Friday, May 3, 2024

Reed Stirling is visiting and talking about writing Shades of Persephone #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Mystery #Literary

 

Day 1

1.What is your latest book or the one to be featured? what genre?

Shades of Persephone is the novel I wish to feature. It is best described as a literary mystery, although it can also be classified as mythological, espionage, and romance.

 

2. Where did the idea arise?

While travelling around the Mediterranean, I fell in love with the old Venetian harbour of Chania, a city on the north coast of Crete, reputed to be the oldest site of western civilization in Europe. What a setting for fiction! What plots might have unfolded here given the fascinating history of the island! Why not a contemporary one?

Inspired by ubiquitous mythical signage, but especially by Lawrence Durrell’s The Alexandria Quartet and John Fowles’ The Magus, novels I was reading at the time, I began sketching out plausible characters of varying backgrounds, foremost among whom, Steven Spire, a young expat as narrator and central character of artistic temperament in need of purpose. Bar and café conversations led to hints of foreign intrigue. Ancient ruins gave way to Nazi runes. Crooked laneways led to mountain retreats and buried secrets. Hydra-headed truth demanded a place on the table along with the ouzo and artichoke hearts. And love, naturally, raised all expectations with the birth, mirroring Aphrodite’s rise from the sea, of Magalee De Bellefeuille.

 

3. How much research was involved? Did you stay on point or get distracted by wanting to look at one thing more?

 

Research into local and European history was time consuming. So much to understand as far as story background was concerned. I also needed to appreciate the significance of Greek mythological characters and how they might influence the characters I was bringing to life. Easy to be distracted in that world for sure. Most enjoyable is research done in situ, Greece with respect to Shades Of Persephone,

 

4. How long did it take to write the book?

It took a good year to bring all elements of the story together. However, the writing is never finished. Improvements are always possible. But then we move on to other themes and other plots.

 

5.How long have you been writing? Sun sign?

I have been involved in serious writing since retiring in 1999. Aries motivates me in my efforts to write about the world I inhabit and the one I imagine.

 

 

 

6. Do you write in a number of genres or stick to just one?

I attempt to write literary fiction that entertains while being socially relevant. I lean towards mystery, with romantic entanglement an integral part of the action. Greek mythology and literary allusion underpin plot development. Irony is pervasive. 

 

7. Where on the internet can you be found?

reedstirlingwrites.com

reedstirling@gmail.com

http://bwlpublishing.ca

https://bookswelove.net/stirling-reed/

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bookswelove

Amazon Author central: https://authorcentral.amazon.comgp/home

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