GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Guest Post: author Dodge Winston | I Smell Sheep

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Guest Post: author Dodge Winston



Why I Use Fiction to Mirror Reality


Being an information junky and a writer too, I enjoy looking at things in a “big picture” perspective. Instead of being divided by multiple, micro-issues, I tend to look at how groupings of trends will effect mankind down the road when it comes to worldwide topics, such as globalization.

Today there are so many books, journals, and written resources, mired down in facts (depending upon who’s stats you believe), about issues that are extremely important to civilization, that there is little need to go out and research and write another bland report for sociologists, psychologists, and statisticians to pore over. The information studied can be fascinating but, unfortunately, it can also be quite dry and tiresome. Not only that, the points can be argued, the resources will be challenged, and the overall intent of the information often gets lost in partisan discussions morphing the data into a political soapbox. This is where the beauty of fiction comes in.

Fiction is an entirely different animal when it comes to getting a message across. I have said that intuition is often more reliable than media-branded fact. I am an intuitive person with perspectives of my own. Being an information junky along with the gift of intuition lends me the ability to see what I define as the “big picture” when it comes to the future of society. Am I futurist? I don’t call myself that. I’m more of a intuitive who sees challenges ahead. It is fiction that allows me to take data, mix it in my gut, and project a forecast if you will.

Fiction cannot be challenged. A thesis can and is, often. Fiction allows me to write from a purely creative side, seasoned with both personal experiences, the experiences of others, and hard data. With such ingredients at my fingertips, I can weave not just a tale, but a living world that mirrors our own. It is this weaving together that lends to not just some inherent truths but a powerful, visual foundation allowing readers to see how those truths of fiction apply to our current world and future generations.

I wrote the Drake Eldorado series. It is three novels that begin with the awakening of Drake’s consciousness, challenging his perspective on life and his role in it. The story traverses his internal struggles (terrifying, personal experiences) as he observes particular choices people make that are acceptable by large swaths of our population. Are they the right choices? What are the ramifications to society as a whole if this particular path is continued? These are the struggles that rock Drake’s world – the tugging of one side of the psyche from the other which can have disastrous effects. Is he strong enough to deal with not just his own “demons” but those that plague mankind? Here is the power of fiction at its finest in my opinion. To take a reader into a world where the spin is actually him or herself looking into their own reflection and making a change in their reality because they were able to identify with the road Drake traveled.

Clearly the Drake Eldorado series is much more than how one man may or may not overcome his own shortcomings. It is that piecing together of a world, its characters, raw emotions and consequences, and having it ride a story that reflects us and society as a whole that stokes my fire to create and write. Fiction is the written word that can be man’s best friend or his worst enemy depending on why it is utilized. It is that powerful. Not only do we see it in classic novels but we also see the abuse of it in commercialism. Authors often use fiction to convey a message within a story. Marketers and copy writers will use fiction to sell a product. Political ideologues and activists will use fiction to steer society in a particular direction. There is no limit on the uses of fiction. And it is that unlimited potential that also mirrors the unlimited potential of humanity.

Fiction comes from the self (and the world surrounding the self) as projected onto paper. This is why fiction novels sell so much. Readers often identify with aspects of the characters they read about. It is that connection, that cohesive intuition of knowing the truth within those characters that ultimately mirrors the reader, making him or her turn to the next page (when done right).

I relish the use of fiction to not only pass on a similar world but to incite curiosity, wonder, fear, and questions for the self. To make the reader think outside the box and then look back inside, armed with a different perspective, is like having a good friend tell you something that you don’t want to hear but something that you need to hear. That is glorious! That is using fiction to mirror reality!

Horror-Paranormal-Supernatural
Published by Red Castle Press
New Release Date: September 2012


Buy Links

www.dodgewinston.com Autographed Copies @ $14.95

Amazon Paperback @ $11.66

eBooks will be available very soon! Check my site or email dodgewinston[at]yahoo[dot]com

About the author:

Dodge Winston was born in Oakland, CA in 1970. He attended Napa Valley College and Solano Community College accumulating 70 units then the desire to write full-time struck. Placing the pursuit of a higher education on the back burner, he wrote voraciously, knocking out screenplays, teleplays, treatments, news articles, and other works.

Some of the things he enjoys are anime, graphic novels, mixed martial arts (MMA), well-made movies (Sin City, 300, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Star Wars saga), unique authors (Robert E. Howard, Karl Edward Wagner, James Patterson), topics related to globalization (Jeremy Rifkin, Jagdish Bhagwati) and anti-globalization too. He is a creator at heart, an information junky and someone who thoroughly enjoys fiction and how it can mirror reality.

Dodge is married, has two children, is considering getting a dog for the family, and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find Dodge in one of three places – rehabbing the family house (room by room), supervising at the water quality control plant or taking advantage of slivers of writing time when all is quiet.
Connect with him:
Blog: Dodge Winston’s Blotter – http://www.dodgewinston.com/blog/



12 comments:

  1. I did twitter (debby236) and FB (debra Guyette) Could not figure out the blog.
    Love the pic.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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  2. dude.. that's one scary cover. but the book got an interesting blurb, i might be brave enough to read it.

    i follow Dodge on FB (sienny zne)

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  3. Thanks a ton for your comments. The cover, by Dawne Dominique, came out perfectly. I use her for all my covers. She meshed my ideas and the story really well. She's a fantastic artist, designer, and awesome to work with.

    I see there's an issue with the blog link. This is it here - http://www.dodgewinston.com/blog/

    I'll pick two winners for Distortion in 48 hours. Then I will contact you for a mailing address and send it out immediately. Thanks for participating and reading, Debby and sienny. It's a real pleasure to get positive comments. I'll be lurking here and there:)

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    1. I will fix the link in the post! thanks for stopping by to say hello. I got my copy for review and have it in my reading cue :)

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    2. I talked with Dodge and he is going to extend the contest to 7 days to give everyone enough time to share and visit! This looks like a fun read so winning a print copy is pretty cool! and since I will be reading and reviewing it, the winner can chime in with their opinions too :)

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  4. Thanks, Sharon! Super hyped to be a guest poster. I look forward to your assessment of Distortion too.

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  5. Thank you so much for sharing with us today. I am definitely intrigued by Distortion and curious to see where Drake's story goes. I have signed up to follow on Goodreads and Facebook (Denise Zaky) and look forward to following your journey.
    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. Hi Denise - Thanks for taking an interest and following as well. Hoping my books and the journey they provide (albeit subjective to each individual) will rock everyone's world in some way.

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  6. contest is over! the winners are Debby and Sienny. I sent you an email :) be sure to post what you think of the book in the facebook group and don't forget to post a short review on amazon and goodreads!

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  7. Congrats, Debby and Sienny! I'll be sending the autographed copies off shortly. So look out for them. I'm eager to know what you think about Distortion as well. I really appreciate feedback:) If anyone else is interested in the Drake Eldorado books the paperbacks are available on Amazon and my site too. Novels in eBook form will be available this month. They are being created right now. Thanks for taking the time to check out my books and me too potential customers!

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  8. you can promote your books and other products sold via internet like software etc via giftviser free giveaway

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  9. The Drake Eldorado series is now available in eBook form, Kindle. I had them created by 52 Novels. They create quality eBooks. I went with the best as I believe my hard work deserves the best. And I want to make a quality presentation with a quality product.

    If you're looking for a new eBook to read in the horror/paranormal/supernatural genres with edges of demonology/globalization/addiction/internal and external struggles, and so much more, please give my eBooks a chance.

    Book 1, DRAKE ELDORADO: DISTORTION $0.99
    Book 2, DRAKE ELDORADO: AGENDA $2.99
    Book 3, DRAKE ELDORADO: ORIGIN $3.99

    Visit my website, http://www.dodgewinston.com -or- Amazon and look me up. I'm there:)

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