Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) from Queen’s University and I completed an exchange at the Rouen School of Business in France. I currently work as Director, Strategy at an AI company and I previously worked as an investment banker.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Dreamtime (First Fantastic Collection of Completely Fractured Fiction)
Each of the stories presents an entirely new idea about the future or takes a unique look at a theme that is already occurring. Think about some of the following questions and the stories that could be created around each of them.
What would an autonomous car be willing to do when it’s primary directive is to save your life over everything else?
What if students were taught to exercise their response to fear the same way they are taught to train any other muscle or skill? What would those classes look like?
What if governments made you live in an environment that reflected your carbon footprint?
Much of the progress in the last decade has been creating new markets where historically there weren’t any (housing, car sharing etc.). What if that idea, of the power of the market over everything, gets pushed to its logical conclusion.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write quickly and between ‘projects’.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Recently I’ve been focused on biographies as well as a number of books on how to approach your craft, whatever it may be. While these types of books do not impact your particular writing style they certainly impact how you approach your craft and how you make yourself more effective in all aspects of your life, which flows through to your writing.
What are you working on now?
Another collection of short fiction stories.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My publisher takes care of this.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. It is best to know as much as you can about life and whatever it is you write about.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Veni, Vidi, Vici”
What are you reading now?
Books on AI. Isn’t everyone?
What’s next for you as a writer?
With some luck this book will be sought after for movie or TV adaptations. Working on a film or TV script would be fun. I’ll also be working on some new short stories in the meantime.
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?
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (This sounds impressive but a number of recent translations make it very accessible and it is actually a very short read)
Daily Rituals, by Mason Currey
What I Talk About When I Talk About Writing by Haruki Murakami
Any biography by Walter Isaacson
Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Le Dain Website