Interview with David Pearce

Author of Where Fools Dare to Tread

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I grew up in Arvada, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. After a stint in the Navy, I ended up in Kenmore, a burb of Seattle.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

In a nutshell, it was my first wife. She wanted to be by the ocean and having spent time in Seattle, I thought it better than San Francisco or LA.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

A bad heart. I had to have open heart surgery to replace a failing valve which left me with a lot of time on my hands during the recovery. I had always wanted to write and I challenged myself to see if I could actually put in the effort and write. I found I liked it and have continued to this day.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My books are my way of working out the world we live in. I use themes in each book to explore our times and concerns, themes like identity, redemption, religion, sacrifice, love, death; fun things like that. My first published book, Where Fools Dare to Tread is about trying to survive in a world where many of us have no control over the institutions that rule our lives.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

People who like interesting conflicted characters dealing with the absurdities of life while still looking for love, answers, and survival. I like story arcs and bringing characters to life and exploring how they deal with their good and not so good decisions.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

How much fun it is to get the story where it needs to go. When I start, I know the general story arc and where it ends, but not all the details; that is found in getting the characters there. As far as publishing goes, it’s how much authors are expected to do to support the books and connect with their readers.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

I should have started writing long ago, rather than waiting for my heart to go bad. I know I’d be a better writer.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I think all authors want as many people as possible to read their books, and I’m no different.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

The biggest challenge for me is finding new adventures for Monk-the main character in my series-to find himself and his circles of family and business concerns. I don’t know if it’s technically a frustration, but publishing requires patience, especially if you’re just starting out and are an unknown author, it just takes a lot of time and energy to get your name out there and get people interested.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

It’s easy for me to write, so I can get the stories finished, which moves the process along into editing and all that. I’ve been fortunate not to suffer writer’s block very often.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I don’t know enough about marketing and everything that goes into that side of publishing. I have a blog and website and that requires attention as well as the writing, so you stay very busy with everything.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m working on the 6th book in the series-book 2: A Twinkle in the Eyes of God, comes out in January 2020, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to publish the entire series.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I have a publisher, Black Rose Writing, and it’s a cooperative publishing operation where both the publisher and author work together in service of the books.