We got talking to author James Dick to find out a little bit more about his writing and love of books
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
Growing up as a city boy, I never thought I would enjoy country life. Now in the early years of retirement, I love the beauty, peace and serenity of rural America. This solitude makes it easy for me to escape into writing, free from a sometimes troubled world, at least for a short time.
What novels affected you the most growing up?
The Old Man and the Sea, Gone With the Wind, anything by Mark Twain, especially the Adventures of Huckleberry Fin, and Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater. With the first three, I tried to imagine being alive in the stories and I love both the sea and Civil War History (I'm a native Virginian). As for the Goldwater book, he was my idol as a high school student and he was a man ahead of his time. I was blessed to have the opportunity to meet him in person on several occasions in college. He was a truly honest and impressive man.
Where did the idea for your current book come from?
Over the years I've worked on several community action projects to save rural and suburban land from over development. We only have so much land and we need to protect that portion that serves a much greater purpose than just another strip mall which ultimately become boarded up as we move on to other areas. Small landowners are continually at risk from big government and corporate interests; this book is designed as a wake up call for the future. Sadly, we make the same mistakes over and over.
Do you think there's any way you could ever run out of ideas for books?
No, I'm just getting started and with my interests in politics, conservation, my faith and my love of nature and all of her animal life, the list can take me almost anywhere.
What is your routine for writing and has this method changed over the span of your career?
Well, I can't really talk about career as I started the endeavor in early retirement. But I've tried to look at writing like I did at business. You stay at it, you never give up and you try to learn as you go. I carry a notebook around so that when an idea pops us, I jot it down. And I write whenever it moves me, be it morning, noon or night. Having my own “catch all” website helps, because my blogging keeps the pen moving (or should I say the keyboard). You can access it at www.northfloridawriter.com and it contains information, an author page, regular almost daily blogs and lot and lots of pictures about animals. You've got to write every day to stay on top of your game, even when you don't feel like it. The blog helps with that.
How important is marketing and social media for you?
Very important but marketing of books is a new world for me compared to business. It's an area where I need help and that's one of the reasons why I became a member. You can have the best story in the world but if you don't get it to the right places, it will go nowhere. And social media is the future of news and almost everything when it comes to information, you just have to be careful and vet and analyze your sources.
What advice would you have for other writers?
Just do it. Every day, even when you don't want to. Treat it like your daily work-out. If you do, it will get better and you will become more energetic about it.
What's your next step?
To keep writing. Thou Shall Not Take Our Land is the first of a series which I call The John Argyle series. I also have a religious book, A Blogger Shares His Faith, coming out soon on Kindle. My faith has helped to push me forward and I think it is important to share it with others in the way that I live.
