Book Spotlight & Interview: Broken Spirit by Charles Fields

I am delighted to feature Charles Fields today, author of Broken Spirit.  He is here to answer a few of my questions about his novel and being an author!

About the Novel:

Hardcover, Paperback and Kindle
Publisher: Outskirts Press (August 19, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1432779044
ISBN-13: 978-1432779047


Charles Stone, Boston lawyer and sculptor, travels to Hawaii for a much needed vacation after performing two life threatening assignments for Franklin life Insurance Company. What is thought as paradise becomes a tropical hell and once again Franklin life has to call on this experienced investigative attorney for help. Stone is woven through a tapestry of racial discontent to confronting a radical movement trying to secede as the 50th state. He finds the cultural melting pot boiling over, threatening tourism and other island businesses and encounters violence and tragedy.

The reader will meet several characters from the author's previous travel mysteries, Sentimental Me and Canyons of the Soul and be introduced to other new and exciting ones. Lovers of travel, adventure and mystery will experience romance, island hopping, a cruise on the SS Pride of America and be introduced to ancient Hawaiian lore as they follow Charles Stone through the darker passages of Aloha.

Buy from Outskirts Press

Buy from Amazon

About the Author:

Charles L. Fields grew up surrounded by the seaside beauty of Rockport, Massachusetts, and the artists who attempted to depict it. He attended Duke University and graduated from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1958.His varied and bizarre careers went from banana boat engineer to wholesale lobster dealer to chicken hatchery manager and include being a poet, sculptor, and worlds traveler. He has received numerous sculpture awards and has served for over 10 years as Membership Chair of the New England Sculptors Association. He is married and divides his time between Massachusetts and Arizona, and recently completed a travel mystery, and continues to write.  Visit Charles on his website HERE.

PUBLISHED AUTHOR

Many Lands Many Hearts - More than a memoir

Sentimental Me - Travel Mystery

Canyons of the Soul –Sequel

Broken Spirit - Travel Mystery

Author Interview:

1.  Describe what it’s like to be an author in three words.

Very Self Fulfilling

2.  What is your favorite genre of literature?

Spy Mystery

3.  At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always kept a journal but after my sculpting became physically difficult I began writing to continue the need to be creative. My first book was a memoir, Many Lands Many Hearts and when I realized much was left unsaid, I created a fictional character to autobiographically carry on.

4.  What would you consider to be the best book you have ever read?

Ayn Rand’s The Fountain Head mainly for its influence on my life.

5.  Any sneak peeks at what is upcoming from you?

My sequel to Broken Spirit, Tainted Dish is in the prepublication stage. It involves military industrial espionage and takes the reader on a suspenseful chase through the Canadian Maritimes, Ireland and Europe.

6. What is it that you like to do when you’re not reading/writing?

Dine out with my wife.

7.  How do you react to a bad review of your book?

I try to turn a negative into a positive and, if warranted, use the criticism to hone my craft.

8. Are the names of the characters in your novels important?  How and why?

Names are important because they help define the characters and often  explain their course of action.

9. The titles?

This applies to the titles as well. My titles are derived from the plot and are    as dramatic and descriptive as possible

10. Why do you write for children instead of adults or vice versa?

My Charles Stone series is geared to adults, not children because of the duel genre of travel and mystery.

11. Who would play you in a film of your life?

There would be no one better than myself, but realistically, would chose   George Cooney with Clint Eastwood directing.

12. What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

There is less mental anguish  by just letting the writing flow with feeling and honesty

13. Have you ever read or seen yourself as a character in a book or movie?

My protagonist, Charles Stone is autobiographical.- what more can I say?

14. What do you find to be the biggest challenge when writing?

Keeping the dialogue natural and keeping the action moving.

15. Do you enjoy giving interviews?

I enjoy giving interviews because it gives me greater marketing exposure  as proven by several  pod cast radio reviews at www.internerradiopros.com/bookclub.The questions also help me understand myself better.