Hello Raymond
Thank you for stopping by today.
Tell us about The Elephant's Grip
I had a general idea about how the story should end, but plot scenes unfolded as they were being written. Most of the ending came about owing to plot developments. I had read several books about how to write a successful novel. That really helped. It has five star reviews on Amazon. And, it was recommended by US Review of Books
Historical figures (Lincoln, Horace Greeley) are used to cement the pre-Civil War era in a reader’s mind, but the principal characters are all fictitious. Members of my family speculated that I might have been the story’s old-time prospector, Roscoe, due to my background and knowledge of mining.
I, like many others, fantasized for years about writing a novel. Upon retirement I had the time. I came to realize that if I was ever going to actually do it I had to sit down and make myself “put pen to paper”. Finally, after much procrastination I worked for two years on a computer and did it. To avoid distractions and to stay on task, the final month was spent alone in a motel out of town.
The title of my book (The Elephant’s Grip) includes the word “elephant”. It’s in the sense of a large and powerful force. The “elephant” is a metaphor for gold, which has a powerful grip swaying the characters in the story. It could just as well have been “gorilla” in the title.
A message of the book is that the lust for gold gripped people in the opening of the American West to the extent that they did unconscionable things to one another and to the indigenous tribes. An attractive Black woman, who had escaped from slavery and become a singer in a cabaret, influences the protagonist, Jeremy, to have more humane and civilized values.
And tell us about you.
I’ve never given an interview similar to what is done by celebrities or politicians. However, I’ve had many job-related interviews. Some were on live television. Also, an oral life history of my jobs and experiences was recently recorded by my professional society (American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers). It’s soon to be publicly available on the internet. Following such interviews often there was a pleasant and satisfying release of tension.
I enjoy most all drinks: beer, wine, hard liquors included. On the soft side, hot cocoa is hard to beat in the cold of winter. Iced tea with a slice of lemon from a tree in my backyard is best in the summer. A Starbucks latte will do anytime.
I’m a relaxed person with acceptance of a broad range of opinions, differences, and circumstances. Over the years my inner fire has cooled to permit wide tolerance. However, my temper can flare upon provocation.
It wouldn’t be honest or accurate for me to say which season of the year is best. I have different but important feelings about all four. The onset of each has distinct virtues: Spring – new life and regeneration, Summer – freedom and liberation, Fall – crisp and necessary preparation, Winter – release and decline. But skiing in the Colorado mountains made winter close to wonderful.
My favorite book is a professional one titled “SME Mining Reference Handbook”. I was the editor of its 1st edition and oversaw and synthesized the work of thirty-three registered professional engineers. It was published in 2002 and honored as an outstanding academic title by Choice, an entity of the American Library Association. It’s 2nd edition is the single title allowed during a States’ examination of engineers sitting for professional registration.
The Elephant’s Grip was published by The Wild Rose Press in 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Grip-Raymond-Lowrie-ebook/dp/B01M3QK28G
