Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a small central Illinois town in the 50s and 60s. It was, and still is, the kind of town where kids ride bikes, fish, and play ball as their dogs follow them about. My parents are in their mid-80s and still live there. I was the first in my extended family to go away to college, and I graduated in 1976 with a wife and degrees in education and mathematics. A fruitful 31-year sales management career with a Fortune 500 company and a storybook life with my wife and two children followed college.
Life changed for me and my family when I lost my wife in the spring of 2008. She’d been my best friend for 35 years. Life stood still for a long time, but gradually, everyone finds a way to move forward. I have since met a wonderful woman, Claudia, and we married in the spring of 2012. We share time between a home in Charlotte and a getaway place in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Reading, writing, gardening, hiking, traveling (mostly to visit family and friends) and watching sunsets with a glass of wine occupy our days. Claudia is also an experienced editor and helps me greatly with tightening up my writing. It’s a teamwork that has worked well the past several years.
I’ve published two books. The first, CORRUPT CONNECTION, is the story of a modest businessman and beautiful PhD who become the targets of a drug cartel attempting to raid futuristic technologies developed by their company. The second, BETTER LATE THAN EVER, is about Phil Greenfield, a 60-year-old, recently retired bachelor, and the dangerously misdirected focus on youth Phil discovers behind the private stone walls of a modern retirement community.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book, BETTER LATE THAN EVER, was published in January 2013. It’s about Phil Greenfield, a 60-year-old bachelor, and what he discovers after moving to a futuristic retirement community. I was inspired to write this book after a close friend of mine retired to a planned retirement community. I extrapolated and infused his experiences with elements of romance, danger, and intrigue.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer to write late at night and early in the morning. Occasionally, these times overlap and I end up not sleeping. That’s usually a good night.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m not sure any single book or author has strongly influenced my life or writing. I’ve never had an “Ah Ha” moment where I’ve read a passage or a chapter of a book that drove me to becoming an author. It has been more a fascination with how authors are able to make their characters and stories come to life that has made me want to try to emulate their work.
My favorite authors are John Grisham and Vince Flynn.
What are you working on now?
I’m within a few months of releasing my third novel, MELTING SAND. It will be the first in a series featuring Miles Stevens, a CIA agent who’s sent back in time from the year 2050 to alter tragic events throughout history. In this book Miles is teamed with Terri King as they work to avert a chain of events leading to nuclear war in the Middle East in the year 2027.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think press releases, direct emails, and word of mouth have been the most effective ways to promote my books. Like most authors, I use social media, but it is difficult to measure the effectiveness. I find that my Facebook page gets the most traffic week to week, followed by my blog.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Focus on producing a product that you are proud of. Pride in your work is its own reward. There are a lot of things that get in the way of writing –marketing, blogs, social media, etc., but writing needs to take priority.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be prepared for the occasional bad reader review. You can’t please all readers. To please everyone, would likely mean you excited no one.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Vince Flynn’s book, KILL SHOT. It’s another great story about Mitch Rapp, a CIA assassin who finds himself as a target after a botched hit on a Libyan official. The suspense and fast moving drama are pure Flynn.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be focused on finishing MELTING SAND for a Fall 2013 release and then I will immediately begin the next book in this Miles Stevens series. I also will continue to post to my blog and read several books every month. Write, Read, and Post… the cycle continues.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Hemingway’s OLD MAN AND THE SEA is right up there.
Author Websites and Profiles
D.R. Shoultz Website
D.R. Shoultz Amazon Profile
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