Oliver Frances Visits Pagan Spirits

The weeks leading up to Winter Solstice, Christmas, and then the New Year is a busy one. Still, every busy schedule needs a bit of built-in time for reflection and relaxation. For book lovers like me, there's no better way to relax after a busy winter day than to curl up with a cup of tea and a book.

Oliver Frances' "Heart and Souls" is an especially gratifying read at this time of year. There are three short stories in this little volume. They each read like fairy tales. The first two are contemporary, and the wonder and magic in them are the wonder and magic of everyday adult life, with its hopes, disappointments and triumphs. They are delightful, sweet, old-fashioned romances.

The third is a more traditional fairy tale. In it, Santa Claus is thinking about retiring. He's thinking out loud, half to himself, half to Rudolph, his faithful red-nosed reindeer. A mysterious visitor arrives to help the jolly old elf make up his mind.

BIO: Oliver Frances writes romance and mystery; also his work focuses on social issues.His short stories have been praised by fervent readers around the world, and some were published in Istanbul Literary Review. Frances is an economist who has traveled to many countries and, from these journeys, has learnt about social and economics systems.

Pagan Spirits had a chance to ask Oliver some questions. Here are his answers.

PS: What was the name of the first book you wrote? How did you get it published?

Oliver: Summer Love... Self-published at smashwords.com (To avoid query letters or finding an agent I decided to go on self-publishing and create my own publishing company.)

PS: Which do you find leads you to your best work: your triumphs or your tragedies? Do you write from joy or pain?

Oliver: Spiritual realization. In fact, all the books that I've written recently are spiritual ones or have a great content of spirituality. I don't write from joy or pain anymore. In fact, many years ago I believed that an author had to go through hardships to create a good work, but not anymore.

PS: Do you have a writing ritual? If you listen to music while you're writing, what do you listen to?

Oliver: I hear music--very light one because the deep is in my writing.

PS: Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

Oliver: At the very beginning, Latin American writers. After, Oscar Wilde (and you can notice it in some books that I've written), but recently some writings convey ideas of the result of the readings of Timothy Leary's book or a spiritual book (Brian Weiss' ones).

PS: Do you read for pleasure? If so, what kind of books do you like to read?

Oliver: Before I read anything that fell into my hands for pleasure. Now what I read is because of any researching that I do for a project or studies.

PS: If you were stuck on a desert island, which book would you want with you?

Oliver: The Little Prince.

PS: What project(s) are you currently working on?

Oliver: I am writing short stories in which are combined mystery with spirituality.

PS: Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Coke or Pepsi?

Oliver: Dark Chocolate. Definitely Coke.