Thanks!

-SCBC, Inc.

Where are you from?

I was born in the small military town of Killeen, Texas. After some time overseas, my family settled down in Mobile, Alabama and I now reside in Dallas, Texas.

Tell us your latest news?

I am trying hard to market and promote my novel, Find the Rock, and am busily preparing my next one, Piano Fingered Lady, for distribution.

When and why did you begin writing?

I would say that I began writing in my early teen years. With musical aspirations at the time, most of the writing consisted of lyrics and poetry. In 2000, I happened to do a quick inventory of the outlets of entertainment our youth had at the time, and I couldn’t find many positive options for them. Every song they sang was backing something up, every video was stripped down, and every movie was laced with violence, sex, and drugs. I felt obligated to toss in my voice through Find the Rock as a counter to some of those negative things.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Not really. I know that sounds bad, but I really enjoyed Toni Morrison’s, Beloved, and the stream of conscious style she used in it.
If anything, I would say my style is similar to that. I’m not afraid to pose a question directly to the reader in midstream or make a statement of my own right in the middle of a character’s narration. I think that draws the reader in to a more personal level.

What do you do to set the mood for writing?

During my time in California, I was able to visit Napa Valley where I developed a huge taste for wine. So, when I am really set to write, I’ll grab a glass, put on some background music, and just float off into the world with the characters of the story I’m working on at the time.

What books have most influenced your life?

Richard Wright’s, Native Son. As odd as it may seem, I really related to the main character, Bigger Thomas. So much so, that I tried to fashion Find the Rock’s lead character, Solheim Harris, after him. That book was the first to send me back to the store looking for other books by the writer. I still hold some of the scenes with me.

How much of the novel is realistic?

If you asked my wife, she’d say way too much. LOL!

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your life?

A lot of it is. Many scenes are just extensions of situations and how I imagine they would have played out. Or interpretations of situations and how I think they should have played out in the first place.
Ultimately, they are all just embellishments of reality. Then again, isn’t all fiction that?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of promotion for self-published authors?

A weakness is that many outlets are not as receptive to us as they would be to some of the majors. A strength is that there is no one else to blame. It’s all on the author. (Or is that another weakness?)

How does your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

They are extremely supportive. Even when those times arise where my confidence wavers, they are always there to keep pressing me forward. They are also great salesmen.

Do you see writing as a long- or short-term career?

I will write in some form until the day that I die. Of that, I am confident. Career or no career.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes. When dealing with salvation, there is always more ahead. Accepting Christ into our lives doesn’t necessarily mean that no one else around us will die, or no other checks will bounce, or no other neighbors will judge, or whatever. It just equips us better to handle those things. That was something that I did not fully understand when I got saved and it is something that Solheim is forced to learn in Find the Rock. Are biggest challenge is not all the time finding salvation but continuously nurturing it.

E. Earl Davis II