Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Hi Fiona, my name is Luc Vors. I’m originally from Texas, but I’ve moved all over, especially over the last two years. I’ve gone from Colorado to Belize, from Georgia to Tennessee, to California,and all other kinds of places, most of which I’ve “couch surfed”while taking the time I’ve needed to focus on my debut novel, Where Sleeping Dogs Lie. I’ve been very fortunate to have the support of many people who see the potential of this story.
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
That’s a bit complex. I started out as an art major, but when I took art history, I got a taste for how the artist’s mind functions, so by the second semester of my freshman year, I had already declared a double major in art and psychology. When that happened, I had to take all these other courses, things like biology, statistics, and anatomy & physiology. When I took human physiology and neuro-psychology I was hooked. Here was even more stuff about what makes the artist do what he or shedoes. The more classes I took, the more curious I got. I wound up taking a minor in biology and chemistry. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I know is I was fascinated and couldn’t stop talking classes. Every class gave me more and more information about that original question of what makes us the way we are, which by then had evolved into what makes us how we are. I got to know real methodsI could use to get more objective, more accurate, answersto that same question. By my 4thyear in college, I’d declared a third major in biology, keeping my minor in chemistry. Bear in mind, I was an artist who hated reading, never liked it, and to the point where my vocabulary skills were at an eighth-grade level. But if I was going to get these answers I was seeking, I needed to do some serious catch-up work. I wound up going to graduate school, but in the end, got back to my roots in art. The experience wasn’t wasted. My work makes use of all of those classes.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
My latest news…
I’m about to launch my first non-fiction publication!
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Oh, man. This one is also complex, but I’ll keep it brief. I remember the first storyI wrote. It was in the 7th grade. I wrote about a girl who got in an accident, and a surgeon used a dolphin fin to replace her legs with. She became a mermaid, and I’m not sure what happened next, but I remember it made my teacher look at me weird. Why did I get into writing? That one’s easy. I keep getting all these cool ideas for stories, and if I don’t get them written down, they will be wasted.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I haven’t. But I was always fascinated with spiritualmatters, and during my third year in college I just started writing down all these observations about the human condition and this higher form of awareness that wants to have a relationship with us. All these strange things kept happening and I would write them down. Eventually, I decided that one day I would write about them. But I never thought of myself as a writer. And in many ways, and I know this sounds stupid, but I still don’t. Maybe it’ll hit me when I get my first ISBN number. I do see myself as an artist, though, and don’t like the idea of being seen only as a writer. If rather think of myself as an artist whose repertoire includes writing.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Tough one. My first book is about all that spiritual, evolutionary, what’s this whole life thing about topic. My intentions weren’t so much to write a book as they were to chronicle the things I was finding to answer life’s questions. I found out a ton, and the book is really long, over 750 standard book size pages.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
My first book is not Where Sleeping Dogs Lie. But that’s the one I’ll publish first. I came up with that name as a double entendre. The story has actual dogs in the killer’s mind that go to sleep at different timesduring therapy. But the story is also about meddling with the brains natural defenses against the effects of severe trauma, most of which have to do with repressing memories and dissociation. The phrase, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” means don’t disturb things if they’re not getting in the way.
The first book I wrote was a story about our interconnectedness, how we share the same consciousness, and how that consciousness works both within us, outside of us, and between us. It talks about our individual Selves as direct contributors to the higher awareness we sometimes referred to as Fate. That’s the explanation of the title, but you’ll have to wait for its release before I reveal it.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
Yes. I hate reading and I hate writing. But I’m obsessed with the creative process, which is what drives my writing. In genre fiction, I prefer to get to the point as fast as possible, minimal description, and a lot of action. The story has to move. I can’t stand it when an author wastes ten pages on the character’s toothbrush. In research, I have to be precise and unambiguous, which I like and don’t like, because I like things to be accurate, but it can get tedious and dry. In literary fiction, I enjoy the prose, but again, only insofar as they are required to get the point of the scene across. Clever quips and creative word usage is fun for me, but it can get old after a while.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I put a ton of research in Where Sleeping Dogs Lie. A lot of the story is about how a person can become a killer. That required a lot of theory for it to make sense to the reader.As far as basing experiences on personal things, yes. I definitely modeled characters and parts of the storyline after real people and events in my life.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
Absolutely. I have to know what I’m writing about, as well as open myself up to as wide as range of experiences as possible. If you want to maximize your creative abilities, travel, even to new locations in your own city, is a must.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Me. I’m a graphic designer
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Definitely. The novel is a discussion of the inescapable baseness of human nature, and how we are prisoners in our own minds, in our histories and primitive survival instincts, all of which occur by way of the exact same neurological pathways as those involved inaddiction. We don’t just become addicted to drugs or alcohol or sex, we also become addicted to particular ways of thinking and seeing things. This book is about that.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
Seasoned authors are going to hate this answer. I’m not a connoisseur. And as I mentioned, I’m not a reader. The books I’ve actually finished turn out to be nonfiction ones about various scientific topics, like quantum mechanics, consciousness theory, cosmology, and the like. My favorite writer? Nonfiction, I’d have to say its,a toss-up between Paul Davies, Michio Kaku and Gary Zukov. I like Ken Wilbur, too. And Fred Allen Wolff. Fiction, I’d have to say I’m enjoying Jodi Picoult right now, but that’s if I have the time to read. So many other things I could be doing.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
I’ve got lots of friends who believe in me. They’ve wanted me to go this route for a long time, so they have been very gracious about letting me come spend time with them, then hop up and go spend time with someone else.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
I hope, I hope, I hope. I’ve got 12 more solid stories I can write.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Still making those changes. I’m anticipating the launch to happen in November.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Tons. I learned a lot about crime investigation, the police force and FBI, the lingo, how to bring a character to life, poetry, scene construction, action sequences, reader psychology, sentence structure, cliffhangers, love scenes, and the balance between not enough, and going too far.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
I actually posted that on my Facebook page. Jared Leto as the psychologist, Max Von Sydow as his mentor and either Anne Hathaway or Kristen Stewart for the killer.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
It’s all about the ending.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Actually, yes. The book was designed to be read twice.
When you’re done, re-read the first ten pages, and you’ll see what I mean.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
I’m trying to get into a James Patterson book, but it’s pretty cookie cutter, so I’m struggling to remain interested.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Aside from Green Eggs and Ham, the first chapter book I read was Charlotte’s Web.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Laugh: clumsy women.
Cry: I’m a suckered for a good tear jerker. I haven’t been following This is Us, but I did see that scene where the dad was doing push-ups with the kids he was going to adopt lying on his back. He was being asked a lot of questions about his commitment to being a father. You could see he was getting tired, but he wouldn’t acknowledge the fatigue and just kept on pushing and pushing. I hadn’t seen a single episode, hadn’t even watched that one! And there I was, all falling apart. I have a really soft spot for things fatherly.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Lincoln. I’d fight Lincoln. Wait… that’sFight Club.
Justin Vernon. He’s the lead singer of the group, Bon Iver. Genius. Severely creative.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Oh God.
Drawing, painting, graphic design, sculpture, fitness, photography, cooking, music composition, quantum mechanics , cosmology, particle physics, philosophy, consciousness and creativity theory.
I suck at math, though, so those science things are definitely hobbies.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
The aforementioned tearjerkers, Sci-fi and a good psych thriller.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Foods: I eat a lot of protein, but would eat Pizza at every meal if I could get away with it.
Color: they are actually inverses of one another. Deep red and teal.
Music: soundtracks or movie scores (Johann Johannsson is awesome. Listen to his originals on Orphee) and alternative/ indi rock
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Drawing, painting, graphic design, sculpture, fitness, photography…
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
Go live. You’ll be here soon enough.
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
My website is currently under construction. I’m almost done. Just a few more things.
It’s www.lucvors.com
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