Author Interview – Chris Nicholas

Midas (Volume 1) eBook / Paperback
Chris Nicholas
High Concept Action Thriller

Everyone, please put your hands together for, Chris Nicholas, the Author of “Midas.” Chris, your fans await.

Chris, glad to have you here. Let’s start off easy and then bring up the tempo. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO BALANCE THE DEMANDS WRITING PLACES ON YOU? 

I’m a firm believer in not forcing myself to write. If I’m not feeling creative I’d rather walk away from a manuscript or blog post and wait for my inspiration to return then force out something that is sub-par. When I do need a break I hit the gym or shoot hoops at the local basketball court. I subscribe to the ‘healthy body; healthy mind’ mentality and find that physical exercise is the best way to actively ignite my creativity. If that’s not an option for whatever reason, I’ll turn to music as a means of escape. Sometimes it’s nice just to sit down and listen to a great album from start to finish as a means of unwinding.

I also love to escape to the beach. I grew up near the ocean and now that I live in Brisbane I’m a little further away from the water than I would like to be. So when I do have some free time I’ll make a dash for the coast.

I love the beach as well. I find it soothing, like music. What do you like to read? What kind music do you prefer?

I would have to be the fussiest reader/listener that I know. When it comes to novels/blogs/etc I look for writers who aren’t afraid to wear their heart on the sleeve or buck conventional wisdom and embrace their own style. It’s extremely rare for me to find myself reading anything on a bestseller list. I will religiously read anything from Australian author Michael Robotham, but apart from that I tend to fritter between genres and authors.
…Then there’s music. Music is a HUGE influence on my writing and my life in general. I tend to draw more inspiration to write from music than any other creative medium. Lyrical content is everything, which means more often than not I find myself listening to genres like Hard core, Hip-Hop and Metal. Some of the most incredible pieces of writing that I’ve ever heard come from songs I listen to and I try to pay homage to them through my blogging (A lot of the titles I use for posts are song names from my favourite bands and artists).

Being a discerning reader suggests that as a writer you’ll be churning out quality stories. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?

I started writing when I was seventeen as a way to avoid studying for my final high school exams and ward off a few inner demons that were causing some emotional turmoil. While I probably liked to believe I was behaving in a professional manner at the time, the truth is quite the opposite. I was a casual writer until around July 2014 when I flew to New York City to attend the Thrillerfest 2014. I pitched my novel to a number of agents at the event and gained some positive feedback and even a few acceptances of my submission!
That event gave me the confidence boost I needed to start taking my craft more seriously. Eight months later Midas was released as an EBook through Meizius Publishing with the hardcopy following shortly after.

It’s interesting to hear from authors about their catalyzing experience that provided the push they needed to write seriously. WHAT DO YOU WRITE?

I try to vary my writing as much as possible. Midas is a high concept action thriller, and I’m currently half way through writing the first of three sequels. But I also have a partially completed manuscript for a love story that I am really invested in. When it comes to blogging I move between fictional pieces and exploratory works where I can question cultural practice or push the limits of my own creativity.

Good business recommends diversifying. I suspect that principle would apply to writing as well. WHICH OF YOUR PUBLICATIONS WILL YOU BE SHARING TOday?

I only have one so my choice was quite easy. I’m here today to share my high concept action thriller Midas with you. It’s the first in a four book series based on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The book follows the exploits of my protagonist Jason Dark as he races against time to prevent a biological attack against the continent of Europe.

It’s a huge honour to be able to share the novel with you, as Jason is in fact the first character that I ever created. He originally appeared in a (woeful) script I wrote about climate change before I scrapped the concept and gave him a new adventure to tackle in Midas.

ARE YOU AN INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED WRITER OR A TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED WRITER?

I’m fortunate enough to be traditionally published through Meizius Publishing.

I like that you could see your character in more than one scenario. Where do you think you are in your writing career? Where do you want to be?

I would say that right now I’m still very much in the early stages of my career. I have been fortunate enough to see Midas put into print, and I’ve amassed a modest following through my blog. But I’m still a long way from being at the top of my game.
Where do I want to be? Well, considering that I often refer to myself as a ‘world eater’ I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to eventually become a name that is synonymous with modern day literature. I know that I’ve got a long away to go, but I try to break things down into (semi ridiculous) goals. My first was to finish a manuscript. Second was to find a publishing contract. My third goal is world domination.

Someone who removes all stops, now that’s what I’m talking about. What is your writing style. Why do you think your writing style is such as it is?

Is chaotic an answer? I tend to write hard and fast. I want to create lean pieces that really draw the reader in. If your palms aren’t sweaty and your heart rate isn’t through the roof then I’ve missed an opportunity to entertain you.

Sounds like I’m gonna need a seat belt when I’m on a ride with you. What do You like and dislike about writing?

I love that writing has allowed me to find myself and better connect with my fellow man and woman. I went through a period of depression where I felt so alone and isolated and writing helped bring me through that time. It’s allowed me to find an inner peace within myself and connect with some incredible people. I like that I can become lost in my own thoughts, yet still create intricate bonds with other writers and readers alike.

What I dislike about writing is that I struggle with the speed the industry moves at. A lot. I think that this stems from the fact that I draw most of my inspiration to write from the music business, which moves at a phenomenal rate. Whereas a musician’s career can be made or broken in an instant, the literary industry moves at a snail’s pace. I constantly have to remind myself that patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

That’s a great way to look at the virtue of patience. I should try it. What is the hardest review or criticism you’ve had about your writing and how did you deal with it?

I once wrote a post on Renegade Press in the wake of a racially charged siege here in Australia. The concept of the post was to use a sociological mash up of cultural acceptance and the Broken Windows theory to denounce religious vilification and promote acceptance of others. The post was well received by most, but some overzealous readers started to become quite fanatical in their responses. I received threatening emails and vicious comments from readers who thought that cultural acceptance was wrong and not something to be promoted.
At first the responses shocked me and I tried to reason with my audience, but as the situation spiraled out of control I realized that sometimes people can become so blinded by their own thoughts and feelings that they refuse to accept reason. A few other bloggers posted pictures of me on their sites with entire posts dedicated to belittling me for believing that acceptance and religious tolerance are much needed ideals in our society. So I eventually wrote a follow up post acknowledging and accepting the viewpoints of others as a means of diffusing the animosity.
I learned two things from the fiasco. The first was that some people can be so blinded by their own hate that logic is lost upon them. The second was that I was a better writer than I realized. I set out to cause a reaction. I just never realized how strong a reaction the piece would cause.

That sounds like a difficult situation to deal with. Mob mentality is born of such narrow mindedness. Are any of the scenes or storylines in your book real life experiences?

Oh wow, you would be horrified if I said yes wouldn’t you? Midas is packed full of fistfights and vulgarity. It’s definitely a work of pure fiction. There are a few moments of self-exploration that I’ve worked into the script where certain characters face moral dilemmas that I can relate to, but I definitely haven’t had to fight my way through Europe before.

You’d be surprised by the people one might encounter in life. Is there anything else you’d like the reader to know about yourself?

Writing has helped get me through some difficult times in my life and now that I’m starting to create a name for myself I love that I have the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of others. I believe that literature and art has the potential to redefine how an individual sees the world and encourage every one, everywhere to embrace their creative impulses. I can’t imagine how my different my life would be if I hadn’t found an artistic outlet like writing.

Thanks for stopping in, Chris. It’s been great having you. Please do visit again and don’t make us wait too long!

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Chris Nicholas is a twenty six year old student and author from Brisbane, Australia who often refers to himself as an aggressively creative world eater. Priding himself on his willingness to challenge his own preconceptions and push the boundaries of his ambitions, he aims to create beautiful literature that will inspire his audience to do the same.

BLURB
Jason Dark is a member of MARSOC’s elite Bravo unit; a team of soldiers tasked with hunting down and eliminating the infamous assassin known as Chaos. But when Chaos is killed, his four sons avenge his death by brutally murdering Dark’s comrades and setting into motion their maniacal plan to bring about the end of the modern world.

Now a team of international soldiers has been assembled and, with the help of Dark, they must race against time to stop the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from launching a devastating biological attack against Europe.

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I want to thank everyone for visiting today. Again, a round of applause for our author today. Please hang around to visit and comment below.

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