Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In 2003, I published “Twitchy Fingers & Itchy Eyes,” a book of poetry. I wrote a number of novels when I was a young cabdriver in San Francisco, including Rainman, which had agent representation for a time. After I entered the world of pr and advertising, I devoted my energies to the commercial aspect, i.e., writing TV scripts for Isuzu trucks when I lived in Tokyo, speeches for clients in Washington, DC, and retail ads for clients in Baltimore. Only after I retired did I return to fiction.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Love Thief, the Legend of Ixmal the Healer. Originally it was called Rainman. I returned to it after retiring and rewrote completely. The original source?
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY… Deep in the highland jungles of Chiapas, Mexico, stood Palenque, a classic Mayan ceremonial center. Among the ball court, observatory, and Temple of the Moon rose the Temple of Inscriptions, a nine-tier pyramid. Many times I walked the steps that led into the bowels of the pyramid. In the tomb at the bottom, I would gaze at the glyphs on the slab that once covered the remains of a six-foot man with a jade mask. Carved into the stone was the image of a Mayan warrior, perhaps a king, going from this world to the next. He flew toward a flowering cross that connected all things: life and death, sky, earth and the underworld.
Who was this man? What was his story? The end of the saga came to me one warm afternoon as I was perched atop the pyramid, a vision so pure it brought tears to my eyes. Now all I had to do was write the story to get to that ending. The task would take many years and rewrites.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I am deep into a story, I must write every day, usually during the morning and into the afternoon. However, if the muse draws me in the middle of the night, I will rise and write. Ideas can come at any time, in the shower, at the movie theater, prone on the bed. Carpe diem!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Paulo Cuelo, the Alchemist and the Fifty Mountain; Howard Fast, Spartacus; Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha; W.H. Hudson, Green Mansions, Charles Mann, 1491; Rob Schultheis, Bone Games, James D. Sexton (trans.), Mayan Folktales, as well as Carlos Castenada, George R. Martin, Jack London, Albert Camus–my reading habits vary with interest and time.
What are you working on now?
I have just finished two short stories that I sent off to Harper’s and the New Yorker. I am gravitating to doing a sequel to Love Thief. When I was interviewed on Fox45News in November, I was asked if there would be a sequel. I had to say yes.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When Black Rose Writing published my book in November, I focused on local connections. I hired a publicist and web master, did a book launch party where I sold lots of books, and managed to have the local library pick up the title. I also worked with Black Rose for national exposure.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourself. Don’t depend on the approval of others. Whether your book sells or not is often a matter of luck. I had a friend who drove a cab with me in San Francisco. I was writing about the Mayans. He was writing about nuclear submarines. Then the “Hunt for the Red October” became a best seller and his book (To Sink the Potemkin) was published by Simon & Schuster with a six-figure advance. He went from driving a Plymouth to a Porsche. You never know what will happen.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be here now. (Ram Dass, formerly Richard Albert)
What are you reading now?
The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver
What’s next for you as a writer?
Writers write. To paraphrase Camus, it gives my life order. I will continue to play with words until I die. The imagination is my playpen.
What is your favorite book of all time?
When I was boy, I read Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. That epic tale hooked me on books. It’s still my favorite.
Author Websites and Profiles
David Bolton Website
David Bolton Amazon Profile