THE PEOPLE
The lives behind Mike Harris Stories
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MY CHARACTERS
I was asked in an interview, "What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from another gender?"
Of course, that is an issue for all storytellers. No matter who you are or how you identify, you can only truly understand one person. You.
And that is not merely an issue of gender. That covers every aspect of our humanity.
I worked in community care for many years. It taught me that I cannot truly 'get' anyone else. Heck, I have enough trouble trying to sort myself out! How can I honestly represent someone else supposedly 'like' me, let alone someone who has lived a vastly different life? Just because I identify as a middle-class white-ish Gen-X hetero bald man doesn't mean I can represent any other white man or hetero Gen-X'er. Sure, I have some characteristics like people who look like me (thankfully, there aren't many of them ... though I often get told that I look like Paul Kelly's twin). Yet, one significant thing I've learned is that there is no one else like me ... and that is a good thing for Planet Earth!
Likewise, no one atheistic, black, Buddhist, female, gender-fluid, lesbian, trans-human, dog, cat, zombie or extra-terrestrial lifeform can truly represent anyone else, no matter how much you think you are like them. I can never represent you 100%. And you can never represent anyone else lock, stock & barrel. And that is something to celebrate. Our individual diversity should make us stronger together (sadly, in the name of "diversity," our world seems to be getting more polarised).
So, the characters in my stories are my creations. That's why it's called fiction. It's make-believe. It's not true. Yet, my characters are flavoured by the people I've known during my life. No one character in my stories is based on any real person. They are all formed by adding different ingredients from the amazing (and not-so-amazing) people I have experienced life with or even simply listened to.
And I've learned that my stories are never as colourful as the reality many people have lived.
So, to all those wonderful people I have been privileged to do life with so far (and especially those who've graciously allowed me to interview them in depth for my stories), thank you for multiplying the experiences I can throw into my literary blender. After adding my secret herbs & spices, voila! Your story is served.
MY PEOPLE
Firstly, my indescribable gratitude & immeasurable appreciation to KJ, my most ardent fan, my greatest critic, and love of my life. Despite battling stage 4 cancer, she always reminds me how amazing this story called life can be. Thank you with all of my heart & soul.
Thanks also to my parents (aka Mum & Dad), Brenton & Susan (and Max), and Liz & Grant, who collectively sheltered me during the fiercest storm in my life, and then actively encouraged me to live my dreams in this adventure of storytelling.
I am alive to dream & write stories because of my wonderful GP, Doctor Phil, who persisted until he found the deadly cause of my symptoms in 2018. Phil is one amazing person; how rare to find a doctor who will go into his office on a weekend & write a painkiller script at no charge - thank you for everything you've done!
I also owe an unpayable debt to the medical staff at the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, including the medical imaging & surgical teams who located & removed my cancer, my fabulous oncologist, Doctor Matthew, and the most awesome nurse in my world, Dianna
Just as important from the story side are my Alpha readers - you know who you are. I am privileged to have story-lovers across the globe, of different ages, genders, races & creeds, help me in the early stages of my stories. Your input is invaluable. Thank you, now & forever.
I also owe a huge thanks to Kit Carstairs and her colleagues at the Manuscript Appraisal Agency. Aspiring storytellers, have your manuscript appraised by them. They are brilliant at what they do - improve your story and your ability to tell one.
Thanks also to Peta Webb at Crysalis Media. Peta did a fantastic job tweaking and polishing my first published novel, 'The Dream Walker'. If you are after an editor, I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Finally, I must ascribe my greatest thanks to the One who empowered me to crawl through the valley of the shadow of death & guided me to the mountaintop on the other side. That's where I found KJ. And on the ascent, I was inspired by a dream to launch into this world of storytelling. So an eternal 'thanks' to the One who died so I might live this amazing adventure called life & tell stories as I do.
