[Interview] H. Peter Nennhaus,

H. Peter Nennhaus grew up in Berlin and graduated from medical school in Frankfurt in 1955.

He became an American citizen in 1961 and trained at various Chicago hospitals. He was board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery and practiced in Chicago. He began writing after retirement.

So far, he has published two books: Boyhood, The 1930s and World War II, Memories, Comments, and Views from the Other Side (Chandler House Press, 2002) and Quo Vadis, Israel? (Outskirts Press, Inc., 2007).

In this interview, Peter Nennhaus talks about his concerns as a writer.

When did you start writing?

My first unsuccessful attempt was in the 1970s when I was in my early forties. I am a bit of a philosopher and was investigating how one could give reason and good sense more political and constitutional power. It was highly intellectual but of course amateurish and, to no surprise, I found no takers.

Another casual attempt followed in the mid-seventies. My notes were not intended for the publisher but rather for my young son. The divorce brought it about that he was influenced against his father’s German origin. I began to write down some of my childhood memories in Berlin during the war. He was to read them once he was older and thus learn that he came from a very nice family indeed. These early anecdotes became the core of a book I published in 2002.

About the same time I was a university-affiliated surgeon. In that position publishing research papers was almost obligatory and that’s what I did and enjoyed the art of writing. But my real temptation to publish did not come about until my semi-retirement in the low 1990s when at last I had leisure time available and, more importantly, when we got our first computer.

I unearthed my childhood anecdotes for the sole purpose of practicing word processing. My new, wonderful wife urged me to publish them and so it was she who more or less inveigled me into writing. That project, however, involved years of research into the history of Europe during the early century, resulting in a considerable delay for that book to come out.

How would you describe your writing?

I guess, the way nature made me, I am a non-fiction and issue-related writer. There has to be a message and it has to be done in a scholarly way.

Also, I am a bit of an artist, painting landscapes and portraits. Influenced in that way, I attempt to make the narrative artistic in a way or pleasing.

Who is your target audience?

My first book was intended for the general public. The story takes place in WW II and it is both entertaining and informative and is a good read for an intelligent audience.

My present book, Quo Vadis, Israel?, could also interest the general public, but more specifically people who are concerned about anti-Semitism and in particular about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Here again, my investigation is issue-related and carries a message, i.e. a potential solution. It is thus directed to the widely scattered audience of those who share my distress at the ongoing tragedy in the Holy Land.

Who influenced you most?

That question has several answers.

There are fortunate people in this world who master the English language in an admirably beautiful way, one that makes you think you are listening to a concert. I own many of their books. I will never equal them, but they do inspire.

But it is not so much who inspired me as what.

If you have lived through much of the turmoil of the 20th century and survived it with your morality and common sense intact, you may feel as though having visited the wounded in a field hospital or even an insane asylum. You are never left without the desire to cure the disease, whatever its name. Of course, the desire to help the suffering is universal, but in my case there is another aspect.

As a physician, I have been trained not to judge and punish, but rather to make the correct diagnosis and find the right cure. As an example, for a physician, the rational way to deal with the terrorists is not to club them to death because they are evil, but to detect the source of their rage and remove it. Looking at the world the way it is operating in reality causes persistent frustration and it is that frustration, which is a powerful stimulus to explore and write.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

To a minor degree, in both of my books I was swimming against the stream of popular thinking, some may even mistakably think, against political correctness.

I am certain many of my readers, even well-meaning and friendly readers, will initially look up in surprise and say, “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”

Many have come back and said, “This was an eye opener, thank you for writing it!” but I am still under pressure to produce a text, which is flowing easily, is beckoning to read further, is conveying my sense of good-will and, above all, which is written convincingly.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

That is easy to understand, once you know about the early beginnings of my life. If you lived through World War II as a European, that war and its destruction, killing and destitution is never far away from your thoughts.

It is similar to almost all of the Jewish folks I know: For them, the image of the Holocaust is always present, it will never go away. But for me as well, even though the Holocaust did not touch my personal life, Auschwitz and anti-Semitism has been a persistent focus of wondering and soul searching, has to be, I guess, if you come from Germany.

Consequently, observing the fate of the State of Israel has almost been a personal matter for me. You want it to succeed, you want peace and normality to enter the Holy Land. My mounting concern that such will never come about was the reason for writing my latest book, Quo Vadis, Israel?

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

There are two of them.

One challenge is that English is my second language. Believe me, even after half a century, your fluency and the breadth of your vocabulary will never equal that of your mother tongue. Listen to Henry Kissinger or Zbigniew Brzezinski, two eminently erudite English speakers: you always know they are speaking in their second language.

A more serious challenge is the fact that years ago I suffered a stroke that left me aphasic. The recovery of my speech was miraculous, but perhaps only up to 95 percent. The last gloss, the old eloquence, they are still missing as is the automaticity of word finding. I know, that is a common problem for everyone, when we can’t remember a name or expression.

In the same manner, I know the word is there, I can almost smell it and, yet, it won’t come up. But for me, it is more of an impediment than for others and so often it makes me feel, while writing, as though I was slugging through rain-soaked pastures. The thesaurus is usually by my side.

Do you write everyday?

Yes, time permitting, I write every day. But remember, years passed between writing the two books. In that sense, I am not a professional writer who does this for a living.

I would write only when I think I have something worthwhile to say and then, as mentioned before, the writing starts only after months of collecting the facts. Once I am engaged in it, it is similar to cautiously jumping into treacherous water where I search carefully for a spot to safely jump in.

Usually it starts with making an outline, which may get changed several times. The actual writing begins only mentally, as several passages go through my mind during my daily activities until I finally gather all my courage together and start putting something down.

After that valiant move it proceeds more rapidly, just like you start swimming after you have plunged into the water. Nonetheless, progress is slow. There have been days when I wrote three pages before I give up, but often it is less than that. Even at that pace, that’s not the end of it. I will keep reviewing the text many times for weeks and still make improvements. I guess it is similar to painting the Sistine Chapel -- it takes a long time.

How many books have you written so far?

There are two books, or perhaps we can say, two and a half.

I mentioned my first book. Its title is Boyhood, The 1930s and the Second World War, Memories, Comments, and Views from the Other Side (Chandler House Press, 2002). It describes my youth in Berlin until the end of the war in 1945, at which time I was sixteen years old. It also contains numerous short chapters of political and historical background as an aid to today’s readers unfamiliar to the issues of that era. Frequently, public opinion among ordinary Germans is described and an entire part deals with the history of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust.

My second book was published November 30, 2007 by Outskirts Press, Inc. Its title is Quo Vadis, Israel? (Quo Vadis is Latin and means, where are you going? It picks up from the famous book Domine, Quo Vadis by Nobel prize winning Polish author Henryk Sienkievicz of 1896. Adopted into many languages, it is an expression that has been used to inquire about an uncertain future.)

In addition, I have extensively edited and expanded Boyhood. It is currently being considered by publishing houses for possible publication. Its new title is The Shipwreck of a Nation, German Memories.

How long did it take you to write Quo Vadis, Israel??

So that you don’t think I am out my mind creating such an outlandish concept, I have to tell you how the writing of Quo Vaidis, Israel? came about.

A cousin of mine traveled to a piece of land by the Baltic Sea presently called the Kaliningrad Territory. It caught my attention because during my childhood it was still part of Germany. It is the northern part of East Prussia and was annexed by Stalin after Germany’s defeat in 1945.

My cousin’s report was appalling. The land is stricken with all the social, economic, and criminal calamities you can think of. It is a “failed state”. There was even a rumor that the Kremlin wanted to palm it off to the EU. A sudden thought flashed through my mind: Imagine how prosperous that beautiful land would be, had, in 1948, the State of Israel been created here and not in Palestine.

The next day the thought came back: Could one bring Israel up there now? In spite of my dismissing such an absurd thought time and again, it came back day after day. Finally I said, okay, do a little research. That will prove that you are a fool and will kill the silly idea once and for all.

My research lasted eight months and to my utter surprise it showed the feasibility of such a land transfer and the huge, unimaginable benefits that would arise from it for all concerned. I decided, instead of casting the idea into the wastebasket I should at least publish it and then let the readers accept or dismiss it.

It took another three months to write the manuscript and after that over ten months of being turned down by all the publishers in the world. Finally, in July 2007, I heard about a print-on-demand publisher by the name Outskirts Press in Denver. There are other POD publishers but I did not bother to investigate, this one was fine.

It cost me $1,000 to get Quo Vadis, Israel? expertly printed with much advice and different options. There were subsequent costs related to promotion but it is still less than $2,000 altogether. Their advice and assistance for promoting the book was marvelous and keeps on coming. I wish I had a POD publisher available in 2001, when my Boyhood book was brought out by what was then called a subsidy publisher.

Which aspects of the work you put into the book did you find most difficult?

It seems the writing was the easy part. It was collecting the data that was hard but the internet is of immense help. I was disappointed with passing the manuscript around among friends for their critique. They don’t have the time or interest, trail off into trivial matters or are too polite to speak the truth. I found I was pretty much on my own.

Which aspects did you enjoy most?

The creation of the narrative, that’s it. It is similar to painting a picture when, after much effort and numerous corrections and improvements, you finally say, “Yep, this is it!” There is tremendous satisfaction.

What sets Quo Vadis, Israel? apart from other things you've written?

The subject matter.

Discussing the future outlook of the State of Israel in the 21st century is, of course, a world away from my childhood memories in a Berlin air raid shelter or from trying out my high school English on the first G.I. I met, still wearing a belt buckle displaying a swastika.

Yes, there were similarities. Both subjects share the sadness, the tragedy, the burial of goodwill under the rubble of violence, the bravery displayed on the battlefields of a wrong war, the rule of passion and the failure of the Ten Commandments, and there is so much more.

What will your next book be about?

Nice thought, a new book. There are no plans. Maybe I will find a subject that will intrigue not only me but everybody else as well.

What has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

My trophy shelf is not exactly overcrowded, but there is a stack of correspondence pertaining to Boyhood where you find unsolicited praise and gratitude for a story about the Second World War so different from what is generally known.

Perhaps the greatest satisfaction I received came from a Jewish audience some years back to whom I had spoken about my childhood experiences in the 1930s and 1940s as described in the book. They were “mesmerized”, I was told, and deeply moved. Many came forward with deep emotion to shake my hand and to say thank you. Not bad, for a German in a synagogue.

How did you get there?

Heavens, if I know. Just be yourself, I guess, and honest.

[Interview] Lyne Marshall

Lyne Marshall is a contemporary Australian artist who has exhibited extensively in Australia and overseas.

Her book, Gleaner or Gladiator: the struggle to create is a result of over five years' research into the creative processes that artists encounter. It is also a personal narrative of her own struggle to step into the creative flow and it showcases some of her contemporary landscape paintings and photography.

In this interview, Lyne Marshall talks about some of the factors that motivated her to write Gleaner or Gladiator.

When did you start writing?

I have always been creative, but I am primarily an artist, mainly painting in acrylics, and this consumes most of my time. I didn’t see myself as a writer until it was suggested to me, a few years ago, that I write a book about the creative process, based on my experiences.

I had begun to research this topic, a subject that intrigued me greatly, back as early as 2000, after a positive but challenging experience at a workshop run by a Canadian artist/tutor. I began to read a lot of books on creativity and began to collect bits and pieces of my writing into a series of folios. It was the personal incidents that happened during this time, and before, which interested me.

How did you make the transition from researching to publishing your book?

After giving it some thought, I began to consciously, but spontaneously, document experiences in the studio, with a book in mind. This is how the first chapter in my book, "Energy and Action", came about. I wrote it almost un-edited, which hasn’t really happened since. I felt it captured things so well and it was strong. I knew then I could go on to write a book.

I wanted to illustrate the book myself, with my own paintings, as they were perfect examples of how the creative process was working for me. So I set out to produce a body of art work at the same time. I also posted off a lot of proposals to publishers but in the end I self-published. I designed the book myself in Adobe In Design and used one of my paintings, which I had experienced a sort of spiritual encounter with previously, on the cover. I certainly had a lot more freedom in self-publishing.

How would you describe your writing?

My writing is intuitive and has a lot of synchronicity attached to it. I am finding I am getting better at expressing what I want to say as I work more. I write what is factual, which needs research, and I have no interest in writing fiction. Writing doesn’t come easy but neither does painting at times.

Who is your target audience?

I have always been aware of who my audience would be, but I thought the general public would also be interested in the creative process.

It turns out that other artists, in particular those wanting to go beyond the mediocre, really are inspired by my book. I guess this is what I set out to achieve when I began to write, but the response and some of the feedback has amazed me. It has been this feedback that encourages me to write more books.

In the writing that you are doing, who has influenced you most?

My experiences within the creative process, that have shaped my art, have also shaped my writing. I find Asian art and writing very poetic and contemplative. Also the works of Australian writers and painters can seem to have a raw edge, yet be refined at the same time.

My writing is all about personal experiences and is influenced by my own journey. So in this way my life influences why and how I write. I live in rural isolation on a farm, and this also gives me the freedom and time to write.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My book is about an elusive process, based in factual experiences, and I want it to be seen as an art book and valuable to the industry. However it has been categorized and interpreted by a few as self-help and new age, which is a little disconcerting. I think this is because I am writing on the spiritual in art, which is concerned with profound thought, that which moves us away from mediocrity.

There can be a lack of understanding at times. But these are isolated cases and I try not to worry about it all too much.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I want to write another book that goes deeper into the spiritual aspects of creating. I am not sure what form it will finally take. I guess in some ways I am back where I was seven years ago, collecting experiences and data. However, my career in art is pleasantly time-consuming. I exhibit at major art fairs with Art Clique and I have to juggle all my creative pursuits. I have decided I won’t force my next book, but let it evolve in its own time.

How many books have you written so far?

Gleaner or Gladiator: the struggle to create is the first book I have written although I have had my art published in several coffee table books, with poetry which was not my own.

Art Clique Projects published my book in 2007, with the help of a Regional Arts Development Grant to illustrate it.

Gleaner or Gladiator is an art book with a difference in that it explains the process behind creating art. It examines topics like motivation, influences, inspiration and synchronicity. It offers ways to step into creative flow and deal with the issues of everyday life for a creative professional.

Do you write everyday?

I find I do write a little a day, but not always on my new book. I write profiles for my art, and exhibitions, and articles to help publicize my book. I recently wrote an article for a two-page magazine spread.

I always write in the morning and paint in the afternoon. I stop when I have had enough or I want my work proofed before I continue. I am fortunate that my husband had some training as a proof editor and he always challenges me to expand on something that is not clear to him. I try not to think of all my projects, and time issues, so I don’t become overwhelmed. I just make sure I allow enough time for deadlines and keep tapping away at it all.

How long did it take you to write the book?

Gleaner or Gladiator: the struggle to create took about a year to write but followed on from about five years of ongoing research. It was printed in Brisbane, Australia, and launched in February 2007. Although I was initially disappointed that I had to self-publish, as the book wasn’t picked up by a publisher, it was in the end, the best thing that could have happened.

It was an expensive book to print, being 80-page full colour, but it has well and truly paid for itself as sales are ongoing. In producing the book my art has grown tremendously, and this combined with the book itself has moved my career as an artist forward. So in the end it was a good career move for me to go ahead even without a publisher.

I market the book myself and have managed to get it in quite a few bookshops. I find it sells well in Public Art Galleries and Art Supply Shops. Some of these venues are constantly restocking. Marketing is time consuming and bookkeeping ongoing and it does eat into my creative time. I try to prioritize all my projects and allow adequate time for writing and painting. I do plan to have a publisher for my next book to reduce this ongoing level of activity that comes with distribution.

Which other aspects of the work you put into the book did you find most difficult?

To write a factual book about the creative process, I had to write in the first person. It was hard writing about myself, using 'me' and 'I', and giving away things that are not only personal but hard-earned. I just said to myself ‘get over it’. I think what you give out comes back and I like the fact I might help someone else on their creative journey.

Which aspects did you enjoy most?

This book is an honest account and I like that aspect. I like being honest and I also like a challenge. Deciding how to lay the book out was certainly that, and it was exciting seeing it come to fruition. I remember collecting the book from the printer and looking at the finished article for the first time. I said, rather stupidly, but in awe, ‘It’s a book’. I don’t know what else I was expecting.

What sets the book apart from other things you've written?

It is my first book. Everything else I have written has been for an exhibition or a project. This is much bigger than anything else I had ever attempted to do before. It was also the design aspects of the book that were different and a huge learning experience.

In what way is it similar?

I have always written factual statements. This is just a more convoluted version of other writing and an extension of writing about my art. It is easy writing about something you are passionate about. What is not easy is keeping the momentum going.

What will your next book be about?

I am writing on a similar topic, and it is still formulating in my head. It will be on a larger scale I believe and may encompass interviewing other artists and asking them similar questions I asked myself when writing Gleaner or Gladiator.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Self-publishing this book. It seemed a pipe dream for so long, but came together very quickly in the end, and I think very professionally. I know so much more now about the process of designing a book and distributing it. But I still have a lot to learn, especially about writing, and I think writing will become more significant than my art as I grow older.

[Interview:] Matthew Moses

Matthew Moses has a degree in Political Science from Indiana University with a minor in History.

He has worked for a South African periodical and has written three novels of which Anti-Christ: A Satirical End of Days (Booklocker, 2007) is the latest. Moses has also written a screenplay for an independent film.

In this interview, Matthew Moses talks about his concerns as a writer.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

That is a funny story. I never gave much thought to writing until I met this one psychic. She told me a few things that came true and then piqued my interest by telling me I had a future in writing.

I’d always been interested in writing before that. I wrote a screenplay when I was seven and various short stories for my own amusement throughout my childhood and teenage years. I also had a weekly column in my college newspaper that garnered a cult following. I guess you could say I’ve always loved writing. It took a psychic to point it out to me.

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

So far I’ve written three novels. Each has been in a different genre: horror, satire, and literary fiction. I don’t let the genre dictate the story but the story dictate the genre.

There are certain trademarks to my work. There is an undercurrent of humor to each of my tales as well as the average everyman that finds himself caught up in an event that takes him on a journey that surely changes his perceptions of reality.

Who is your target audience?

My target audience would best be described as 18-35 though the older crowd still derives entertainment from my novels.

I am shockingly a comedic guy. The novel, Anti-Christ: A Satirical End of Days, was really my way of dealing with a loss of faith. My issues with organized religion were not something I could simply come out and speak on without angering the “devout” so I thought the best way to relate my views was to “funny” it up. Sweeten the story with humor to make it palatable.

Who has influenced you most?

Trey Parker and Matt Stone really helped to influence my novel. Their work, especially South Park, shows that one can do satire outrageously and intelligently.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

All of my stories are based around events in my life.

In this novel I deal with my loss of faith as well as my philosophical views. As for the characters, most are based on people I’ve encountered in my life and I have met some real characters! As for the hero and villain, they usually are those two separate parts of me that always seem to be in conflict.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

The fact that I’ve self-published shows my lack of faith in the publishing industry.

Over the past two years I’ve been ignored by the powers-that-be in the industry because I don’t have the contacts, the prerequisites, or the work that the industry pushes. Publishers and agents work in a vacuum-sealed environment that leaves little room for anything radical or multi-genre. The industry wants cookie cutter, generic work. God forbid one offers up something unlike the norm. My story has been handled roughly by many because of a misunderstanding on how to market it.

My greatest fear is that my novel won’t be taken seriously because it is self-published. That is why I’ve created a website, www.anti-christ.biz, as well as have left myself open for interviews and commentary. I want to give a proper view of my work and not be pigeon-holed as someone that simply writes for shock value. The only person that believes in my work is me -- so, if anyone is going to get this out to the people, I am the best for the job.

What would you say are the biggest challenges that you face?

The biggest challenge I face is obscurity. I’m doing my best to overcome that monolithic challenge and get my novel out there to the audience.

I write websites, make calls, do my best to garner attention. One needs to be indefatigable if one is to energize a crowd and make a dream a reality.

Do you write everyday?

I try to write everyday, posting my musings and thoughts on my website, www.anti-christ.biz. I usually write one to two hours a day to keep the motor running smoothly.

Anti-Christ: A Satirical End of Days took me three months to write.

It’s not what I put in but what I take out that has proven the most difficult. Rewrites generally require substantial altering of the original narrative. It is hard to remove sections one has written in order to smooth out the story. I mean, when you write something it’s like your child. You don’t want to harm it or toss it away. It’s a part of you.

What did you enjoy most?

Watching where the story would go. I never know where my narrative will take me.

What sets the book apart from other things you have written?

This tale is generally lighter in tone than my regular work.

In what way is it similar?

All of my work follows the tale of an average guy caught up in extraordinary events. I am a lover of epic stories. I can’t help myself.

What will your next book be about?

My next novel, already finished, a supernatural horror story. It follows one Herbert Kraft who has lost his faith in humanity. A FBI profiler, he has found his former idealism smothered beneath the endless savagery of man. Haunted by his final case involving a vicious serial killer, Herbert seeks to confront that monster that stole his final shred of faith in man. What he discovers is a world on the brink of destruction with the dead trying to drag us all into the void with them.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Finishing my first novel.

How did you get there?

Dreams, commitment, belief in my talents, and the faith that there is an audience out there willing to read my work.

This article has also been featured on Associated Content.

[Interview] Howard Waldman

Howard Waldman was born in Manhattan in the United States. When he was 22 years old, he moved to France where he taught European History and later American Literature to French students.

His work includes the novels, Back There (Bewrite Books, 2005); Time Travail (Bewrite Books, 2006); The Seventh Candidate (Bewrite Books, 2007) and Good American Go To Paris When They Die (Bewrite Books, 2008).

In this interview, Waldman talks about his concerns as a writer.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I decided on a writing career as soon as I learned to write my name. That breakthrough happened early in the last century in PS 89 (Manhattan) at the age of four. Consecration came at ten when a school magazine published a piece of mine, strongly influenced by Edgar Wallace, a popular writer of thrillers. A precocious start, apparently. Unfortunately, more serious writing had to wait nearly a lifetime. It was only on retiring that I started work on the first of my four novels.

Why such a long wait?

Besides natural laziness, perhaps one cause was the fact that as a teacher of literature at a French university I was in constant contact with celebrated books. It proved inhibiting. My critical sense was stronger than my creative urge, so subconsciously I probably compared my pathetic first-draft efforts to the finished products of admired authors. If I could have seen their own defective first drafts, the paralysis might have lifted. Alcohol, which deadens the carping critical sense, might have done the job too, as it did for that long roster of famous American writers addicted to the bottle (names on request). But I was too prudent a man to use whisky as a dissolvent of writer’s block.

How would you describe your writing?

My novels don’t seem to fit into the established genres, subgenres and cross genres beloved of so many publishers. So I guess by default they can be called “literary; although it’s a term with overtones of snobbery that makes me wince.

Granted, too many generic books are mass-produced products promoted with the same ballyhoo techniques as any other commodity. Still, that divide between generic and literary fiction is somewhat artificial. A so-called literary novel can be pretentious and boring. A generic novel can be excellent. For example, Huck Finn, commonly regarded as the greatest American novel, was long categorized as an adventure book for children. Raymond Chandler transcended the supposed limitations of the detective novel. So did H.G. Wells, [Kurt] Vonnegut and P.K. Dick (to mention just a few) for science fiction. What counts, ultimately, is quality, whatever the label.

Who is your target audience?

The notion of writing a jackpot bestseller never once entered my mind. More modestly, I hope for an audience that won’t forget what I’ve written minutes after they’ve closed the book.

Who would you say has influenced you the most?

I can’t say any writer has influenced me, or if he has it’s unconsciously. I try my best to project a unique voice. Anyhow, among the writers I admire: [Louis-Ferdinand] Céline, [Anton] Chekhov, [Jorge Luis] Borges, Philip K. Dick (at his best as in Ubik), and [William] Faulkner. I could go on and on.

How have your personal experiences influenced the direction of your writing?

I was born in Manhattan but married a Frenchwoman and have spent most of my life in France.

Two of my novels (Back There and Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die) deal with the theme of Americans, alive or dead, in Paris; another novel (The Seventh Candidate) is set in an imaginary country but the inspiration for that country was largely France.

When an American background is evoked (as in Time Travail) it’s the lost America of the mid-century, the America of my youth. I remember it perfectly.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

That every word should do its job in the sentence, every sentence in the paragraph, every paragraph in the book.

Trying to achieve these aims meant that each of the four novels took me about three years to write, a painful process of revising, revamping, deleting, polishing, etc. Theoretically it could have gone on forever but I haven’t got forever, so at one point I said, “enough” and sent the thing to my publisher.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I’ll ignore the usual metaphysical challenges facing someone getting on in life and concentrate on writing problems.

First, the biggest challenge is that I work in absolute linguistic isolation. Outside of my wife, none of my family or friends has a solid enough knowledge of English to read what I write. This isolation poses marketing problems as well. No book-signing sessions, no public library contacts, no radio or TV interviews, etc.

A creative challenge was to describe resurrection, as I necessarily have to do in Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die. I’ve no idea what it’s like, assuming it happens at all, which I devoutly hope is not the case.

How do you deal with these challenges?

I can’t really deal with the problem of linguistic isolation although I’m active on a writer’s site (Bibliophilia). Concerning the exploration of after-life, as I’ve said, the trumpets of resurrection haven’t sounded for me yet. Promoting my novel seems as difficult a trick as resurrecting.

Do you write everyday?

When I was in the full swing of writing my novels I wrote every day, hours at a time, regular as clockwork. When I wasn’t working on the novels I was thinking about them. Monomania. Obsession. How did my wife stand it?

What is your latest novel about?

Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die is about three men and two women who materialize, stark naked and young again, in a dilapidated bureaucratic room overlooking the quays of Paris and who make the posthumous discovery that “Good Americans go to Paris when they die” is more than a humorous adage.

Their joy is dampened when they learn that a possible processing mistake has been made by the other-side Préfecture de Police bureaucracy, inefficiently managed by Prefect d’Aubier de Hautecloque and poorly supervised by the doddering Supreme Echelon. For if, indisputably, the Newly Arrived are Americans and have died it’s not sure they had all been good in their former existence.

While waiting for an administrative ruling on their fate -- transfer to the Paris of their twenty-fifth year or back to no-being -- the Five are placed in Administrative Suspension and wait. Years drag on. They decide to escape.

Let me stop here. I mustn’t give it all away.

How long did it take you to write the book?

Like all my other novels, Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die took me about three years to write. It is published by BeWrite Books.

A word about my publishing problems. I submitted my first novel to ten big U.S. publishers at enormous cost in postage and with predictable results. I gave up when a fellow-writer told me that all of these publishers had long done away with a human Submissions Editor in favor of the Kirubawaki XL289 Manuscript Slush Pile Processing Machine. This ingenious apparatus recycles all submitted manuscripts to paper on which it prints the form rejection slip. I redirected my saved postage money to Irish whiskey for consolation.

Fortunately Jacobyte Books, an Australian [print-on-demand] POD publisher, accepted my first book and then a second one. Later Jacobyte merged with my present publisher BeWrite Books based in the U.K. They are very serious and supportive people but of course as small publishers they haven’t got the promotion budget of the Kirubawaki folks. So I have to do my own share of promotion.

Which aspects of the work you put into the book did you find most difficult?

Four of the resurrected Americans had lived in Paris at different dates: 1900, 1937 and 1951. For biographical reasons I had no trouble handling the 1951 scenes, but doing justice to the earlier periods required considerable research, historical and iconographic.

Another difficulty was imagining the timeless other-side Prefecture de Police where the Americans land, with its infinite stretches of dusty corridors and zombie-like functionaries.

That historical research and the creation of a posthumous world was, despite the difficulties encountered, what I most enjoyed.

What sets the book apart from others you have written?

Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die is my first attempt at fantasy.

In what way is it similar?

The protagonists of Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die have the possibility of returning to their youth and repair damaged love. This theme of the quest for time past occurs in two other of my novels -- most obviously Time Travail with its machine-assisted evocations of America in the thirties and forties of the last century. In Back There, the aging hero evokes memories of a vanished Paris and a vanished love and through creation tries to salvage it all.

What will your next book be about?

Will there be a next book? For the past year I’ve been concentrating on short stories and flash fiction. In some ways they are more exacting forms than the novel.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

To have wanted to write seriously all my life and to have started doing it so late in the day.

How did you get there?

By doing it.

[Interview] Lyn Petit’

Lyn Petit’ lives in Amarillo, Texas.

Her first book, The Philosophy of a Thought (Publish America, 2007) has been described as a "light hearted yet profound way of looking at life and the people in it".

In this interview, Lyn Petit' talks about some of the factors which compelled her to start writing.

When did you start writing?

I have always loved writing since I was a kid and the teachers would have us make up stories using our spelling words for the week. Since none of the words went along with each other it made you have to use your imagination and was a great exercise for your brain and thoughts.

Even back then I would always write about weird things and somehow my stories were always the strangest no matter how big the size of the class.

Because we had free reign on what we could write, it has made a big difference in the way I write and think today. Now I allow my imagination to do the thinking and sit back to see what it comes up with instead of waiting for someone to say, “I think that you should write about this or that.”

If someone says, “I think that you should write about this", my mind will instinctively go blank because that is not how it is used to writing.

How and when did decide you wanted to be a published author?

I was going through a really hard time and went to see a counselor about all the things that had happened and were happening at the time. She advised me to write as a form of therapy.

The wonderful thing about her advice is it worked and helped me to overcome many of the obstacles that were bothering me! I then decided that what I had experienced and how I came through it might be of help to others going through similar trials, so I wrote my book.

I had an old beat-up computer that I used to write the book on. If I had written by hand, I would be at it until 2010!! But seriously, I had lost nearly everything and asked a friend if I could stay with them until I got the book written. I set up a work space in a corner of the bedroom and lost myself in the writing. After I finished, I sent my manuscript off to Publish America. I heard from them shortly thereafter that they wanted to publish my work.

Who is your target audience?

Anyone who is tired of going through the same old stuff over and over again, with no end in sight.

Sometimes we have to take off the rose-coloured glasses and see the people in our lives for what and who they really are and not how we would like them to be. When we do this, we can begin to make new choices and say no to the ones who would only continue to use and abuse us.

Who has influenced you most?

Definitely my mum for sure, but also God. Both of them grabbed me by the collar and turned me around! Also my counselor, who encouraged me to write my thoughts.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

The whole book is about my personal experiences!

I wanted others to realize that you can overcome life’s adversities, that sometimes it’s as simple as putting both feet down and saying no, standing up for yourself, and not allowing people to use you anymore!

Is Lyn Petit your real name or is it a pseudonym?

Lyn Petit’ is a pseudonym.

Lyn is my mum’s first name and Petit’ is my last name. I wanted to include her in the pen name because she took the time to include me in her life and make me a part of her (now my) family. The advantages are that I have been able to honour my mum for loving me as I was, and I see no disadvantages in using this pseudonym since my mum and I are sharing it!

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My main concern while I was writing was that my thoughts were coming faster that I could type! I bought a digital recorder to help keep them from disappearing into the ether.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I am dyslexic, slightly autistic, and partially deaf in one ear. This can result in some interesting twists like I had always
heard that the “ghost was clear”, you can imagine my surprise when I found out that it was “the coast is clear”! I had also thought it was “worth my wild” to do things, had that one wrong too and was somewhat red faced to find out it was “worth my while”!

First, since dyslexic people “think” that their spelling is correct, I was surprised to find out I had extensive proofing to do on my book! I found someone to help me do this, and we really had a lot of laughs at my expense. She’d ask me if a word was British spelling and I’d say yes several times, then one time she said I know this one is not a British spelling and I told her no, but it’s the way a dyslexic spells!

Do you write everyday?

When I am writing, yes. I try to focus on what I am trying to say and then begin. I can always go back and edit later, but try to get my thoughts down. I have no magic formula, I just write! I just let my thoughts flow or wander off without adult supervision! First of all, you can’t look at writing like a job, otherwise you will dread it. I write until I feel like I’ve
completed my thoughts for the day. I have no set schedule, I just write, sometimes a few pages, sometimes lots!

How many books have you written so far?

So far I have written two. Only one is in print, The Philosophy of a Thought. It is published by Publish America, August 2007. The book answers many questions that plague mankind, such as the meaning of life.

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around, does it make a sound? Why bad things happen to good people, societal issues such as abuse, treatment of our elders, good people, bad people, parental concerns, etc. If you have a question, the answer is probably in there somewhere, as well as a liberal dose of humour breaks. It is a book that you will keep going back to and pondering.

My other book is a children’s book and I will submit it to Publish America early next year. I am still working on the illustrations for it.

How did you chose a publisher for the book?

The Philosophy of a Thought is about all aspects of life. We all have choices about how we want to live our life. Some people are still not aware they have a choice. I am in hopes that after reading The Philosophy of a Thought, that many people will find the strength to end years of abuse and victimization and begin to live overcoming, purpose filled lives.

It took me about seven months to write the book. I never realized I had so many thoughts crammed inside my head until they started coming out in my writing! The book was published in August 2007 in Fredericksburg, MD.

I researched publishers on the internet and chose Publish America because there are no up front fees and they work with you to help further your efforts. I would highly recommend Publish America to any new author. The advantage is that you don’t have to pay for the printing and distribution of your book and Publish America distributes books to a worldwide market.

Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did you find most difficult?

The proofreading. I thought it was fine, but when Publish America asked me to do some extensive editing on The Philosophy of a Thought, I knew it was time to find someone to help me. For some reason dyslexics have a very hard time proofing their own work!

Which aspects of the work did you enjoy most?

The humour breaks that I included at the end of some of the chapters. When your mind thinks hard, it needs a break too!

What sets the book apart from other things you've written?

Most of the things I have written have been letters and essays that will never be published for one. Second, what started out as therapy, became a declaration of sorts, a sounding board if you will of things in society that need to be addressed and said.

In what way is it similar?

It proves that when you start out thinking outside the box, and you keep going at it, you will eventually have a lucid thought!

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Getting published!

How did you get there?

Never give up! Don’t listen to the naysayers, even if they are in your own head! Sometimes, you have to go against the current, even when you don’t realize there is one! The harder people try to stop you, the more you should realize you are onto something good, if not great!

This article has also been featured on Associated Content.

[Interview] Alice Wootson

Romance novelist Alice Wootson grew up in Rankin, a small town outside Pittsburgh, PA. She attended college outside Philadelphia, PA and taught in the School District of Philadelphia for 31 years before retiring.

Her first novel, Snowbound with Love (Kimani Press) was released in 2000. Her tenth novel, Ready to Take a Chance (Kimani Press) was released in 2006.

Other books by Wootson -- all published by Kimani Press -- include Dream Wedding (2001); Home for Christmas (2001); Trust in Me (2002); To Love Again (2002); Escape to Love (2003); Kindred Spirits (2004) and Perfect Wedding (2005).

In this interview, she talks about her writing.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t remember, exactly. I do remember that I wrote a poem when I was in 4th grade and the teacher had me read it to the class twice.

I think one thing that influenced me is the fact I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. I, as did the rest of my family, spent a lot of time reading. We still do. At some point after reading romance novels for years, I said to myself, “I can do this.” Fortunately I have been able to do it successfully.

How would you describe your writing?

I write romance novels. Several of my novels are romantic suspense and I am leaning more and more in that direction.

Who is your target audience?

Readers who like a good story.

What motivated you to start writing in this genre?

I like happy endings.

Who influenced you most?

I would have to go way back to my family members who encouraged me and my six brothers and sisters to read. I also have to credit my high school, Rankin High, and the teachers who introduced me to an appreciation of literature.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I have visited every place I have written about. The characters, however, are not based on any real people. Sometimes my views come out in a character, but it’s mostly fiction.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I want to tell a good story well enough so the reader doesn’t feel she/he has wasted the time and money.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

Trying not to be pigeon-holed. Also, too many people are prejudiced against romance novels.

How do you deal with these challenges?

I just continue to write about things that interest me and try to write the best I can.

Do you write everyday?

I write first thing in the morning six to seven days a week. I write for two to three hours at a time.

How long did it take you to write your latest book?

Ready to Take a Chance was my last release. It took about eight months to write and was published by Kimani Press in Dec. 2006

I had to do a lot of research and that is not my favorite since I insist in getting it right. Maps and diagrams are important in my research. This book presented a new problem: my hero was a basketball player. Football is the sport I watch so I had to rely on my sons for the sports aspect. Another challenge is coming up with out of the ordinary plot twists so the reader won’t say ‘I saw that coming’.

What did you enjoy most in writing the book?

All of it is work. The enjoyment comes with the satisfaction of completing a book.

What sets it apart from the others you have written?

The characters are not like any others.

Ready to Take a Chance is similar to the others in that it is a romance as the others were. It’s also about having the characters work through problems.

What will your next book be about?

I am writing about Border Patrol Agents stationed on the Texas Mexican border and the problems they encounter.

I have finished one novel using that theme: Border Danger, Border Love is in the hands of my agent. I am about two or three chapters from finishing the second one: Love Will Make it Better.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Starting a second career at my age and being successful at it.

How did you get there?

Perseverance. I stuck with it.

While I was writing I attended writing workshops and conferences and learned as much as I could. I teach writing workshops now, but I still sit in on workshops in order to improve my writing.

*This conversation with Alice Wootson which took place in March 2007.

[Interview] Bernadette Steele

Mystery author Bernadette Steele has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Science degree in Technical Communication and Information Design from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT).

Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in Technical Communication at IIT.

The Poetry of Murder (Oak Tree Press, 2008) is her first novel.

In this interview, Bernadette Steele talks about how she made the transition from wanting to write to becoming a published author.

When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was in college. I took a creative writing course and I wrote some short stories for the class. I also had another class in college where I wrote a play.

After college, I did not do any writing. Instead, I spent fifteen years, reading books about writing and publishing, but I did not write. I collected story ideas, articles and pieces of information that inspired various story ideas.

In 2004, I thought that I wanted to go to law school. But, law school did not work out. So, in December 2004, I decided that I should pursue something that I really, really like doing and enjoyed. I always had story ideas and I enjoy writing. Thus, in January 2005, I started writing my first novel, The Poetry of Murder.

How did you make the transition from wanting to write to becoming a published author?

I enjoy reading fiction, and I enjoy the writing process. I decided in January 2005 that I wanted to be a published author, and I started writing my novel. Even though I had spent the past fifteen years reading about how to write, I read very little about the actual process of writing. So I read a book that described how to approach a writing project. I read, The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall.

Based upon Marshall’s method, I created my own method for starting a novel. My method basically includes creating a very detailed outline of the book from beginning to end. This outline is scene-by-scene and includes items such as dialogue or how a scene would begin.

I also read a book about how to submit your novel to agents and publishers. This book was entitled, Your Novel Proposal from Creation to Contract by Blythe Cameson and Marshall I. Cook. It describes the process of creating a query letter, synopsis and the format for the manuscript. This book provided good examples of what the submission documents look like.

Finally, I used the 2006 edition of Jeff Herman’s book entitled, Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents to develop my submission list. This book was invaluable because it details what types of books the publishers and agents are interested in and their submission guidelines.

Who has influenced you most?

I have been influenced the most by Agatha Christie and Walter Mosley.

Christie’s books provide an example of what a good mystery featuring an amateur sleuth should be like. Mosley’s clear and concise prose inspires me to reach his level.

I have also been extremely inspired by John Steinbeck’s, Journal of a Novel. Steinbeck kept a journal when he wrote East of Eden. In his journal, he describes his own anxiety and self-doubt about his writing and career. It makes me feel good to know that someone like Steinbeck felt the same way that I feel.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I have always been very unsatisfied with the jobs that I have had in the past and that I currently have. Thus, I find refuge in my writing.

Writing provides me with enjoyment and relief from the stress of my job. It provides the creative outlet that I need to deal with the stress and dissatisfaction that I have with the world of employment.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I have two main concerns.

First, I want to write good fiction. I address this concern by working to hone my skills, seeking feedback from readers and editors, and by being open to criticism and the advice of others.

My second concern is to have people actually read my writing. I address this by working to gain exposure for my writing. I write because I want people to read and enjoy my writing. I do not write for myself.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

Like most writers who also have a regular job, my first big challenge is finding the time to write. I schedule a two-hour appointment with myself to write. I also use my vacation time to write.

My second biggest challenge is figuring out cost-effective ways to market my novel. I handle this challenge by simply researching different alternatives as much as possible.

Do you write everyday?

I write every day.

My writing session starts at lunchtime when I write in my journal about what I will write about later on in the evening, any story ideas or anything going on in my life that impacts my writing.

When I get home from work, I write for two hours. The session starts with me looking at my outline and then briefly reviewing the previous evening's work.

How would you describe your debut novel?

The Poetry of Murder is a murder mystery about an aspiring African American poet named Geneva Anderson who inherits a fortune from her aunt and who is later accused of her aunt’s murder. As a result, Geneva starts to investigate the murder of her aunt and must navigate her way through a web of revenge, deceit, and blackmail.

It took me a year and half to write the novel. It was published in February 2008 by Oak Tree Press.

Who is your target audience?

My audience consists of mystery readers, females between the ages of 25 and up and African Americans.

I was motivated to start writing for this audience because the audience demographic matches my personal demographic. I am a 38 year old, African American woman. The market is not over saturated with African American amateur sleuths.

How did you find a publisher for the book?

After sending out over eighty query letters, Oak Tree Press was the first publisher to accept my novel. Oak Tree Press is a small independent publisher.

The major disadvantage of being with a small press is that there is no advance and a lot of the marketing activities are my responsibility.

What did you find most difficult when you were working on The Poetry of Murder?

I think the most difficult aspect was the editing process. For example, I had to fix a lot of the numbers used in the text. This was a painful process. I think this situation was caused by lack of experience.

I enjoyed the plotting of the story. I enjoyed figuring out which characters did what and when and who the killer turned out to be.

What will your next book be about?

My next novel will be a historical romance about the first African emperor of Rome, Septimius Severus.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

My most significant achievement as a writer as that I finished my novel and got it published.

Many people dream of writing a novel, some start writing but most don’t finish and even fewer actually get published. Therefore, it is a great achievement for me and anyone else to finish and publish a novel.

How did you get there?

I never gave up. I kept writing. I kept submitting to agents and publishers. I knew that it was numbers game and that eventually someone would have enough confidence in my novel to publish it.

[Interview] Ed Lynskey

Ed Lynskey writes crime fiction stories and novels.

His books feature Private Investigator Frank Johnson and include the collection of short stories, Out of Town a Few Days (BooksForABuck, 2004) and the novels, The Dirt-Brown Derby (Mundania, 2006) and The Blue Cheer (Point Blank/Wildside Press, 2007).

Two more P.I. Frank Johnson titles, Pelham Fell Here (Mundania) and Troglodytes (Mundania) will be published in mid-2008 and 2009 respectively.

Lynskey is also the author of A Clear Path to Cross (Ramble House, 2008), a collection of P.I. Sharon Knowles short stories about the female private detective’s adventures; and The Quetzal Motel (Mundania, 2008), a science fiction novel featuring a family-run motel that has a pair of peculiar guests staying over, and how they rock a small town.

In this interview, Ed Lynskey talks about his concerns as a writer.

When did you start writing?

My writing long fiction seriously kicked off shortly after the Y2K scare in 2001. I’m not sure if there’s any correlation with the timing. Before the novels, I’d written short stuff like poems and stories for about twenty years and established a good “in-print” track record.

I made a bet with myself that I could evolve from writing poems and tackle something meatier like novels. To discover what venue of fiction I had any aptitude for, I wrote stories in several genres, including science fiction, literary, fantasy, horror, and mystery. Based on my sales and personal preferences, I then narrowed my scope to concentrate efforts on mystery with occasional forays into literary and science fiction. I’ve been satisfied with this approach.

Ninety-five percent of my creative fiction now is focused on mystery or crime fiction. John Lescroart has described my P.I. books as “Appalachian Noir”, though my recent settings have been rooted to Washington, D.C. and its environs.

Who is your target audience?

I try to incorporate the elements in my fiction that appeal to both male and female readers.

My motivation is pretty straightforward: to reach a broad-based readership since what I write is mainly commercial fiction.

Who has influenced you most?

I draw on different writers for different aspects I seek to fuse in my fiction.

For the noirish undertones, I admire such meisters as Ken Bruen, Allan Guthrie, and Megan Abbott. The literary voice I strive for is best exemplified by Ed Gorman, Ed Dee, and Steve Hamilton. Exemplary uses of modern rural people and atmosphere are offered by J.D. Rhoades, William Kent Krueger, and Bill Crider. The perfect-pitch ears for writing dialogue include Charlie Stella, Barbara D’Amato, Anne Frasier, and Jerry Healy. For exciting courtroom drama, I read John Lescroart and Linda Fairstein. Finally, for their sheer clarity of expression I cite Bill Pronzini and John Lutz.

That’s a bunch of names, but it defines the writing models I use to create my own long narratives.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I grew up in a small town in the rural foothills of Virginia, the singlemost factor influencing my early novels in terms of setting. Almost a decade ago, we relocated to live in a Virginia suburb outside Washington, D.C. and an urban/suburban setting has seeped into my latest projects. Why? I suppose we use whatever is at hand to create the fabric of fiction.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

One thing that obsesses me is “getting it right”, and I probably over-research different aspects, especially in my four detective books. The challenge is to weave the details and “local color” into a seamless narrative -- never an easy task. I strive to avoid information dumps.

Remember Ed Deming and his quality excellence issues so big at one time? He always stressed to improve your manufacturing processes. Writing fiction is like that to me. I’m not big on reading books on how to write, but I do like to see what other authors, past and present, are doing in their crime fiction and what areas I can improve in.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

For me, this is a two-bladed question.

On the one side, there’s the challenge to write a good book. Then the other side is selling, marketing, and promoting that book. Of the two, I’d say the promotional side is by far the most challenging.

Dealing with promotions, I use a day-to-day approach and don’t set unrealistic expectations.

Do you write everyday?

I’m sure everybody has their own rituals. Mine are pretty mundane and low-keyed.

I like to get an early jump in the morning before the sun even hits the streets. I use a spare bedroom and a bare-bones computer. First drafts are the most fun -- I get on the paddlewheel of days and finish the narrative.

My revision cycles take the longest to complete. The bloodletting goes on then -- when material gets added or cut.

I can tell I’m near the end when I begin to print out the drafts in hard copy to revise. By then, I’m pretty sick of the characters and the plot. I have to let them go.

How long did it take you to write Pelham Fell Here?

My currently published title is Pelham Fell Here (out from Mundania Press in June ’08).

Researching Pelham’s history, I see it took me six years to bring out. I also recall it’s the second book I ever wrote. The publisher, Mundania Press, published the first title, The Dirt-Brown Derby in the series which has found a niche market of readers.

The biggest difficulty I encountered was having to revise Pelham to bring it up to my current level of writing. My writing has evolved, especially over the past three years, and I wasn’t happy with the original manuscript. The revision took a ton of work, but I was happier with the final product.

Which aspects of the work did you enjoy most?

Pelham was a gas to write.

Creating a fictitious town called Pelham populated by characters made up from whole cloth was a liberating experience. It was like writing a biography of the town and lying through your teeth.

What sets the book apart from the others you've written?

Pelham is another title in the P.I. Frank Johnson series. What sets it apart from other P.I. books I’ve read is that the protagonist isn’t yet a professional detective. Frank gets involved in a murder and, out of necessity, is forced into the role of a detective to save his bacon.

By the end of Pelham, Frank Johnson comes to realize he’s a competent enough detective to make it into a professional career. I’d say Frank actually enjoys (if he ever cared to admit it) doing detective work and this exuberance is carried forward into the subsequent books covering his other cases.

What will your next book be about?

My work-in-progress, Skin the Game, is an urban noir set in Washington, D.C. that features a modern loan shark out to collect his money from a dodgy rocket engineer. The narrative is told from three points of view of different characters involved in the hustle.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Two things continue to amaze me, both from a personal standpoint. First, that I was ever able to sit down and write a novel. Second, that anybody wants or enjoys reading the books I’ve written. It’s been a thrilling and humbling experience.

[Interview] Dana Littlejohn

Romance novelist Dana Littlejohn was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and has been living in Indianapolis, In. for the past 10 years.

She has been writing since childhood.

The work she has published so far includes the novel, The Yin/Yang Effect; the three novellas which make up The Dioni Chronicles series, Mikhail's Hunt, Jonathan's Bite of the Apple and Sebastian's Surrender; as well as the short stories, "Hot Chocolate on a Cold Day", "The Lover and the Firefly" and "Lover's Brew".

In this interview, Dana Littlejohn talks about her concerns as a writer.*

How would you describe your writing?

I write romances that happen now, in modern day. I have touched on several sub-genres like urban lit, fantasy and shifter, but basically its sensual/erotic contemporary.

I hope to target woman between 18 and over. Some of the love scenes in a few of my books might be a little inappropriate for anyone under 18.

What motivated you to start writing?

I was waking up in the middle of the night driving my husband crazy with the craziness I was dreaming. He suggested that I write it down because if I was going crazy he did not want to go with me. (Laughs.) True story! Since writing was still in my heart I took his advice.

Who would you say has influenced you the most?

I love the writing of Bertrice Small and Jackie Collins. I’d like to be a combination of them.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I have done stories on topics that I feel strongly about, not necessarily that has happened to me, but I still feel strongly.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I have always wanted to be a writer, as far back as I can remember, but I let people and life get in the way of my dreams.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

That I don’t repeat myself. I want each one of my books to be unique.

The biggest challenge is to keep going, keep writing quality, unique work.

How do you deal with these concerns?

I try to stay fresh, do something that no one has done before or take a new look at something that has been done.

Do you write everyday?

Yes, I try to write everyday. The amount of time just depends on what’s going on that day. I work full time so during the week I can only do three maybe four hours and on the weekend a little more.

How long does it take you to start and finish a book?

[One of] my latest books, The House, was released in 2007 by Ocean’s Mist Press. It took me about four months to get it from head to paper.

One of the things I found most difficult about the book was I had to ask a few people a lot of questions so that the house would be realistic.

Which did you enjoy most?

The part I liked the most was checking out Atlanta.

What sets the book apart from the other things you have written?

I don’t know. I just wanted to show that true friends are friends through thick and thin even when they get caught up in stuff they have no business doing.

In what way is it similar?

It’s still a romance and everyone’s happy in the end.

What will your next book be about?

I’m working on an urban lit I call The Lover and the Angel. It’s about a member of the Latin Lovers gang who falls in love with a college student and starts to want more from his life. It is still in the works.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

I feel really good when someone contacts me and asks me to do something for them. That feels good and I know they like my work.

How did you get there?

(Laughs.) I have no clue, I’m just happy its happening.

*This article is based on an email interview with Dana Littlejohn which took place in March 2007.

[Interview_2] Judy Gregerson

Judy Gregerson has published two books -- a memoir, Save Me! A Young Woman’s Journey Through Schizophrenia to Health (Doubleday, 1980) and a novel, Bad Girls Club (Blooming Tree Press, 2007).

She says her books draw heavily on things she has experienced in her own life.

In this interview, she speaks about her writing and how she got published.

Do you write everyday?

No, I don’t write every day. I work in chunks of months, very intensely. I get up, start writing, take breaks to think, go back to it, get up and vacuum, go back to it, get up and clean the bathroom, go back to it. Then I think some more.

I can write for about 12 hours at a time when I get going but four months on a book is as long as I can take and then I need time off to reflect, think, and get away from it. I may abandon a book for another four or six months while I digest what I’ve done or maybe even longer, before I get back to it. It ends when it has that “complete” feeling to it and the character has resolved her problem and learned something.

How many books have you written so far?

I’ve had two published. The first was put out by Doubleday in 1980, Save Me! A Young Woman’s Journey Through Schizophrenia to Health, which is self-explanatory. And Bad Girls Club was my next, published by Blooming Tree Press, July 2007, a small independent press in Austin, Texas. This is the story of a girl who has taken on the role of the parent in her house and who cares for her sister, her mother, and her father, while her mother spirals into madness and her father refuses to do anything about it.

I have about five or six other unpublished novels. I’m trying to find an agent now for Cracking Normal, a coming of age (young adult) story about a girl whose family moves into a trailer park and the problems that this creates in her life.

How did long did it take you to come up with your latest novel?

Bad Girls Club took me about seven years to write and finish and went through about 21 revisions.

Blooming Tree Press published it last summer. I didn’t choose them, they chose me. I sent the book in, expecting a rejection, and was shocked when they wanted to buy it. BTP is a small press, so there have been challenges in promotion and marketing, but I decided to take a year off to market the book which has helped tremendously and B&N and Borders have both just picked up the book. The nice thing is that my book is the lead title for this publisher, so it’s gotten a lot of attention, but it still requires (as do all publishing houses) that I get out there, make myself known, and sell books.

Which aspects of the work you put into the book did you find most difficult?

The most difficult part of the work was finding the voice. This story is about a dark subject, so I had to ride just on the border of madness to write it. That was a real dance sometimes.

If you go too far, you lose the reader, so how do you stay just this side of the fence and make a book readable for a wide audience? This troubled me the most while writing. If it was too dark, I felt it wouldn’t capture its audience.

It took all of those seven years to get that right.

What did you enjoy most?

I really enjoyed getting into the head of my character and becoming her as I wrote. I enjoyed my conversations with her and the things she told me about herself, especially as she revealed who she was and how she felt. Transferring that into words on paper was a lot of fun and I discovered that getting into the soul of a character is the best part of writing for me.

Bad Girls Club has a certain sadness to it and a longing that pulls the reader along and none of my other books have that.

I think that narrative drive is important but I discovered in this book a way to really take the reader into the character’s head and ride along with her as the story developed. I’m not sure I could do it again, but it was very important to this character that the reader fully understand everything she thought.

What will your next book be about?

My next book is about a girl whose mother drops her off at the grocery store when she’s ten and never returns for her. She’s left with her very eccentric extended family and struggles with why her mother left, why she hasn’t come back and how she can go on without her.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

I think my most significant achievement as a writer has been receiving emails from people who read Bad Girls Club and told me that they so fully experienced the main character’s life that they felt they were a part of her family.

I’ve also had people tell me that although they’ve never been abused, they felt so familiar in the territory of my story that they couldn’t put the book down. One reader even took it in the bathtub with her because she didn’t want to leave the character alone. I’ve received phone calls from crying women, thanking me for writing the book.

All I wanted to do with this book was touch people. I believe I’ve done that.

How did you get there?

You tell the truth. You tell it as fully and completely as you can and you tell it in a way that people will say, “I’ve been there! I know how that feels.”

Maybe a part of it is finding the universal human emotions that speak to anyone when they read your book.

When I started this book, it was my belief that everyone has suffered some kind of loss and it didn’t matter what kind they’d suffered, because we recognize ourselves in the emotions of other people and their experience. I wanted my book to have a “universal” appeal and it seemed the only way to do that was to capture the human experience and make it available for all to feel in my story. I think I did that. At least my readers tell me I did.

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Judy Gregerson [Interview_1], Conversations with Writers, March 20, 2008

[Interview_1] Judy Gregerson

Judy Gregerson has worked as a copy editor at a newspaper, in the marketing department of a publisher, as an account executive at an advertising agency, and then in various positions in promotion and marketing.

She has written and published a memoir, Save Me! A Young Woman’s Journey Through Schizophrenia to Health (Doubleday, 1980) and a novel, Bad Girls Club (Blooming Tree Press, 2007).

Currently she works as a freelance book editor and a marketing consultant while she finishes her degree in Human Development.

In this interview, she speaks about the factors which pulled her into writing.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I first tried my hand at writing when I was in about the seventh grade, but I didn’t fully understand what made a story work. It frustrated me no end, so I gave it up.

I started writing again when I was in my mid-twenties. I had an idea for a memoir that I thought was very compelling, so I began making tapes of the story and eventually typing them all out on an old Selectric typewriter. After a few months of that, I had an outline and a first draft.

How did you make the transition from wanting to write to becoming a published author?

I decided when I was eight that I wanted to be a published writer. It came as my third grade teacher was reading Charlotte’s Web to the class. I thought that there could be no finer profession than writing and decided I’d do the same.

A few years later, I met a married couple who were writers and I was just mesmerized by them. They seemed so important and so special. It only strengthened my determination to be a writer. But at the time, it seemed like a pipe dream, something that a kid wishes for but doesn’t know if it will ever happen. I had no encouragement at home, everyone just smiled at me and patted me on the head and because they didn’t take it seriously, I didn’t either. But after college, I lived in [New York City] NYC. I was working in advertising and had become a copywriter, which I really enjoyed. That was when I discovered that I had that spark and I also learned that writing was a lot of fun!

I was around writers and theater people and I had a very good friend who was very encouraging to me about writing. And it struck me that if I didn’t start, I’d never get a book published, so I took the leap and started writing. Up to this point, I had read no books on writing. I just jumped in and started, going on pure instinct. And back then, there was no internet, no computers, and no writing community to turn to for help. It was just me and the white blank piece of paper.

How would you describe your writing?

I call it coming of age literary fiction. But literary fiction seems to have a bad name these days, so I’ll call it mainstream fiction.

I call my writing literary because I use a lot of symbolism and images and I use setting as a character. I also like to write “deep” which seems to be associated with literary fiction. I write about characters who have suffered some kind of loss and who are struggling to understand who they are and where they’re going. My characters are usually fairly wounded and they make a lot of big mistakes. They all have deep longing for something and they usually satisfy that longing, but not in the way they expected.

Who is your target audience?

My audience is mixed. I have many adult reader fans who have emailed or called me to talk about my book. But my book is marketed as young adult, so I also have teen readers.

My target audience, as I see them, are people who have suffered loss in a very deep way (to them at least, even if it doesn’t look huge to anyone else) and they’re people who feel very deeply. They’re also thinkers and they’re people who care about other people. I write for this audience because they’re like me!

In the writing you are doing, who has influenced you most?

I have been greatly influenced by Sylvia Plath and Ernest Hemingway. I read The Bell Jar every summer, for my birthday, and I studied it extensively when I was writing Bad Girls Club.

Sylvia could go into four levels of back story and then back out in one transition. It totally amazes me how she can keep the narrative going without breaking it when she does that. She also has that voice that sounds so clear to me when I read her story. It’s as if I am sitting there and she is personally telling me the story. It has an intimacy that few books have.

Hemingway speaks to me in another way.

He has an economy of words that puzzles me. I studied The Old Man and the Sea when I was writing Bad Girls Club and I learned the circular path of a story from him. I truly didn’t get that until I studied that book and it helped me so much with my own writing.

I also like Kathryn Harrison. She is an honest writer. You know you’re getting the truth.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

My books are all based on things that I’ve experienced in life, so I’d have to say that they have really directed my writing. In fact, I tend to write about the same themes, over and over, in new and different ways.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My biggest concern has been that I am not terribly prolific.

I write about things that really touch me and things I personally care deeply about. I can’t crank out a book a year or even every two years. For a long time, that really bothered me. I felt that would make me a failure as a writer, because what agent wants a writer who cranks out a book every three or four years? Then I realized that this is my life, my career. I can do it any way I want. I don’t have to be like everyone else. I can write what and when I want and write as many or few books as I’d like.

I have writer friends who want to sell a book a year. I’m amazed by that. I just could not crank out words like that.

Related article:

Judy Gregerson [Interview_2], Conversations with Writers, March 21, 2008