile on my face when I logged into my blog to see a comment from a new friend, Linda Della Donna, author of "Book or Bust" blog and Griefcase.com:

"I have read this book and it is a riveting read.  Couldn't put it down." Linda Della Donna - author of Griefcase.net and Bookorbust.blogspot.com 


She wrote me in between chapters with updates such as, "This Nicholas fellow is really worrying me," and I smiled thinking she would become more than worried in a few more chapters.  I wanted her to "get it" and that she did.  She offered some constructive criticism and glowing compliments and encouragement.  What else could you want from a fellow author?



Ms. Della Donna and I have yet to meet since she lives in the New York City area, but hope our paths will indeed cross one day.  The woman with the lyrical name even twitters on my behalf...God bless her.


I've also met another author who I've dubbed as my "brother from another mother".  He too, is a recluse who only wants his book to get the attention it deserves.  His name is Brandon Shire and his novels prove to be dark, contemplative and rich with plot line and dilemma.  We've become Goodreads buddies and virtual friends.  A comfortable distance for two recluses who only want their books to do well.

Wordsmithing and finding like-minded scribes such as myself in the virtual beyond is one of the best things ever.  Go ahead, check out their writing, you'll be glad you did.  Thank you Ms. Della Donna and Brandon Shire.

JR Stone

Obliging the Readers...

It seems that my email bin is getting thick with questions, so I thought I would answer some of them in this space.

1. Are you really from the Golden Triangle area in S.E. Texas?
Yes.  Born and raised in the Groves area although I have moved around since.

2. Why are you so secretive about your identity?
I don't think of it as being "secretive," but I am a very private person.

3. Is the main character in your novel real?
Nicholas and his story are completely from my imagination.  I've been thinking about his story/plot line for several years, so I got to know him and his pain very well.  In fact, when I was fleshing out Nicholas's personality, I wrote down some questions that I would ask him if he were a real person.  Being able to imagine his answers only helped me to delve further into his psyche.  I've had other authors ask me the same question after reading the book and I think my quirky way of fleshing out characters helped to make Nicholas and his family seem real.

4. What do you want people to take away from this book?
Everyone has their burden to carry and each person will deal with that load in various ways.  I want people to know that spirituality and religion doesn't come in a nice, neat package, so don't assume there is only one way up the mountain.  Spirituality should be all inclusive, not divisive.

5. What is your favorite part of the novel?
I have several and I don't want to give the plot away so I'll try to answer this without being a spoiler. I love the relationships Nicholas develops with certain characters in the book.  For instance,  I love the relationship between Nicholas and Greasy Adam. He steps into a big brother's role somewhat carelessly for Nick. Yet, he fills that vacant role well.

I love the way Nick's co-workers become his family. Every last one of them are odd ducks, yet they find each other and you can feel their bond.  I love the way Charley and Nick connect.  The trust they have with each other is amazing considering the path they each traveled before finding one another.

I wrote this book hoping the reader would be able to envision the characters and action.  Those are the best kind of books.
*************
Now, if YOU have questions that you would like me answer, don't be shy! Contact me at authorjrstone@aol.com and ask away.  By the way, if you've read the novel, do me a favor and post a review on amazon, will ya? 

JRS

Bullied

I used to think that I was the only kid that had been bullied when I was growing up.  As time passes, most "odd ducks" realize that they were not the only ones.

I often wonder what drives someone to become a bully?  Insecurity? False sense of superiority? I don't know and I suppose I'll never know.  All I know is that I've seen, experienced and read about some really horrible accounts of those who were bullied and it's enough to bring you to your knees at times.

My own account of bullying began early.  It's the primary reason I hated school as badly as I did.  Every day was a struggle to get up and face my opponents.  While I experienced a garden variety of bullying tactics, none hurt as badly as when my school was adorned with graffiti that was directed directly at me.  There's something about seeing words on display that were written with the intent to hurt and demean.

Thank God, I wasn't pushed to the point of ending my life over it.  I've seen the PSA's about "It Gets Better".  Yeah, it does.  But  damn, waiting for that day to come when it gets better can seem like a lifetime.  That's one of the reasons I wrote The Long Road from Perdition.  The tag line,  "The scars you can't see are the hardest to heal," ring achingly true. 

God bless the Odd Ducks.

JRS

Who IS JR Stone?

I hate that question.  I bet if you were to interview as many authors as you could (me included), you would find that one of those authors absolutely HATES interviews.  And, if you haven't figured it out by now, I am that author.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want to get the word out about my latest novel.  I do.  I'm just not sure that I have enough charisma to tempt the potential reader into reading my book.  Every author feels like they have written the best novel in the market and I'm no different.  I want to read feedback from readers and see it reviewed in the newspapers and magazines.  The only problem is that in order to do that, the author has to put him or herself "out there" along with their book for literary consumption.

Believe me, it's not a marketing scheme to claim the personality of being a recluse.  I am what I am.  In fact, I had a reporter from the Beaumont Enterprise approach me about an interview for the paper.  I had to level with her; I don't do face to face interviews.  I've been a writer for alot of years so it's not the fact that I'm a newbie.  I can't make myself do them anymore.  I prefer to let my writing do the talking for me.  That's why when I found authonomy.com (Harper Collins's U.K. sister site) I was so pleased to find fellow authors praising my work.  Writers are basically supportive of each other, but I was even surprised at the glowing reviews and references.

"...The scars you can't see are the hardest to heal." A book well worth reading from beginning to end. How many people can carry an unspoken burden for 23 years? Nick is a very sympathetic MC, with the brooding personality that suits his looks. I know some such . . . quite a few. Is all of this fiction? You manage to portray your characters in such a real way, I have to wonder. Very talented writer with the ability to sustain interest in the reader. Happy to have backed it and best with it."  

The written word is powerful.  Much more so than an author telling you that fact.  So, Beaumont Enterprise, if you are still interested...allow me to stay in the shadows while you expose my words to your readers.

JRS

Charley

When I decided to write my novel, there were a few characters that I had in my head that I wanted to bring to life.  One of those characters was a guy named Charley.  Granted, he is a fictional character, but he is based on someone I used to know some years ago.

The only similarities between the character in my book and the guy I used to know was the number of years that it took to completely harness his hopefulness about life in general.  You see, there was a time when "Charley" felt like he could make a difference.  There was a time when he fell in love and didn't worry about getting hurt in return.  It was just before the latter years that I wrote about Charley.

To me, he was a pure spirit.  He had his faults as we all do, but he really tried to love better than he was loved, work harder than others worked for him and sometimes, people took advantage.  It was during these times that I saw him help those down and out even though he couldn't see they were dragging him down with them.

Never mind trying to help him or warn him.  People see what they want to see.  While those who took advantage of Charley took on an ugly reflection, somehow, Charley was still able to see the beauty that had been lost long ago on these souls.  It is then that I imagined Nicholas meeting Charley.  Full of emotional baggage but able to love someone who felt totally unlovable without taking advantage.

Sometimes watching life happen is a cruel vision while being a writer can give solace to the weary.

Read about Charley in my novel.  You'll be glad you did.

JRS