Thursday, November 5, 2009

***INTERVIEW with Author MARK STEPHEN LEVY***

Author of: "OVERLAND"
Genre: Fiction/Historical Fiction/Love Story/Adventure/Romance
~~~INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you the most to write?
Mark: My creativity has flourished of late. My novel "OVERLAND"
was inspired by my travels in 1985. It took almost twenty-
four years to finally write a book about it.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Mark: I don't read that many books.
I really liked "EAT, PRAY, LOVE" by Elizabeth
Gilbert, back in the day I liked George Orwell. Also,
Aldous Huxley, JRR Tolkien, and Robert Heinlein. You
know, required counter culture reading!
Geri: Are your characters from real life, or from the
imagination?
Mark: The main character, Danny, in "OVERLAND" is loosely
based on my own adventures, when I traveled around
the world for two years in Europe and Asia. The others
are all imagination, except for Mustapha, who was
inspired by my houseboat guy in Kashmir, India.
Geri: How did you feel the first time you were published?
Mark: Amazed, astounded, as much, if not more than when
I graduated college.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Mark: I have a non-fiction idea, rolling around in my head.
Shhhhhh, can't say yet, we are what we write. I'm a
travel, adventure, love story, kind of guy. I could never
write spy stories, unless I figure out how to do that.
Geri: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?
Mark: I've always liked to write, when I traveled. I diligently
wrote in my travel journals daily, and not just I been there,
saw that, met them. I wrote more commentary, and
observations, along with details. If I had a fire in my house,
and only had a minute to grab something, it would be my
journals.
Geri: Did you have favorite books as a child?
Mark: Dr. Seuss. Was he really a Doctor? Everybody who writes
must have had some prior profession.
Geri: Thank you very much for today's interview. It is an honor,
and pleasure to work with you. I wish you much success
in your writing endeavors!
Mark: You're welcome.

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