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This post continues – after quite some time – the “Authors Talk” series. You can think of it as an author interview and, indeed, that is the name of the blog category. However, I prefer to see it as a friendly chat between fellow authors. Today I’m having this virtual discussion with David Maxwell, author of The Drift. A list of useful links to David’s work can be found at the end of this post.

A Chat with David Maxwell: The Drift

Chris: As a first thing, I need to clearly admit I have not read The Drift. But I did read a review left by Davyne DeSye – with whom I’ve also had a virtual chat – and she praises it wholeheartedly. So, what would you say to someone who hasn’t read The Drift yet, how would you describe it, and what should your intended audience expect?

David: The Drift was published in 2016. I point that out because I don’t want to mislead your readers into thinking it is a “new work”. I was at a point in life where I needed a hiatus from writing, so I took the next few years off to spend more quality time with family. Although it has been a few years, The Drift is still very relevant. As far a description goes, it’s not easy to describe without giving away spoilers, but I will do my best.

The book, written in two parts, starts with a near-cataclysmic blizzard in the small resort community of Crystal Lake. Residents who have remained behind during the off-season period are forced to contend with the storm. The first part of the book is an adventure in survival from nature’s wrath.

In the second part of the book, we meet Ra, a man from the future who believes he is doing the right thing. Ra’s job is to incapacitate and collect individuals who would otherwise die and bring them to a future world that is struggling for survival. In this instance, that means the entire town of Crystal Lake. Upon arrival, the tight-knit community must band together to survive in this strange new world and find a way to get back home.

Dystopian Science Fiction

The Drift is most definitely a dystopian science-fiction thriller. What should my audience expect? They should expect a thrilling ride with vividly detailed settings and well-rounded, relatable characters. They should expect to laugh, cheer, cringe, and cry. At least that is how I would hope they would react if I have done my job well.

Chris: Any interesting trivia you’d like to share about writing the novel – how long it took, whether you were inspired by something in specific, or similar?

David: I love that question, Chris, and a few things immediately come to mind. First of all, the characters in The Drift were real to me, as if I had somehow breathed life into actual human beings. I did not write the story; they did! Whenever I would leave one of them at a cliffhanger moment, they would haunt my dreams screaming for resolution. For the first time in my writing, I felt more like I was a conduit than an author. It was a pretty amazing experience.

From not-quite-Hemingway to Nostalgia

Secondly, I wrote most of The Drift on my laptop while sitting in comfortable seats of local bars. I know, you’re going to say I’m starting to sound like Ernest Hemingway, but it’s not exactly like that. Some people like solitude when they are writing; I prefer the white noise of people surrounding me. I actually completed the novel on a bar stool at Baker’s St. Pub in Houston, Texas.

Finally, there is one other tidbit about this novel that really stands out for me: It includes a piece of myself. Crystal Lake is a fictitious ski resort town based upon a place I loved to visit as a child. My family would take ski trips there every Thanksgiving. I included in the novel many of my personal experiences and my sister actually wrote the final scene at my request. I wanted her to share in the experience and the nostalgia.

A Chat with David Maxwell: Life as a Writer

Chris: What’s your background as a writer? Can you pinpoint any particular point in time that you began writing fiction, or did it happen sort of gradually, almost without noticing?

David: Although I can’t remember the first real book I read, I do remember the title included “infinity” and that it was about a dragon who died some time after befriending a young boy. From that point on, I was hooked on reading.

I was probably around twelve or thirteen when I realized I wanted to be an author. I started jotting down notes in a journal that I titled: “Novel Ideas”. Whatever occurred to me, I would write it down – plot ideas, characters, settings, you name it. I still have it to this day and often refer back to it for inspiration.

“Life Tends to Get in the Way”

From a professional standpoint, I don’t have an extensive background in writing. My degree is in Information Systems Management and I was a Network Security Manager in the United States Air Force until I retired. I taught some classes at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and did a bit of technical writing, but my dreams of being an author had been put on hold as life tends to get in the way of our dreams. Oh, and I also have taught English under my TESOL certification throughout my travels.

In 2015, well after retiring from the Air Force, I was working as a Data Collections Engineer for the major telecommunication carriers. As was the case with the Air Force, the job sent me all over the world. While in Baku, Azerbaijan, I finally made the decision to become a published author. One year later, my first two books were published.

Ignorance and Mediocrity

Chris: Writer struggles. What kinds of things frustrate you as a writer, and how do you cope with them? Any advice you’d have for others?

David: Honestly, Chris, there isn’t much about writing that frustrates me. I try to keep a positive attitude and stay lighthearted; don’t sweat the small stuff, right?

One thing that does frustrate me is ignorant or slanderous reviewers. I don’t mind constructive criticism; that’s how I hone my craft. What I do mind is the people out there who post reviews without even reading your book. Take for example one review I received where the reader commented that they closed the book as soon as they realized it was science-fiction. I mean, come on people, read the synopsis. If you haven’t read the book, then don’t write a review. Then, you have the slanderous reviewers who attack the author instead of critiquing the novel. There is absolutely no call for that.

As far as advice for other aspiring authors, that is exactly why I started my blog. On almost a daily basis, I try to offer advice on consistency, descriptiveness, character development, plot construction and tools for writing in hopes that it will help others to advance their craft.

For the purposes of this interview, I’ll offer a single paraphrased piece of advice: If you want to be a writer, then write; if you want to be a great writer, then read!

A Chat with David Maxwell: The Writing Landscape

Chris: An old colleague once told me, the problem with today’s writing reality is that there are too many writers and not enough readers. How do you see the contemporary writing landscape? Has quality suffered? Is marketing different? Overall, how is the creative process affected?

David: Everything is different, Chris. We live in an instant gratification society. People no longer want to take the time to read when they can watch it on Netflix.

As far as “too many writers and not enough readers”, I have to agree to disagree with your colleague, for a couple of reasons. First, books last (at least in theory) forever. If there aren’t readers today, there may be tomorrow. Second, although reading is becoming a dying pastime, novels aren’t just for readers anymore. Most authors, myself included, dream of a movie deal. Those who refuse to take the time to read may be apt to watch what you’ve written play out on the big screen.

How do I see the contemporary writing landscape? I see it as a great opportunity for imaginative writers who understand the changes to create something original and fresh that will alter the landscape in the same way that The Beatles or Elvis altered music. Now, the push is for character-driven novels over complicated plots. A good plot is still necessary, but the characterization is what makes a great book really shine. Does this affect the creative process? Of course, but we adapt.

Escapism and the Blurred Lines of Genre

Marketing now is all about digital exposure – social media, blogs, podcasts, etc. In the past, we might have gained interest from a billboard or an advertisement stuck under our windshield wiper, but that’s no longer the case. I think of it as a herd mentality; if my friends like it, then I will like it.

Chris: Looking at the novels out there, it feels as if there is a certain imbalance between genre fiction and literary fiction, with the former vastly outnumbering the latter. As a science fiction author, in particular, what do you think about this imbalance? To put it simply, why do people write and read more romance, sci-fi, and fantasy? Is it a form of escapism?

David: Absolutely, Chris! Reading is the great escape. I don’t write books to get rich, I write them in hopes that someday, someone in a bad place in life can find reprieve with a few hours of escape into one of my worlds.

As far as literary versus genre fiction, I personally believe the lines are blurred. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, right? I believe the same can be said of fiction. What you and I might consider to be pop-fiction today, someone else might eventually see as literary fiction.

I would never consider myself a literary fiction author, but I do see myself as one hell of a good storyteller.

The Role of Art and Literature

Chris: Also considering the question above, what you do you think of the role of literature, art, and perhaps knowledge in general in today’s world? Are they snubbed? Vilified? Is it – to put it bluntly – considered a waste of time to be a writer (rather than a programmer or an… influencer?)

David: I love this question in that it points out our own egotistical view on existence with “in today’s world.” We are here but for brief moments in time having no impact on the past and very little influence on the future. That said, I do get your point and I’ll do my best to answer your question.

Art, literature, science, and knowledge are thankfully not lost in our times. Science, and knowledge in general, are advancing at a rate we’ve never seen before. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, cloning organs, and many other science-fiction concepts are now science-reality. Art is in the eye of the beholder. Discounting art that we don’t personally find appealing (graffiti, gangster rap, body painting, etc.) is judgmental.

Do I crave a world where everyone (millennial included) know names like Chopin, Renoir, Faulkner? Of course I do, but I think it is our job to educate the masses and this, I believe, is where we are currently falling short. Next time, instead of posting that funny cat video to your Facebook friends, post something meaningful, like a link to Dostoevsky’s Poor People.

David Maxwell: Useful Links

To know more about David and his work, take a look at his blog, Maxwell’s Silver Quill. You can also find David on Facebook and Twitter.