A native of Michigan, R. G. SHELTON grew
up in a blue-collar family of General Motor's autoworkers. He
trained as a construction pipefitter before pursuing other career
objectives until he made the determination to become 
a
writer. His formal education had long ended before he had decided
to begin writing. Some people consider it being self-taught.
But he prefers to say that he read books, fiction and every how-to
book he could get his hands on. The Writer's Digest Book Club
and his neighborhood bookstores provided the instruction he needed.
R. G. proudly says, "I have been tutored by the best
… Al Zuckerman, Sue Grafton, Anne Lamont, and a couple hundred
other experts who have shared with us their skills and knowledge
about writing."
Currently, Shelton lives in Scottsdale, Arizona
with his wife, two adopted dogs, and an infinite number of books.
When not writing, R. G. Shelton is an active business consultant,
helping companies become publicly traded on the stock exchanges,
makes golf clubs for PGA TOUR players as well as weekend hackers,
does public speaking about writing and publishing, and enjoys
a glass or two of fine red wine or micro-brewed beer.
R. G. SHELTON is the author of two novels, both
published by WLA Publishing, Inc. When We First DECEIVE, was
published in late January of 2002. A multi-generational saga,
it is the foundation of a run of mystery novels. He has begun
writing, R.I.P. (Rest-in-PEACE) the sequel, and the first in
the 
series. The second
of his books, CLOSURE was released in March. It is a mystery
novel, showing a strong unveiling in the world of whodunit. Mr.
Shelton joined forces with Taylor Productions to write a screenplay
for a feature length motion picture followed by a television
series about a Safe-Haven for victims of spousal abuse and their
legal options. Shelton is unique and refreshing with a writing
style that accentuates the drama, the twists and turns, and the
courtroom action. While writing for Travel International, a magazine
for the travel industry executives and employees, he also wrote
a book on how to successfully run a franchised business operation.
His biography appears in Who's Who in America.
"…told with passion and sincerity…
-- Warner Bros.
Pageonelit.com: Where did you grow
up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were
your earliest influences and why?
R. G. Shelton: I grew up in America's
conservative Midwest. Not unlike many other youngsters raised
in industrial cities, I was being directed toward working in
an automobile manufacturing factory but my heart and my mind
wanted to do something else. During this era of fighting myself
over my career decision crisis; reading and writing were not
a big part of my life
My earliest influence was John Steinbeck. Grapes
of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, East of Eden, and
everything else that he had written. However, my formal education
had long ended before I decided to begin writing. For people
to understand my mindset I need to make my point by illustration.
If someone wants to be a great mechanic, they need to find the
person or persons who taught Mr. Goodwrench and learn their expertise
from them. I simply put effort into finding out who is the best
at what I want to do. I now know who the top magazine-launching
consultant is in the United States, who also restructures magazines
to make them profitable. Do you want to know who he is? E-mail
me and I will get you to him. Do you want golf clubs 
made
by one of the top clubmakers in the world…A PGA TOUR clubbuilder?
Email me. Do you need to find one of the top brewmasters in the
world? E-mail me. Do you see what I am saying? I find out who
is the best in their field and learn from them. Therefore, under
the same scenario, I set in motion my education on novel writing.
I began to read lots of fiction, and every how-to book I could
get my hands on. The Writer's Digest Book Club and my neighborhood
bookstores provided the instruction I needed. I have been tutored
by the best … Al Zuckerman, Sue Grafton, Anne Lamont, and
a couple hundred other experts who have shared with us their
skills and knowledge about writing.
Pageonelit.com: Why do you write?
R. G. Shelton: On a day when I was
listening to a radio show, I heard a quote that went something
like, "I hope that when my life is almost over I can look
back and know that I have lived." It may have been a quote
from Rudyard Kipling … I am not sure. I began to think about
what I would be leaving behind on a permanent basis. Some dollars?
A house? Memories? Etc? All of these are good and well, but one
hundred or two hundred years from now they will be non-existent.
Writing a book was the answer that would fulfill my dilemma.
What we put in writing is for all future generations.
Pageonelit.com: Tell us about your
two books CLOSURE and WHEN WE FIRST DECEIVE.
R. G. Shelton: CLOSURE is my first
mystery novel. An excerpt can be read on my web site at www.rgshelton.com.
Here is a mini-synopsis:
Twenty years have past since the brutal murder
of Jacqueline Webbingham. Not finding the killer has built up
two decades of venomous hostility in her son, Trey, the man seated
as Wyoming's governor who refuses clemency to any hardened criminal.
He must find the murderer and send the degenerate straight to
hell. Finally, a suspect is in custody. The trial shatters his
expectations and shocks the people of Cheyenne when testimony
reveals that Stanford Webbingham, Trey's 
father
may be the real murderer.
If the evidence proves to be true, will he still
enforce the death penalty? With the power of life or death in
his hands, can he authorize a lethal injection and kill his own
father? Will the relationship with his lover, Sara Cummings,
the assistant prosecutor, who presents to the people a sure case
for capital punishment survive corkscrewing twists and turns?
Can Trey live with himself while another dose of toxic rage spirals
downward until it impales the area of his heart where his mother
still lives? Will solving the mystery bring closure? Or more
death
My first novel, WHEN WE FIRST DECEIVE is a family
historical saga … A novel that sweeps the dramatic events
of three decades, across three continents. It tells the story
of an unforgettable man who chooses freedom and love over his
true legacy. An excerpt can be read on my web site at www.rgshelton.com
Here is a little overview:
Lord Alfred Manchester's veins flow with royal
blood. Although born in England with every advantage of wealth,
privilege, and power, he feels his life is deficient. He holds
all the dreams and fantasies of living in America, where he can
evolve through the rest of his life with the freedom to make
his own personal choices and not from a scheduled, dictated,
noble, structured, "You must do this, and you must do that."
To achieve his goals he must sin against his country, his family,
and his heritage. Triggered by traumatic events while serving
in the Great War, he fakes his death and flees to Canada to begin
his second life as Henry O'Bannon. He falls in love and marries
Elizabeth, the daughter of a United States Senator, whose hate,
bigotry, and cruelty of the deepest kind cuts their bond of marriage.
Henry follows Elizabeth to Texas, determined to
restore his family unit. His children carry the blood that gives
them the right to inherit the ruling seat and their rightful
riches. The pressure heightens. It hurts him to deceive his wife
and children. If he does not disclose the truth about his treason,
he may lose his family. If he does reveal his secret, he will
risk dying a second death ... this time for real.
What has been your feedback from readers and book
reviewers regarding your books? What do they like about the
books?
Here are a few quotes for WHEN WE FIRST DECEIVE.
Readers are saying that they like the story and that my writing
style is somewhat different than the norm.
"…got
me hooked. …a natural born story teller." -- Jacqui
Bennett
"Compelling … A great read."
- John Taylor, Taylor Productions, Ltd.
"…told with passion and sincerity…
-- Warner Bros.
"A few of the reviews for CLOSURE reveals
somewhat similar comments about enjoying the story. Others have
all said they loved the courtroom drama; while others said that
they never guessed the ending but loved the curves I took them
on to get them there."
"…a master storyteller." - Jenny
Hewitt,
"…couldn't put it down." - The Book
Rack
"If you like surprise endings … You
will love this book." - The Jared Company
My novels are available through my web site at
www.rgshelton.com; as
well as most retail stores and outlets. Online at http://www.amazon.com/;
http://barnesandnoble.com;
and wholesalers, Ingram and Baker & Taylor, etc.
Pageonelit.com: Tell me about your
publishing experiences -- ...
R. G. Shelton: It really began after
submitting my manuscript to one of the largest literary agencies
in New York. The agent who began the process sent it out for
readings. About two months later, she said that all of the readers
loved it and she was sending it to another level. After reporting
that it had passed the second test, I did not hear from her for
many weeks. I called the agency and found out that she had been
transferred to another position and all of her files were turned
over to a rookie agent. I spoke to the new person who sounded
just over the legal age of an adult and she said that she had
read it and thought it was good but that she only really liked
Faulkner. I said that I thought her job was not to decide whether
she like a book or not, but the job description of an agent was
to find product that their company could sell to make money.
It died.
Then through another person, a top representative
from one of the big publishing houses was handed the same manuscript.
Same thing as before. They reported that all of the readers loved
it. It went up to the top level, and for eighteen months they
could not decide whether they were going to publish it or not.
So I submitted it to seven small presses and received six contracts.
I decided I needed to get it into print, begin distribution,
and see what happens.
My books have only been out a few weeks but WHEN
WE FIRST DECEIVE has been
submitted for consideration of a 2002 PULITZER PRIZE nomination
for: Distinguished Fiction by an American Author. And the committee
members for consideration of the EDGAR AWARD are reading CLOSURE
for Best Paperback Original. Some of the top people in Hollywood
are reading my novel and its screenplay. Sometimes we have to
figure out how to accomplish our goals and then perhaps we can
get some attention from the big houses.
Pageonelit.com: What's next?
R. G. Shelton: I am writing the sequel
to WHEN WE FIRST DECEIVE. It will be the first in a series of
mystery novels. The Prologue can be found in the back of each
of my novels.
I have other writing projects; a golf book, a possible
biography, and who knows what else.
Pageonelit.com: What was the last
book you read?
R. G. Shelton: LAST MAN STANDING.
I have a dozen authors that I read everything they write, but
Baldacci captures me every time.
Pageonelit.com: Do you have any hobbies?
What are they? How do they enhance your writing.
R. G. Shelton: Yes. Golf. Travel.
Nobody is a stranger. I talk to people on elevators.
And if you ask me 
to
be a guest speaker you had better give me a time limit or figure
on spending the night. I listen and learn from everyone. The
foods I eat. People's customs. The news. Everything is a story.
