Thursday, February 20, 2014

Thursday's Author Spotlight Interview, Author M.T. Dismuke...

Think you've read the best in Science Fiction and Horror?  No? Well then you haven't experienced the awesome talent of our Thursday's Spotlight Author,  M.T. Dismuke

About the Author      
Michael T Dismuke is an American Thriller Author born in Vicenza Italy. He's now lived in Colorado for over 35 years and has studied Electronics, Software and Industrial Engineering. He began writing at a very young age which included interactive stories, computer games, campfire tales, and short stories. After receiving his college degree, he focused more on writing. In 2003 he wrote his first novel The Necro Device which later would become his first published novel. He prefers to write in present tense and leads with action over narrative. He offers his readers an intense reading experience that's not only thrilling and exciting, but is layered with subplots and complex story mechanics. He uses his knowledge in technology to inspire and drive his stories and push them to their limits.
"The only freedom you truly have is in your mind, so use it." - M.T. Dismuke



TCM: Why do you write your particular genre?
M.T.D: I don’t set out to write a specific genre. Instead, I set out to write original stories. I like them to be thrilling in order to keep the reader’s attention. I tend to stick to horror and science fiction with a lot of suspense and mystery tied into it, but I have written a satire and non-fiction story in the past. Most of my ideas hit me out of the blue, and if it’s good or interesting enough, I jot it down and begin building on it. Once this has happened, the story tends to take on a life of its own and genre, at this point, becomes nothing more than a byproduct of the story being told.

TCM: How did you develop your writing?
MTD: I started programing games, text based games, on the computer at a very young age. They basically were interactive stories similar to pick-your-path books. That was my first attempt at writing; however, I began creating worlds at a much younger age. I drew maps, landscapes, monsters, and made up stories to go along with it. They were truly interactive worlds which is probably why I attempted to program them later on. In my twenties, I began writing massive campaigns about vampires for Raven Loft. They took me months to build starting with the region, then moving on to creating a dynamic environment filled with towns and people – each with their own story. It was an amazing feat for me, and to share it with others was even better. It wasn’t until my early thirties when I decided to switch gears and turn my stories into novels. That is when I began work on The Necro Device.
TCM: Do you have a specific writing style?
MTD: Yes, I prefer to write in the Present Tense and to lead with action. When I began work on my first novel I was struggling with it quite a bit. It wasn't until my English Professor pointed out my faults when I was able to zero in on the past/present tense conflicts I was having. I was trying to tell the story in the present, but was writing it in the past/present. It was awkward to say the least, but I rewrote the entire story in the present tense without the conflicts which really helped me sharpen my writing skills. By the time I began work on INVASION it had become second nature to me. I was able to explore more and even ended up re-inventing it so that it worked best for me, but first, I had to force myself to break out of the mold. I realized that chapter style writing alone was the single biggest restraint holding me and the story back, so I removed it. I replaced chapters with events and something magical happened. It allowed me to be free for the first time. The world became dynamic. I could reveal information from multiple resources, deepening the story – it was limitless. The story was no longer just a ride, it was an experience. No more did I have to write in the now. No more did I have to follow this narrow, strict, one-way path from beginning to end. It opened so many doors that I’m still overwhelmed by the format. It has so much potential that I can’t wait to explore it further and push it to its limits.
TCM: Could you tell us a bit about event writing used in Invasion?

MTD: Sure, but let me point out the key difference. The traditional chapter style way of writing tells a story sequentially from beginning to end – much like programming was back in the last century. Basically, information is read in order, building on the previous, until reaching the end. Events, however, are similar to programming in today’s world. Each event contains sections or packets of information that combine together to create a story. Each event follows the same structure by combining information and building on it. This method of storytelling creates a dynamic atmosphere because the source of information is always changing. For instance, an individual event may contain three sections. The source of information contained within each section will be different. Some of the information may be presented in the form of a short story, but a lot of it may come from documents, recordings, or even raw data. One section may contain the main storyline while another section tells a completely different story which reinforces, builds, and completes the other. For present tense writers this concept is limitless because it allows the story to break the sequential mold.

TCM: What’s your strongest point as a writer?
MTD: I pull my inspiration from the world around me. I watch and listen. I try to imagine things beyond what is presented to me. Technology is one of my main subject matters. I disguise it very well within my stories because to me, the story is the most important aspect of my work. However, the story typically originates from something I’ve seen or heard such as the concept of Panopticism. I did a report on it many years ago while in college, and it will be one of the governing themes in my upcoming novel, Cult of Tattoo. I tend to take an idea and run with it, sculpting, bending and twisting it into something exciting and different. The idea may become part of the story itself or just an overlying thought or background. I pull a lot of information from my surrounding environment from topics and themes to names and locations.

TCM: What new projects can we look forward to from you and where, when will they be available?
MTD: My current project is a novel titled Cult of Tattoo which I hope to have published late summer or early fall. It’s a futuristic SciFi Thriller based on current day technology spun forward over 100 years and branches off from the singularity – a day when Artificial Intelligence surpasses human intelligence. It is about love, life, and the evolution of mankind. It is a world of advanced robotics, spatial 3D optics, and advancements in artificial intelligence that greatly exceed our own. What makes the story unique is that it revolves around three main characters, two of which are from this century that had undergone cryonic freezing and brought back to life when the technology exists. This allows the readers to experience the world as they do. The third character is a mysterious AI unit, and each of them in their own way will unlock the many secrets hidden throughout the story. Cult of Tattoo, just like all my work, will be riddled with twists and deception at every turn of the page.

TCM: Thank you M.T. for taking the time to meet our readers! 

You can learn more about M.T. Dismuke at:

Website: http://www.mtdismuke.com/

Follow M.T. Dismuke at:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MTDismuke
 
 
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1 comment:

  1. M.T. DismukeFebruary 20, 2014 at 10:36 AM

    Thank you very much for this wonderful spotlight. Please feel free to ask any questions about the books or me.

    ReplyDelete

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