Nigel Barto: Using His Gift With Words To Feed His Love Of Life

by Cyrus Webb

If you know nothing else about Nigel Barto you should be aware of this: the man can write. I have read three of his works and with each one he has been able to take the reader on an adventure that makes you want to share it with someone else.

His latest work FEED ME is on Conversations Top 150 Books of 2011 with good reason. Each story has a sliver of life anybody would be able to relate to, and that is one of the reasons why Nigel has been able to keep garnering readers for himself. Another reason is the evolution he has gone through as a storyteller and an individual recognizing the gift he has.

In this conversation we talk about how he has grown with each book, how he stays connected with all of us through social media and what he hopes you take away from what he puts on the page. 

Nigel, thanks for your time. When did you first realize that you had a gift with words?

In elementary school I began writing poems. In high school and college I acted in a few plays. I didn't know I would be someone who wrote many words for others to read or say. I wrote mostly for me - the outsider looking inward and often looking around me. It was my form of expression. I didn't realize it was a gift. But now I know this is what I was meant to do - crafting words together to tell about our lives.

 

You have shared three books with the world so far. What has surprised you the most about the response?

That readers want more. They want my stories to continue. They want to know what happens next in the lives of my characters. They hope for them. I think they can relate to the characters, and ultimately they hope for themselves. I am grateful for the readers, and thankful my work is openly received.

 

Each of your books, even your book of short stories FEED ME seem to have a message. How much does what's going on in the world influence what you write?

The rhythm of people, culture and lifestyle greatly influence my work. I watch the world, and after I boil away the extraneous matter, the boxes - country, city, profession, money, education, surname, ethnicity, gender, orientation, age, etc, I see love trying to blossom, wounds that want to heal, life that longs to breathe, and a survival spirit that emerges. Love and how we relate are ever evolving. What does it look like for you, and for your neighbor?

 

I think we are all our worse critics. Do you think you have grown with each book?

I am one of the worse when it comes to that. Yes, I think I have grown with my work. My voice is stronger, my passion is greater, and I am willing to take more risks.

 

Social media has really changed the way we not only communicate with each other but also market ourselves and our brand. How have sites like Twitter and Facebook helped you in this regard?

I am on both sites and they are great resources for me. I meet cool, uber talented people from all walks of life, and I learn all the time. You know, writing stories and the business of writing are not the same thing. I am not just a chicken pecking in a coop in a barn far away. Social media helps give this bird better wings to fly faster. I think back to sitting in my room, flipping through hundreds of pages of a Writer's Digest, putting stamps on envelopes, and mailing copies of my short stories to various publications. Then anxiously waiting for a hopeful, kind, accepting letter to arrive in the mailbox. This is not a totally dead process, but thankfully, the digital age has made it possible for me and a lot more people to directly share our stories and life's work.

 

If you had to sum up what you hope people take away from your work, Nigel, what would it be?

I want to tell stories that entertain you. If they move you, provoke, make you question, that is fantastic. If they move you to take positive action in your life and the lives around you or to think about the world a little differently, that is even better. At the least, I hope you enjoy it.

 

Can you give our readers an idea of what they should be expecting from you next?

Nicholas Colby Johnson from "Nick, Dontae, Gus & Jack" will return, and maybe his friends will too. I also have a sneaky suspicion that Jordy Blackwell from "Private Sessions" gets happy.

 

Continued success to you, Nigel. How can our readers stay in contact with you and get copies of your books?

Thank you, Cyrus. It is always a pleasure to chat with you. Your readers may join my page facebook.com/nigelbarto to keep in touch. For copies of my books, you may order from any local bookstore. Also, a quick way to get a copy is from an online book retailer like Amazon.

Eden Baylee: Allowing Her Persistence & Talent To Lead The Way

by Cyrus Webb

Canadian born author Eden Baylee is one of those intriguing individuals who has allowed her passion for writing and ability to tell a great story speak on her behalf. The result? Readers are gravitating to her, and through her gift she is able to reach people literally all over the world.

I had the opportunity to talk with her earlier this year on Conversations LIVE, and I knew her journey was one that readers of any profession would enjoy and appreciate. What has been the difference in her story and that of so many others who seem to get stuck in a rut? Talent coupled with persistence. In this conversation she talks about both and what you should be expecting from her in the New Year.

Eden, thanks for taking out some time to talk with us about your literary journey. What surprises you the most about the success you have had already?
Thanks Cyrus for your kind invitation to speak with you, and I appreciate your words about success. My erotica anthology, Fall into Winter launched Feb. 2011, so I'm just beginning to get some traction for it from the work I've done in the past months. I have a long way to go yet.  

I feel success is not just about sales. It includes continuing to write and challenge myself, and making strong connections to people who've enriched my life. Of course, I've also learned an incredible amount about the book industry and publishing. These things are what I use to measure my success.

Many people have mixed emotions when they hear the term erotic or erotica. How would you best describe what you write and what led you down that path?
Erotica is a genre that touches all my senses, so I enjoy spinning words onto a page to enable readers to feel the same. I love being turned on as it makes me feel alive, and who wouldn't want to feel that?

The mixed emotion surrounding the genre may come from a misunderstanding of what it is. Erotica is not just about pounding sexual images into the reader's mind. There has to be connection to a story, and the sex needs to be relevant. To make it an enticing read, you must ask: Who are these people? Why are they having sex? Why are they having this type of sex? If you get no answers, then why would you want to read farther?  Erotica is strongly built on character-driven plots, and this is central to ensuring the reader cares about the sex.

Reading a book with page after page of sex would be like watching a 2-hour movie that is one long car chase. It might be exciting for a bit, but it'll get boring very quickly. 

I had the privilege to talk with you on Conversations LIVE earlier this year. I'm curious what is normally the reaction when you are out promoting yourself and introducing yourself as an author? Is it still something you are getting used to?
Yes, I'm still getting used to calling myself an author, and I usually don't. I say I'm a writer, and that moves the focus to what I do rather than who I am. It's a subtle difference, but it works for me. I'm an introvert and can be extremely shy, so although I push myself for the sake of promotion, it's really not my favorite thing to do. 

All individuals in the creative community know what it is like to hit a snag or experience a setback. How do you deal with those challenges, and what keeps you motivated?
I'm very disciplined with a dogged determination, and the answer for this can be found in what my mentor said to me.

Kate Austin is a multi-published erotica writer to whom I was lamenting about the rejections I'd received from publishers. Her response was "Sometimes persistence is even more important than talent and you've got both." I'll never forget those words, and I feel very fortunate she helped me establish a strong work ethic early on.

I think you would agree that one of the largest support systems for writers today can be found through social media. How have they helped to keep you active in talking with fans and meeting new readers?
I completely agree with you, Cyrus. Writing is a solitary profession, and some days, it can seem a bit lonely with just my words and thoughts to keep me company. My social interaction in real life is limited as I work from home most days. Social media has helped me create a wonderful network of professional friends who've become personal friends as well. Twitter, Facebook, and my blog, collectively, have helped to get my work out there. Wonderful radio programs such as yours have brought greater visibility to authors by literally giving them a voice.

By maintaining a presence on these networks, it's allowed me to reach authors, readers, filmmakers and other interesting people I never would've connected with otherwise.

Can you tell our readers what is next for you?
I'm working on my second anthology of erotica entitled Spring into Summer.  As with Fall into Winter, it will contain four novellas—two that take place in the spring and two in the summer.  

After that, I will change course and write full-length novels. They will have erotic elements, but will be thriller/suspense stories à la John Fowles, one of my favorite authors.

What advice do you give for aspiring writers or those looking to break into the industry?
My mantra to myself: Keep writing. Be persistent. Believe in yourself.

Continued success to you, Eden. How can our readers stay in touch with you and find out more about your work?

The best way to stay connected is to subscribe to my blog, and it'd be lovely to have them follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates.  You can get all that information via my website at: http://www.edenbaylee.com

Thank you so much, Cyrus for letting me share about my work. Your generosity to the author and artist community is unparalleled.