V.S. Durruti
Published Books
Sisyphus (Nov 2021) BUY ON AMAZON = https://amzn.to/32EclEr
Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself...
I'm something of a private person, but in direct connection with my book, I can tell you that I'm from a farming background, with a keen affinity with nature and a direct interest in the biological sciences. I also used to be a Buddhist monk and a yoga instructor and any reader will find all these influences prevalent in my book. I find there's no incompatibility or contradiction between Nature and the 'transcendent'.
What first inspired you to start writing?
For some reason I've been writing ever since I was a teenager—who knows? Maybe it was because I had a particularly encouraging English teacher. The book itself was inspired by a particularly lucid and intense dream I had some years ago, coupled with some fairly dramatic realisations about the company I was keeping at the time and the culture in which we live.
What made you want to work with Rowanvale and be published?
I discovered Rowanvale online. Their website was simple and straightforward and they were very reasonably priced. I wanted to be published in some way or form, if just to tick it off the bucket list, but like everyone, I wanted to achieve some level of success with it.
When you're not writing, what are you reading?
I'm slowly working my way through the classics, or the culturally significant books at least. I'm not a prolific reader, plus I just don't have the time to do as much reading as I'd like, but so far this year I've read Maharaj's 'I Am That', Huxley's 'The Doors of Perception' and am presently reading Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'. As you can see, I'm rather drawn towards the philosophical.
Which work are you most proud of?
I can only say that 'Sisyphus' is my main work. And I'm proud of it.
What's your best advice for handling writer's block?
Hmm... I know I'm meant to say something practical and positive at this point. It would seem that if there's nothing forthcoming, then there's nothing to come forth. 'Impotent goals' springs to mind. Maybe it's a different story if you’re making a living from writing, but you should be bold enough to question whether you should actually be writing whatever it is you are trying to write...
What's one thing you always have with you when you're writing?
I'm old school—pen and paper. Caffeine. A comfortable chair. A room with a view. And in 'Betty Blue' style, my cat sat by my side as my muse.
What is the one book you would take with you if you were stuck on a desert island?
Something very long. As I'm working my way through the classics, it would have to be Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'. Having read 'Anna Karenina' I was delighted by the rich and intricate world that Tolstoy creates. There is a spiritual tone to his writing too. I'm also fascinated by the fact that Tolstoy and Gandhi were apparently pen pals.
What is the best part about being an independently published author?
I suppose one can get so much closer to pure expression through independent publishing. I couldn't imagine having to compromise for some 'traditional' publisher. No doubt compromises are made—even good ones—for commercial viability, but I'd be horrified if I even had to change a single word of my book. But I'm stubborn like that!
What's next for you?
Well, for the time being there's only the 9 to 5 for me. And a family to raise. I require a considerable amount of time, space and concentration to write and I have very little of that at the moment. But, if enough of those ingredients should coalesce, then there is a sequel—albeit a rather oblique sequel—to Sisyphus that could be offloaded...
Sisyphus (Nov 2021) BUY ON AMAZON = https://amzn.to/32EclEr
Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself...
I'm something of a private person, but in direct connection with my book, I can tell you that I'm from a farming background, with a keen affinity with nature and a direct interest in the biological sciences. I also used to be a Buddhist monk and a yoga instructor and any reader will find all these influences prevalent in my book. I find there's no incompatibility or contradiction between Nature and the 'transcendent'.
What first inspired you to start writing?
For some reason I've been writing ever since I was a teenager—who knows? Maybe it was because I had a particularly encouraging English teacher. The book itself was inspired by a particularly lucid and intense dream I had some years ago, coupled with some fairly dramatic realisations about the company I was keeping at the time and the culture in which we live.
What made you want to work with Rowanvale and be published?
I discovered Rowanvale online. Their website was simple and straightforward and they were very reasonably priced. I wanted to be published in some way or form, if just to tick it off the bucket list, but like everyone, I wanted to achieve some level of success with it.
When you're not writing, what are you reading?
I'm slowly working my way through the classics, or the culturally significant books at least. I'm not a prolific reader, plus I just don't have the time to do as much reading as I'd like, but so far this year I've read Maharaj's 'I Am That', Huxley's 'The Doors of Perception' and am presently reading Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'. As you can see, I'm rather drawn towards the philosophical.
Which work are you most proud of?
I can only say that 'Sisyphus' is my main work. And I'm proud of it.
What's your best advice for handling writer's block?
Hmm... I know I'm meant to say something practical and positive at this point. It would seem that if there's nothing forthcoming, then there's nothing to come forth. 'Impotent goals' springs to mind. Maybe it's a different story if you’re making a living from writing, but you should be bold enough to question whether you should actually be writing whatever it is you are trying to write...
What's one thing you always have with you when you're writing?
I'm old school—pen and paper. Caffeine. A comfortable chair. A room with a view. And in 'Betty Blue' style, my cat sat by my side as my muse.
What is the one book you would take with you if you were stuck on a desert island?
Something very long. As I'm working my way through the classics, it would have to be Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'. Having read 'Anna Karenina' I was delighted by the rich and intricate world that Tolstoy creates. There is a spiritual tone to his writing too. I'm also fascinated by the fact that Tolstoy and Gandhi were apparently pen pals.
What is the best part about being an independently published author?
I suppose one can get so much closer to pure expression through independent publishing. I couldn't imagine having to compromise for some 'traditional' publisher. No doubt compromises are made—even good ones—for commercial viability, but I'd be horrified if I even had to change a single word of my book. But I'm stubborn like that!
What's next for you?
Well, for the time being there's only the 9 to 5 for me. And a family to raise. I require a considerable amount of time, space and concentration to write and I have very little of that at the moment. But, if enough of those ingredients should coalesce, then there is a sequel—albeit a rather oblique sequel—to Sisyphus that could be offloaded...
