Lyonel Doherty
Times-Chronicle
Danial Neil will never forget the captivating stories his dad used to spin, describing all manner of wild characters that left him enthralled.
Then one day he started telling his own stories which have now filled the pages of 22 novels.
Where did the time go? No doubt lost in worlds of mystery and intrigue.
The Oliver resident began writing books in 1987 after deciding he wanted to be a writer.
“I read something about creating your own circumstance, so I began to cultivate a dream of writing books and having them published.”
Growing up in North Delta, Neil got lost in Jack London’s books, specifically Call of the Wild and White Fang.
He wrote journals and poetry in high school, but often thinks back to when his father used to tell those mesmerizing stories growing up in the mining town of Hedley.
“He read to us books like Three Against the Wilderness, Grass Beyond the Mountains . . . Canadian classics.”
Neil took creative writing courses in Langley where he raised a family, often sneaking away to write when the kids were in bed.
“I wrote after work and on weekends until my retirement. I am a Capricorn, so I plodded along, never quitting my dream, never giving up (despite the many rejection letters).”
Neil entered writing competitions and began to win poetry contests as well.
In 2007 he self-published his ninth novel, The Killing Jars, and the month he retired in January 2009 he found a publisher for Flight of the Dragonfly.
Then in 2014 he published my June, and in 2015 The Trees of Calan Gray. Dominion of Mercy is Neil’s 19th novel published by NeWest Press. It tells the tale of headstrong Highland lass Mary Stewart who is forced into the world’s oldest profession to provide for her ailing father and younger sister.
Stewart is given a one-way ticket to the frontier town of Anyox, B.C. where nurses are needed to care for injured soldiers returning from the war. But she soon finds that surviving here is more challenging than even the darkest streets of Old Town Edinburgh.
“Writing is my passion. It is so much fun. But if you want to succeed, then one ingredient is essential: commitment and discipline to go the long haul,” Neil said.
The author noted the more you write and read the better your writing becomes.
“It grows stronger with life’s experiences. I didn’t want regret by stopping. That made me keep writing.”
Neil was influenced by authors Margaret Lawrence, Sinclair Ross, and Cormac McCarthy. His favourite novel is The Shipping News by Annie Proulx.
Part of Neil’s success came from paying attention to what the marketplace wants and what publishers are looking for. “Create a story that the world needs to hear. Draw from the experiences of your life.”
While some beginning authors may be daunted by research, Neil said research is “magic.”
“The things you learn from research is one of the rewards. It makes your life richer.”
Neil encourages beginning writers to write something every day, although he admits that is not always possible.
Neil also advises writers not to judge their work so much.
“Trust you have something to say that no one else can write down like you.”
Sit down and clear your mind. Invite the muse. Sounds a little simple, but it works for Neil, who never struggles with writer’s block.
Of course, not all of your work will win prizes.
“That is too much to expect. But enjoy the journey, and you will have no regrets.”
Readers can find Neil’s books at most book stores, on Amazon, Chapters and at NeWest Press. Many of his books are in Okanagan libraries, too.
