Ron Hutchison is the author of the YA novel “Voicesof the Locusts.” Writing Daze caught up with Ron recently and asked him some
questions On Writing and Self-Publishing. I think you’ll be pleasantly
surprised by his answers.
About Voices
of the Locusts
Sixteen-year old Jack
O’Brien has never known the bittersweet stint of love, and romance is the
farthest thing from his mind as he and his family arrives at a remote U.S. Air
Force outpost in Japan where Jack’s father is base commander. The year is 1948.
Jack’s life changes after a chance encounter with Fujiko Kobaysi, a beautiful
and enchanting 17-year-old Japanese girl. Jack is immediately smitten.
Fujiko’s traditional
parents are overly protective and monitor her every move, and Jack and Fujiko
meet secretly at her garden, located some distance from her village. There is a
good reason why Fujiko’s parents are so protective and Jack is devastated when
Fujiko tells him that her parents have promised her in marriage to an older
man, a practice common throughout Asia at the time. The marriage is only a
months away. Jack devises a cunning plan, one that will overshadow her arranged
marriage and bring Fujiko and him together.
Playing against a
backdrop of swirling post-War social change, Voices of the Locusts tells the
story of three families – one black, one white, one Asian. Told in Jack’s voice
in vivid and sometimes haunting detail, Jack and Fujiko are frustrated in their
romantic quest by story characters coming to terms (often violently) with the
emotional scars of World War II.
Book
Excerpt
A flutter of panic races through my body. It is instantly
replaced by a sweep of joy, and a strange, unnatural lucidity overcomes me.
Fujiko
and I hesitate for what seems a small eternity, our eyes locked in a moment of
mutual understanding. Finally, I lean in toward Fujiko and she leans in toward
me. Our eyes close and our mouths touch in a whisper-soft kiss, a brief, gentle
brush of lips.
I
pull back slowly, my heart racing, my head alive with all manner of strange,
warm images. This must all be a dream. A wonderful, glorious dream. I don’t
want to ever wake up.
About
Ron Hutchison
 |
| Author Ron Hutchison |
Ron Hutchison began writing fiction
full time after a long career in journalism and public relations. “Voices of the
Locusts” is his fourth novel. A multi-genre author, Hutchison’s choice of
novels to write is determined not by genre, but by the weight of the story.
Hutchison graduated from the University of Missouri in 1967 with a degree in
journalism. He has worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist at newspapers in
Texas, California, and Missouri. He was employed by a Fortune 100 company as a
public relations executive, and later operated his own public relations agency.
Hutchison attended high school in Japan, and much of his “Voices of the Locusts” is based on personal
experience. Hutchison lives in Joplin, Missouri. His novel can be purchased
exclusively at Amazon.com. His website: Ron-Hutchison-Novels.com.
On
Writing:
Q: What motivated you to write the book?
I
have carried this story in my head for 30 years. It was not until I reached my
mid-60s did I have the discipline to sit down and piece the story together.
Writing requires Himalayan dedication, but I was never able to demonstrate this
personal commitment until late in my life. Much of my story is based upon personal
experience.
Q: What is the single most useful thing you have
learned and how has it helped you as a writer.
I am constantly amazed at the volume of
copy I can produce if I dedicate three or four hours each day to writing.
Working seven days a week, I wrote the first draft of “Voices of the Locusts”
in about two months.
Q: What would you say are your main literary
influences?
All
of my novels are multi-cultural: Native Americans, Latinos, and Asians assume pivotal
roles in each of my novels. I would hope that each novel provides the reader
with the knowledge that although we are all different—our language is
different, as are our looks and cultures—there is a common thread of humanity
that runs through all of us.
On
Self-Publishing:
Q: What are the biggest challenges you have
faced with self-publishing?
To
be honest, I have not experienced any problems, although my humble marketing
strategy can never hope to compete with traditional publishers. I assembled a
six-person team that I have used for each of my novels: photographer, graphic
artist, formatter, website specialist, publicist, and editor. Editing remains
the biggest challenge.
Q: What surprised you about the self-publishing
process?
The ease of the
process.
Q: Right now there is a stigma attached to
self-published authors, that just because you can pay for the book to be
published doesn’t mean you are a qualified author. Do you think self-publishing
will ever become a respected industry?
For
me, self-publishing has been a rewarding experience. Between Dec. 1, 2012 and
March 20, 2013, I sold nearly a 1,000 copies of my third novel, a middle-grade
story titled “A Boy Called Duct Tape.” By traditional standards, that probably
isn’t that many books, but for me it is a homerun. I continue to believe that a
good story will always make its mark in the literary marketplace. And yes, I
believe self-publishing will find its rightful place in literature within the
next two years. The industry is changing at warp speed.
Q: What is your advice to authors who decide to
self-publish?
Roll
up your sleeves and do it! Your expenses should run anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000
depending on the length of your book, the complexity of your cover, etc. I live
in Joplin, Missouri, and the cost of these services is low. If you live in New
York City, your costs will be much higher.
Questions
for Fun
Q:
What’s your favorite color?
Plum.
Q:
What’s your favorite author and why?
Stephen King. I enjoy his writing
style. His settings are real—they draw me into the story.
Q:
What are three things that your fans don’t know about you?
I’ve never used an ATM.
I’ve never played a
video game.
I’ve never eaten a
McDonald’s hamburger.
Thanks Ron for stopping by.
It was my pleasure, thank you.
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