Author Boyd lemon is a retired lawyer, living in Ventura, California near his four children and four (soon to be five) grandchildren. His passion is writing, and he loves to travel and sample food and wine of the world.
Boyd says the discipline to write every day is his greatest strength. “As a result, I write a lot of garbage, but enough of it is decent enough to make something out of it. I sometimes go back to old notebooks, read what I have written and find a few gems that relate to a story or book I am writing.” As far as areas in which he wishes to strengthen his writing, Boyd says he is working on improving scene building and descriptions, as well as the building of tension in a story.
Marketing and promotion of his work is as much a challenge to Boyd as to the rest of us. “It does not come to me naturally. I am an introvert, and I have to force myself to talk about what I have written. Sometimes, it comes out awkwardly or overly aggressive, maybe even obnoxious at times. I don’t think I have developed good judgment yet on how far it is appropriate to go.”
Boyd uses social media extensively. “I blog, comment on the blogs of others that are related to the subjects of my books. I talk to people locally about my books, although not enough. I have contests and giveaways. I interact with readers on various websites, such as Goodreads and Librarything. And I try to be an interesting person that people want to know, especially since two of my books are memoirs.”
He belongs to two local writers’ groups that meet in person to discuss and critique members’ writing, and to several internet writing groups, in which writers help each other with suggestions about promotion as well as writing tips. “I have found a group on LinkedIn, called Books and Writers that has been especially helpful. I do this because I am constantly learning from other writers, just as reading is a great tool to improve one’s writing.”
His advice to aspiring writers? “Keep writing. Don’t pay attention to any of the excuses not to write because that is what they are– excuses; and whatever project you are working on, finish it, and put it out there.”
Eat, Walk, Write: An American Senior’s Year of Adventure in Paris and Tuscany.
After a lifetime in southern California and three years in Boston, the author at age 69 retires from the practice of a law and moves to Paris to eat, walk and write. He describes in vivid detail the challenges of learning French; dealing with the French bureaucracies, public and private; facing the charm and smugness of the Parisians; as well as the joys of experiencing the cuisine, quaint neighborhoods, art and history of the world’s most beautiful, vibrant city. After nearly a year in Paris he travels to rural northern Tuscany and revels in its serenity, scenic beauty and food until a shocking experience sends him home to California.
You can check out Boyd’s Amazon Author page, his website, blog, and find him on Facebook.
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Great Interview. I highly recommend 'Digging Deeper'. One of the first Indie books I read. Boyd pulls NO punches and it is a mind expanding read. Truly.
Sorry, it's Digging Deep. Get it here:
http://tinyurl.com/7seth2y
Great interview. Keep up the good work,Boyd.
Hey, Boyd. Good to see you here.
>Finish it, and put it out there.<
Yes, Boyd – shall do. If only I weren't so tired!!
Down to earth man with good advice. His book is on my to read list, which has been growing from too much "Linkdin" time. If you are still in Washington State, hope you visit the writer's group PAWS meeting the 14th.
Now back to my writing.