Veteran iU author Hanes Segler talks about new novel!

Veteran iU author Hanes Segler tells us about his latest work, “Spoils of the Desert”!

My name is Hanes Segler, and I’ve written and published seven fiction works through iUniverse. The latest release is called Spoils of the Desert.

Spoils of the Desert follows two unlikely action heroes, a pottery shop owner named Mike Conner and his girlfriend, Sandra, on their trip to procure a new line of ceramics for Mike’s shop in El Paso, Texas. Unfortunately, and known to Mike, the same line of goods is also marketed to a North Texas drug trafficker—because his shipments have hollow compartments filled with cocaine. The ploy has worked well for drug lord Reynaldo Gomez, until Mike, dealing with a new warehouse manager, innocently buys a batch intended for Gomez…and the adventure begins.

For several days, Mike and Sandra dodge the drug lord’s henchmen and law enforcement officials, deal with wild animals and vehicle crashes, and contend with the harshest opponent of all: the Chihuahuan Desert. Along the way, the pair learn plenty about the illicit drug trade, survival among its players, and each other. (If you ever want to test your relationship with your significant other…)

I’m a native Texan, and I enjoy experiencing the widely varied environments this part of the world has. Texas has five cities of the top fifteen largest in the nation, and the state is second in population in the nation, but still has room for a lot of wide-open spaces. Having the longest border with our nation’s top illegal drug supplier, it’s a place for lots of criminal activity; thus, Texas offers a great setting for crime/action/adventure stories. All of my seven novels are set in Texas; six in modern times, and one, Patriot, is set during the Mexican Revolution in the early twentieth century. Being in such a diverse, action-generating area has definitely influenced my storylines.

I’ve always read a lot, and some years ago, I really got tired of every book’s protagonist being bigger, badder, leaping taller buildings, speaking more languages, and generally outdoing anyone the regular reader will meet in his/her lifetime. It seemed each new author had to outdo the current literary hero, to the point of absurdity! I thought readers might like a break from what I’ve dubbed that “James Bond” syndrome. I thought maybe they’d like to have their own little “Walter Mitty” experience with regular folks instead. So, in each of my stories, I’ve put ordinary people in extraordinary or dangerous situations, ones we read about every day in the newspaper. I use real cities and areas, real street names, real situations, and I hope my readers get enjoyment by being able to relate to characters who could be…them.

My latest release, Spoils of the Desert, is actually a re-write of my first book (same name, same cover, same story, but improved writing skills!) I like the tale and was proud of my first effort, but browsing through an old copy made me realize how much I’ve improved in the last dozen years, so I re-wrote it. Recounting that brings me to what I’d like to tell any aspiring writers: simply put your doubts aside and get started! I’m proof that anyone can do it, given enough persistence and attention to detail. I have no formal writing-related education, but if you start one of my books, you’ll finish it and, if you’re fair and objective, give it a pretty fair grade.

Everyone needs a fulfilling pastime, and iUniverse has some publishing packages that are more affordable than golf, fishing; or a secret lover; so just do it! Regardless of the outcome, you will never regret the effort and the experience. When you get that first book in your hands and look at your name on the cover…pretty cool.

I don’t do much marketing on my books; that’s my fault, my shortcoming. I’m a busy guy, work hard, travel a lot, and just don’t have an interest in flogging my work, although iUniverse has a variety of programs for anyone with the desire and personality to plug their stuff. For me, it’s a great hobby, and I get a lot of satisfaction from thinking up a good, credible story, building the characters, shaping an engaging dialogue, and working hard on the manuscript. Finally, when I’m down to the final polishing: seeing how to change some wording, add or hone a scene, build in another surprise…that’s really fun!

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