We’re deep into The Dragon’s Call Giveaway Event and today Author David D. Haskell
has graciously joined us. Please check out the interview, then head to the event and join in the giveaway below!
K.W. – Thank you for joining us! Please tell us a little bit about your works.
D. Haskell – My full name is David Deane Haskell. I wrote my first four nonfiction novels as David Haskell, but I decided recently to go by my full name. Wounded Angels, the book I am launching as we speak, is my first nonfiction book, and the first of any of my major works as David Deane Haskell. We’ll see what happens with my next fiction book, which is coming relatively soon, but I think it will also carry my full name.
Since I write both fiction and non-fiction, some have suggested I go with a pen name. I’ve never really felt comfortable with that, though because my style—my brand, if you will—is about authenticity, and being as real as I can. So I am who I am, and I don’t think I’ll be writing as anybody else.
So as I said I’ve published four novels so far, five counting Wounded Angels. My debut novel, Too Much Information is a suspense thriller about technological overreach and the security state. My latest, a science fiction book called Emergence, explores AI, robotics, and the clash between humanity and technology—I published that one in 2019, which put me a little ahead of the curve when it came to the A.I. revolution, and there’s still more to come on that front.
K.W. – So how did your writing journey first begin and what inspires you?
D. Haskell – I’ve always enjoyed writing—creative writing in particular. I took a creative writing course in college that I got a lot out of. The teacher was really cool—a bit of a disheveled, cynical guy, very much the typical writer-professor. But he was also really easygoing. His class was small, and we did a lot of experimental writing. Still, I never really considered writing as a career until the indie author boom in the mid- 2010s. That’s when I saw a real opportunity—a way to learn the craft and jump into an industry that had always felt locked behind gatekeepers. So I worked for it. I participated in the indie scene for a good six or seven years. My first book was published in 2014, and my latest—until now—was published in 2019.
Then came a long story: a really disheartening five-year writer’s block. That block finally lifted around January 2024. After five years of struggling, suddenly, I could write again. The floodgates opened, and I did a ton of writing throughout 2024. Now, here I am in 2025, getting ready to publish all of it—and still writing. That leads into what inspires me. During my writer’s block, I did a lot of deep spiritual and emotional healing work. I had been in a really dark place around 2017, 2018, and 2019, even while I was still publishing. But over time, I developed a new outlook—one rooted in self-love and self-healing.
At this point, I’m inspired to write both fiction and nonfiction that encourages people to believe in themselves, to heal, and to stay optimistic—especially in times like these, when the world can really wear you down. I think being an optimistic writer isn’t a bad thing. That said, I’m not afraid to write whatever comes to mind, even if it’s dark and cynical. Some of my past and upcoming works have extremely dark elements—including Wounded Angels.
K.W. – Can you walk us through your process? · How do you approach writing a new book?
D. Haskell – My approach differs depending on the book. When it comes to fiction, I have a lot of partly formed ideas, which I tend to jot down in a Word document. Many of these ideas sink to the bottom of my mental “mainframe,” so to speak. But the ones that keep holding my interest—keep growing—I start working with more actively. At a certain point, they take on a life of their own, and I begin to see them as actual books. Usually, by the time I’m 15 or 20 percent into a story, I know I’m going to finish it—although that’s not always the case. I’ve had a couple of books that I wrote and then literally forgot about, which I’m now polishing up and publishing in serialized form on Royal Road, just to get more of my work out there. But for my main published projects, that’s generally how my process unfolds. The nonfiction book I’m putting out now, Wounded Angels, was an entirely different experience. I never intended to write it. I didn’t even want to write it. I never thought of myself as a nonfiction writer—I always saw those kinds of books as dry, informational, and lacking creativity. But in the middle of my own personal struggles, I suddenly felt compelled to start writing it down one day. Over the course of last summer, Wounded Angels came to be. Then I sat on it for six months, waiting until I was truly ready to put such a vulnerable, raw piece of myself out there for others to see.
K.W. – Who or what are your biggest influences? · How do you stay inspired and creative?
D. Haskell – My biggest influences are the big sci-fi guys—Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. For the classics, I really liked Michael Crichton—not just Jurassic Park, but some of his earlier and lesser-known works as well. One book that really stuck with me was The Andromeda Strain. It was assigned in my high school biology class, and I was the only student who actually got through it. I loved it. Everyone else struggled to get into it, but for me, it was fascinating. That was before Crichton became really famous, too. I also love Stephen King, John Grisham—those well-known pop-culture writers, I suppose. But I’m also a big fan of Elmore Leonard. And I like some movie scriptwriters as well—Aaron Sorkin, the guy behind The West Wing, for example. And Quentin Tarrentino.
As far as how I stay inspired and creative, that’s a great question. I do creative things beyond writing. I’m a musician—I play drums and even performed professionally at Disneyland Tokyo for a long time. I’m also very into mindfulness and meditative lifestyles, though not straight-up ‘sit there for an hour’ meditation. More like being reflective in nature. I have a grounded and structured morning routine that includes exercise, time in green spaces or a beach, and time spent away from devices. I’m a very early riser for some reason, so that helps. When it comes to inspiration, I go with the flow. Some days, I don’t write at all—and that’s okay. I don’t beat myself up over it like I used to. I still do a little, but I try not to. And when inspiration hits, I ride the wave as far as it takes me. Yesterday, for example, I had an amazing editing day. It just flowed all day and I kept going and going. I did deep dives into something like twelve chapters of a book I’m fixing up, which is way beyond the usual for me. But that’s rare.
K.W. – What are some common challenges you face? · How do you overcome these challenges?
D. Haskell – My biggest challenge would definitely be writer’s block. And obviously, that’s completely soul-crushing. Five years of being unable to write anything—and I was really trying. So many times, I thought, Maybe I should just give up. Maybe I should do something else. Maybe writing isn’t for me. But I just couldn’t quit. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to write anymore, that somehow I was just kidding myself, but looking back, I realize I had to reach a certain point in my healing work before I could see myself as good, see my work as good, and believe it was worthy of being put out into the world. That’s what turned things around. That’s how I overcame those challenges. Actually, I go into this in depth in Wounded Angels—everything about the challenges I faced and how I overcame them. In fact, I’ll give you a couple of examples from the book right now:
“Even with this inner dialogue going on, and with all I’ve learned from them, I still can’t bring myself to read my own work. I get such resistance and shame from any hint of imperfection. Then, in a panic, I get desperate to fix it, perfect it—but it’ll never be. I know that. So I can’t even look.”
“And you know what? Even if there is a perfect sentence, or a perfect paragraph, something that resonates beautifully, somebody out there is going to think it sucks.”
K.W. – How has the industry changed since you started? What trends do you see emerging?
D. Haskell – Well, I think trend-wise and industry-wise, you can’t deny that technology has just gone off the hook. It’s amazing and useful, but also subject to misuse, which we have to be careful about. A lot of junk is getting published, which dilutes the whole thing and damages the reputation of indie authors. That’s the downside. But on the upside, for example, I’m doing voice-to-text writing now. Whenever I come up with an idea, I just grab my phone—it’s always in my pocket—and start dictating. I can take my keyboard, work on my phone, or carry my computer around. Of course, I can’t do everything on my phone, but I can do a lot. That said, I made the mistake of buying a big, unwieldy laptop. It’s a great computer, but it’s heavy, and since I’m traveling, it’s interesting how much the technology that enables freedom can also weigh you down. Still, it’s a blessing. The kind of productivity you can achieve with modern tools is incredible. Not to mention, I was able to publish my book—for free—from the comfort of my own home, entirely by myself. That’s just mind-blowing. And while self-publishing has been around for a while, the technology keeps getting more refined. I’m also seeing a lot more support from the community these days—authors helping authors. Back in the early days of indie publishing, it was much more cutthroat. Everyone wanted their piece of the pie. Now, I think people are realizing that there’s enough room for everyone. Everyone can have their day in the sun. And that’s a good thing, because I believe people deserve to be heard.
K.W. – What advice would you give to other authors?
D. Haskell – My advice to anybody—not just authors—who are struggling creatively, or in any way, really, is don’t give up. Persistence can be the last thing that gets you through when all else fails. Setbacks will happen, difficulties will arise—life is life. But if you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to it when you can—after you’ve had a moment to breathe, after you’ve done a good deal of self-care, grounding, and doing what you need to do—you’ll find your way forward. And enjoy life, too. That’s key. It’s not all work and no play. That’s a dangerous way to be. I’ve learned that. Actually, no—I haven’t learned that, because I tend to do all play and no work more often. But hey, that’s the lifestyle I’ve chosen. Or at least the one I’ve fallen into, anyway. There’s no specific advice for authors, except be yourself. Own your voice. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Go with the flow. If you have an idea, run with it. Don’t try to push yourself into some other category just because you think that’s what people want to hear, or that’s how authors are supposed to sound.
K.W. – What is your favorite character you’ve written and why?
D. Haskell – Oh, that’s a tough one, because my favorite character is in a yet-unpublished book—which seems a bit unfair, or at least a bit of a tease. His name is Marco Rossi, the main character in my upcoming Forever Young-style Fountain of Youth book, 51-1. He’s a bit of an alter ego for me, and he’s still coming to life as we speak. That book is definitely coming, though I’m not sure if it’ll be the next one you see. Right now, I’m focused on Wounded Angel, but 51-1 is on the horizon. As for my published books, I’d have to say Alex, my main character from The Emergence. He has a really great arc—it’s quite the hero’s journey. I like the way he came to life and took on a personality far beyond what I originally expected when I started writing. So yeah, in terms of published books, Alex. But Marco is kind of my favorite overall. I really have a soft spot for all my characters, though—including myself. I guess I could say I’m my favorite character, but that’d be way too self-indulgent.
K.W. – Are there any upcoming projects you’re excited about? What are your goals for the future?
D. Haskell – Well, Wounded Angels is the first of what will probably end up being three standalone but related personal stories. In addition, I have two major fiction works coming out. The one I already hinted at, 51-1, follows a haunted researcher attempting to get back to a past he regrets. He’s desperately searching for a way to defy time itself and make it happen. Then there’s The Vibrants, which explores AI/human interactive creativity, and the enmeshment of the spiritual and technological into something entirely new. It’s very topical, considering everything happening with AI, ChatGPT, and how people are navigating their creative impulses—using technology to enhance or, in some cases, allow them to atrophy. My goals for the future include publishing all of this, obviously, but also reaching the people these books are meant for—both my fiction and nonfiction. More and more, my work seems to be coming together into a kind of hopeful future, healing energy sort of framework.
K.W. – Give your website where people can contact your and any other additional information you want people to have in order to reach you.
D. Haskell – I’m easy to reach. There are a few other writers named David Haskell out there, but I’m the one and only David Deane Haskell. My unusually spelled middle name makes me pretty distinctive. You can read more and contact me at daviddeanehaskell.com—feel free to reach out there, sign up for my mailing list, or just send me an email at daviddeanecreates@gmail.com. Most of my social media is under @daviddeanecreates, so that’s another easy way to connect. I really appreciate the opportunity to be here and share a bit of my journey. Thanks so much.
Website: https://daviddeanehaskell.com
Email: mailto:daviddeanecreates.com
Wounded Angels: https://celestialbreadcrumbs.com
David Deane Haskell blends sci-fi with a deep dive into the human psyche. His stories are known for their introspective characters and thought-provoking themes, set against vivid futuristic backdrops. David weaves personal reflections into his narratives, creating a reading experience that feels both expansive and deeply personal. Now, with Wounded Angels, he’s sharing his own real-time journey of healing and self-discovery. If you’re looking for fiction (and now non-fiction) that explores the inner world as much as the outer, his journey might just resonate with your own.
