Rukia Publishing Featured Author
~Robert Fear~
Learn what Robert's book 'Exclusive Pedigree' is all about here!
 Fred's Diary 1981 2nd Edition
~ Click To Purchase ~
Connect with Author Robert Fear and his books:
Rukia Publishing Book Showcase Author Website http://www.fd81.net/ Twitter handle: @fredsdiary1981 Facebook page(s): fb.com/fredsdiary1981 + We Love Memoirs Group Amazon link: http://smarturl.it/RF26md |
Click The Image And Go To Fred's Author Website
|
Robert Responds To A New Set Of Interview Questions ~ October 30, 2015
Welcome Robert,
Thank you for taking the time to come back to sit with us and update us on your life and your writing!
Tell us something about yourself. (Where are you from, what do you do to pay the bills, significant relationships, as little or as much as you want).
Hi, I was born in Leicester, UK, sixty years ago. For the last thirty years I’ve lived in Eastbourne, a lovely town on the south coast of England, with my wife and various cats over the years (we currently have three). I work as a software consultant these days but was an accountant prior to that. The past 10 years I’ve been self-employed and that has given me much more freedom to pick and choose the work I do.
Tell us about your writing process.
It all started with a diary I kept whilst travelling around Asia back in 1981. This formed the basis of a project that I have been working on for over five years now. This involved typing up the 600 pages into a manuscript and the subsequent edits that led to releases of Time in Thailand (Part 2), £99 to Hong Kong (Part1) and then the entire Fred’s Diary 1981.
This year I started a blog fd81.net where I ran a daily serialisation of the diary as part of the process of editing it for a second release. The daily diary was published on exactly the same days they occurred thirty-four years ago,
The second edition has been released this month.
What is your favourite genre to read?
Travel memoirs. I love reading about other people’s adventures. There are so many great stories out there and it is always a pleasure to read of other people’s travels and experiences.
What would you say is the one thing are you most passionate about?
Publication of the diary has become more than a hobby and could even be called a passion I suppose. It has led me along different paths than I would never have anticipated. For instance, in parallel with the daily serialisation of the diary I ran a travel story competition on my blog. This became more of a success than I could have hoped for, with thirty fantastic entries from twenty different authors and writers.
Can you name something you cannot live without?
Money does come in handy!
When you are not writing, what do you like to do?
I am a keen amateur photographer and love going out and capturing snaps of life. This combines well with my love of walking and exploring places.
Has writing your memoirs had an effect on you and how you now live your life? If so, in what way?
Editing the diary has bought back so many memories. It is different from a memoir where one tries to recall everything. I had written down almost every single thing that happened to me during those few months. Those memories have shown me how similar in a lot of ways I still am to that young man of twenty-five, in my head anyway!
If someone who hasn’t read any your book and they asked you to describe it (the elevator pitch!) what would you say?
A fascinating insight into a young man’s travels around Asia in the early 1980’s.
Do you have a special place where you write?
Do you write from an outline or a plan?
Can you tell us about your new writing projects?
I have two books planned at the moment. Firstly, I will publish the thirty travel stories that were entered into the blog competition earlier this year. Secondly, I am going to work on releasing my father’s biography. I worked on it before and after his death over twenty years ago. It was published at the time to members of the family. Only recently did I discover from my mother that it was always his dream to have it published properly. Maybe I can now achieve that dream!
What influenced your decision to self-publish?
A few years ago I read in a PC Plus magazine about Kindle and how you could create your own book on Amazon. This led directly to my first self-publishing efforts.
What do you find to be the greatest advantage of self-publishing?
The freedom of being able to make your own decisions and control your own destiny (even if you do make mistakes along the way).
Conversely, what do you think self-published authors might be missing out on?
Marketing experience and advice. Also, the power of the publishing houses to get books in front of a wider audience.
With the number of self-published books increasing, it can be difficult for authors to make their books stand out. How do you go about this?
With the second edition I have invested in a professional final edit and a stunning new cover.
Who designed your book covers?
Amygdala Design.
Do you believe that self-published authors can produce books as high-quality as the traditional published?
Yes, I believe the resources are there to produce high-quality and professional self-published books.
Thank you for taking the time to come back to sit with us and update us on your life and your writing!
Tell us something about yourself. (Where are you from, what do you do to pay the bills, significant relationships, as little or as much as you want).
Hi, I was born in Leicester, UK, sixty years ago. For the last thirty years I’ve lived in Eastbourne, a lovely town on the south coast of England, with my wife and various cats over the years (we currently have three). I work as a software consultant these days but was an accountant prior to that. The past 10 years I’ve been self-employed and that has given me much more freedom to pick and choose the work I do.
Tell us about your writing process.
It all started with a diary I kept whilst travelling around Asia back in 1981. This formed the basis of a project that I have been working on for over five years now. This involved typing up the 600 pages into a manuscript and the subsequent edits that led to releases of Time in Thailand (Part 2), £99 to Hong Kong (Part1) and then the entire Fred’s Diary 1981.
This year I started a blog fd81.net where I ran a daily serialisation of the diary as part of the process of editing it for a second release. The daily diary was published on exactly the same days they occurred thirty-four years ago,
The second edition has been released this month.
What is your favourite genre to read?
Travel memoirs. I love reading about other people’s adventures. There are so many great stories out there and it is always a pleasure to read of other people’s travels and experiences.
What would you say is the one thing are you most passionate about?
Publication of the diary has become more than a hobby and could even be called a passion I suppose. It has led me along different paths than I would never have anticipated. For instance, in parallel with the daily serialisation of the diary I ran a travel story competition on my blog. This became more of a success than I could have hoped for, with thirty fantastic entries from twenty different authors and writers.
Can you name something you cannot live without?
Money does come in handy!
When you are not writing, what do you like to do?
I am a keen amateur photographer and love going out and capturing snaps of life. This combines well with my love of walking and exploring places.
Has writing your memoirs had an effect on you and how you now live your life? If so, in what way?
Editing the diary has bought back so many memories. It is different from a memoir where one tries to recall everything. I had written down almost every single thing that happened to me during those few months. Those memories have shown me how similar in a lot of ways I still am to that young man of twenty-five, in my head anyway!
If someone who hasn’t read any your book and they asked you to describe it (the elevator pitch!) what would you say?
A fascinating insight into a young man’s travels around Asia in the early 1980’s.
Do you have a special place where you write?
Do you write from an outline or a plan?
Can you tell us about your new writing projects?
I have two books planned at the moment. Firstly, I will publish the thirty travel stories that were entered into the blog competition earlier this year. Secondly, I am going to work on releasing my father’s biography. I worked on it before and after his death over twenty years ago. It was published at the time to members of the family. Only recently did I discover from my mother that it was always his dream to have it published properly. Maybe I can now achieve that dream!
What influenced your decision to self-publish?
A few years ago I read in a PC Plus magazine about Kindle and how you could create your own book on Amazon. This led directly to my first self-publishing efforts.
What do you find to be the greatest advantage of self-publishing?
The freedom of being able to make your own decisions and control your own destiny (even if you do make mistakes along the way).
Conversely, what do you think self-published authors might be missing out on?
Marketing experience and advice. Also, the power of the publishing houses to get books in front of a wider audience.
With the number of self-published books increasing, it can be difficult for authors to make their books stand out. How do you go about this?
With the second edition I have invested in a professional final edit and a stunning new cover.
Who designed your book covers?
Amygdala Design.
Do you believe that self-published authors can produce books as high-quality as the traditional published?
Yes, I believe the resources are there to produce high-quality and professional self-published books.
Thanks again Robert! We Enjoyed Our Time Together With You!
Connect with Author Robert Fear and his books:
Twitter handle: @fredsdiary1981
Facebook page(s): fb.com/fredsdiary1981 + We Love Memoirs Group
Amazon links: http://smarturl.it/RF26md
Original Interview With Robert Fear
Welcome Robert,
For those readers who are not familiar with you or your work can you tell us a little about yourself?
Born in Leicester, UK in 1955. My family moved south to a village in Surrey called South Nutfield when I was 11 years old. We moved into Dawn Cottage and this was where I spent my formative teenage years. Attended Reigate Grammar School, which was a five mile journey (mostly by train and bus). It was here that I picked up the nickname of Fred.
In 1974, after gaining 3 A Levels (English Literature, British Government & Politics and History) I started work at a private bank in the city, with every intention of working for a year and then going to university. In the end I worked there for nearly 3 years.
During the summer of 1976 I went on a two week holiday with three mates to the Spanish island of Ibiza. We had a fantastic time and all of us vowed to go back for the summer in the following year. Come the next April I went out there on my own, although two of my mates joined me later on. I ended up working in a bar called ‘Grannies’ and loved the whole vibe, met plenty of young ladies and had a great time, but didn’t sleep a lot!
Returned to the UK for the winter and worked 12 hour night shifts at a plastics factory to get some more money together for the following summer. In the spring of 1977 I set off again, this time to hitch-hike around Europe. For 4 months I made my way through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Greece and several islands, Italy, France, Spain and back to Ibiza again for the last couple of months of the summer. It was during this return visit that Fred met Rita and this time when I left the Balearic Islands it was to head for Frankfurt in Germany. I moved in with Rita, who lived with her parents in a house in Ruppertshain, a small village in the Taunus hills.
Initially I got some work on a building site and then in a Coca Cola factory. By the spring of 1979 there was enough money in the coffers to fund a trip to the States and Canada. I started in New York where I spent a week or so before travelling on a 3 month Greyhound bus pass up the east coast, across Canada, and down the west coast where I stayed in LA for a couple of weeks. Then headed back across the States to Florida and back up the east coast to end my journeys in New York, An incredible round trip.
Back in Germany I got a job as a messenger at the First National Bank of Chicago. Within 6 months, I had been promoted to the accounts department as I picked up the language and proved my worth. The travel bug didn’t go away though, I stayed at the bank for 15 months before heading off again, this time to Asia. This period is covered by my travel memoirs, the only time in my life that I recorded almost everything I did, in sometimes excruciating detail. The trip lasted 158 days and I travelled through Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Nepal,
The first part of my diary was released in 2009 and its title, ‘Time in Thailand’, probably indicates to you that things didn’t go as planned. ‘£99 to Hong Kong’ was published in 2011 and covers the first part of my trip where I did some work as an extra for Chinese television. The full diary, ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’, was made available on Kindle and paperback in December 2013.
Returning to Frankfurt in the late summer of 1981 was a shock to the system, a real case of reverse culture shock. Things soon get back to some normality though as I went back to the bank and worked there for another 5 years, becoming group leader of the accounts department. By the time I left my German was fluent.During this period I lived in Sachsenhausen, the bar and restaurant area of Frankfurt near the Main, often staying out late and enjoying life. Holiday allowance was generous in Germany and I was able to take 4-5 weeks travelling time off each year. I enjoyed trips to the Canary Islands, Scandanavia and Turkey. After returning from Turkey in November 1985 my life changed as I got together with the love of my life and in July 1986 I moved back to Eastbourne in the UK to be with her. We are still together nearly 30 years later and have lived in the same house since 1988 (the mortgage is almost paid off!). We got married in Kenya in 1994 and are cat lovers, having had a succession of rescues. The travel bug has never completely gone away. We’ve had great holidays in Portugal, Crete, Germany of course, Australia and the Seychelles.
I had to start from scratch with my career in the UK, but found my niche in accountancy and computer software. I have had the opportunity in the last few years to travel with work and have been all over Europe as well as Singapore, Australia (for a week!), Ghana (at a Guinness brewery) and Suriname (in the middle of the rain forest).
If you could share one thing about yourself that currently your readers don’t know what would it be?
I was born into a religious sect called the Exclusive Brethren (also known as the Plymouth Brethren). They allow no social contact with people outside of the cult and at that time we were not allowed to read newspapers, listen to the radio or watch television. My father took us out when I was around 9 years old and we were excluded from seeing relations who stayed within the cult. I never saw my grandparents again.
What genre of books do you enjoy reading and what are you currently reading?
Mostly life stories, travel memoirs or travel novels. Am currently reading ‘Naked Determination’ by Gisela Hausmann.
Why did you choose it or what was the hook that attracted you to it?
We got in touch through WLM and she read ‘£99 to Hong Kong’ and wrote a very favourable review. I was really interested in her experiences and am thoroughly enjoying her book.
When you're not reading or writing, how do you spend your time?
These days I work for myself, mostly in London on short-term or interim contracts. At present I am working at the Royal British Legion HQ near London Bridge. This is only just across the river from where I started work in 1974, 40 years ago. It’s a small world isn’t it!
Do you remember the first book that had an impact on you, your life or your writing?
Not strictly a book but, ‘The Wasteland’ by TS Eliot.
Now let's talk about your books and your writing.
How long have you been a writer/author?
I have always had an interest in books and literature but would not consider myself to be an author, more of a diarist or a travel memoir writer. I have dabbled with short stories over the years but had never published anything before ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’.
Do you have any formal writing training?
No, not really. I did try a correspondence course when I was living in Germany but the lifestyle and studying didn’t really mix I’m afraid.
What genre(s) do you write?
Travel memoirs.
What is the biggest source of inspiration in your writing life?
This may sound strange but probably Jack Visick, who was the landlord at my local pub for a couple of years. He is a young, motivated guy and encouraged me to publish ‘Time in Thailand’ and also did the cover design for me. One thing led to another and I went on to write up and edit the rest of my diary after this.
Is there one book or an author that has inspired you more than any other?
In recent weeks, definitely Frank Kusy – I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all three of his travel books: Kevin and I in India, Off the Beaten Track and Rupee Millionaires. He also introduced me to WLM and has been inspirational in encouraging me to promote my book.
Do you have a favorite time of day for writing and why?
As Fred’s Diary is 165K words, it took me a long time to write up and edit in my spare time. I would usually do this in the evenings while my wife was watching the soaps on TV.
What would your ideal writing environment look like or consist of?
In the past it was always when I was travelling and I would capture my memories wherever and whenever I could. Now I have a comfortable office that I use to work from home but I am not sure how conducive that would be to writing.
Do you have a writing aspiration that you would like to share with us?
When I have more time I would like to embark on writing a travel novel but this is just a dream at the moment.
Do you have a review from any of your books that you would like to share. Please give the reason for choosing it.
I’m going to be cheeky here and refer to two: You can read these at the end of this interview
1/. 5* review from Doug E. Jones, author of the travel novel ‘Nowhere to Goa: Bhang Lassis, Rickshaws and Holy Cows!’
2/. 4* review from Frank Kusy, author of Kevin and I in India, Off the Beaten Track and Rupee Millionaires.
Doug spent several months reading the diary on a day-by-day basis and would constantly let me know how far he’d got. Frank managed to read it in two sessions.
How important are reviews to you as an author?
Extremely important. I can remember the disappointment when I got several bad reviews for ‘Time in Thailand’ but have been encouraged by the number of good reviews I have got so far with ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’.
Do they influence your development as an author?
Yes, by highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of my writing.
How do you engage with your readers and fans?
Mostly through social media, my FB page, WLM and Twitter.
Do you have a current work in progress, and if so can you tell us a little about it and when it is likely to be released?
Not at the moment although I am seriously considering editing ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’ further and releasing it again as a book about half the size, say 80K words.
What are your thoughts on the use of social media for indie author marketing?
I have found it really useful for networking and have made contact with a number of fellow authors and potential readers. It has taken quite a lot of time but over the past year I have built up my Facebook page to 1.3K likes and have over 10K followers on Twitter.
Thank you, Robert for taking part :)
Connect with Author Robert Fear and his books:
Twitter handle: @fredsdiary1981
Facebook page(s): fb.com/fredsdiary1981 + We Love Memoirs Group
Amazon links:
Kindle
Paperback
Fred's Diary 1981 - by Robert Fear
Doug E. Jones 5* review
Backpacking Thailand, India, and Nepal at the dawn of the 1980s, Fred's Diary is not only a time-capsule but a cautionary tale of gems, drugs, and jail time as he explores waterfalls, Buddhist temples, and snow-capped peaks. I found this story to be informative, as well as entertaining, and it made me want to hit the road again. . . Well done!
Frank Kusy’s 4* review
I came to this diary with some expectation, having written a very similar diary myself…and only a few years after this one. And I was not disappointed. ‘Fred's 1981 Diary’ is a fascinating time capsule from the heyday of backpacking round Asia, when Dylan and Marley blasted from tinny tape machines, everybody headed north to the trekky north of Thailand or the funky houseboats of Kashmir, and dope was cheap and plentiful. Though in Fred’s case, the dope gets him into an awful lot of trouble, and after a slow-burn of a start in Hong Kong, where he finds work as a TV extra, we are suddenly plunged into a ‘Midnight Express’ scenario where he is flung into a hellhole of a Thai jail for possession. This section is riveting, and is the stuff of which films should be made. His ‘lucky’ escape – or rather deportation – leads him on to Nepal, where he somehow negotiates a gruelling week of trekking on a whole cornucopia of drugs (respect!), then on to India, where he survives a number of near-death bus journeys, witnesses (and beautifully describes) a Kashmiri wedding ceremony, and battles with his feelings for girlfriend Rita, who has joined him from Germany. This latter part of the book I particularly enjoyed – far less straight reporting, far more reflection on the nature of relationships, and indeed of the nature of life itself. Okay, an awful lot of illicit substances have gone down by this point, but Fred – as honest and revealing as ever – tells it how it is: “I feel I’ve learned a lot, using hash and grass to set me thinking, not just to get blasted.” And it is this honesty, coupled with a very engaging and readable writing style, that ensures that this diary reads as fresh today as when it was first written. Highly recommended. p.s. I’ll be upping my rating to 5 stars just as soon as the author has attended to a few editorial issues of which he is aware.
For those readers who are not familiar with you or your work can you tell us a little about yourself?
Born in Leicester, UK in 1955. My family moved south to a village in Surrey called South Nutfield when I was 11 years old. We moved into Dawn Cottage and this was where I spent my formative teenage years. Attended Reigate Grammar School, which was a five mile journey (mostly by train and bus). It was here that I picked up the nickname of Fred.
In 1974, after gaining 3 A Levels (English Literature, British Government & Politics and History) I started work at a private bank in the city, with every intention of working for a year and then going to university. In the end I worked there for nearly 3 years.
During the summer of 1976 I went on a two week holiday with three mates to the Spanish island of Ibiza. We had a fantastic time and all of us vowed to go back for the summer in the following year. Come the next April I went out there on my own, although two of my mates joined me later on. I ended up working in a bar called ‘Grannies’ and loved the whole vibe, met plenty of young ladies and had a great time, but didn’t sleep a lot!
Returned to the UK for the winter and worked 12 hour night shifts at a plastics factory to get some more money together for the following summer. In the spring of 1977 I set off again, this time to hitch-hike around Europe. For 4 months I made my way through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Greece and several islands, Italy, France, Spain and back to Ibiza again for the last couple of months of the summer. It was during this return visit that Fred met Rita and this time when I left the Balearic Islands it was to head for Frankfurt in Germany. I moved in with Rita, who lived with her parents in a house in Ruppertshain, a small village in the Taunus hills.
Initially I got some work on a building site and then in a Coca Cola factory. By the spring of 1979 there was enough money in the coffers to fund a trip to the States and Canada. I started in New York where I spent a week or so before travelling on a 3 month Greyhound bus pass up the east coast, across Canada, and down the west coast where I stayed in LA for a couple of weeks. Then headed back across the States to Florida and back up the east coast to end my journeys in New York, An incredible round trip.
Back in Germany I got a job as a messenger at the First National Bank of Chicago. Within 6 months, I had been promoted to the accounts department as I picked up the language and proved my worth. The travel bug didn’t go away though, I stayed at the bank for 15 months before heading off again, this time to Asia. This period is covered by my travel memoirs, the only time in my life that I recorded almost everything I did, in sometimes excruciating detail. The trip lasted 158 days and I travelled through Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Nepal,
The first part of my diary was released in 2009 and its title, ‘Time in Thailand’, probably indicates to you that things didn’t go as planned. ‘£99 to Hong Kong’ was published in 2011 and covers the first part of my trip where I did some work as an extra for Chinese television. The full diary, ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’, was made available on Kindle and paperback in December 2013.
Returning to Frankfurt in the late summer of 1981 was a shock to the system, a real case of reverse culture shock. Things soon get back to some normality though as I went back to the bank and worked there for another 5 years, becoming group leader of the accounts department. By the time I left my German was fluent.During this period I lived in Sachsenhausen, the bar and restaurant area of Frankfurt near the Main, often staying out late and enjoying life. Holiday allowance was generous in Germany and I was able to take 4-5 weeks travelling time off each year. I enjoyed trips to the Canary Islands, Scandanavia and Turkey. After returning from Turkey in November 1985 my life changed as I got together with the love of my life and in July 1986 I moved back to Eastbourne in the UK to be with her. We are still together nearly 30 years later and have lived in the same house since 1988 (the mortgage is almost paid off!). We got married in Kenya in 1994 and are cat lovers, having had a succession of rescues. The travel bug has never completely gone away. We’ve had great holidays in Portugal, Crete, Germany of course, Australia and the Seychelles.
I had to start from scratch with my career in the UK, but found my niche in accountancy and computer software. I have had the opportunity in the last few years to travel with work and have been all over Europe as well as Singapore, Australia (for a week!), Ghana (at a Guinness brewery) and Suriname (in the middle of the rain forest).
If you could share one thing about yourself that currently your readers don’t know what would it be?
I was born into a religious sect called the Exclusive Brethren (also known as the Plymouth Brethren). They allow no social contact with people outside of the cult and at that time we were not allowed to read newspapers, listen to the radio or watch television. My father took us out when I was around 9 years old and we were excluded from seeing relations who stayed within the cult. I never saw my grandparents again.
What genre of books do you enjoy reading and what are you currently reading?
Mostly life stories, travel memoirs or travel novels. Am currently reading ‘Naked Determination’ by Gisela Hausmann.
Why did you choose it or what was the hook that attracted you to it?
We got in touch through WLM and she read ‘£99 to Hong Kong’ and wrote a very favourable review. I was really interested in her experiences and am thoroughly enjoying her book.
When you're not reading or writing, how do you spend your time?
These days I work for myself, mostly in London on short-term or interim contracts. At present I am working at the Royal British Legion HQ near London Bridge. This is only just across the river from where I started work in 1974, 40 years ago. It’s a small world isn’t it!
Do you remember the first book that had an impact on you, your life or your writing?
Not strictly a book but, ‘The Wasteland’ by TS Eliot.
Now let's talk about your books and your writing.
How long have you been a writer/author?
I have always had an interest in books and literature but would not consider myself to be an author, more of a diarist or a travel memoir writer. I have dabbled with short stories over the years but had never published anything before ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’.
Do you have any formal writing training?
No, not really. I did try a correspondence course when I was living in Germany but the lifestyle and studying didn’t really mix I’m afraid.
What genre(s) do you write?
Travel memoirs.
What is the biggest source of inspiration in your writing life?
This may sound strange but probably Jack Visick, who was the landlord at my local pub for a couple of years. He is a young, motivated guy and encouraged me to publish ‘Time in Thailand’ and also did the cover design for me. One thing led to another and I went on to write up and edit the rest of my diary after this.
Is there one book or an author that has inspired you more than any other?
In recent weeks, definitely Frank Kusy – I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all three of his travel books: Kevin and I in India, Off the Beaten Track and Rupee Millionaires. He also introduced me to WLM and has been inspirational in encouraging me to promote my book.
Do you have a favorite time of day for writing and why?
As Fred’s Diary is 165K words, it took me a long time to write up and edit in my spare time. I would usually do this in the evenings while my wife was watching the soaps on TV.
What would your ideal writing environment look like or consist of?
In the past it was always when I was travelling and I would capture my memories wherever and whenever I could. Now I have a comfortable office that I use to work from home but I am not sure how conducive that would be to writing.
Do you have a writing aspiration that you would like to share with us?
When I have more time I would like to embark on writing a travel novel but this is just a dream at the moment.
Do you have a review from any of your books that you would like to share. Please give the reason for choosing it.
I’m going to be cheeky here and refer to two: You can read these at the end of this interview
1/. 5* review from Doug E. Jones, author of the travel novel ‘Nowhere to Goa: Bhang Lassis, Rickshaws and Holy Cows!’
2/. 4* review from Frank Kusy, author of Kevin and I in India, Off the Beaten Track and Rupee Millionaires.
Doug spent several months reading the diary on a day-by-day basis and would constantly let me know how far he’d got. Frank managed to read it in two sessions.
How important are reviews to you as an author?
Extremely important. I can remember the disappointment when I got several bad reviews for ‘Time in Thailand’ but have been encouraged by the number of good reviews I have got so far with ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’.
Do they influence your development as an author?
Yes, by highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of my writing.
How do you engage with your readers and fans?
Mostly through social media, my FB page, WLM and Twitter.
Do you have a current work in progress, and if so can you tell us a little about it and when it is likely to be released?
Not at the moment although I am seriously considering editing ‘Fred’s Diary 1981’ further and releasing it again as a book about half the size, say 80K words.
What are your thoughts on the use of social media for indie author marketing?
I have found it really useful for networking and have made contact with a number of fellow authors and potential readers. It has taken quite a lot of time but over the past year I have built up my Facebook page to 1.3K likes and have over 10K followers on Twitter.
Thank you, Robert for taking part :)
Connect with Author Robert Fear and his books:
Twitter handle: @fredsdiary1981
Facebook page(s): fb.com/fredsdiary1981 + We Love Memoirs Group
Amazon links:
Kindle
Paperback
Fred's Diary 1981 - by Robert Fear
Doug E. Jones 5* review
Backpacking Thailand, India, and Nepal at the dawn of the 1980s, Fred's Diary is not only a time-capsule but a cautionary tale of gems, drugs, and jail time as he explores waterfalls, Buddhist temples, and snow-capped peaks. I found this story to be informative, as well as entertaining, and it made me want to hit the road again. . . Well done!
Frank Kusy’s 4* review
I came to this diary with some expectation, having written a very similar diary myself…and only a few years after this one. And I was not disappointed. ‘Fred's 1981 Diary’ is a fascinating time capsule from the heyday of backpacking round Asia, when Dylan and Marley blasted from tinny tape machines, everybody headed north to the trekky north of Thailand or the funky houseboats of Kashmir, and dope was cheap and plentiful. Though in Fred’s case, the dope gets him into an awful lot of trouble, and after a slow-burn of a start in Hong Kong, where he finds work as a TV extra, we are suddenly plunged into a ‘Midnight Express’ scenario where he is flung into a hellhole of a Thai jail for possession. This section is riveting, and is the stuff of which films should be made. His ‘lucky’ escape – or rather deportation – leads him on to Nepal, where he somehow negotiates a gruelling week of trekking on a whole cornucopia of drugs (respect!), then on to India, where he survives a number of near-death bus journeys, witnesses (and beautifully describes) a Kashmiri wedding ceremony, and battles with his feelings for girlfriend Rita, who has joined him from Germany. This latter part of the book I particularly enjoyed – far less straight reporting, far more reflection on the nature of relationships, and indeed of the nature of life itself. Okay, an awful lot of illicit substances have gone down by this point, but Fred – as honest and revealing as ever – tells it how it is: “I feel I’ve learned a lot, using hash and grass to set me thinking, not just to get blasted.” And it is this honesty, coupled with a very engaging and readable writing style, that ensures that this diary reads as fresh today as when it was first written. Highly recommended. p.s. I’ll be upping my rating to 5 stars just as soon as the author has attended to a few editorial issues of which he is aware.
Go To Book Showcase
How did Fred, Andy & Stan get out of this mess? http://getbook.at/TimeinThailand #IARTG #RPBP #WLM #ASMSG #FWRT #BookBoost #RT
