Welcome to the weekly Irish Independent Authors Collective (IIAC) author interviews. Today on my blog, I’m delighted to introduce you all to Robert McLoughlin. I hope you all enjoy learning more about Robert and be sure to check out his books.
Irish Independent Authors’ Collective – Robert McLoughlin
Tell me a little bit about yourself and why you decided to join the Irish Independent Authors’ Collective?
To connect with the efforts of other Irish self-published authors and learn from/with them.
How long have you been writing and why did you decide on self-publishing?
I have been journal writing for 40 yrs. and taking the odd class in writing on and off during that time as well. I’ve written a fair amount of poetry and have been sharing it at open poetry nights for the last 22 years. I’ve been writing short stories for the last 20 years. I’ve just completed my first draft of a novel and am enjoying the self-editing process at the moment. Hope to have it finished this fall.
Do you think the stigma surround self-publishing is lessening?
Yes. I used to not take ‘vanity press’ books seriously. But to see so many good books now, doing so well as digital and paperbacks, has made me a believer in self-publishing. The more people understand contemporary self-publishing, the more it seems to become mainstream.
What do you feel the hardest part of self-publishing is?
There is so much information out there on self-publishing and marketing. It can be very confusing for a newcomer to sort through all the evangelists providing advice and resources.
What genres do you write?
Primarily romance (from a male perspective). Much of my poetry and short stories are about relationships between men and women.
What is your favourite story or character that you have written?
I wrote a short story called ‘Dreaming’. It’s about a young daydreaming boy who grows up over time, only to find himself as a man who wishes he was still that young, daydreaming boy.
What time of day do you prefer to write?
Anytime between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Evenings are for reading, family and socializing.
Do you have a special writing space?
Yes, I have a small loft office with no windows, but plenty of privacy.
Do you outline your books ahead of time or just go for it?
Well with my poetry and short stories I usually start with a combination of an emotion, and image, and sometimes a memory. Then just write on and revise afterward. With my novel I started with 50, 000 words of notes. I now have a big jigsaw puzzle of well over 100,000 words and am wishing I would have been more disciplined with creating a good story outline and character arcs. Which I definitely will do for my next book.
Who are your favourite Irish authors?
Sebastian Barry, Colm Tóibín, John McKenna, Nuala Roche, Maureen Gaffney, Donal Ryan, James Joyce and of course John B. Keane.
Your latest book The Spa Resort is a romance novel from a male perspective. What was the inspiration behind it and is there anything you would like readers to know?
Well, I have been trying to figure out women for my whole life. Men are easy to figure out, but women can be tricky. My protagonist is a shy, middle aged businessman who quits his job to become a massage therapist in a five-star spa resort. He clumsily tries to overcome his shyness through interrelationships with female co-workers and female clients. You can read an excerpt from Chapter 1 on my website.
Is your latest book part of a series and if so how many books are planned for the series?
No. It is a standalone book at the moment. But I know series books are the way to go. So, I’ll be thinking about how to transition my way into that mode.
Where can readers find out more about you?
You could contact my ex-wife in the States, but don’t expect the truth. Or you could go to my website at www.writingrobert.com
Sitting by the Lake by Robert McLoughlin
‘Sitting by the Lake’ is a short story collection of 26 tales of a variety of life’s situations and experiences. There are stories of innocent youthful romance, compelling observations of how we humans carry on with our contemporary lives, and the imperfect pursuit of love and relationships as adults.
Sitting by the Lake is available in ebook and paperback from Amazon.
Until next time,
Keep reading and writing,
Amanda
Amanda J Evans is an award-winning Irish author and writing coach. Amanda writes adult romance that often crosses into paranormal and fantasy. Growing up with heroes like Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones, her stories centre on good versus evil with a splice of love and magic thrown in too. Her books have all won awards and her novella, Hear Me Cry, won the Book of the Year Award at the Dublin Writers Conference 2018. Amanda is also the author of Surviving Suicide: A Memoir from Those Death Left Behind, published in 2012.
