Interview With Wesley Banks!!!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I just recently moved from Florida to Oregon, with my wife and two dogs (Story and Link). I spend most of my mornings writing by the Deschutes River (if it’s nice out). Otherwise you can usually find me somewhere outdoors reading, hiking, skiing, and the like.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

Hope In Every Raindrop is about a writer (Katie Price) that struggles with writing after losing her father. She finds an old box of his stuff and sets off on an adventure that takes place in a small town in South Carolina. While searching for her story, she meets Kyle Walker and Doc Anderson who raise a very rare breed of dog. Between Katie, Kyle, and the dogs, the book is about finding hope when it seems like all may be lost.

Using one sentence can you describe Hope In Every Raindrop?

A best-selling author (Katie Price) who struggles to find her next big story until she happens upon America’s rarest dog breed and the man (Kyle Walker) that raises them.

Can you share an excerpt from Hope In Every Raindrop?

Katie moved her hands across the cover and binding, feeling the granular canvas cover and depressions that had been created by folding the cover back on itself over time. Her fingers moved slowly, as if she were searching for a trap door or secret chamber that would unlock another world.

She opened the book hesitantly, bending the cover back and angling the pages towards the light that crept in through a crack in the roof.

As she started to read, she heard the barn door creak open.

Shit. Kyle is back.

She slammed the book shut and shoved it into the drawer without thinking, almost knocking the lamp over as she quickly stood. The boards creaked again as she moved across the loft and towards the ladder. Too late, she realized her error.

Was the book inside the drawer, or on the table when I found it? He’s going to kill me.

Katie took the steps two at a time as she nearly slid down the ladder and out of the loft. But when she reached the barn floor, she was alone. The barn door wasn’t open any more than when she’d first arrived, and neither Kyle nor Doc were anywhere in sight. The dogs weren’t stirring, but they were still alert, eyes fixed on her movement.

She brushed some timber debris off her hands and bent over halfway to sweep off her jeans. That’s when she saw him.

Standing just inside the door where his black fur blended in with the morning shadows, was King.

He knew. She could see it in his eyes. But maybe he didn’t care, because once he saw her he came trotting up to her. He opened his mouth and his tongue fell out to the side, panting as he rubbed his shoulder against her leg like a cat.

Katie held her finger up to her lips. “This will be our little secret.”

She turned sideways and slipped back through the barn door the same way she had come in. The rising sun had just peaked the horizon. At the same time that she looked to the east, Kyle came jogging around the corner. Shirtless.

Sweat dripped down his chest and arms. His shoulders were wider than she had realized, accentuated by the v-shaped taper of his torso. His stomach was taut and her eyes followed it down to the line of his jeans, hanging just below his waist.

It occurred to Katie suddenly that maybe Sam wasn’t so far off base after all. Because…wow.

He wasn’t wearing a hat, either. It was the first time she’d seen him without one. His hair was dark brown, almost black. Short on the sides, and just enough to run her fingers through on the top. Katie moved to take a step towards him—except it wasn’t a step at all, because her foot caught on a small rock embedded in a patch of clay and she tripped. She tried to break the fall with her arms, but she had been too distracted to recover quickly enough. As she hit the ground she let out a soft whimper, her shoulder driving hard into the dirt.

Kyle paused and looked down at her, stopping several feet away.

"There's a storm coming in," he said, walking past her and towards Doc’s house.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Katie remarked sarcastically as she stood up, brushing herself off for the second time that morning.

Or maybe Sam doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about.

Have was it to publish your first book?

Terrifying and exhilarating, but probably more on the terrifying side, haha.

Do you have a favorite spot to write?

Now that the weather is incredible, I’ve been spending a lot of time writing by the Deschutes River.

When writing do you outline first or just write?

I outline first. I use something similar to what a lot of people call the Snowflake Method.

When not writing or reading, what's your favorite thing to do?

Pretty much anything outdoors. I like exploring new parts of the world that I haven’t yet seen.

What's one random fact about yourself that you can share?

Hmm, that’s a tough one. I guess I could say that my favorite food is probably country fried steak. And actually, I really want some now that I’m thinking about it.

What writing projects are you currently working on?

I am working on my next book, which will be another stand-alone novel in a similar genre as Hope In Every Raindrop. Can’t give away much more than that just yet 

sey, and his two dogs Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.

Author Bio

Wesley Banks was born in 1983 and grew up on the west coast of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. After spending over 7 years building movable bridges from Florida to Washington he decided to focus on his true passion: writing.

Wesley recently moved from Florida to Oregon to get back to the great outdoors that he’s love so much. He lives with his wife Lindsey, and his two dogs Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.