As many of you know, (or can tell by my blog title) I believe in giving back to the brave men and women who serve in the Military – to the Warriors who go into battle and give unfalteringly of themselves so that we, the civilians, can sleep safely tucked into our beds at night.
If you are a parent, you know what it is to give of yourself. It is just what you do for your children -- without question. Warriors take it to the next level. They give to us all. Forever.
Today, it is my extreme privilege to introduce to you a man who served his country and made it back home to tell the tale. Here to talk about his newest release with Gypsy Shadow Publishing is retired Marine, husband, father and author, Mr. Doug Lucas.
Doug has written a series of novels based on his experiences as a Marine. As I type this, only the first in the series has been published. As an author who has read some of the unpublished works, I will tell you this. A writer who has the ability to tear me away from my children and capture my mind in such an unyielding fashion, rendering me helpless to put their work down until I’ve read every last word, is one I will continue to read for as long as they publish. Doug Lucas is such an author.
I have rambled on long enough. Ladies and Gentleman, I present, Mr. Doug Lucas…
Doug, as a retired United States Marine, you saw a side of life many will never understand. Now, as a writer, how do your experiences shape the way you handle your characters?
The people I met while a Marine were men and women of honor. They understood what some today seem to have forgotten. Respect must be earned and with privilege comes responsibility. I believe that Marines in the past, those of today and our future members understand these facts. Marines have a love of family, God and country that allows them to recognize there are some things worth dying for.
Do Marines trip and fall? Sometimes, (normally involving bars and adult beverages) they do. I want the characters I write about to have all the warts and humor of real people. I also hope to show some of the honor and dedication I've encountered over the years.
I’ve tried to show people just what the men I met were really like. Most of you know them, you just don't know about them. Some of these men may not have been Marines, but in spirit they are brothers. They don't sit around telling the world how brave they are, or how hard it was to give you two, three, or four years of their lives. They gave you their time for a myriad of reasons, but they gave.
In a world where the term hero or honorable is attached to those who degrade the accomplishments of others, these men and women live their lives in quite anonymity. Take a second look at your grandfather, father or brother who gave you the gift of their time and recognize true honor.
For those of you who had a family member who served in Alpha 1/1 or the JAC, CAC, and CAP programs, you now know the war stories they will never tell you. You might note that it's not exactly the same as you've been told by others.
These were (and are) men who truly deserve to be honored. (You have done them just that, Doug)
Rejections are commonplace in the field of writing. How did your first rejection change the way you approached your writing?
I didn't start off to write and publish a book. I started writing for the very reasons that are the foundations for the character C.W. Burwell in the book Buzz Words.
I've retired twice in life - once from the Marines and once from the State Police where I worked as a civilian doing forensic video analysis work. After retirement the last time, I did buy a small computer and did intend to do some forensic work for a few small PD's in our area (and it did get just slightly out of hand quickly).
She Who Shall Not Be Named claimed I should have discussed the small purchase with her and felt like I was attempting to commit suicide by working myself to death. Therefore, I agreed to stop doing free work. I stress that it was my choice, fear in no way influenced my decision.
Then someone kept complaining about the waste of money for that monstrosity gathering dust. Any married man will tell you, if looking busy will buy you blessed peace----then by all means look busy. Once the book I wrote was complete, She Who Should Not Be Named suggested I submit it. I refer you back to the busy comment and I did just what I was ordered to.
The first three rejections were polite form letters of thanks but no thanks. The next three were less than gracious, lacked humor and torqued me off. I became determined to have the object of their disdain published.
One letter told me I had no understanding of the Marine Corps or combat operations in Vietnam and war stories don't sell books. I checked and found out that not only was I a Marine, but that I had served a few tours in Vietnam, and Band of Brothers seemed to make money (just to name one). The second told me that romance required more than sexual tension (I paraphrase here) to be of any value. I did reply, asking her if sex with a chicken or water buffalo would have helped.
The one that set me on the path to By God I'll Show You was a gem. They suggested that I had no understanding of the Vietnam anti-war movement or the good they did for our service men and women serving there. I told them----sorry this is a family blog isn't it? (By the way, I sent three copies of my contract to the three people most responsible for getting the book published)
If you let others control your life, you'll never know just what you could have done with it. A rejection letter is just another chance to find a better publisher and write a better introduction isn't it?
Your latest novel, ‘The Good Servant’ is published under Gypsy Shadow Publishing, my fellow publisher. Tell us a bit about your novel.
My wife and daughter have tried for years to get me to tell them about Vietnam. I would tell a funny story or just gaff them off, telling them both it'd be over my dead body before I ever told war stories. When I found myself in danger of becoming a body in a crime scene I had the perfect plot to buy time and hope for a pardon from the governor.
Stop and think for a moment. If you were about to assume room temperature, I'd bet there are a few things you would like to tell your loved ones? That's really what the book is all about -- questions about your life that you never bothered to share with the people who love you and your warts.
In every person's life, past events shape both the life and choices made in the future. Some of these events are so personal, we seal them away in the hidden vaults of our souls and never display them to anyone. Eli Connors is no exception, but he is an enigma.
A man of God who went to war and is unashamed of his service to God and country, his life has always been an open book, even though several chapters are written in invisible ink. Eli had never discussed the content of these hidden chapters with his wife, children, or the rest of the world. Those secret chapters are a very large part of the man he becomes. You might say all knew some, but none knew all—of Eli the man. When Eli finds out he has cancer and less than six months to live, he realizes he has hidden a large part of what made him who he is.
To give those final missing pieces to his family, he writes a book. With small careful steps, he struggles to write down what made him an angry, hurt young boy; a distrustful, slightly wild teenager; and what helped him grow into a solid Marine and set him on the journey toward becoming a pastor. He does the one thing he has never done before—he tells war stories. He gives his children the gift of an orphanage surrounded by war, filled with the wonder of love; and shares the tragedies of its end. He allows himself to relive a special time and to show a special place to his family. He does his best to help them understand the hidden disconnects of that part of his life.
Eli tells of the bonds of love and friendship from childhood that can never be broken by death—bonds he would never fully reveal before he realized he was dying. Eli views life as right or wrong. He is a man with a deep love of God and a complete disdain for some of the members of his generation. A pastor who won't speak to some of his fellow clergymen, he is very much a product of his times, and out-of-step with some of his generation.
A man of God who went to war and is unashamed of his service to God and country, his life has always been an open book, even though several chapters are written in invisible ink. Eli had never discussed the content of these hidden chapters with his wife, children, or the rest of the world. Those secret chapters are a very large part of the man he becomes. You might say all knew some, but none knew all—of Eli the man. When Eli finds out he has cancer and less than six months to live, he realizes he has hidden a large part of what made him who he is.
To give those final missing pieces to his family, he writes a book. With small careful steps, he struggles to write down what made him an angry, hurt young boy; a distrustful, slightly wild teenager; and what helped him grow into a solid Marine and set him on the journey toward becoming a pastor. He does the one thing he has never done before—he tells war stories. He gives his children the gift of an orphanage surrounded by war, filled with the wonder of love; and shares the tragedies of its end. He allows himself to relive a special time and to show a special place to his family. He does his best to help them understand the hidden disconnects of that part of his life.
Eli tells of the bonds of love and friendship from childhood that can never be broken by death—bonds he would never fully reveal before he realized he was dying. Eli views life as right or wrong. He is a man with a deep love of God and a complete disdain for some of the members of his generation. A pastor who won't speak to some of his fellow clergymen, he is very much a product of his times, and out-of-step with some of his generation.
Who is the character you most relate to in your novel? Who was your favourite to pen?
The characters I created are a combination of people I served with. They were all my favourites, especially those I served with in Vietnam. They were special people and I wish I could have been as good and decent as those brave men were.
Where can we find you?
Gypsy Shadow Publishing, Barnes and Noble and all the places our publisher lists their books (buy my book, I need the money, you have no idea how expensive a pooper scooper can be).
Facebook seems to work well also. I've found several people from the past, including Capt. Dye who should be an American icon.
What’s next for you, Doug?
A glass of wine and a nap. (A man after my own heart!)
Oh--you meant am I working on anything else? A month or so ago someone referred to me as a Neanderthal when I suggested that dusting was women's work. After I finished dusting the additional room, I decided to get even. I'm writing a book about an author who lives in a mountain in what was once an underground microwave station-----his wife is dead! I'm trying to do a mild spoof on life in general and how wrapped up some people can be in certain genres of books.
So if you write Westerns, Romance, Crime, Spy or Erotic novels, you may see yourself or your readers. I have the FBI, ATF, an American drug gang, and a Columbian Drug cartel to work with. {Lee-Ann has already met one of the characters (Jorge) who's the type of sensitive serial murderer every woman dreams of. He writes poetry and children's books}.
Thank you so much for allowing us to have a bit of your time today. It was an extreme pleasure to host you, Doug.
No good deed goes unpunished! (I’ll be waiting, Doug. Bring it, Marine. Oohrah!)
5 comments:
Vengeance served cold is a bitter meal for some.
Great interview! Thanks for your candor. I, for one, find it refreshing.
Thank you, Ann. I really enjoy Doug's honesty and sense of humour. His works display the same type of candor.
Loved reading this interview. :)
I love your responses to those rejections. Great to meet you in this interview.
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