Author Spotlight: Gordon Osmond - Part One

Today I have have Gordon Osmond in the "Author Spotlight".

Christina: Welcome, Gordon. Tell us a little about yourself, please.

Gordon: I practiced law as a partner in one Wall Street law firm in New York City for 35 years. I couldn’t wait to retire and put to use in writing fiction and non-fiction the valuable language skills that I believe I acquired in the course of my legal career. I was born in Washington, D.C., and couldn’t wait to retire from there as well, moving to New York City, where I began my graduate and post-graduate education.

Christina: Besides writing, what activities do you enjoy?

Gordon: I enjoy loving, learning, and creating. Writing has a way of getting itself involved in all three pursuits.

Christina: What's one thing most people don’t know about you?

Gordon: That I can be really nasty when provoked.

Christina: What would be your perfect romantic date?

Gordon: Having a 5-Star dinner with a 5-Star hotel room close at hand. A luxurious tropical setting wouldn’t hurt.

Christina: What’s your favorite romantic dinner menu?

Gordon: A salad with dill, followed by a strawberry risotto, both anointed with lots of brilliantly chilled champagne.

Christina: I happen to have dill growing in my herb garden. We have strawberries, too. I have to say, fresh ingredients always make a meal better.  So, what about favorite music?

Gordon:  Brahms. I really aimez it.

Christina: Mon français c'est de la foutaise. C'est la vie.  What's your best childhood memory?

Gordon: Learning to read, perform, and putting it all behind me.

Christina: Let's talk about your debut novel, Slipping on Stardust. What was the inspiration behind the story?

Gordon:  Exciting life experiences, appropriately enhanced for dramatic presentation.

Christina: Who is your favorite character from the book?

Gordon:  I’m very partial to Erin O’Malley. She’s a 19-year-old chemistry major, who, without the slightest intention so to do, manages to make every male she meets love and lust for her.

Christina: I'm always fascinated by book titles. How did you choose yours?

Gordon: Only after rejecting several others. I’m very happy with Slipping on Stardust because I believe it successfully captures the hazards in life of sacrificing real values for false ones. In terms of classic novels, I believe that this theme was most successfully expressed in Gustav Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. Add a sexy touch from Peyton Place and voila! you have Slipping on Stardust.

Christina: What research was involved?

Gordon:  The novel includes several references to movies and plays. With research, I was able to 

confirm that all these references are accurate.

Christina: How does the setting play a role in the story?

Gordon: There are several settings—the Mid-West and both American coasts. The atmosphere in each has a strong influence on what happens there.

Christina: Will there be a sequel? If so, tell us about it.

Gordon: I think there will be a sequel. The reading public seems to like ongoing stories. I’m currently engaged in the process of scoping out the sequel’s plot line, and would greatly appreciate any suggestions the readers of the first installment of the story would care to make. For example, which characters would they like to hear more about? Which less?

Christina: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Gordon: Honestly, I never thought there was an alternative. Practicing law, I had to write to earn a living. Later, I wanted to write as a source of great pleasure.

Christina: Where do you get your ideas?

Gordon: From my life experiences.

Christina: What’s your usual writing schedule?

Gordon: I’m a morning person. I like to write in the morning and gather material during the remainder of the day.

Christina: What genres do you enjoy writing, and why?

Gordon: I enjoy writing non-fiction. I also enjoy writing reality-based fiction. At the moment, I don’t think I’d be very good writing fantasy, paranormal, or very explicit sexual material.

Christina: What’s been the hardest thing on your journey as a writer?

Gordon: Dealing with the indifference of those who think of me only as a lawyer.

Christina: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Gordon: Brutally assess your talent at the earliest possible point. It will save you a lot of time and trouble.

Christina: What’s the most enjoyable thing on the journey?

Gordon: Satisfaction with the final product. One day, I’m hoping to achieve it.

Christina: How much support do you receive from your family?

Gordon: Virtually none. At first I was astonished; subsequently, I learned that this is fairly common.

Christina: How do you manage your schedule to balance writing with other responsibilities?

Gordon: I put the other responsibilities first. I don’t believe my writing would be as good if I felt that it was being pursued in preference to other, arguably more important things.

Christina: What aspects of your life have you included in your writing?

Gordon: Almost all of them. Life experiences, enhanced by education, are an inexhaustible source of inspiration, wherever, whenever, and however generated.

Christina: I'm very grateful to you, Gordon, for visiting today. It's been a pleasure to chat with you.

Readers: Gordon will be back tomorrow with more. Meanwhile, here are links to Slipping on Stardust:

Amazon

Sweet Cravings Publishing

Book's website