Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I graduated from Stanford without a clue (hey, it was the Sixties), have lived in Montana since 1971, and actually spent most of my life working as a carpenter, trying to support my writing habit. I’ve published 14 novels (there are a few other unpublished manuscripts gathering dust in desk drawers). Two of them I co-authored, one with my wonderful wife Kim, and the other with James Patterson
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE SHADOW KIND, newly released in February, 2015. I’ve always loved supernatural fiction–my first three novels were horror thrillers. Besides being a lot of fun both to read and write, you can use them to dramatize express ideas, such as about evil, that are difficult to express in more conventional ways. I tried to do this in THE SHADOW KIND with demons called Khibri, who conspire to cause massive human suffering via war, oppression, etc. I’m also a great fan of H.P. Lovecraft, and I (humbly) tried to make my tone and setting at least slightly evocative of his.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I was starting out, I’d save up money from construction work to buy a couple of months of writing time, and thus tried to maximize it before I had to strap the tools back on. I’d write all night, sleep a few hours, write through the afternoon, sleep a few more, and do it again. But that wore out (or more accurately, I did), and now I’m pretty much a straight 8 to 5 guy. I find that I do best if I stay put in my office all day, and try to keep interruptions to a minimum. This can make you pretty restless if the work isn’t going well, and isn’t always popular with other people, like, say, your wife.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. I’ll only mention a couple, and only those who’ve passed on, as I don’t want to offend anyone. The recognized greats of literature, of course, with Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky maybe at the top of the list. For our own times, I can’t think of anyone who can top Robert Stone. Chandler is probably my fave detective writer, Lovecraft and M.R. James for horror and ghost stories.
What are you working on now?
I don’t really have anything solid yet. I’m just catching my breath after finishing up an 8-month roofing and remodeling project, and then trying to get THE SHADOW KIND launched. But I think it will either be another supernatural story or something related.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I know very little about all that, but to the best of my knowledge it’s venues like Awesome Gang–sites for interested readers to find the books, and active promotion, as on social media.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you really enjoy writing, stick with it–you’ll get over that. Seriously, do stick with it, even and especially when it becomes just plain work. Chances are that means you’re becoming more critical of your own stuff, and thus it will improve. I’d also suggest that you read a lot of successful books in your chosen field, and read them very carefully–even take notes–to get a sense of how the authors use pacing, suspense, action, and so on. You don’t have to imitate anyone directly, but compare, absorb, and that will find its way into your own style.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t compound your error. (Wish I’d followed it more.)
What are you reading now?
Barbara Tuchman’s A DISTANT MIRROR. I’ve read it before, years ago–a marvelous book.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Just keeping at it for as long as I’m able to do it. As noted above, no definite project yet.
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?
Wow–tough one. I don’t think it would be fiction–even a great novel you can only read so many times. Can I say something like the Encyclopedia Brittanica?
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