Robert Boich was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and attended Ohio Northern University where he graduated with a law degree. The author also received his LLM in taxation from Boston University. The author is currently working on his second book, a novel based on World War I and the battle of Verdun. He lives in Dublin, Ohio with his wife and children. http://www.rwboich.com/.
***
Q: It’s rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a ‘real’ job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life? Have they influenced/inspired your writing?
I’m an attorney. I’ve been involved in the legal arena for most of my adult life. I can’t say that being an attorney inspired me to write, but it’s probably safe to say that it helped me become a better writer. One thing about writing legal documents is that it forces you to pay attention to detail.
Q: What compelled you to write your first book?
One of my counselors in rehab suggested that I write a book. He felt that my experiences might be able to help others who were struggling with a substance abuse problem.
Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes. I had a bad experience in a composition class my first year of college, which soured me on a literary career. Nonetheless, writing has always been in the back of my mind. I took a stab at starting my first novel on a couple of occasions over the past 15 years, but always seemed to get sidetracked.
Q: Tell us briefly about your book.
It’s more than a textbook on recovery, and it’s more than a simple recounting of my journey through early sobriety. I’ve managed to blend my personal thoughts with a lot of helpful information about sobriety and early recovery, and package them into an entertaining story. In addition to simply discussing the ideas and tools which I was exposed to during the early months of my recovery; I offer examples where I was able to implement these new resources into my everyday life.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on my first novel, an historical fiction piece based on World War I and the battle of Verdun.
Q: How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?
It’s really a wonderful feeling to open up that box from the publisher with your author’s copies; to see all your hard work packaged into an actual, real-life book.
Q: How do you balance out the writer’s life and the rest of life? Do you get up early? Stay up late? Ignore friends and family for certain periods of time?
The key for me is to get up early. The best time for me to write is before my wife and kids wake up. If I can get a couple of hours of writing in before the rest of the house wakes up and the phone starts ringing I’m usually pretty good. That leaves me the rest of the day to do research or work on marketing, or whatever else must be done.
Q: Is there an established writer you admire and emulate in your own writing? Do you have a writing mentor?
There are so many wonderful writers out there. I enjoy reading about different subjects. I’ve always admired the thoroughness of James Michener; and the technicality involved in Tom Clancys’ works. I love the way Stephen Ambrose discusses history in his books. It seems to me that history is one of the most difficult areas to write about; simply because it involves so much research. Take some of books I’ve been reading on the First World War: much of the source material is written in foreign languages, and the bibliographies and notes are awfully impressive in their own right.
Q: When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?
I started reading a lot of history books, World War II aviation in particular, when I was 13 or 14 years old. I started reading novels around the same time; Harold Robbins was one of my favorite storytellers.
Q: What about now: who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?
As I may have mentioned earlier, I have been reading a lot of history, mostly World War I and its aftermath: old stuff, new stuff, anything I can get my hands on.
Q: What is your writing space like? Do you have a designated space? What does it look like? On the couch, laptop, desk? Music? Lighting? Typing? Handwriting?
For my first book, I was able to lay the groundwork just about anywhere. I carried a Journal around with me and wrote down whatever came to my mind. Sometimes I would pick a topic and write three or four pages on it: honesty, resentment, gratitude, etc. With the novel I’m working on now, things are a little different. I’ve got an office set up at home. Actually, it’s a combination office/guest bedroom. I’ve got a hutch above the desk crammed with books and mementos from the First World War: things I picked up during my travels overseas. I have a large map of the Verdun region tacked up on the wall, which I refer to constantly. I do most of my writing on my computer with voice recognition software.
Q: Is there anything you’d go back and do differently now that you have been published, in regards to your writing career?
Yes, I would’ve started much earlier. I wish I would’ve stuck with it in college. I can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if I would’ve earlier.
Q: It’s one thing to write a book and another to edit it. How do you feel about the editing process? What was it like to edit your book?
In a word, tedious. I was amazed at how much was involved.
Q: Now that you are a published author, does it feel differently than you had imagined?
Yes, it’s more humbling. I think that I assumed that after it was published that sales would just take off. Didn’t take long to realize that’s not how it works; especially when you self publish.
Use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.
I have to say that I never imagined that my first published work would be on substance abuse and recovery; but everything happens for a reason. It’s funny how things work out sometimes. If I hadn’t gotten into trouble, I may never have found the impetus to start my writing career. Now it’s all I want to do. I really enjoy writing, and I’m very excited about the future.
My book is currently available online with most major booksellers, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. You can also purchase it from my website at http://www.rwboich.com/or directly through my publisher, iUniverse.
I’m new to the whole blog thing, but if anyone has any questions, there’s a place on my website where they can make comments or ask questions. I would be more than happy to answer any questions that my readers might have.
No Comments on "Interview with Robert Boich – Author of Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting!"