Today we talk about The Riviera Caper, a book by Rhys Sterling published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author
Rhys Sterling to get to know him better, where he found the inspiration to
write his novel The Riviera Caper, as well as how his passion for writing
started.
Q: Where did you find the inspiration to write your novel?
A: Ideas came to me
naturally, and I find it easy to elaborate on them. I don’t find my inspiration
in my own life, in the sense that the narrative it’s not derived from my actual
life; it is a work of fiction. Nevertheless, one’s own real experiences have a
way to seep into the fiction. Consequently, while remaining in the imaginary
realm, the writer’s tastes, ideas, preferences, happenings, might permeate into
the epic, although the intention was never to report on his own living. We thus
can say that, inevitably, there is an inspiration coming from the body of
knowledge obtained from what the writers experienced and lived. Apart from
this, I drew my inspiration from reading. It doesn’t mean that I borrow ideas
from other authors, but that the reading activity transposes me into a creative
state of mind. When the mood sets in, the inspiration automatically enhances
several-fold.
Q: What is the message you want to send out with your
writing?
A: I started out to
write a book one could take to the beach during holidays to read it while
getting a tan. Maybe even on the French Riviera, the locale of this novel. And
have fun out of reading it. Of course, there is a message the book sends out.
That is to be adventurous, live life to the fullest, get out of your shell and
do not always seek the material side of life. Formally, the novel it’s an
action book, a caper, but it is intertwined with a love story scrutinized with
such minutiae that almost takes over as the main theme of the book. The book’s
scope is even much larger than the caper and the love story. It encompasses
aspects of coming of age, of finding the hero’s place in the world following
university graduation, of lifestyle, ideas and dreams, the readers being
presented with the main character’s microcosm, which is positive and full of
hope.
Q: How did your passion for writing start?
A: The passion for writing – I guess I always had it in me.
I thought of myself as a potential writer ever since the high school. I even
fancied the thought of studying literature at the university. But pragmatism
won, I went on to the law school instead and other activities took priority in life;
I had to put off indefinitely the beginning as a writer. I went into various
legal fields and built a career there. I did write occasionally, but only
scientific papers. The thought of me becoming a writer still lingered on all
these years. Much later I revisited my ambitions to become a writer and I
ascertained I still had the drive. I decided to give it a go. So, I started
writing without pressure, without a timetable, just to see where this new
activity will get me. It led me to the completion of this first book, with
which I am very satisfied. The journey was enjoyable and left me with the
desire to repeat the feat.
Q: How was your publishing experience?
A: It was wonderful. I endorse Europe Books, my publisher,
whole-heartedly. They gave me the opportunity to make my literary debut. Their
approach does not involve an agent, but a direct one-to-one working
relationship and comprehensive assistance throughout the publishing process.
They do all the work usually expected from a literary agent on top of the
publishing operations. It is a great plus for writers, whose only care remain
to get the writing done. I could concentrate on this and I am very pleased with
the publisher. I hope to continue the collaboration with my future novels. The
timeframe they laid out was also advantageous and fast. All the steps involved
were completed promptly, on time and professionally. Of course, none of these
are of any use if the writer does not put in the hours, doesn’t do the hard
work, doesn’t persist and doesn’t overcome the occasional hiccup and writer’s
block. But if one commits to getting the job done, their expertise in
publishing will prove a great help and very valuable.
Q: Are you planning to write more books? Can you tell us
more about it?
A: Definitely. This book will have at least a sequel, I hope
to finish it by autumn. The tables turn in the second book. The villain,
let’s call him like this, Tanaka, seeks to get even with the hero of the
current book and forces him to do a job in England. That’s why the prospective
novel it’s called provisionally “The English Job”. Without unravelling too much
of the plot, I can tell you that the story involves football, bet fixing and
high stakes, has fast paced action and narrates some imaginative work from Jay.
Maybe this first book will even turn into a series, as I envisage a third novel
in which I’ll pitch the both of them, by then reconciled, against “the world”
so to speak, flaunting the laws and trying hard to make their own luck. It
hasn’t got a definitive plan yet so I can anticipate only with the title – “The
Belgian Heist” – and the basic idea of the book: they get together to make a
big and spectacular score.
