Dive into Exclusive Author Interviews and Insights
Explore engaging interviews with talented authors as they share their inspirations, creative processes, and writing journeys. Discover personal stories and gain insights into their works and future projects.
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If your book were turned into a movie, who would you cast?If The Chair Man ever made it onto the big screen I'd cast Hugh Bonneville as Michael Hollinghurst, the novel's protagonist. Hugh isn't particularly known for playing serious characters in dark thrillers, but he has all the right qualities. He could easily play a successful English lawyer (he studied law before turning to acting). And there is a vulnerability to him beyond the stiff-upper-lip persona that lends itself well to the Hollinghurst character. His humanity also shines through, which is important because there is a warmth to the Hollinghurst character despite the bitterness he feels towards the terrorists who have shattered his life.
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What’s your favorite book that you’ve written, and why?Of my five published books, SNAKEBIT:Prelude to War is my favorite. It introduces my two border state families and sets the tone for my reader's wild and wide ranging journey through the Civil War and Reconstruction.
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What’s the most challenging part of writing for you?One of the most challenging parts of writing for me was starting the story. The whole world was already inside your head when you decided to start writing, but introducing it and making it compelling and interesting is difficult. There are so many corners of the story to highlight in the first sentence that it felt quite challenging to decide what to feature.
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What inspired you to start writing?I wrote Shopping Bagged for two reasons: my favorite author, Donald Westlake, passing away, and Eastwood Mall being torn down.
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What’s your favorite book that you’ve written, and why?My favorite book used to be "Camino: Laughter and Tears Along Spain's 500-mile Camino de Santiago." Now, my favorite is the new one, "Cancer Diaries," which is available on Amazon beginning January 28th.
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Can you describe your writing process?For me, it has to start with an idea and a main character. He or she is faced with a problem, a dilemma, a goal. I toy with how they react and think about adding complications. At some point, I get excited and try writing a couple of pages. If it feels right, I buckle down and get started in earnest.