Guest post by Micheal French
It is always a pleasure to share this page with experienced, thoughtful authors. Micheal French, author of the newly released book Cliffhanger, is a bestselling author, respected businessman, and avid traveler. Read on to find out what keeps him writing after all of these years:
My adventures in writing began with campy poetry around age 15. I never doubted I would stop writing. I mean literally, I would endure til my last breath. Not all writers feel this way, for a variety of reasons, but at 15 you begin to create yourself. You blueprint your future without knowing it. Your emotions are strong and conflicted, and you want to resolve them but never quite get there. The next thing you know, you’re on a lifelong journey. If I had had other talents, like painting or sports, I might have used those for self-exploration. But you have to align your perceived talents with what makes you feel good. Invoking the magic of words to communicate feelings and ideas to others—that seemed a win-win while growing up. And it still does.
Of course, one’s storytelling evolves as culture and society evolve. Changes arouse your curiosity, suspicion, and hope. When you tackle something new, something that makes you passionate, your writing skills sometimes magically improve. If you’re not pleased with the finished book, chances are readers won’t be either. I could never write a formula novel because it wouldn’t be satisfying to me, always knowing what I’m going to write the next day. My second published novel, Abingdon’s, was about Bloomingdale’s department store. Doubleday was a great publisher but they wanted a formulaic sequel. The only real difference was it was about Studio 54 instead of Bloomingdale’s.
My appetite for non-genre fiction led me to writing young adult novels, at least intermittently. I still write them because every generation begins to define itself in adolescence. Every new generation reshapes, at least partially, the values and aspirations of older generations. It’s all so interesting how we feed off of each other. I don’t feel I’m too out of touch to write about young adults. I would be out of touch if I didn’t write about them. My latest novel is about a high school political election in 2030, about drama and disappointment and how history predicts events before they happen. Its message is for adults as much as teenagers.
To give up writing seems to me the equivalent of giving up exploring and risk taking. I don’t need good reviews to respect myself or my creativity. I need to keep my love of “doing” alive. There are plenty of benefits to hard work. Your imagination can be a ladder out of challenging situations, and not just in your writing. Life imitates art.
About his latest book, Cliffhanger
In 2030, viruses, spy drones, terrorism, and joblessness have eroded American optimism.People want something to believe in. As demonstrated in a Midwest high school election, politics have taken on the inflexibility and dogma of a new religion. Only true believers will survive and prosper. Or so they think.Print Length: 276 Pages
Genre: Political Thriller
ISBN-10: 1732511756
Publisher: Moot Point Productions
Cliffhanger is available to purchase now on Amazon.com.
About the Author, Michael R. French
Michael R. French is a National best-selling author and graduate of Stanford University and Northwestern University. He is a businessman and author who divides his time between Santa Barbara, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is an avid high-altitude mountain trekker, world traveler to developing countries, and is a collector of first editions of twentieth-century fiction.
He has published twenty-two books, including fiction, young adult fiction, biographies, and art criticism. His novel, Abingdon’s, was a bestseller and a Literary Guild Alternate Selection. His young adult novel, Pursuit, was awarded the California Young Reader Medal.
You can discover more about Michael’s work on his website and social media accounts:
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFrenchAuthor/?fref=nf
https://twitter.com/mfrenchauthor
https://www.pinterest.com/mfrenchrt66/
https://www.instagram.com/mrfrenchbooks/
Leave a Reply