Official Interview: Randy Miller
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- kandscreeley
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Official Interview: Randy Miller
To view the official review, click here.
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1. Outside of writing, what do you do for fun?
For fun I hunt, ride motorcycles through the wild country of South Florida, go boating, and scuba dive.
2. Do you make your living as an author or do you have a separate job?
No job. Am a retired scuba instructor and commercial diver.
3. When you are writing, what does your typical day look like? Do you have a special typewriter or notepad you use?
When I write, I am driven and go at it day and night.
4. Let's discuss your book Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War and Its Aftermath. Zack enlists in the Navy and serves in the Vietnam War. Is Zack based on anyone in particular?
All of my characters are as real as real can be. That's all I'm going to say about it, but the judge for the 25th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards nailed it when he or she said, "Although categorized as historical 'fiction,' this story effects real-life accounts and events and locations and weaving them together by introducing a cast of believable characters whose experiences may reflect an amalgamation of real people."
5. This seems like a powerful book as it not only discusses the war itself but also the aftermath of the war (including things like Agent
Orange). How difficult was it for you to write this book?
Parts of it were quite difficult for me to write. Those of us who served in Vietnam quickly learned to bury our experiences upon our return. We were reviled. At the risk of quoting myself, the very country that sent us to war, now hated us for going. So in order to write this book, I had to climb into my time machine and open up many doors that I hadn't just closed, but nailed shut. At times it was a painful process.
6. How long did it take you to write this book and how much research went into it?
It took me 5 months to write the first of what I considered a good draft but all told it took me 4 long years and 50 days to get it to where I'm happy with it. I'd be willing to bet I personally edited it over 200 times. As an independent author, the responsibility for that rests solely with us, rather than a team of highly paid editors. Wouldn't that be nice, but poor editing is the bane of independently published books. As far as research, everything contained between Deadly Waters' covers is true. Much has been made of the research by my reviewers but you must remember, I lived this story. For example, my ship shelled Hue in the early days of the Tet Offensive, and I was on a ship sent to North Korea when the communists there kidnapped the USS Pueblo and her crew. Many of the experiences related in this book were unforgettable, and you can be sure those of us who went to war have relived them many times over the years like watching a bad movie in our dreams.
7. What is the number one most important thing you want your readers to walk away having learned from this book?
I want the readers to know the US Navy played a vital role in Vietnam and those of us who served on the waters there were warriors. And I want everyone to know the Veterans Administration sold us out. Right up until this very day, the Navy is the only branch of the military that is denied compensation for Agent Orange caused illnesses. It is by far the biggest injustice ever perpetrated on an entire class of the military by any branch of the government.
8. Do you have any more books in the works?
I never talk about my work until its finished. I do tend to be a tad superstitious about these things.
9. What was the most difficult part of the whole writing experience for you?
The most difficult part was keeping up with the flow. Before starting out, I knew the beginning, middle and end of this story, and it came out as fast as water out of a firehose.
I usually like to end on a few fun questions.
10. Can you tell us one of your most favorite memories?
I have been married twice and both marriages are my favorite memories. If you read my book you will know I am a hopeless romantic.
11. When you order Iced Tea, is it sweet or unsweet?
I don't order iced tea, I order beer.
—Neil Gaiman
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I am very interested to read the book as it sounds very interesting!
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Haha… I agree!
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No mourners. No funerals.
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