IBR's interview of Stopped by Time Author: Don Festge.

Stopped by Time: Interview of Don Festge, Author.

IBR:  Did you always want to be a writer?

D.F: I've always loved story telling, ever since I was young. What held me back from writing was that I was a horrible speller. "Thank you word processing!" LOL. That however, shouldn't have been an excuse. If you love doing something, do it.

IBR: What was the very first Book, play, script, scenario that you ever wrote?

D.F: When I was in school, I would write stories around the "White Space" of my text books. I like to write engaging stories. Stopped by Time was my First book. The Condiments was my first script. It is a story about an ordinary plastic bottle of ketchup who falls in love with a beautiful glass jar honey mustard princess.

IBR: You are still teaching High School, how do your students respond to your writing? Is it difficult to get them to read their teachers book without having it look like it is a school assignment or homework?

D.F: I believe if you're going to write a book, you're doing to be shared. I give everyone one of my students a free copy of my books so they have something to read in their classes if they have free time. I've had students read my books and tell me they hated reading but my book was the first book they've ever read and that they loved it.

IBR: Is Stopped by Time your first Novel of the Sci-FI / Supernatural/Fantastik Genre?

D.F: Yes. I love that genre.

IBR: What inspired you, when you were writing out the plot of the story?

D.F: I have so many ideas running around in my head. When I finished writing the first draft, I realized that I had actually begun the story in the middle and went back and wrote the beginning. I really didn't have an outline for Stopped By Time. It just sort of came to me. My following series Night of the Witches was all planned out.

IBR: How did you choose the name of your characters, their personae, their physical description…etc?

D.F: I always try to incorporate my students into everything I do. So, when I began writing Stopped By Time, I told them if they did better in their other classes and stayed out of trouble, I would use their names as characters. I usually use one person's first name with another person's last name.  Some times I'll use famil and friend's names as well.  I would say 95% of the names I've used in my five books and nine screen plays have come from students. They get really excited when they see their names.

As for personae, sometimes I'll relate the character to someone I've know in my life. Other times I'll just be in a "mood" and I'll turn on some music when I write and that character just comes to life. I love to listen to music when I write. Especially if there is tension building or a lot of drama getting ready to happen. I get so excited and it doesn't matter if it's three AM, it's as if it's in the middle of the day and I have hours and hours to write.

IBR: Back to Stopped byTime, what has been the response from your readers when you first published it? How was it received ?

D.F: Everyone who has read it has really loved it. It truly is an emotional roller coster.

IBR: One of my favorite Fantastic genre author is Edgar Allan Poe. There is a little of the Mysticism in Stopped by time that is reminiscent to Poe's Fantastic Novellas.  Are you a fan of that author, did he inspire you in any way?

D.F: I do like Poe. I am a big believer in the balance of things and where there is darkness, there must be light, good, evil and sadness, happiness. I think however,  I was inspired more by some writing when I was in elementary school based on the supernatural. I have always been drawn to the topics of ESP and telekinesis.

IBR:  Is Stopped by Time still available through Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles? If not, will there be another edition of Stopped by time in the near future?

D.F: Yes, it is available on both those sites, as well as , many other Internet sites. It did sell in stores when it was first release but that was back in 1998. There were only 1000 original first print copies made, so if you can get your hands on one, that should be pretty special.

IBR: As you know I have a lot of French readers of my blog and a few Spanish readers as well. In that regard, do you have any plans to translate it in French and/or Spanish?

D.F: I would love to.

IBR: What is the next step for Stopped by Time? What are you plans for it?

D.F: I have written a treatment for Stopped By Time and would like to turn it into a one hour television drama.

IBR: What is your advice for any young and not so young aspiring author out there?

D.F: Write when ever you can. If you can write just a little every day, that would be awesome. But more importantly, share your writing. Let people read what you have created. That is the reason we write.

Thank you very much Don for this insight into your writer's mind.  With your permission, I'd like to repeat this for your other works. I am planning to read the "Night of the Witches" series next and interview you again on those so my readers can interact and ask you their own questions about each of your works.

For those of you who have not yet read my review of Don's Book: "Stopped By Time" click on the link or go back to the main page of the blog to read my review of this great book and don't hesitate to leave your comments directly on the Review posting. 

If you have any questions or comments for Don about "Stopped by Time" don't hesitate to ask it directly here. Whenever Don's busy schedule allows him some respite, he promised me, he'll come from time to time to respond personally. 

Thank you again Don for your time and consideration, it is truly appreciated.