Interview with Roger Seiler of Master of Alaska (GIVEAWAY)

What inspired you to write Master of Alaska?

My father, Ed Seiler, was an Alaskan bush pilot - I grew up in Alaska. Dad had read a biography about Aleksandr Baranov, Russia's first governor of Alaska. I was at the UCLA Film School then, and he told me that after I graduated, I should make a film about Baranov because it was such an engaging story. In fact, my father did such a good job of telling me the story, that I didn't even read any of the Baranov biographies until much later. When I did, I realized this story would indeed make a great film. As a filmmaker I wrote a screenplay, which I found too limiting for the scope of this story. Thus, I went ahead and wrote it as a historical novel, MASTER OF ALASKA.
 

How long did it take you to write your book?

Seven years, including a lot of research. Baranov and others who worked with him had written extensive letters and reports that were sent back to Russia. He made copies of every one of his correspondence in case the originals got lost at sea (a lot of ship wrecks!). His original backup copies were in the archive in Sitka when the U.S. bought Alaska. Eventually these records were translated into English. I got hold of these translations and they gave me an excellent sense of the man and his times. I also read the numerous biographies of Baranov. Each of these biographies had a somewhat different slant on what happened during his rule of Alaska. Bringing the research together took a while to find the right approach to telling this story and making it come alive.

How long have you been publishing your work?

Five years:  MASTER OF ALASKA, my second novel, was published in September 2016. My first book, NAKED THINKERS was released in 2012.

What does your writing environment look like?

I do most of my writing in my grown son's former bedroom. Winston is a geologist, and the walls are decorated with a lot of photos and maps from his outdoor adventures, which I find inspiring.

Do you have any routines to help you write?

I start writing first thing in the morning right after breakfast, and just keep going until I run out of steam. Sometimes that's can be 11 o’clock at night! Most of the writing time is spent in self-editing and re-writing. I usually get started with an outline using the three-act structure as a guide. I particularly enjoy doing historical fiction because it involves bringing real people to life in the reader's mind. To do this typically means creating dialog that is true to the character and is true to the times and situation. That's a lot of fun for me.

You can find out more about MASTER OF ALASKA on the book's website, MasterOfAlaska.com. If you register your email, you will be entered for daily drawing to receive a free signed copy of the paper book. Also during the blog tour, the e-book of MASTER OF ALASKA is only 99cents at the link below. Just click on: http://www.masterofalaska.com 

About the Author 

Award-winning filmmaker and author Roger Seiler grew up in Alaska from age three.  His love of adventure comes from both his parents. His father Edwin was a civil engineer eventually becoming an Alaskan bush pilot. His mother Josefina was born in Puerto Rico and was a writer and Alaskan sport-fishing lodge manager with the hobby of Flamenco dancing.  In his late teens, Roger was a king salmon sport fishing guide on Alaska’s Naknek River, and also a commercial salmon fisherman in Bristol Bay.

He attended Deep Springs College and graduated With Honors from UCLA with a BA in Theater Arts - Film. His first film work was for UCLA’s Automotive Collision Research project, including a film for TV, “Safety on the Road,” which he wrote, produced and directed. While attending UCLA, Roger also worked with actor Karl Malden and famed director Francis Ford Coppola.

Roger worked for IBM for several years as an in-house filmmaker involved largely in producing and directing motivational films for employee conventions. He has made over 30 documentary films. His IBM film, "The Inner Eye of Alexander Rutsch" had a special screening at New York's Museum of Modern Art and won the CINE Golden Eagle Award, as did three of his other films, "Frontiers," "Challenge Over the Atlantic," and "Strategy of the Achiever."

Roger currently lives in South Nyack, NY with his wife Sally. Roger is a devoted reader and supporter of libraries. In 1977 he was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Nyack Library (Carnegie funded in 1879) and has continued to serve for 40 years, 16 as Board President. Master of Alaska, a Historical Novel, is his second book and whose publisher North Face Publishing is subsidiary of Motivational Press Publishing.

Roger reading from his book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBgh3nraTrY&feature=youtu.be

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MasterAlaska 

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=master%20of%20alaska

Website http://MasterofAlaska.com

On Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qrLNQQ  

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Master+of+Alaska?_requestid=312472

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31921257-master-of-alaska?from_search=true

GIVEAWAY

Award winning Filmmaker and Author Roger Seiler is giving away EACH DAY one SIGNED hard-copy of his Historical Novel MASTER OF ALASKA during the virtual book tour June 12 through June 30. Register at Roger’s website: https://www.masterofalaska.com/contact  – Good Luck!