About Roderick Edwards:
Born with some defects, it was assumed I would not live so my young mother left me at the hospital. I survived and four years later was adopted. It is important to relate that information because it has influenced so much of my writing. An adoptee is disconnected from a sense of belonging and so we see the world from a less biased way. The bias of family or cultural loyalties.
But at age 50 the state released my birth records. While my biological parents were already deceased, I did find several biological siblings, including a 100% sister that was also adopted to another family. This reunion experience has further affected my outlook on life and worldview and this comes through in everything I write even though I write about much more than adoption experiences.
What inspires you to write?
I've always put pen to paper since I could write. Bringing words to life, whether a simple journal or a fictional story but the inspiration probably comes from presenting a sense of being; of existing. Writing creates a Descartes moment where the writing proves existence.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Oddly enough, The Quatrains by 16th century mystic, Nostradamus has always intrigued me not because of their claim to tell the future but because of the use of wordplay and multiple languages. I also like Isaac Asimov's writings. They seem so honest and take my mind on a journey like no other author I've read.
Tell us about your writing process.
Unlike many authors, I do not set out to write a goal number of words per day. I only write when inspired to write. You'd think this would make for a very slow output but I have produced more than 30 books in less than 8 years. Most of the time, the inspiration to write comes from doing simple chores around my forest farm, such as feeding the chickens or tending the exotic trees that can be grown in Florida. This meditative state allows my mind to wander into the subject matter in a more natural way.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I like to challenge my characters. I purposely put them in situations that test the worldview I've implied that they have. In this way, the character develops in ways I didn't expect. Typically, I use composites of people I know, usually based on stereotypes that I purposely allow to paint them so that they come into focus. I try not to have conversations with my characters, otherwise I risk being schizophrenic. Haha.
What advice would you give other writers?
My advice to new authors in addition to focusing primarily on the writing instead of things like marketing, is to not set out to write your magnum opus with your first book. Your first book should be what I call a throwaway book. Don't expect much traction with it. Just use it to learn the process then on your subsequent works, you can dedicate your efforts to the other areas.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I wanted control over my content above all else. While I understand the importance of editors and such, sometimes those entities sap the content.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Like the music industry, the book or writing industry will be greatly affected by people's desire to not pay for the artist's work. The artist has had to find ways to recoup the production costs as quickly as possible since value immediately diminishes. Worse yet, the advent of AI is replacing human artistry in all areas. However, after this becomes the norm, I think some people will pay more for authentic human work.
What genres do you write?: biography,nonfiction,fiction,history,religion,politics, race relations, philosophy
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Roderick Edwards Home Page Link
Link To Roderick Edwards Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
