Author Spotlight - Michael Wright
We’re excited to introduce Michael Wright, another Novelize author, who has already written and published his second novel. Now that he’s retired, he finds himself with plenty of time to write. But even so, we admire the dedication he brings to the table. In this exclusive interview, Michael Wright shares his experiences, plans, and tips for aspiring writers.
What made you decide to write a novel?
If you begin reading this book, you will initially view it as a romance novel that deals with the forbidden love between Martin Webster, a Christian, and Adeelah El Sayed, a Muslim, and this novel is definitely a love story.
But it is more than just a love story. My original plan was to write a nonfiction book to make the case that there is a significant amount of common ground between Christianity and Islam, and that it is imperative for God-fearing people to embrace such common ground. I chose to accomplish these goals through the story about Adeelah and Martin’s forbidden love.
What is your novel about?
Adeelah El-Sayed meets Martin Webster, a Christian--a dangerous liaison for a Muslim woman that leads to a private war. The first battle comes from within. Adeelah knows this attraction to a non-Muslim man is unacceptable in her Islamic world. But she loses this battle. She cannot overcome the forbidden love that invades her soul, and she hopelessly surrenders. Together Martin and Adeelah face more attacks from mosque, church, and their two families, all because they dare to love each other. Then two more unexpected attacks: A kidnapping attempt to force Adeelah into a marriage with a Muslim man and a white supremacist attack.
In the Christian New Testament, God winked at the ignorance of Greek philosophers on Mars Hill who worshipped an unknown god. Martin and Adeelah find that God still winks today--a Divine wink at the ignorance that separates two, God-fearing people who take their faith in God seriously, an ignorance that conspires to keep them apart.
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at.” Acts 17:30 (KJV)
Tell us about your writing process. How often did you write, and how did you make time for working on your novel?
I am retired, so finding time to write is not a problem. My process begins with a loose outline, which I develop over time before I start writing. I describe it as a loose outline, because I don’t hesitate to move things around as my story unfolds. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea for the storyline. I absolutely must get up and write the idea down, or else I tend to forget it by the next morning. Once I start writing the novel, it becomes somewhat of an obsession for me. So, I write almost continuously.
Do you have plans for other novels?
This is my second novel. The first is entitled, A Balmy Breeze from Two Seas. Both of these novels are multicultural romance novels. My website describes my genre as, “Telling multicultural stories about women who find Mr. Right.”
I am gathering materials for my next novel, which will also be a multicultural romance novel.
Will there be a sequel to your novel?
A sequel is not out of the question.
How did you hear about Novelize?
I stumbled on Novelize while surfing the internet.
How did Novelize help you write your novel?
Novelize made the outlining process, as described above, easy because of the ease with which you can move things around and make other modifications as necessary. I especially valued the section for developing the characters for the story. I referred to this section frequently to ensure the consistency of my characters’ personalities. The various sections for documenting research are very helpful. I was happy with the capability to include hyperlinks in these sections.
Do you have any tips for other writers who are just getting started with their first novel?
For those getting started, Novelize is an asset you should take advantage of. Find a writers group in which to participate. Such groups will provide you positive criticism, valuable feedback, and ideas for story development that you will find valuable. I suggest that you pay attention to the outlining that I described above. The benefit of a good outline is that your story will flow well, and your readers will understand where your story is going.
How can people stay in touch with you?
My website is www.thewrightauthor.com
Where can people buy your book?
The above website will lead you to purchase options. You will also find a link on my website which gives you the opportunity to read the first chapter of my new book for free.