Hello again, we have another author who is an indie writer, George Hamilton, whose books not only tells an enchanting story but are also very thought-provoking. This the man who projects the flaws of our society with his alluring stories, so let's chat with him to know more about this incredible author.
Read the review of
The Disease
Read the review of
Secrets from the Dust
Read the review of
Carnival of Hope
Me: Hello and welcome to my blog, George. Firstly wish you a very happy new year. Congratulations on your new book, Road to Rebellion. Please tell us briefly about the story behind your new book, Road to Rebellion.
George: Thank you for hosting me, Aditi, and a happy new year to you and all of your followers.
Road to Rebellion is the story of the affair between Catalina, a slave on a sugar plantation in Jamaica in the late 1700s, and her master Charles Morley. This brings Catalina into conflict with her master’s new wife Dianna, as both women struggle for supremacy on the estate to ensure their sons futures, a confrontation every bit as destructive as a rebellion by freed slaves known as Maroons, which simmers in the mountains around them.
Me: What was your inspiration behind your book, Road to Rebellion?
George: Because I have so many ideas competing for space in my mind, I often find it difficult to recall where one started and another ended. I believe
Road to Rebellion came from an idea which I noted down many years ago. At that time it was meant to be about a slave by the name of Kalina, on a Brazilian plantation, who was being encouraged by other slaves to leave her slave lover and have an affair with the master of their plantation, as she could then encourage him to make their lives easier. There was even a song for a stage musical version, part of which I sang onto a tape, and one of the lines went something like … Kalina go for the honey, there’s where’s the money … But I’m glad to say that tape was lost many years ago, so that no one will have to suffer my rendition.
Some years later, I read a short account of a slave by the name of Catalina, on a Jamaican sugar plantation, who aborted her child so that it would not become a slave. I then decided that a woman with her conviction was the real protagonist of my story, and that’s when it began to take shape.
Me: All of your books are based on some social stigma and issue. Did you always want to capture the flaws of our society through your books?
George: Yes. The author Toni Morrison has said that novels are very often about pointing to the truth. I think throwing a spotlight on the flaws and inconsistencies in society and people helps to illuminate that truth. I find these aspects interesting, as they not only bring about external action, but there is also much internal conflict and turmoil within the characters in my books.
Me: How will you describe your journey so far as an author? And was it always your one true dream to be an author?
George: When I was young, I used to tell my brothers stories at bedtime, so I guess there was an author lurking inside me at the time. It took many more years before I started to take it seriously. It has been a tough journey, but an interesting and satisfying one. Like many indie authors, I have been through the process of submitting many manuscripts to publishers and receiving the dreaded rejection letters. When publishers or agents started to respond that they liked my work but didn’t know where to place it, that was probably more concerning than when they gave no reason. But now I understand that there are so many books being written that the mainstream publishers simply couldn’t publish them all. But the advent of indie publishing has given authors like myself the opportunity to put our books directly before readers, the final decision makers, and make them judge if they have value, and so far that has been a positive experience.
Me: How will you describe your journey to the road to publishing world? What were the hardships that you faced on the field of publishing books?
George: It has been a long road with a massive learning curve, but it’s one in which I have acquired lots of new friends and colleagues in the reading and publishing world. I have learned many new skills such as formatting books and how to put together basic covers. But the most amazing thing about this whole process is the way indie authors, readers, and reviewers support each other, offering encouragement and advice, which makes us all grow stronger. I would advise anyone sitting out there with unpublished novels to give it a go, you don’t need to know everything about publishing at once; you can build your knowledge as you go.
Me: Catalina, Margaret, Doctor Ludmilla Toropov, Tomas- tell one trait of each of your primary protagonists from all four of your books that intrigue you the most?
George: Catalina starts out very much as an individual concerned with securing her own freedom. At the start of
Road to Rebellion we find her plotting another escape. But as the novel unravels, she is slowly drawn into the lives of others, in particular her child, and her focus slowly shifts from that of her own freedom to what she can do to help attain the freedom of others.
Margaret in
Secrets From The Dust starts out headstrong, stubborn, and defiant, with a great deal of energy and optimism. I was interested in the process of assimilation she undergoes, which slowly breaks her down, until she becomes a shadow of her former self.
Doctor Ludmilla Toropov from t
he Disease grew up in a system that nurtured her, provided sustenance, one that she believed in. She is both obedient to the regime and fearful of going against it. I was interested in how she would respond when she discovered that much of it was a lie. How difficult would it be for her to break the umbilical cord and act against those who had made her what she was? Her love for her daughter Olga, who in contrast to her mother is a great risk-taker, becomes her catalyst for change.
One of the most interesting aspects of Tomas from
Carnival of Hope was his fear of leaving the favela because he had never had the luxury of many choices in his life. Although he claims to aspire to more, he is quite content to live out his life in the favela. But when girlfriend Theresa leaves, he goes in search of her and answers to what has become of others who have disappeared from the favela. This brings him into contact with the dangers of city life, and he begins to succumb to some of its desires.
Me: What is your normal writing day like? And how do you get away from the stress?
George: I’m at my most energetic in the mornings, and tend to write for about four hours, split into two roughly equal sessions. When I’m editing, this can go over eight hours, part of it in the evenings. It can be a bit of a struggle at the start of a novel, but once I’ve got the central characters and the main plot going, things usually progress quite smoothly. After the writing is over I get on with other work, then my favourite way to de-stress is to go to the gym for some exercise. I feel I need it after sitting for so long.
Me: Apart from writing, do you have any other passion?
George: I love to travel, although I haven’t been able to do any for a while. One of my favourite trips was to Australia, where I did some of the research for Secrets From the Dust, as well as enjoyed the green and rugged landscape of the Blue Mountains.
Me: What's next up on your writing sleeves? Please tell us briefly about it.
George: I am currently doing the research for a post-apocalyptic novel which I hope to complete and have published later this year.
Me: Thank you so much George for sparing time to have this interview with me for my blog. I can only wish you luck in all your future endeavors.
George: Thank you for hosting me and for being such a helpful reviewer and publicist for indie authors such as myself, Aditi.
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George's Bio:
George Hamilton likes to know what’s going on around the world, to delve into the customs and practices of different cultures, and this is often a feature of his novels. His tales are based on people's intense personal or family dramas, with major social or political events strongly impacting their story. In addition to World Literature, he also writes multi-genre novels which include: Historical, Suspense/Thriller, and Contemporary. He currently lives in London, England.
Connect With George On: Facebook | Twitter | Author Website | Goodreads
