This week I interviewed Visionary Author Daveda Lamont. Daveda is a fellow founder of the Visionary Fiction Alliance and the author of The Way of the Eagle.

On Spirituality

Have you ever had a spiritual experience, involving synchronicity, angels or Spirit etc?

Yes, I certainly have. Not long ago I wrote a blog of my own in which I related some of these. Here is a link to that blog article: “Unexplained Phenomena (Supposedly)” The most dramatic of these experiences was the manner in which I was saved from a potentially tragic auto accident on the road late one night in the middle of nowhere.

Do you believe in Angels or Faeries?

I believe that there are very good and capable (powerful) spiritual beings who do watch over humans and who occasionally intercede on their behalf with an amazing rescue, or information, or healing, or other kinds of help. Because “angels” seem to belong mainly to the Christian religious tradition in my own experience, and I honor many religious traditions, including those which predate Christianity, I am reluctant to outright call them “angels,” though I don’t at all object to others doing so. It is my reality that they do exist.

Do you believe you came from a different realm in a past existence? That maybe you were an Angel, a Faerie or a Starperson?

Truthfully, I think it is possible that all of us at some time or other were all of these. That is because our existence as spiritual beings goes back an unimaginably long period of time, and was not limited to Earth. I have a strong affinity for elves, faeries and faerie lore, which I can’t help but think comes from some very distant past experience. I don’t really know whether we had or have faeries here on Earth or not, but it seems like a possibility. I haven’t encountered any experiences with them yet in my counseling, but my short story, One Starry Night’s Dream, has faeries as characters.

Do you believe in life after death? Why?

I do most definitely. I believe that each of us – even those who don’t believe it – go on to other existences. Most frequently, people here on Earth take another body here, after we pass on. I believe this because in my Dianetic counseling, I have frequently encountered previous past lifetimes, some on Earth and some in other locations in the universe. 

Who is your favourite Visionary/Spiritual Author?

I confess to not being familiar enough with the field yet to be able to name one favorite with certainty. However, the first novel in this genre I ever read and loved years ago was Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and then Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. Right now, among the authors I know, I would give Sandy Nathan a big thumbs up. Among nonfiction visionary authors, my friend, artist Jon Soeder, is a favorite. He is a very gifted individual who has written visionary true stories out of his own experiences. 

On Writing

What inspires you to write?

I get ideas from the things and issues I care about. A very, very important one is that people come to know and understand their spiritual nature. I started my new blog, MagicalMysticalYou to forward that purpose. 

Do you schedule time to write or just when the inspiration takes you?

I don’t schedule time but I feel I should. Mostly I just grab time when I can justify not doing other tasks. I would like to be able to give it a much higher priority, and wish I didn’t have to work full-time in an office job for my living.

Where is your favourite place to write? What’s the view like from there?

We live in a 12-story apartment building that overlooks the great Hudson River north of New York City. My office window overlooks the river and the majestic wooded cliffs on the New Jersey side. It’s about a mile wide at this point. The river is ever-changing, so I see tugboats, barges, tanker ships, yachts, speedboats, Coast Guard cutters, even an occasional schooner and tall ship. It’s an inspiring view and I’m lucky to have it.

Have you ever fallen in love with a fictional character?

Yes! It started with Captain Blood (Errol Flynn) as a toddler and his long pigtailed hair. Little did I know that as a baby I lived right down the street from the director of some of his movies! Then there was Peter Pan in the Mary Martin TV production (found out later to my horror that “he” had been a “she”!). Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Sherlock Holmes in the novels, Dr. Innes in the Poldark series, the tragic young suitor in Howard’s End, George Emerson in A Room With a View; even, I confess red-faced, Spock. I could probably go on but that’s the quick list. 

Do you believe that your work is divinely inspired? That the words come from a higher source?

This is not a straightforward question for me, because one could consider that a higher source includes angels or any capable spirit who makes it his/her mission to help people here on Earth— not only God. I feel that my work has been divinely inspired, but not necessarily directly from God and not word for word. My novella was inspired by a very great spirit teacher whose name I do not know, but of whom I dreamed in Indian form. I do not feel that I am a channel for another’s message, per se. I write what is important to me. I believe in self-determination to the degree possible in this life. However, I do believe that other authors can be channels for spiritual communications.

On Life

Have you ever experienced the ‘dark night of the soul? If you did, how did you get through it?

I have. My contact with the beautiful and stabilizing truths I have learned from teacher and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard has brought me through several times.

If you won several million pounds in the lottery, what would be the first thing you would do?

Pay off all my outstanding bills! Then I would ensure the security of myself and some of my close family. Others are very successful and wouldn’t need that help, and for that I congratulate them on their skill and industriousness! After all that, I would probably gift some of my favorite charities.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I would love to first visit the British Isles. I’m certain I lived there “before,” what with my lifelong interest in things British and Celtic. 

On Indie Publishing

What motivates you to be an Indie Author? Is it the control? The possibility of making more money? Or just because you want to get your books out there as soon as possible?

My first push in that direction was an agent telling me that my story was too short to be sold to a publisher, especially for a first novel or in this case, novella. I had to make a decision whether to proceed on my own, and that decision that I made also turned out to be the decision to become an author. I like the control and the speed. I find the self promotional part very difficult, though, particularly because as a new fiction author, I really need to be spending a lot of time writing fiction and developing my skills as much as possible.

Where can we find you and your books online?

My visionary fiction novella, The Way of the Eagle: An Early California Journey of Awakening

My latest co-authored nonfiction, Becoming a True Champion: Achieving Athletic Excellence from the Inside Out: