Edward’s FAQ’s
Is your name really Edward Hancock II? Shouldn’t you be a Jr. if you’re a second?
Typically, the “Junior” designation is reserved for a son named after his father. I am not named after my father. I am named after HIS father, my paternal grandfather. My father’s first name is Ronald. In fact, my father holds the distinction of being the only Hancock male in 5 direct-line generations not to share a first or middle name with someone from a previous generation. As my name skips a generation, I am a second, not a JUNIOR. If my father had shared a name with his father, passing the name to me, obviously I would have been Edward Hancock III. But I’m just a second. I often joke that my grandpa was the original. I’m just a carbon copy. Realistically, that is nothing but a joke, as I’m nothing like the cowboy hat-wearing, sport coat-donning confident man with whom I share a name.
How long have you been writing?
It’s a pretty common story that I love to tell. I wrote my first short story when I was 9 years old. I have always been a bit ahead of my peers with reading and vocabulary. (I started reading at age 3) but that first short story was something special to me. As any proud child does, I showed it to my mother. She doted on it, as most supportive mothers do. So, I went to my room, grabbing a roll of my dad’s duct tape (Without asking... sorry, Dad.) bound it on one side and sold it to my mom for a mere 5 cents. I could make a million dollar sale tomorrow and nothing will mean more to me than that of my first fan.
What advice would you give to young, aspiring writers?
Far too much for a FAQ, but probably the most important is to approach writing the way Bruce Lee approached martial arts when creating Jeet Kun Do. “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is uniquely your own.” Too many aspiring writers want to be “the next…” (fill in author name here.) Don’t do that. The world doesn’t need another Stephen King J.K. Rowling, Dean Koontz, Edward Hancock II, J.D. Robb, Patty Wiseman, C.J. Peterson, or Stephenie Meyer. The world needs a first YOU. Be the FIRST you. And please, for the love of God, read outside of your chosen genre. Read voraciously outside of that genre. If you write fiction, read non-fiction, and vice versa. If you write murder mystery, read romance. If you write Christian Fiction, read thrillers, suspense and mystery. if you write romance, read biographies, suspense and YA. Whatever your genre, read outside of it. It will make your stories stand out and allow your voice to be richer. For far too long, writing has been about walls around genres. “ And Don’t dare cross over!” Thankfully, that is changing in the 21st century. More and more, authors are incorporating elements from one genre into their completely different genre, creating something new and exciting. The future of authorship is in blurring the lines. Some may disagree, but that is how I see it.
Are you really disabled? I’ve read that you have something called Spina Bifida. What is that?
The rumors are true. I was born with Spina Bifida. There are tons of websites available for all the technicalities of Spina Bifida, but it is a defect in the spinal column that can be minor to the point of going largely unnoticed. It can also be fatal under certain conditions, depending on the severity. It’s not contagious but it does mean I use a wheelchair for long distances. I’m not really any different from you. And it’s not a miracle that a guy in a wheelchair wrote a book or two. The wheelchair didn’t write the books. I did. Please remember that when you meet me at an event. If you don’t know how to act, consider this simple advice. Treat me as a human being. That’s how you’d want me to treat you, right?
What happened to your previous website?
It’s a very long story, but the short version is the web host site I used was bought out by another company. I could have migrated everything over, but I needed to start over. It was time. I hate that I lost some of my blogs, but it’ll be ok. I don’t blog very often anyway, as you’ll see if you stick around here.
What’s different about this website than your previous one?
The short answer to that is “not much.” the longer answer to that is sort of an abstract but true answer. I considered my previous website just that, a website. It was a place where Edward Hancock II, Author, could be an authory author guy and do all the authory author things. THIS website will be more of what I call a “web presence.” It will have a portal to things that have nothing to do with Edward the writer. For those who are curious and brave enough, it’ll be an opportunity to have a deeper understanding of Edward the man. There will be portals to things so very deeply personal to me, such as my love of genealogy,God and the United States of America.
Hey, Genealogy! That brings me to another question. I’ve heard you’re related to George Washington. Is that true?
2nd cousins 9 times removed on my mother’s side. Yep! Just waiting on Ancestry to call me for my “I’m related to George” commercial. Also 2nd cousins 9 times removed to James Madison and a distant descendant of Edward I of England as well as Charlemagne and Robert the Bruce. I share a cousin relation to the current British monarch, George III, several past US Presidents as well as many actors, actresses, producers, musicians and, yes, authors, poets and writers. On December 31, 2022, I crossed 45,000 distinct individuals in my family tree. And crossed 50,000 in early July, 2023! I’ve seen trees with 400,000 and even 700,000 individuals. I don’t know how they did that, to be honest but my hat is off to them. If I reach 500,000 distinct individuals in my ancestry family tree, I will truly be amazed.
You’ve written both fiction and non-fiction. What do you feel is the main difference between the two?
Keep in mind my experience with non-fiction is limited, but also very personal. My non-fiction books have all related to my family in some way. (And probably will for a while.) When you’re that close to the story, it really changes the perspective for you. With my first non-fiction tale, I didn’t technically even write it. My first non-fiction book was a collection of letters my namesake grandfather wrote while serving in the European theater during World War 2. I added historical context and commentary, but the letters were all his. It was an immediate reminder that non-fiction stories involve real people. My grandpa’s youngest sister was still alive when that book was published. She read it and wept because she enjoyed it so much. If I got a thousand five-star reviews every day for a year, her approval and pride in that story will still mean more to me. With fiction, you make the characters do what you want, for the most part. With non-fiction, you’re telling real stories. You’re recounting events as best as history records them, but there’s little room for the author to inject himself into the telling. The best you can do is perhaps in the area of voice or style. Some or all of the people in the story may be gone. But you owe it to them to tell the story with respect, even when adopting an informal tone. I love that my great-aunt was here to read my grandfather’s story. Now that she’s gone, all I have of her are my memories. Knowing that I was able to give a few of hers BACK to her before she passed in 2022 means the world to me. She was a fan of my fiction, but that story was hers too in a way. Just 10 years old at the time, she had lived through the reality of being without her brothers, 2 of whom had gone to war. I worried that the book would traumatize her… or worse, DISPLEASE her! In the end, it pleased and honored her. She passed away knowing her brother’s memory was eternal now. And she had faith that whatever family stories I tell from here will be told with class and eloquence. As an author, you can’t buy that that level of euphoric satisfaction. I’m grateful she got to see the book in print. I hope she told my grandpa about it when she got to Heaven.