Exclusive Interview with

Brent Golembiewski

When did you start writing?

Writing for me started out of necessity. I was past of a helicopter rescue unit in the USAF and after a rescue we would have to file a report. I found myself very detailed and actually enjoyed the process. I first attempted a fiction book while stationed in Iraq for a year. There I took a Disney TV show I enjoyed as a child Gummi Bears and whole a novel about their origins. It was fun and I still have the draft.

What makes writing your passion?

I never was much of a reader growing up. Much like most boys I was outside playing all the time and didn't have the patience to read. I found most books didn't hold my attention, so as I retired from my military career I wanted to write a non-fiction book about my career. After finishing that I jumped into fiction. I had a story burning in my mind and wanted to get it down on paper. Most of my motivation was to write a story that appealed to me, or my younger self...well actually both. I wanted something people and kids would enjoy reading that would hold their attention and not disappoint.

How long have you been writing?

I would say I fist took up writing in 2010 while in Iraq. Before that it was just reports and paperwork for the Air Force. Since I have ramped up my efforts and am really enjoying it.

What was the feeling when you published your first book?

Nervous. It's something I never dreamed I would do, and putting something out there that people could love or hate. Growing up I have dealt with both, people who liked me and those who for some reason or another didn't. You can't please everyone but I was hoping to find a few who loved it.

What’s the story behind your choice of characters?

There is no denying with my first novel Flat Earth, James the main character has plenty of my traits yet is still his own character. Ariel on the other hand is a very strong female character who I wrote partially on my wife. Other characters have traits of people I have known in my life. I wanted to create realistic characters people could understand and bring them into the story. Art imitates life.

What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?

I would say the marketing. It's not something I have much experience with and like most writers I would rather be writing that trying to figure out the next location to post a discounted book. There are so many options out there and ways to go it can be overwhelming.

How do you get over the “writer’s block”?

I just sit back and think about my character, the situation and what happens in real life. Maybe there's a phone call, or a visitor appears. From there I just go and see where the story takes me.

We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?

I have a multitude of stories and not enough time. I have two series in mind and I want to push through the current one to get to the next. My favorite story is the next one. My advice would be to quote a few famous people and one slogan. "Keep moving forward" Walt Disney. "A good plan violently executed today is better than the perfect plan executed next week" George S Patton. and finally Nike "Just do it" It will never be perfect, you will have roadblocks but getting started is the hard part.

If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?

Enjoy every second of life, it goes by too fast. There were plenty of things I didn't appreciate that I wish I could go back and do over.

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