Featured Interview With Timothy Bateson
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m Timothy Bateson, a 40 year-old aspiring author. I’ve been happily married to my wife for almost 9 years. I was born and raised in England, attended University in Wales, and came out with a degree in the computers field.
I spent some time in the computers industry, before realizing how little I enjoyed the work. I’m an avid reader, and pretty much grew up on books. I’m also a role-payer, and a gamer, having played a number of table-top games, and card games over the years, and even donned costumes, and weapons to take part in live-role-play events.
A friend in the role-playing community introduced me to my wife, online one night, and after a while we decided that we wanted to meet. I flew to Alaska, stayed 10 days, and within 6 months flew back to Alaska and married. I’ve never looked back. Since being here I’ve worked in fast-food, home-improvement & construction sales, and now work in customer service in a supermarket.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always had an interest in writing, and my wife has become my inspiration to take this interest more seriously. She has completed drafts of two novels, has started a third, and has ideas for several more. But life, or online games, always seems to get in the way of finishing the stories that those completed drafts started.
The first book, is the start of a five-book fantasy series, with elements of classic fantasy, humor, and a classic good vs evil story. The second book is an urban fantasy book, with a vampire lead character, and a world where the supernaturals hide from the mortal world. I have had the pleasure of reading some of that work, and helping her craft it into something better. I even had a hand in shaping the world-building for the urban fantasy setting.
In the process of shaping the urban fantasy world, I have found characters and concepts that I liked enough to spark ideas for my own writing. I’ve completed NaNoWriMo for the last 4 years, but never managed to reach the conclusion of the story I started. Fifty thousand words, in a month is no small feat, and shouldn’t be discarded lightly. Yet every time I’ve walked away with ideas of what worked, and what didn’t work for the story I wanted to tell.
So, who do I want to be? I want to be more like my wife. Someone who has a story to tell, and can reach the end of that story. I want to find those little twists and turns of plot and character that keep me wanting to find where things are going to end.
More importantly though, I want to see us both get into print and e-book stores. I want to work in the world I shared a hand in creating, and produce stories that people want to read. In the process, I hope to help my wife finish the stories she started to tell, because they are all too big to be contained in the pages of the two book drafts she has finished.
So I’m putting on a few new hats: Writer, Editor, Proof-reader, Critic, Researcher, and maybe in time Publisher.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My influences come from a range of sources. I’ve loved almost everything by the following authors: Jim Butcher, Terry Pratchett, Piers Anthony, Orson Scott Card, Dean Koontz
I love reading science-fiction and fantasy authors, especially those who have put a lot of work into developing their worlds and characters. Jim Butcher never ceases to amaze me with his Dresden Files books, and the Codex Alera. There is so much world building in both series that you see something new with every book. Terry Pratchett takes the fantasy world and sets a humorous spin on everything. Yet despite the humor, he manages to come up with surprising insights into the human character, and how we interact with each other, and our world. Piers Anthony has a versatility that is hard to match. He can write everything from humorous to serious, from loosely created rules to the massive creation that is the Incarnations of Immortality. Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas is possibly one of the most endearing heroes ever created, a cook that cannot seem to keep himself out of other people’s troubles.
Each and every one of these writers has had some influence on the material I write, as well as many years as a role-player. If I succeed in even drawing a small part of each writer’s work into my style and concepts, then I would consider myself a very lucky writer.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Moon Shadows” from Laurel Highlands Publishing is a Halloween themed anthology, released in October 2014, and featured my short story “Under A Hunter’s Moon”.
About “Moon Shadows”
In the dark of night, the moon is bright. But what lurks in the shadows will give you a fright.
Seventeen stories touch the unknown, the unseen, and the undead. Visit what we avoid. Step into the shadows of the moon.
Included stories (alphabetical by author):
“Masks” by Fred C. Adams, “Under a Hunter’s Moon” by Timothy Bateson, “Afraid” by Thomas Beck, “The Reckoning: Hidden Remains” by Spencer Carvalho, “The Hunt” by IE Castellano, “The Hearth” by Kevin Hayman, “Bumps in the Night” by Jovan Jones, “The Lightkeepers” by Renny Kalp, “When the Wine Begins to Sour” by Matt Kolbet, “Stranger Nights” by Jacob Lambert, “Masquerade” by Patrick MacAdoo, “Remembering Natalia” by James Park, “Mr. Cool’s Final Halloween” by Jay Seate,
“A Night Behind Bars” by DJ Tyrer, “Stingy Jack and the Boys” by Kevin Wetmore, “Home for Halloween” by Kelli A. Wilkins, “Halloween Bully” by Edward M Wolfe
About “Under A Hinter’s Moon”
Richard Parsons is a lupine, one of the many breeds of shape-shifters, though the mortal legends of their kind call them werewolves.
When a traveling exhibition returns to Seattle, Richard takes a night-time visit, with plans that go beyond seeing a particular display. However, he is unprepared for the memories and emotions that come flooding back.
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Teresa Pedersen says
Awesome story and awesome love. Great stories.
James R. Callan says
Such an interesting life just has to produce some interesting stories. Good luck on getting more of those into print.