Dream of Siam

Steven G. Williams is a novelist based in Hollywood, California, USA. Steven has travelled extensively in Asia, he is currently located in Thailand. Steven's website can be found at www.stevengwilliams.com.





Part 1 - Life

Your home is Hollywood, California, but you seem to spend a lot of time traveling in Asia, so how often do you get to visit home these days?

I don't get to visit very much at all, actually. I have been working here in Asia for the last 2 years and have only been back one time. I initially came for 6 months and it has been two years now.

What is it about your home that you miss when you are away?

I miss family and friends the most. It is hard to be away when your family has some problems or you miss some successes that friends have. You tend to miss being there for both moments.

Are you now a full-time author or do you have other work?

I am a full time author but I still have other work. You really have to look at it that way. Writers get stuck in the classic situation that I call "writer's box." You have to write but you have to make money to survive as well. How you balance that can be an art form or a prison sentence.

What was your background before becoming an author?

After I graduated from University, I was a musician. I played in a progressive heavy metal band for years. That was my first love. I still consider music the foundation for my creativity. After that, I was a business owner before I moved to Asia. I owned a small insurance brokerage firm. Talk about an impostor. But the people I met during that time were a huge influence on my life for the better. I think it did wonders for my attitude and work ethic.

Was your transition to becoming an author a struggle?

The biggest struggle I faced was the defocusing that occurs when you have to live two lives. One is the life that you want and the other is the life that keeps you going and pays rent. When I work, I work quickly so the time for me was really not the issue. What was the issue was being on a roll and then having to get up and be somewhere else. It derails your train of thought.

You said you'd recently read Po Bronson's 'What should I do with my life?'. What was it that drew you to reading that book and in what way did it change your life?

Reading this book was a true turning point in my life. I found that book at a time when I needed it the most.  I was still in LA in job that was damaging me so severely psychologically that I started having all these ghost like medical problems like pain in my jaw, etc. Even though the money was good, the 9-5 thing goes flatly against my wiring. Sooner or later, we all have to face who we really are and what our real desires are, for better or worse. I found the book at a small shop while wandering around on Sunset BLVD near my apartment. There are many myths about what we are "going to do" when we get more money, or get a promotion, or magically have more time or space or freedom. This book shatters those myths and proves that it does us no good whatsoever to get on roads that we think will lead to other roads. I have thought so much about this I have come up with a simple equation that sums up that book:

X leads to x.

X does not lead to y.

This book spurred me to take the steps necessary to put the wheels in motion on things that I truly care about. I realized that the myth of making money first and then doing what you want is just that, a myth. The belief in this myth was one of the major hurdles that I had to clear in my life. I call it the ultimate time waster. 

You mention on your website (www.stevengwilliams.com) that you find music an inspiration. What kind of music do you like and who is your favorite band right now?

I am a guitar guy so I tend to like bands that are still guitar centered. TOOL is my favorite band. The lyrics and music are exactly what I need at times. I still enjoy the power and volume of KORN as well. It is a shame that I wasn't in LA when they needed a guitarist. I love 7 string guitar. I like anything that is thinking man's metal. Rock and roll has to be loud for me. One of the things I worry about is how all these bands are going to survive in the failing music business. If I can ever figure out a way to help, I will.


Part 2 - Asia

When did you first travel to Asia and why?

I had a friend in Taiwan and that was it. I came to visit once and knew I wanted to live there. I still love Taipei and Taiwan. I hope to go back there this year. Taiwan is very special to me.

Have you spent much time in Malaysia and what were your impressions of it?

My time in Malaysia is limited to Penang. It is a mixed culture that could be a blueprint for the world to come. I do hope they get some better food there soon. The food I ate was awful.

You are currently living in Thailand. Is that a temporary visit or something more permanent?

With all that is going on here, it will be temporary. I try to go through this life speaking frankly and the fact is: They don’t want us here anymore. For whatever reason. All these new laws aimed at getting rid of foreigners over visas and occupations are quite clear in their intent. What is so ludicrous about all this are these ridiculously expensive condos that are going up aimed at retirees from foreign countries. The government foolishly believes that people are just going to come here and hand over all this money and basically live in a country that they have no rights in, is utterly gridlocked, and getting more dangerous by the day. All these outrageous malls weren't built for Thai people. The naiveté here is almost childlike.

You also mentioned you'll be traveling to Shanghai, can you tell us something about that trip?

Occasionally I work with companies on their presentations and business communication. That trip would be for work. Of course, Mandarin is my second language so I would work on that as well. I am pretty rusty after being in Thailand and Japan for the last year and a half. Unlike many writers, I still like to get up on stage so I enjoy putting on presentations.

You wrote a piece recently that was fairly critical of Thailand. There was also a certain amount of frustration with many 'farangs' in Thailand being so gullible. Despite those misgivings, are there things you still like about Thailand?

Thailand still has a charm to it that is exotic. There are also some interesting people living here. I think one of the things that keep people coming back is that it has gotten so difficult that there is a certain satisfaction that comes when you go 3 months without a major problem. Also, some days it is just crazy living here so that keeps you interested.

What would you say is the best thing about living in Thailand?

Ease of use. If you need medicine, you just go to the pharmacy. If you need a cell phone, you just go to MBK. If you want to go out and have a wild time, that is there as well.

What are your thoughts on the current situation in Thailand with regards visas and foreign ownership regulations?

My thoughts on this are clear. You would have to be an idiot to buy a business here or come here for business at this time. If you already work for a large enough company and you are sent here, that is the only way that you won't get screwed. This government is putting itself in the position to confiscate property and capital if they desire. If you just look at what they tried to do to people bringing money into this country, that really sums it up. They didn't go through with taking 30% from everybody due to the uproar. But still, that should tell anyone with any brains what they want. They have now basically said you can't come here and have a business unless you give 50% to Thai Person X. They did this with the clear intention to force you to give money to someone they can squeeze. 50% ownership is not ownership, especially in a country as crooked as Thailand.

The visa issue is another indicator of their desire to get rid of foreigners. The visa basically says: it is ok for you to come here and spend money for a short time, but we don't want you here for anything else other than to give us money. And if we can't screw you with property or shakedowns or tying up your money then you can get the hell out of here. But hey, before you do, make sure you buy a $2500 Zegna suit at Siam Paragon before you leave. They couched it in that John Mark Karr nonsense, but that was just an excuse. Safety, legal workers, all that is just a smoke screen. I know too many people who have Thai wives, property, and Thai children that have been denied visas to ignore this fact.

And the backlash has already started. I have never seen Bangkok and Pattaya so slow. Now, the government said they would be "clarifying" some of the visa rules and I think they already relaxed some of them. But still, they are just testing limits. It is hurting business and travel so much that, of course, now they are whining and trying to get people to come here again. They just see foreigners as people they can steal from. They have no real interest in creating a fair place to do business, which they would make 10 times more money from than all these petty scams.  I worked quite a bit with Sunbelt Asia while I was in Bangkok and I can tell you without hesitation that the amount of foreign owned businesses here that actually turn even a small profit would be under 5%. The rest are just excuses to stay here or people who think they will somehow beat the system. The amount of businesses for sale here in Pattaya alone is shocking. It is nothing but a fire sale.  
 
Of the countries in Asia that you've visited, which one have you most enjoyed living in?

I enjoyed Taiwan the most. Great people, food, and a lot to do. I love the rainy weather too. Great Fung Shui.

Part 3 - Writing

When and why did you decide to become an author?

Becoming an author seemed to be a natural extension of the need to create. Frankly, the music business side of my life did not pan out the way I had hoped but I still felt the urge to create. My degree is in Journalism and writing and I have always been a huge fan of science fiction. I believe as a writer you really can't write effectively until your life has reached a critical mass of experiences. Then you can draw on those experiences to create that which is needed in convincing and engaging writing. A series of conditions were met and the author appeared.

Your novel, Wake of the Nightshade (the first in the Lanian Silver trilogy) was published last year. How did the idea for the series come about?

The series came from the sheer size of the story I wanted to tell. I pictured events cascading over a period of time that would allow the story to unfold naturally. I also wanted the reader to get to know the character on a level not usually attainable in a single entry. Then there are the other issues I wanted to discuss like dualism, how good vs. evil might look in the future, and the ongoing journey of religion.

Can you tell us a little about the plot for the book?

The book follows the events that are happening on the trail of the mystery ship, Nightshade. Lanian Silver is thrown into the middle of the action as he investigates what are apparent vigilante style murders that lead to one of the Galaxy's major crime syndicates. Along the way, we meet members of the IPF and learn about universe that has evolved from the one we now occupy. All of these events converge in battle in a remote corner of the Milky Way.

How long did the project take from conception to publication?

The main body of the story took over two years to write. It is 100,000 words. After that, it took another 4 months of going back and forth with editors to get it to where it is now. There were still a few typos that made it through, but they are being corrected.

You are currently working on the second installment of the Lanian Silver trilogy. Can you tell us a little about the hero, Lanian Silver?

Silver is still wide eyed at the universe that he lives in. He is the son of a prominent doctor and he chose to follow his own path away from his family and expectations. He is a highly accomplished martial artist who trained at one of the galaxy's best schools. But he is also a realist. If he can, he will simply take out a gun and blast you instead of doing a bunch of fancy moves. Silver is still an optimist. He is not like many policemen who become dark and disillusioned. I think that story has been told enough times. He believes in what he is doing and lives without regret. Because of his extensive training, he has what Buddhists would call "right understanding" of the world he lives in. Good and Evil will always be battling for the hearts and minds of the people so he just does his part and does it well. He chose the side of good without any false expectations of defeating all evil or saving everyone. This knowledge gives him strength without the fatigue that comes with constantly battling to get to the top. Silver knows that there is no summit to reach. There is no utopia available to us on this level of existence.

You are quoted as saying that one of the underlying concepts in your novel is Dualism. Could you give us a brief summary of what that means?

This is one of the most important concepts in the book. In so much of the Sci-Fi out there, it goes like this: Computers wake up and kill everyone. The Matrix, Terminator, and so many other stories. But I wanted to ask, what if computers did wake up, but they did good things? Or they did things that were questionable, like we do. What if they did the wrong things for the right reasons? What choices would they make? Dualism is what happens when bad causes good and good causes bad. In the book, a computer, or mind as I say in the novel, wakes up and avenges a murder. In the process, many people die. Was it right? That is for the reader to decide. 

You mention that Dualism is especially present in Asia. Could you give some examples of that?

Asia is getting a new rich class that is being trumpeted far and wide. As I live here and have traveled extensively through Asia, I can tell you that a lot of that wealth was created by stealing, exploiting, and abusing others. There are guys driving brand new Mercedes through Beijing being interviewed by financial magazines while their employees work for slave wages and then die when the mine collapses because the owners cut corners on safety. There are people buying apartments and homes with money they made from stealing music, movies, and software. There are people who got jobs working for multinational companies being paid American salaries in 3rd world economies who fire 60 year old maids because they asked for a day off or an additional 30USD per month. I have seen it with my own eyes. For some inexplicable reason, Asian governments and business people think they now have some inalienable right to steal anything they can from America, Germany, and Europe. Yes, Asia is changing and some of the wealth has been made through positive means, but there is simply too much exploitation going on to consider it the success it is marketed as by governments and the media.

Are there any science fiction authors you particularly admire or who influence your writing?

Frank Herbert's Dune is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the English language. I also thought the first Matrix was one of the best Sci-Fi stories I have ever seen. I have to be honest in that I don't read much of other people's work because I don't want to be influenced too much. There does come a time when a person is no longer in input mode and switches to output mode.

You are planning a book on Asia. What can you tell us about this project, such as the nature of the book and its likely release date?

This is a scary project. The book will be based on true events that I am struggling to verbalize. In this endeavor, I will have the help of a strong and steady hand. That hand is attached to a body and the body is attached to a brain. The brain has free will and volition and we give that entity a name. I can't reveal the name at this time.  I hope that this important work will be released towards the end of this year or the beginning of the next.

Do you have any advice for aspiring novelists?

Don't wait. Finish it and stop poking at it. Get whatever you have out there. The path to becoming a writer involves only one step. That step is the decision to act.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Yes. Always remember, it is your movie!


Many thanks to Steven for taking the time from his busy schedule to participate in this fascinating interview.