We are going Live with author D.L. Blackburne on Tuesday 8PM CST on Facebook. Watch us live and questions during the live session. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.
D.L. Blackburne is a Connecticut based indie author/artist who began writing in October 2016. His debut book Office Pool: Orientation was later released on November 08, 2019 on Amazon and Apple books. The 20+ year professional artist turned author illustrated all the characters and cover work in the series. With his most recent book in the Office Pool Series now published August 01, 2020 (book #2 Extraction) D.L. is now currently working to complete book #3 the series final installment due out mid 2021. In addition to that D.L. is simultaneously working on another book series. The multi-book vast YA Fantasy Epic will called [Sons of the Severnn]
Q. Describe yourself in five words.
A. Curious observer appreciator of life
Q. What fact about yourself would really surprise people?
A. I really have no idea about that one actually. It depends on their perceived notions about me or anyone I would imagine. that allows us all to be surprised about others I guess…
Q. How do you work through self-doubts and fear?
A. By trying new things and failing again and again until the fear of failure and self-doubt is comfortable or gone, the only thing left to experience after that, is success.
Q. What scares you the most?
A. The current state of the world in general.
Q. What makes you happiest?
A. I don’t need much besides a quiet creative space, aside from that, being of service to other people, friends, family & strangers in need even.
Q. Why do you write?
A. It is a very effective outlet for my ideas no matter how big they seem to fit, I enjoy painting for that same reason but some ideas can’t fit on canvases no matter how big they are..
Q. Have you always enjoyed writing?
A. Yes, in my short time doing it writing has been very good to me.
Q. What motivates you to write?
A. The need to get ideas out of my mind taking up space and to make way for new concepts and ideas.
Q. What writing are you most proud of?
A. My third and final book of my current series although it’s still only halfway completed, I feel content with it so far.
Q. What are you most proud of in your personal life?
A. My children they’re all decent people, they could certainly be worse, I say decent to keep them a bit humble. To use the word wonderful would come off as biased and discourage their pursuit of constant self improvement and growth.
Q. What books did you love growing up?
A. I loved the brightly colored picture books with the cats and dogs as everyday people driving the firetrucks, cars, bikes and them going to the market etc. Those and the Tomie dePaola books were favorites of mine.
Q. What do you hope your obituary will say about you?
A. That he did the best with what he had or he was a person who helped others.
Q. Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?
A. I live in, Connecticut, USA in a working class city and a pretty diverse area, not a small town or huge metropolis. I had a diverse group of friends, neighbors and classmates growing up. I’ve lived in different parts of the country. My first purchased home was in a very small rural village/town with a population of about 4800 people. I’ve also lived in a city with a population of about a million people. Each experience was different in weather, activities, density and demographics but the people in each place were overwhelmingly the same.
Q. How did you develop your writing?
A. Through trial and error, and watching and reading other more experienced and proficient writers.
Q. What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?
A. Well, I guess that all depends on the individual I suppose, right? For me I would say writing is a challenge that I enjoy very much, marketing too is something a self published recluse like myself recognizes as a necessity. If I want to continue to bring and share my work with the public I have to adapt and get better at it as I go.
Q. What marketing works for you?
A. Not sure yet I’m trying a bit of everything, if I ever become a bestseller, I’ll certainly share what worked for me.
Q. Do you find it hard to share your work?
A. No, not really because before its made public I have picked it apart with a few people I trust creatively to be objective. If it can stand up to that group of people and myself, then I’m satisfied that it’s made as well as I could make it. After that I can release it to the world. If it’s accepted I’m of course very, very glad the readers appreciate my best, if that same audience doesn’t, I can be content I’ve given my very best.
Q. Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?
A. While they don’t anticipate any book releases or anything, they do support me the same way they’ve supported me with my art over the years. They let me focus when I’m in a writing/ creative groove, and some will even read the books.
Q. What else do you do, other than write?
A. I enjoy falling off the face of the earth for a few days binging a great new series, or taking on a DIY project, painting, drawing, discovering new food or music, and indulging in rare teas.
Q. What other jobs have you had in your life?
A. I was an art gallery owner, a professional artist/ instructor well, I still produce art to this very day. A graphic designer for a publishing company, a freelance illustrator, a medical equipment technician in my late twenties & early thirties and many more things.
Q. If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?
A. Probably Oxford or Cambridge I’d say, I would have loved to study abroad.
Q. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
A. Ushuaia, Argentina the southern most city on earth. It’s picturesque backed by the mountains, you can see the southern lights and it’s on the sea. Nicknamed “the end of the world” I’d love to retire there or at least spend some time writing or painting there when it’s all said and done.
Q. Tell us about your family?
A. In a nutshell they are a large multi-cultured, loving God-fearing group of folks
Q. How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
A. Laptop at a desk 95% of the time the other methods are used if an idea strikes me, and I’m away from the desk.
Q. How much sleep do you need to be your best?
A. Roughly 6-8 hours maximum, anything beyond that, for me personally is counterproductive.
Q. Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?
A. My family, friends, readers and reviewers.
Q. Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success inwriting look like to you?
A. A decent size catalog or body of work, a slew of critics, and supporters I imagine.
Q. It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. It’s important of course to target the right readers however, seeing how this book is really for everyone ages 9 to 99. On this particular series, the focus I feel doesn’t have to be so narrow this go round.
Q. Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it?
A. I wrote the new book in support of the debut book I originally wanted to write. After accomplishing that in 2019, I wanted to see if I could replicate the same quality or better the second time out.
Q. If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
A. If we are talking strictly famous people it would be Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, and Leonardo di Vinci I’d spend the dinner trying to convince them all to stay with us, long after dinner.
Q. When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?
A. Doing something mindless like watching a tv series, sports, movies, my kids grow up, or the sea
Q. What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
A. I hope they take something positive from the writing, I certainly would hope they are uplifted or entertained in some way. I would hate for it to be a burden or chore to consume.
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