Name:
Robert James Russell
Book
title: Sea of Trees
Genre:
Literary Thriller; Suspense
Publisher:
Winter Goose Publishing
Date of
publication: May 2012
Book blurb:
Swirling mystery permeates Sea of Trees as Bill, an American college student,
and his Japanese girlfriend Junko traverse the Aokigahara Forest in
Japan—infamous as one of the world’s top suicide destinations—in search of
evidence of Junko’s sister Izumi who disappeared there a year previous. As the
two follow clues and journey deeper into the woods amid the eerily quiet and
hauntingly beautiful landscape—bypassing tokens and remains of the departed,
suicide notes tacked to trees and shrines put up by forlorn loved ones—they’ll
depend on one another in ways they never had to before, testing the very fabric
of their relationship. And, as daylight quickly escapes them and they find
themselves lost in the dark veil of night, Bill discovers a truth Junko has
hidden deep within her—a truth that will change them both forever.
How long
did it take you to write this book?
Actually,
the first draft took me just over a month when pen first hit paper, so to speak.
I spent two months before that doing research on Aokigahara and
Japanese society and customs, so when I was ready to start it flowed out like water—I was
lucky.
How did
you find a publisher?
Trial
and error. Finding a publisher (or an agent, even) is not a fun chore, and I’d
wager for most writers it’s their least favourite part of the process. Needs to
be done, though. You’ll get lots of notes from people who may not want to
publish your work, but like it (or, alternatively, notes from people who don’t
like it at all), and the trick is learning when their advice should be heeded
and when you should stick to your guns and not change a thing—it’s just a
feeling you get. Ultimately, though, it’s about perseverance: Even if you don’t
feel like it, you get back out there and try again until something sticks.
How have
you promoted your book?
It’s
all about social media these days. Taking active part—especially on Twitter—helps
people discover you. There’s a lot of give and take (you reTweet someone, they
reTweet you back), and it’s not always fun to constantly have to sell yourself,
but it’s necessary, and with any luck, you reach one new person every time you
log on or take part in a discussion. If they, in turn, tell at least one
person, you can get the ball rolling.
I’m
also a big fan of bookstores, and have called around to my local shops, going
in to meet face-to-face and bringing in samples, really trying to promote the
local aspect. I’m lucky—where I live there is a thriving arts community that is
all about local artists.
No
matter what happens, though, much like with sending your work out to
publishers, you have to work hard and keep at it.
How do
you combat writer’s block, if you indeed experience it?
For
me it’s forcing myself to write, even if it’s not related to my WIP, just the
act of writing and being creative helps open me up. I sometimes even give myself an
assignment—such as write about someone specific doing something specific—that
really forces me to get over any dry spell.
What
other writing do you do?
I’ve
had poetry and short stories published in various journals: http://www.robertjamesrussell.com/writing/
What
methods do you use to plan/write your book?
In general I’m more of
a “dive right in” kind of guy. I do outline, but tend to do more of it as I
progress with the draft, stopping to write short bios on characters (to better
help feel out their emotions and whatnot), etc. But a big part of my writing
style is doing a great deal of preparation in my head and then jumping right in
to the actual writing. For Sea of Trees
there was more planning at the beginning, because I was dealing with things
foreign to me and I wanted to make sure I had fully researched everything—to
get it right—before the actual writing.
How long
have you been writing prior to getting published?
In some form since I
was about ten years old—I started writing these fantasy epics involving elves
and even published my own books through our school library. I’ve always been interested
in art—specifically cartoons—and, before exclusively wanting to be a writer,
desired to be an animator for Disney. I even drew and sold my own comics during
lunch at school for a few years in middle school. Regardless, though, I think
the idea is the same—storytelling—and that’s been with me since as long as I
can remember.
How do
you cope with rejections?
No one likes to be rejected, period, but
it’s something you have to get used to as a writer (or as an artist in general,
really). Even the absolute brightest and best of us out there get rejected, so
you have to expect it will happen. I think if you start believing yourself to
be special—that rejection does not apply to you—that’s when you start running
into problems. But, rejection happens, and you don’t have to like it (some
pouting is 100% acceptable), then you force yourself to get over it and move on
to the next. It’s all you can do.
What
piece of advice would you give to debut writers?
Cliché, I’m sure, but
never give up. If writing is your passion—if you are, in all senses of the
word, a writer, living and dreaming of it even when you don’t want to be—then
you can’t let rejection or writer’s block or just the doldrums get you down.
You have to write as much as you can and constantly improve what you do (I
fervently believe that every day, even if you don’t necessarily output
something decent, you are better than the day before—it’s all about learning
from what you’ve done) and just know that you will, eventually, reach
someone...somewhere. I mean, that’s what it’s all about, right?
Are you
currently writing another book?
I’m kicking around a few ideas, yes. But
that’s all I can say at the moment.
Where can
your book be purchased from?
http://wintergoosepublishing.com/
Website: www.robertjamesrussell.com
Facebook fan
page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-James-Russell/115389111811608
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/robhollywood
Thank you for taking part.
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