The Visitor - Mitchell Waldman

I was an avid reader as a kid. I remember reading a lot of sci fi -- Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, all of that. Then there were the literary novels, later one. Hemingway, Philip Roth, and there was my Larry McMurtry period. And the bad books, some so bad I thought -- "Hey, I can do that!"

He wakes up in a different body. So begins the journey of Ash—short for Pin Asher9919—who awakens on a hospital bed on, he believes, a different planet after an automobile accident took the bodily life of an Earth human named Edward Fleishman. Ash is told he was the victim of a serious brain injury and miraculously recovered from being brain dead in a coma, but Ash feels he knows the truth: his spirit has replaced the distressed spirit of the former Edward Fleishman. And so Ash's new life on earth begins, complete with a spouse who is a stranger to him, a body he is not sure how to use, a world he must learn to navigate, and a government he can't trust. Some had said that The Visitor is a unique blend of science fiction, social commentary, and human drama. It stands out for its exploration of identity, alienation, and the human condition, themes that may resonate with readers of speculative fiction and literary works alike. It may appeal to readers who enjoy introspective narratives and stories that challenge perceptions of reality, much like works of Philip K. Dick or Kashuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. Its unique blend of genres and themes may make it a compelling read that stands out in the literary landscape.

I basically start with myself or people I know and then invent from there, focusing on their weaknesses and strengths, exaggerating and changing details, fitting the characters' details to the story I'm writing. What will mesh with the story and what won't work.

I don't really have a typical writing day. I write in bits and pieces, revisiting the past day (or week's) work and evaluating it, moving on. These days with trying to promote my most recent book the actual time I've been spending writing has been more limited.

Promotion and getting my book to people might want to read my books has been difficult given the onslaught of books available today and how hard it is to stand out in the crowd. I'm hoping that word of mouth, and social media exposure to the limited extent I use it will get people talking about The Visitor and my prior books (A Face in the Moon -- a novel, Brothers, Fathers, and Other Strangers (short stories) and Petty Offenses and Crimes of the Heart (short stories). Having stories and poems published in small journals gives me some exposure, as well, as do my duties as Fiction Editor for the lit mag Blue Lake Review.

Don't give up, don't sell out. While making money is nice, writing what you want to write is much more important, fulfilling, at least in my view. On the other hand if you can get the attention of a large publisher, get some exposure and a loyal audience for your work, you might have a chance to get the work you really want to show out there.

I'm currently working on putting together another short story collection, more literary in nature, with a few twists and turns. Also, there's a novel my partner, the poet and journalist Diana May-Waldman and I have working on together that may find its way off the backburner soon.