An interview with Dennis Batchelder
01/09/2007 . Source: Michael Rhian Driscoll 
A cautionary tale, flavoured with Science Fiction, metaphysics and spirituality built on a foundation of self-reliance, otherwise called 'Soul Identity' is the debut novel by software entrepreneur/author Dennis Batchelder of Kent Island, USA. by Michael Rhian Driscoll
A cautionary tale, flavoured with Science Fiction, metaphysics and spirituality built on a foundation of self-reliance, otherwise called 'Soul Identity' is the debut novel by software entrepreneur/author Dennis Batchelder of Kent Island, USA.
The book is published by NetLeaves, 'a tiny publishing and design company which I started because I really wanted get my story told, but was frustrated by the difficulties of breaking into the publishing industry.' It's sold online through Amazon.com and some other sites.
The story is about Scott Waverly, a Kent Island based security consultant who encounters a mysterious group called Soul Identity, an organisation that tries to maintain a balance between the business and the spiritual side.
'It also shows that members [of the group] also have those same struggles. Some join for selfish reasons, or to find value in themselves, or to achieve relevance into the future. Hopefully the book makes the reader think about these questions.'
The origin of the book stems from a comment his uncle made about a spending spree. "'Coffins don't have pockets.' That got me wondering if we'd act any differently if they did. I thought about what kind of organisation would capitalise on those pockets: would it be a church, or a business, or both?"
Batchelder feels 'that the fundamentalist-religion approach we Americans take is dangerous - by focusing more on proofs and less on what it all means, we unintentionally limit our spiritual growth. I wanted to tell a story that exposes this problem.'
He was 'frustrated at what I see is the biggest downfall with the fundamentalist-style religion we practice. It keeps us so busy trying to prove that we're right (and everybody else is wrong) that we never focus on why the spiritual side matters in the first place. Instead of digging into ourselves to find the answer to questions such as 'why does my life matter' or 'what should I do about it', we avoid it with proofs and rituals and pat answers to find a way to get the point across.'
'Soul Identity' took seven months to write and a year to edit. In the process, it went from 142,000 to 89,000 words, 'and I had to kill an awful lot of my cool scenes, but my, it's gotten nice and tight.'
Then, when it came time for the book to see print, Batchelder went the traditional route, to no avail. Eventually, he considered various self-publishing companies with certain criteria.
'First off, I wanted my book to be returnable, so bookstores could be enticed to carry it (this is a big deal for American bookstores - if they can't sell your book, they can get their money back). I wanted my book to be comparably priced. I wanted the widest possible distribution. I wanted to give the standard 55% discount (so discount companies like Amazon could knock 20-35% off the price) and finally 'I wanted a high quality printed book that didn't scream "different".'
Unable to find a self-publisher to meet these requirements, he decided 'having my own imprint makes a lot more sense. Fortunately, my wife and I are both in the software business and we both get excited with the technical side of things. I also like the business side, so it might just work.'
So Batchelder and his wife became their own publishers. They created the book's distinctive logo of an eye that is calibrated with numbers 'because the eye is the window to the soul.'
'But the trick was to find something unique and non-hi-tech enough so that it could be done 2,600 years ago...the differences in the irises was what i came up with.'
Now that the book is out, Batchelder is upbeat but realistic. Hollywood hasn't started sniffing around, but 'hopefully, it will all pay off with a well-distributed, well-read, thought-provoking novel, and my story will be told. Or it won't pay off and NetLeaves was still the way to get 'Soul Identity' in print. Which is just fine with me...some stories just need to be told.
As to future plans, Batchelder says, 'I love my day job as much as I love writing. I'm a senior vice-president at a large software company and I love designing, building and taking to market great security software.'
He joked, 'I'd rather not mention my employer. No need to get them scared that I'll leave.'
But there's another story in the works, involving the search for some Nazi loot. Certain characters will also learn what happens when they make the wrong decisions for all the right reasons.
In the long term, he said his new company will probably not become a side career in electronic publishing. It's a means to an end, which was to get the book out there. Still, Batchelder is willing to help other authors realise their dreams.
'If you believe that you really have a story to tell, have written it down and cleaned it up and believe it's well-written, need some help in making it happen, are willing to bankroll the process and are happy to conduct 100% of your business with us via email, then give us a shout, and we'll find a way to work together to help make it happen for you too.'
To find out more about "Soul Identity," by Dennis Batchelder, contact Amazon.com, www.soulidentity.org BN.com and BookSense.com. For his websites: www.netleaves.com www.Soulidentity.org
Michael Rhian Driscoll
(c) Michael Rhian Driscoll. August 2007. All rights reserved |
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