An Interview with Rodney Leon

Rodney Leon enjoys island life, though he also ventures to countries further afield and without any specific destination once there. Under the old adage, travellers don’t know where they are going and tourists don’t know where they have been. Rodney hopes he falls under the former category. His love for St Gilbert’s grows with every passing year. It may be a speck of land lost in the vastness of the Indian Ocean, but to Rodney it will always be the place to which be belongs and to where he will always return, even if only in his imagination.

Learn more at austinmacauley.com.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

After a lifetime of much travel I found myself housebound caring for both of my parents as they became infirm and afflicted with dementia. Watching their gradual deterioration was very depressing but to be able to be an effective carer I needed to maintain my own well-being and, as a way of mental respite, whenever I got a brief break I imagined myself far away on a beautiful island having adventures with great friends. Writing my book was my own mental respite. I actually felt as if I was there, on St Gilberts, and that the story was happening in real-time all around me.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I have been a training consultant in behavioural (soft) skills and an intercultural trainer and coach.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title came to me in a flash of inspiration.

Blue Water Blue: Blue for the sea and blue for the diamond while ‘water’ refers to the clarity of a diamond and also the sea.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

It would probably have a lot of Sega music on it. The music you hear on the Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles and Mauritius and, of course, some slow, sexy love songs.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope my story helps its readers to escape to a beautiful place where bad things may happen but ultimately, love, good friends, and a strong sense of community solidarity can succeed over self-centred greed.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Getting an acceptance letter after a run of refusals.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

If my story finds a loyal readership then I have plenty more, even darker island adventures, in mind to challenge my hero and his small band of friends.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.