Photographer: Catherine Farqueson
TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine is always looking for new authors to present to our readership. Just recently we discovered an author who mixes sports with an in-depth look at the characters portrayed in his storyline. The book is a fictional endeavor concerning my favorite baseball team, The New York Mets. The title of the book is The Arkansas Connection a debut novel for author David Evans.
David, we have many college students and budding writers who follow our publication. Please tell them about your interest in writing, and how you prepared yourself towards this career choice.
DE- I am a physician and have written extensively in scientific journals. Like a lot of people I thought I had at least one novel in me.
TAEM- What authors most influenced you towards your choice in pursuing a writing career ?
DE- I do not believe any particular author was influenced in driving me to write a novel. I just thought it would be a good idea.
TAEM- What made you choose sports, and baseball in particular, to create a background for your book ?
DE- You know, I am not a greater lover of sports but have always been interested in the some of the bizarre characters that live in that world. Baseball seems to be home for a lot of them.
TAEM- Please describe the theme and setting for your novel.
DE- The theme is a combination of baseball, medicine and finance. The baseball and finance aspects are purely fictional but the medical part is an exaggerated extension of my own personal experience. Why Arkansas? I have never been anywhere near and I do not really know or understand why I picked that particular State. Go figure!
TAEM- Is the story based on real life characters and events ?
DE- The baseball parts involving the Mets are based on the fact that they really at one time were the laughing stock of the sport. The financial part is based on my innate distrust of bankers and stock brokers. The medical part, as I indicate above, in a somewhat exaggeration of my own personal experience.
TAEM- Who are the main protagonists in your story and tell us about the connections between them ?
DE- The main protagonists are a frustrated baseball manager and his dysfunctional team; a young doctor and his dysfunctional hospital chief; a young baseball phenom who also happens to be a financial genius.
TAEM- How were you able to successfully portray your characters, and how can new authors do the same ?
DE- That is a difficult question. I have heard authors speak on this subject and each seems to have a different answer. I have these pictures in my mind and tried to convert them to the written word. Advice for new authors? Look around at real people in your life and use that as a baseline. Then use your imagination. That is what fiction is all about.
Designer of the book is Shaun Henshaw
TAEM- This is a an e-book, but can book reviewers get a sample copy?
DE- Yes, if requested we can send out a hard copy review only copy.
TAEM- Where can our readership locate your book on-line to purchase it ?
DE-They can go to Amazon Kindle http://amzn.to/1bA6fPO or Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/the-arkansas-connection
TAEM- With your first novel under your belt, do you have any other books waiting in the wings for us ?
DE- I have another novel coming along – slowly!
TAEM- What other genres would you be interested in taking on in the future ?
DE- I would like to continue with what I know best – medicine.
TAEM- David, you have broken into an exciting career and we wish you much luck in this great choice. Many writers look to do the same and I am sure that your first step in doing so will give them much encouragement to follow your example. Thank you for your time with our interview and please keep us aware of any new developments with your future accomplishments.
TAEM
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