Book Feature: WIngs by Pete Abela - Author Interview

Hey guys! So today, I'll be featuring an author and his book on my blog! Wings was published on 21st May as an ebook by Really Blue Books. This is his debut book.

Wings by Pete Abela

Wings tells the story of Walt and his grandson Scott, who both have a fierce longing to fly albeit in vastly different circumstances.

Walt - who grew up in the depression - found out first hand that becoming a pilot takes sacrifice and tenacity. When World War II broke out he pestered the RAF for eighteen months before they finally accepted him. At that point he was given forty eight hours leave to marry his sweetheart and then sent overseas for twelve months of training before returning for operational flying.

Scott spent his childhood listening to tales of his Grandfather's aerial exploits and developed an intense craving to be a pilot. He gave up education, financial security and a possible career to follow his dream. However, the number of people wanting to be a pilot vastly outweighs the limited opportunities on offer.

Wings weaves together two tales: one set in war-torn northern England, and the other set in the modern-day Illawarra region of New South Wales. As Scott learns about the sacrifices and difficulties Walt overcame to take to the sky, he battles his own challenges in order to follow his dream. As Scott progresses, his grandfather declines - Walt loses his wife, his sight and his hearing - but throughout these difficulties is still there to offer support and encouragement. In following Scott's progress towards his dream, Walt also keeps alive the wonder of his own youth. With insights into the modern day aviation scene and life in the Royal Air Force of World War II, this is a must for anyone who has an interest in history, aviation or simply an old fashioned love story.

Buy it from Amazon | Really Blue Books(Cheapest) | Paperback Copy from Createspace

Pete Abela

My home is in the state of NSW, Australia. I am married and I have four children. When time permits I try to keep fit by running slowly, playing bad golf, bad tennis or worse soccer (I used to play half decent cricket, but had to give it away because it took too much of my time). I don't watch much television.

In addition to my writing, I have a career as an IT Manager and also completed a Master of Arts (Theology) degree whilst I was going through my journaling phase.

Website | Blog | Facebook

And now, let's welcome Pete as he joins us for an author interview!

Hey! It’s lovely to have you on the blog today! So, shall we begin? J

I’m ready to go!

For starters, why not tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?

I’m an author from the city of Wollongong, just south of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. I work as an IT Manager and am fortunate to have a wonderful wife and four great children.

Something not many people know about me is that in addition to my degree in Computer Science, I also have a degree in theology. I also have a desire to get a hole-in-one at golf, although to date, I have not come very close to achieving this!

What made you want to become a writer?

My writing journey began when I commenced a journal around ten years ago. I found it a useful and therapeutic practice which helped me make sense of day to day life and get a sense of perspective. I found it amazing when I read over my journal to see the things I’d been worried about six months ago. In most instances these “problems” had simply vanished.

I found that I enjoyed the process of writing, so I progressed from journaling to an autobiographical account of my late teens and early twenties. It hasn’t been published, and it’s unlikely that it ever will be.

When I finished that, I started thinking about what else I could write. Wings is the result.

Do you have any hidden talents? *wink*

It used to be writing, but now that Wings has been published, that talent is no longer hidden. My wife would say that my ability to walk over or around a mess on the floor without noticing it is a special talent.

What gives you inspiration for your book(s)?

Although Wings is a novel, I did draw inspiration from two men I greatly admire. The first is my grandfather who was a fighter pilot during World War II; the other is my younger brother who is a commercial pilot with a major Australian airline.

Are your characters based off real people, or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

As mentioned earlier, Wings does draw some elements from my brother and grandfather, who I consider them both to have lived through fascinating, unusual and difficult circumstances. However, a large chunk of the book comes entirely from my imagination.

Could you tell us a bit about your book and why it is a must-read?

Wings tells the story of Walt and his grandson Scott, who both have a fierce longing to fly albeit in vastly different circumstances. Walt - who grew up in the depression - found out first hand that becoming a pilot takes sacrifice and tenacity. When World War II broke out he pestered the RAF for eighteen months before they finally accepted him. Scott spent his childhood listening to tales of his Grandfather's aerial exploits and developed an intense craving to be a pilot. However, the number of people wanting to be a pilot vastly outweighs the limited opportunities on offer.

Wings weaves together two tales: one set in war-torn northern England, and the other set in the modern-day Illawarra region of New South Wales. As Scott progresses, his grandfather declines – Walt loses his wife, his sight and his hearing – but throughout these difficulties is still there to offer support and encouragement. With insights into the modern aviation scene and life in the Royal Air Force of World War II, this is a must for anyone who has an interest in history, aviation or simply an old fashioned love story.

What do you love most about the writing process?

The best thing about writing is when I get in the zone … when I don’t have to consciously think and the words just flow out.

The thing I like least is that I get in the zone so rarely. J

I think the last time it happened was 21st October, 2010. In between times there’s a lot of persistence required in order to churn out a decent work.

And of course, do you have a particular favorite character? I know an author will love most if not all of the characters he/she creates, but I’m sure there must be a favorite of yours! So who is it, and why?

My favorite character is Walt. A big part of my enjoyment of creating his character was trying to put myself into his shoes seventy or eighty years ago. To bring to life someone engaging and believable from such a different time and place was a fun challenge. I enjoyed recreating the dancehalls, workplaces and general village atmosphere of 1930s England and placing Walt at the centre of it all.

Will you tell us a little about your plans for the future, and maybe other books that are in the works? (Ideas thought out, perhaps even a rough draft?)

I’m working on a book about a single, twenty-eight year old, dysfunctional IT geek still living at home with his parents. He gets roped into being a regular babysitter for his two year old niece. He grudgingly accepts this role. After some initial difficulties, he grows to enjoy it and she serves as the inspiration for him to sort his life out – although not without a few catastrophes along the way.

And now, just some little random questions!

Favorite colour?

Blue

Favorite place?

I may be biased, but I think NSW, Australia is the best place in the world to live.

Favorite book?

Impossible question! My favourite book so far this year has been Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. Is that answer good enough?

Favorite genre? (and why, if you like)

Probably military history. I like the action combined with the opportunity to learn about another time and place.

To end off, is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

I’d love to hear any feedback and can be contacted via numerous methods:

·         My website: http://www.peteabela.com.

·         My blog: http://blog.peteabela.com provides weekly thoughts about reading, writing and goals, as well as some bad jokes.

·         I’d be ecstatic to have people like http://www.facebook.com/PeteAbela

·         On Twitter: @PeteAbela

Hmm, I think that should be about it for today! It was a pleasure to have you on the blog today! Wishing you all the best in your career! :D

So yep, that's about it for today! I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for visiting:)