Clancy Tucker's Blog: 27 October 2012 - Rico Lamoureux

27 October 2012 - Rico Lamoureux - Guest Author

Copyright Clancy Tucker (c)

Quote of the day:

"You learn from the journey

and trying to get where you want to go.

Actually arriving is not what it’s all about."

William Shakespeare

Rico Lamoureux

- Guest Author

G'day guys,

Today I introduce an author with an interesting tale to tell - Rico Lamoureux. Ten years ago Rico Lamoureux left behind everything he ever knew and headed for the other side of the world in the name of love. Never could he have imagined what lay ahead. Faced with overwhelming obstacles under Third World conditions, he refused to return home without his soul mate and therefore remains among the harsh environment he describes as “the complete opposite of the Land of Opportunity.”

With so many years having passed, Rico’s unwavering American spirit has kept him going strong, now using his passion for storytelling to pave the way towards a better future. As he says, “I’m writing my way back home, one pen stroke at a time.”

Welcome, Rico. Tell us more about your journey and work.

WERE YOU A GOOD READER AS A KID?

I fell in love with reading while in the sixth grade and have been happily married to the written word ever since. It was during a school contest, where you had to read as many books as you could. I never imagined it would one day lead me to becoming an author of my own books!

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

The power it has to move people. To tell great stories, that might even open eyes to new perspectives.

WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?

I was a struggling Music Video Artist, armed with nothing more than a cellphone camera as I fought for opportunity. Music is one of the few universal things we have, and I loved combining just the right visuals to where the two became one. But the industry is based on who you know, so my six degrees of separation ended up being a few degrees too short I guess!

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?

I consider two of my writing achievements to be of equal importance when it comes to being the greatest so far. The first was becoming a published author. That first book contract was a representation of two and a half decades of putting pen to paper. And the second was writing my autobiography. Sharing the story of my diverse life. How my achievement of becoming a published author came to be.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

I’m nearing the end of my third novella, Starving for Genius. Sometimes dark, sometimes thrilling, the main character has taken me on a roller coaster ride as he’s teetered between brilliance and madness. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and believe my readers will as well.

WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?

I call the genre I write Erotic Substance. It’s a genre that allows me to visit any subgenre I wish. Drama. Horror. You name it. Story and character always come first, and just as in real life, human sexuality also comes into play. Not to be mistaken with ‘smut’, ‘porn’, or ‘dirty books’, I write stories that engage, arouse, and enlighten. I write Erotic Substance.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?

I’ve studied a number of different art forms. Filmmaking. Acting. Music. Martial arts. And to me, writing, storytelling, is among the best of them. I feel that same inner peace. That same blissful middle path between logic and creativity. This is my greatest joy in writing. And to know others take joy in reading my work, my artistry, completes my nirvana.

WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?

Absolutely. And I think it will be fun for readers to pick my brain by reading my autobiography and correlating it with the novellas I write.

HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?

So far, two, with a third on the way from my publisher, and my fourth to be turned in in the coming weeks.

DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?

All my novellas are professionally edited, with me giving final approval before the formatting stage. As for my autobiography, since I self-published it, I also did the editing. It was important for me to have my life story told in a conversational style, and since no one knows how I talk better than myself, I was the best man for the job.

IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE ENTIRE WORLD, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Actually, I believe I have the opportunity to speak to the world every time I write a book. Through characters, through story, I believe I’m providing readers the opportunity to walk in another’s shoes. To gain insight. To experience diversity. And from my perspective, that’s what life is all about!

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSETS AS A WRITER?

My diverse collection of life experiences, as well as my love for storytelling.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

I’m currently in an underdeveloped country, and as an American, I didn’t truly realize how great I had it back home until I left it all behind for love.

A decade older, a decade wiser, I’m hoping for the opportunity to return home, with my wife, in the near future.

It took my whole world being turned upside down to realize what I was meant to do in this life. And ever since, I’ve never let a day go by without putting pen to paper.