Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a native of California who now resides in Great Britain. I worked as an IT Network Manager until the death of my wife from cancer forced me to re-evaluate things. Now I write full-time.
I’ve written three books so far, and I’m working on a fourth. My first book is called Wanderlove, and was a bit of a training ground. My second book is Monster School, which is as yet unpublished. My third book is Copout, which I’m very proud of, and is a story I’ve been carrying around with me for over 20 years. I originally wrote it as a screenplay, so as you read you will find it very filmic.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Copout. It gets its title from (among other things) endings in which the protagonists, having found themselves in a near-inescapable situation, simply wake up to find it was all just a dream. (I remember we were specifically forbidden from using that ending in creative writing assignments in school.) I thought it would be great fun to write a story that turns that cop-out of an ending on its head. Combined with that, I wanted to find a way of combining most of the iconic movie genres into one. Film buffs like me will particularly appreciate that aspect of the story. As I have worked on it over time it has become a many-faceted thriller.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I do. It is my habit to get up very early in the morning, perhaps 5 AM, and write by dictation. I speak the text of the book into my iPhone, send it to Dragon NaturallySpeaking where it’s transcribed, and paste it into my favourite word processor for checking and ironing out the errors. Sometimes the errors introduced by these transcription programs can be pretty funny.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Douglas Adams’s Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy series is a favourite of mine. Arthur C Clarke taught me to think and imagine big. Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant character somehow reaches right into the tender parts of my soul.
But my favourite book ever is the Bible, which is worth reading more than anything these authors, or myself, have written.
What are you working on now?
My current project has a working title of King in Spades. It’s about the reign of a modern but fictitious British royal family. I hope you’ll understand if I don’t want to say too much right now.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have not been very good at promoting my books thus far, being far more interested in writing them. I can’t offer any tips on the subject.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up the day job. You might have to write one or two novels before you produce anything that is actually any good.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t know if it’s the best advice, but it’s good advice. I once heard Paul Simon say that if your writing makes you feel uncomfortable because it bares your soul, and you’d rather not write it for that reason, that’s the stuff you have to write.
What are you reading now?
I am re-reading Tales of Ten Worlds by Arthur C Clarke. I’m not much of a re-reader, but I had forgotten that I read this years ago so I started on it. Imagine my surprise at discovering that all the stories in it are quite familiar.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got a stockpile of ideas that I need to commit to words, so I’ll just pick one and get busy.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible (though you might consider that cheating if you look at it as 66 books), John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, The Neverending Story, and the one-volume edition of the complete Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy of five parts (cheating again).
Large print editions of all, I might add. You can’t get glasses replaced if you lose them on a deserted island.
Author Websites and Profiles
Bart Cline Website
Bart Cline Amazon Profile
Bart Cline Author Profile on Smashwords
Bart Cline’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account