Interview with Bob Ferguson, author of 'Buzzard Bay'


Bob Ferguson grew up in a remote region of Canada without electricity or telephones. He spent evenings listening to an old battery-operated radio and dreaming of faraway places. Later in life he traveled extensively. His travels to the Bahamas form the basis for Buzzard Bay. The author and his wife currently live in Fiji, where Bob writes and his wife teaches. Their children and grandchildren live in Canada.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

 ----------------------------

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

I grew up on a farm with no one to play with and thus developed a great sense of imagination. Later in life we were in the Bahamas and came upon an airstrip that had been plowed up because of its usage in the drug trade. The stories I was told about this airstrip were the beginnings of an inspiration for this book.  It was the 70's and the Bahamas were a major distribution center for the US drug trade and the Bahamian government was cleaning up some of the illicit goings-on as they were promoting the tourism trade.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

The hardest thing for me was to sit down and write what was in my head. There is always a certain amount of research involved and as my book covers thirty years, characters and timelines must be kept relevant. One important thing is to find an editor you can work with.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

I self-published with Xlibris and made lots of mistakes along the way. I found them by doing research on the internet. I felt the most important thing was to get my work out there and then promote it. I figured that if people liked my story they would read it. First books are a learning curve.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

The publisher I went with did not supply an editor and was only interested in getting my book out the door and on to the next one. I will be much more careful next time.

Q: Can you describe the feeling when you saw your published book for the first time?

I was very proud to see my many years of work in print. I think a lot of people start a book but never finish.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

I will do a sequel to Buzzard Bay but right now I am busy promoting this book before I start on another one.

Q: Fun question: How does your book contribute to making this world a better place?

I think giving people a bit of reality about how engrained the cocaine trade is in the world may help them understand how big an influence it is in our lives.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

Cocaine is traded and sold on a cash basis. It is impossible to trace except for the devastation it leaves behind. 

Q: Do you have any final words?

This book is not for the squeamish but if you like lots of action and nail- biting suspense, you'll find this a good read.



No comments

Powered by Blogger.