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Please welcome R.L. King as part of the DEAD HEART book tour! (Does this book look delicious or what? Well, delicious might not be the best word, but, well, YUM! And you have a chance to win it … stay tuned!)
R.L. King: The Duality of Writers
Hello Sarah,
First, let me humbly thank you for having me on your website, I am honored to be talking with such an accomplished author today. You are an inspiration to all us new writers, and after reading your About page, I wonder just how you get it all done? At the risk of sounding like I just escaped the mental asylum, I will tell you how I get it all done.
When I began writing Dead Heart, I divided myself into two parts. One half is the man who goes to work everyday, comes home and fixes everything that the kids broke that day, and the other is R.L. King, paranormal writer at large. Is it multiple personalities? I don’t think so, but if it is, I think all writers have it to some extent.
It is the reason R.L. King is on the book cover and not my real name. I think it is like when Stephen King was writing as Richard Bachman. The stories have the Stephen King trademark horror, but the writing is different, a good example is Richard Bachman uses adverbs where Stephen King avoids them.
For me, writing stories can only happen late at night. I like to get started right at midnight. By then the house is quiet, and I am virtually distraction free. It is my happy place. I go into my garage converted to a man-cave and when I shut the door, turn on the music, the world melts away and R.L. King goes to work on the keyboard.
I have told people that I tried to think of a good story, but it didn’t work out. So I tried to think of a writer that was much smarter than me, and try to think about what he would write, and so R.L. King was born. Sometimes they chuckle, others give me a confused stare, and a few wonder if I might really be crazy.
On a personal note, I like the separation. I am not comfortable speaking to large groups, and I tend to shy away from the spotlight. But R.L. King is full of confidence and loves any attention or publicity he can get. If this makes me crazy, then I should tell you that I have noticed the same behavior in “normal” people, like when you see someone from high school and you notice you start swearing more like you did back then when you thought it was cool.
Maybe I am justifying my own duality of writers, but I don’t think I am alone on this. I would be interested in reading the comments from both readers and writers that both agree and disagree completely. So my question is this, which side are you on?
Giveaway
Comment with an answer to R.L.’s question (bolded above) and you will be entered to win an e-copy of DEAD HEART!
Dead Heart
Would you give someone your own beating heart so they may live?
That is the question Doctor Paul Vieyra will have to ask himself as his world comes crashing down around him, and the ghost of those who died on his operating table haunt his mind.
When Dr. Vieyra sister’s heart begins to fail and her life fade away, a new heart or surgery are her only chances for survival—a chance no doctor is willing to take. Dr. Vieyra will risk everything he has and more for his sister. He will need the help of both old and new friends along with his mental ghosts if he is going to overcome the incredible obstacles that stand in his way.
The clock is ticking. Will he be able to save his sister’s dead heart? What is he willing to risk?
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R.L. King
R.L. King was born in Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1978. King grew up in a poor mountain town. He and his family lived in an old school bus and shared an outhouse. They did not have a television until Reagan was re-elected.
King is the author of Two Bad Men (2005), Parallel You (2006), and Dead Heart (2007). These novels were created at the request of his friend who needed something good to read. King also published two short stories in 2010, for publishing credentials: The Tell-Tale Soul and The Water-Grave Redemption.
R.L. King currently resides in Oklahoma City, and works in the precious metals industry. He continues to write as late as he can most nights.
Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Blog
- short stories; http://www.necrologyshorts.com/the-tell-tale-soul/
- www.necrologyshorts.com/the-water-grave-redemption/
Sarah Ballance 
First to Sarah:
OMG! It’s snowing on your blog!!! That is soooo cool!
Second to R.L.King:
Yes I think that tons of people have this duality when it comes to their work. (Not just writers) A separate persona that helps them to get through the day.
As for writers specifically I can’t comment. But as a reader I do know that when I get into a REALLY good story that it completely changes how I’m thinking when I read it. To the extent that when someone interrupts me it takes me a minute to focus back on the real world.
LOL! I think it goes with my header. ;c) Glad you like it! And I love when I read something and I have to readjust to the real world. Kind of like waking from a dream, or one of those RARE late day naps when you wake up and it’s dark outside and you think it’s morning. LOL.
I believe the duality is a necessary part of people with high stress occupations. It’s how I think Emergency Responders stay sane, so why wouldn’t it apply to writers, who must inhabit the character(s) they write about?
drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com
You have a good point, Kathryn. A lot of writers joke about having multiple personalities because you really do have to BE your characters, and readers can usually tell when you aren’t. Certainly, they won’t feel the story if the author didn’t wallow in it! ;c)
Sarah, Thank you. The post looks great!
Iris
My pleasure! Thanks for visiting. ;c)
I’d also like to say that I love the snow on the blog. When I first saw it I thought my eyes were acting up! I would have to agree with the other commenters in that duality is a must for certain professions. Can’t say that I thought about it for writers, but it makes a lot of sense.
Thank you, Karen! It’s probably the only snow I’ll see all year, LOL. (I owe you an email … I haven’t forgotten!)
I like the snow too! As a new writer, I these are the first comments I have ever received, so thank you! If I make it all the way to the top, you will be able to say you were the very first to talk to a writer before he was famous. And thank you again Sarah, you’re the best!
Wow, really? That’s awesome! I feel like I just got your autograph, LOL. And BTW, I tend to write after dinner. After homeschooling and herding kids all day, I escape to the bedroom (wish I had a cave!) and my husband or the older kids watch the little ones while I write. I don’t know how I do it, other than to say I’m half crazy … and the other half is crazy, too. LOL! Thanks for the visit and CONGRATULATIONS!
Yes, really. This is a good day for me. I feel like I have fans, and this is awesome for me!
Definitely awesome! And I’m so glad the comments kept coming! :c)
Here’s wishing the New Year brings you mega success!!
Thanks for visiting, Karen!
It makes sense to have “personalities” for different things.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
I agree. ;c) Thanks for stopping by!
Amazing cover. I doubt I’d be giving anyone my heart while I still need it.
LOL! Yeah, that’d be hard to do. :c)
Thank you, I love the cover as well, I stare at it a lot.
The cover freaking ROCKS!
The artist is named Ravven, and she is awesome! If you need a book cover, I highly recommend her, she had a lot of great choices for me to choose from.
Thank you!