Seumas Gallacher escaped from the world of finance ten years ago, after a career spanning three continents and five decades.

As the self-professed ‘oldest computer Jurassic on the planet’, his headlong immersion into the dizzy world of eBook publishing opened his eyes, mind, and pleasure to the joys of self-publishing. As a former businessman, he rapidly understood the concept of a writer’s need to ‘build the platform‘, and from a standing start began to develop a social networking outreach, which now tops 60,000 direct contacts.

Starting from scratch and owing to his success mindset and attitude, he ended up building and running an informative, engaging and award-winning self-publishers blog voted as Blogger of the Year 2013—an online space where one can indulge in the author’s sweet guidance mixed with his salty humor.

Apart from his three nonfiction works, he has also self-published five crime-thrillers under the Jack Calder series that have attracted enormous readership, raving reviews and lavishing success in the form of more than 100,000 e-link downloads to date and counting.

Strangely. I’m Still Here – An Autobiography

BLURB

Fact is often more incredible than fiction. Seumas Gallacher has survived long enough to savour places, characters and events for more than forty years in the Far East and the Arabian Gulf.

He started life in Scotland, travelled far and wide as a wannabe Trainee Master of the Universe, but the Universe had other plans for him.

From a career in banking, he escaped to become a corporate trouble-shooter. He discovered the joy and torture of becoming a wordsmith, writing five best-selling crime novels, a book of poetry, and being hyper-active on social media. ‘Strangely, I’m Still Here’ is his story.

5 Author Interview Questions about Book Writing Process & Mindset Answered

#1 What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I engaged a commercial artist friend from the Philippines to design the covers of my crime thrillers. He captured precisely what I wanted. It was the best investment in my writing so far. For my poetry collection and for my autobiography, I created the covers myself.

#2 Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

I think it would be difficult to write without feeling emotions and expect to deliver a book that readers will empathise with. I have frequently been surprised at how some of my writing ‘feels’ can evoke a lump in my throat and even tearful reactions when I reread it.

#3 Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I write basically for myself. If the content pleases me, then I will have achieved my objective. I believe never ‘dumb down’ for an anticipated readership. Readers at large are generally much more intelligent than perhaps they are given credit for. My Jack Calder crime thrillers have become a series, although originally intended as a one-off. However, I try to make each book strong enough to stand alone. Also, avoiding at all costs appearing formulaic in the writing. Many of the international best-selling names abuse their readership by pumping out formula –driven material. UGHH!!

#4 Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reins of the story?

The incessant committee meetings in my head among my characters start from the moment I begin to think about the plot. They take over completely, often leading the narrative in directions I never originally thought possible. However, I do know how I want each story to end, even before I write the first word. In other words, I start with an ending.

#5 What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

The list of friends who are authors is endless now. I strongly believe in cultivating friendships through online and direct communications. Also, it is imperative to try to be of assistance to others where possible, but now I do not do book review for others—it is too time consuming and can be too opinionated.

Answer #4 is my personal favorite. Comment below to tell me yours. Have more questions on writing? Send them in to have them answered. #thealignedwriter

Follow Seumas

Website       https://seumasgallacher.com/
LinkedIn    https://www.linkedin.com/in/seumasgallacher/
Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/Seumas_Gallacher
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seumasgallacher/
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/seumasgallacher
Twitter      https://twitter.com/seumasgallacher