Interview With Author Debbie Hightower
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired newspaper reporter who discovered that I couldn’t stop writing. Plus I always had a dream to go into outer space. Since there is no possibility of getting there any time soon, I create fictional characters to send on extra planetary adventures!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Kon-Tiki. I had written a series of science-fiction novels about the colonization of a nearby exoplanet. Readers were curious about the nuts and bolts of that process. How did engineers discover and refine faster-than-light propulsion? And once they reach their new home, how are they going to get down to the planet from their super-colossal starship?
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have an office in the traditional sense. I have a well-used laptop which I can take anywhere, including on camping trips. With my last novel, I didn’t use a dedicated outline. Instead, I wrote chapters in random order using the seat-of-the-pants method.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I cut my reader teeth on all of the classic science fiction authors. Lately, I have been enjoying a steady diet of action/adventure writers. Clive Cussler, Lee Child, David Baldacci. And some astronaut/ engineer memoirs as well. Jim Lovell, Neil Armstrong, Gene Kranz.
What are you working on now?
Studying about how Kindle Vella stories work. I think it would mesh well with the seat-of-the-pants method.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have had the greatest success publishing and promoting on Amazon.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a newspaper reporter, I am comfortable with research into various unfamiliar topics. If that isn’t your forte, write what you know. And being a prolific reader probably goes without saying. Read books in multiple genres. Read the bad stuff as well as New York Times and Washington Post bestsellers. In this manner an author will learn to differentiate between what truly resonates with readers.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Failure is not an option. And in Arnold Schwartzeneggar’s book he said there is no substitute for working your tail off.
What are you reading now?
Storm Prey by John Standford
What’s next for you as a writer?
Probably dive right into the world of Kindle Vella stories. Who knows where the next one will go!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh dear. I have a few bestsellers that I saving for a vacation or snowstorm. Only 3 or 4, huh? I may starve, because I would eat through that many in the first week. Let’s hope for a speedy rescue.
Author Websites and Profiles
Debbie Hightower Amazon Profile
Debbie Hightower’s Social Media Links
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