Al Boudreau – Author Feature

From the first moments I met Al I knew that I had found a friend. As I learned more about him, I quickly discovered a passionate Author and a beautiful book. Despite the growing success of his book however, Al still focuses on sharing friendship, hope, and supporting his growing number of friends and fellow authors. You will never regret spending the few minutes to read this amazing interview and learning more about Al.

Al, first of all I’d love to learn more about you. From what I know, you are a traveler at heart (like myself). I’ve read mentions of Kenya, Ireland…  Please tell us about your travels. What places have you visited, where would you like to go?

Anyone who reads my debut novel, In Memory of Greed, will be taken on a journey through a number of breath taking spots in Ireland, as well as some amazing locations throughout Kenya. My travels have taken me to both destinations. I’ve always kept a journal while touring around the world, which has enabled me to revisit the sites, sounds, and smells of each place in my minds eye. As a result, I can give my readers an authentic taste of what they might expect in the event they visit these amazing destinations. My hope is that by incorporating first-hand travel experiences into my writing, it will infuse a richness into the story line that might not be present otherwise. Other countries through which I’ve traveled include Greece, England, and the Netherlands. These places will likely show up in my work-in-progress, which is also a mystery/thriller. France, and Italy are the next trips on my radar.

Of all those places, what inspired you the most? What do you like to take away from discovering a new country and sharing with your readers?

There is a common electricity I feel every time I touch down in a foreign land. The saying, “We’re not in Kansas anymore,” comes to mind. In our home land, we feel predominantly safe, and secure. When we visit a foreign country, we instantly become foreigners. This creates a nervous excitement for me, as a conscious decision to leave my comfort zone brings new encounters with people who are vastly different from Americans, in every way. These experiences translate well to the thriller genre, as tension is such an integral part of a successful storyline. It’s difficult for me to imagine my own work without my characters traveling abroad. Something would be missing for me. Thus, even the most seemingly insignificant experience, or encounter, can lend authenticity to a character, or storyline.

Your book, In Memory of Greed, has received many great reviews from readers/critics and authors alike. I’d love to hear about the story behind the story. When did you start writing it and how long did it take you to finalize it.

I started about two years ago, and worked for 19 months to create In Memory of Greed. The bulk of that time was spent re-writing, as I started out as a “pantser,” or “blank-pager.” Three re-writes were required to bring the novel to the level it’s at today. I quickly learned that an outline is critical for me, in terms of getting the structure of a story right the first time. It was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way. I’m always impressed when an author produces a successful novel without using an outline, as I feel it’s far more difficult to pull off than being a “plotter.” My 2nd novel, or present WIP, has been layed out with a fairly detailed outline, and I’m certain this will streamline the writing/editing process for me.

What was the initial inspiration for the book and the characters, and what made you decide to put it into writing?

I’ve always been one who cheers for the underdog, and have become quite fed-up with abuse of the middle class by big-business and government. I believe people tend to become indifferent, concerning social, and political issues, as our personal issues, and situations, require so much of our time, and attention. My goal is to bring certain issues to light, while providing an entertaining read. The more aware the general populace becomes of situations that adversely affect all of us, the sooner something will be done to change them. I’m not an idealist, but have to believe that by incorporating real world scenarios into my fiction, I’m helping to initiate the positive change that I wish to see happen in our world. Sometimes, small inputs net big results.

It is my understanding that you have decided to self-publish your novel. In your experience, what are the challenges as well as the good sides to going that way?

Presently, I believe first-time authors are responsible for the bulk of promoting, and building an author platform for their work, whether partnering with a big publishing house, or going it alone as an Indie author. My feeling is, if I have to do all the hard work, why not reap all of the benefits. I believe that power in numbers is the key. I have done, and will continue to do, everything in my power to support my fellow writers who are part of the Indie community. Talent abounds, and by helping debut authors get their name out and get noticed, it adds legitimacy to our ever-growing community. I’m very proud of the Indie community as a whole, and have never met a more sincere, giving group of folks in my life.

Every writer has a mentor, a guru, a favourite source of inspiration (be it another author, book, person…) Tell me about who/what has had the most beneficial influence on your writing career? One piece of wisdom you’d like to pass along to our readers today?

There isn’t one book, or person, I can single out, in terms of inspiration…I’m constantly inspired by a large circle of writers who seem to manufacture extra hours to give a helping hand to those who are new to the writing world. I was completely blown away by the sincereity, and willingness of many to lend support, knowledge, and guidance to me when I first started down my writer’s road. Now, I feel compelled to pay it forward and provide assistance, support, and advice, whenever possible, to those who need it. The camaraderie is my favorite aspect of this wonderful journey, and the friends I’ve had the priviledge of getting to know have made it sheer joy.

Do you write full time? If not, what are the biggest challenges your real life alter-ego Al find when trying to juggle life and writing? Do you have any special routine you find helps with keeping up with the writing and the marketing/networking?

My biggest challenge is leaving my writing/networking behind to go to work at my day job. Once one finds their true passion in life, all else pales, by comparison. For most, it’s virtually impossible to leap from one career to the next, without making a gradual transition. Often, this transition requires very long hours, burning the candle at both ends, to become established in a new vocation. That is where I am now. I’ve written and self-published my first work, and fallen in love with the process. I’m now networking, promoting, and expanding my author platform. Once sales of my debut novel become self-sustaining, I’ll spend my early morning/late evening hours writing again. Hopefully, at some point down the line, my work will provide me with enough income to write full-time. For now, it’s necessary to work a day job to pay the bills. I’m on a five year plan to make the transition.

Speaking of networking, we met on twitter! But despite the distance and the lack of face to face communication, I can definitely tell that you are one of the good guys out there. And on top of that, you’re also a philanthropist! You recently organized a fund raiser for the Japan earthquake victims. Please tell us what compelled you, and if/how readers can still help with the relief effort?

Thank you for your kind words, Elizabeth. I decided to donate the profits from In Memory of Greed to the Japan disaster relief effort simply because these people are in trouble, and can use this money much more than I can. I’ve been blessed with a solid day job while building my new career as an author, so helping others just feels like the right thing to do. I’ve been constantly inspired by fellow writers within our online community.Their willingness to give of themselves is something I’m very impressed with, so I feel compelled to do my part in furthering this lovely tradition. I will continue to donate 100% of my books royalties until I reach $1,000 dollars. This is a personal goal of mine. Further, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has purchased my work. You’ve all been instrumental in providing aid to Japan…a country in need.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for the lovely questions, and the opportunity to chat with you today.

In Memory of Greed is Al’s debut Novel. Already, it has garnered incredible reviews and love from readers, and achieved a very commandable rank on Amazon.

”Riveting and suspenseful, In Memory of Greed is an action-packed thrill ride that keeps you turning the pages in anticipation. Colorful characters and stunning locations keep the imagination running wild. Leading up to an intense, and vengeful ending. I highly recommend reading this novel. ” -Amazon review

As well as being a passionate author, Al is also an amazing person, always giving hope, love and friendship to those around him. A visit to his blog and his many articles will quickly prove my point 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to discover more about Al and his passions: People & Writing! I hope that this will help make the decision easy and convince you to support this AMAZING author! You can find his book on Amazon via the links below.

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Bio

Al Boudreau has traveled the world exploring a multitude of countries. First hand knowledge of the locales his characters traverse lends a richness unattainable by simple research alone. The author also maintains a keen eye on geopolitical events, pushing the envelope to make his novels come alive. His fiction is based on the real world and the hidden truths buried beneath its surface.

http://alboudreau.wordpress.com

http://amzn.com/B004L2LJ94

You can find the other Pen Dragon Author Features below:

J. Michael Radcliffe | Fantasy
Sam Adamson | Fiction
L.M. Stull | Paranormal
Al Boudreau | Thriller
Claire Kinton | Fantasy
Steve Emmett | Horror