Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing full time in 2017, and I’m almost finished with my 9th book. I have a notebook that’s chock full of new plot ideas so, I hope to be adding to that number for a long time to come. I’ve been a pilot, scuba diver, sailor, fisherman and successful entrepreneur. You can’t do all of that and not have met some very interesting people along the way, many who when combined, have become inspirations for various characters. I currently live in central Virginia with my wife of more than three decades and a herd of adopted “fur children”.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Coastal Paybacks. The idea came to me in a hotel down in Florida. I was helping my best friend haul a horse trailer down to Ocala, and we were recalling some very colorful people we both had known. A few had run into more than their share of trouble in life, and I mentally put myself in their shoes, thinking about how they would react to certain situations. The scene at Great Sale Cay in the Bahamas was inspired by a trip I took with my late father. We anchored there overnight in the late 1980’s on our way down to Marsh Harbor. We had the whole anchorage to ourselves that night, and when I recalled that trip, it hit me as being the perfect location for that scene.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I try to get a minimum of a thousand words per day, but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes the characters can refuse to cooperate. Other times I can’t get them to shut up, and I’ve ended up with thousands and thousands of words after nineteen hours of pounding away at the keyboard.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Wayne Stinnett, Michael Reisig, Clive Cussler, John H. Cunningham, Jack Hardin, Steven Becker, and Carl Hiaasen. No books in particular, but much of what they’ve all written.
What are you working on now?
Coastal Tuna. A reality television fishing show moves to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, but not everyone is happy about it. In fact, some of the cast might just end up dead because of it.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My Readers Group has been phenomenal. Everyone who has signed up for it buys each new book. About once a month I share with them things and stories that inspired my books. They also get sneak peeks at the covers, and they get first shot at all new releases at discounted prices. I have one of the best “open rate” percentages for all the notices I send out, much higher than the newsletters of all the other writers I know. So, I guess everyone in the group finds value in its content. There’s a link to join on my website, DonRichBooks.com. Also, check out TropicalAuthors.com. Great site!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day. Set a word goal and try to hit it. Don’t “force it” though on the days when the words don’t come. Get away from the keyboard and do something else for a while or even the rest of the day. Trust your instincts and your characters.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Absolutely the best thing I’ve ever been told is: WRITE A SERIES! Readers won’t totally invest themselves in characters they know they’ll never see again.
What are you reading now?
Wood’s Destiny by Steven Becker. Another installment in the Mac Travis series. See the note above about writing a series…
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m just going to do what I love; writing books about coastal adventures. I’d love for the number of books that I’ve written to catch up with the number of years I’ve been breathing. Time will tell.
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?
ONLY FOUR??? The latest from John H. Cunningham, Jack Hardin, Michael Reisig and Steven Becker. Hopefully they’ll all be really long.
Author Websites and Profiles
Don Rich Website
Don Rich Amazon Profile
Don Rich’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account