INTERVIEW: Shamus Award-Nominated Author JD Rhoades

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with JD Rhoades. He is an attorney in Carthage, North Carolina, newspaper columnist, a radio news reporter and was once a television cameraman. His weekly column in the Southern Pines, North Carolina “Pilot”.

He is a Shamus Award-nominated author of the critically acclaimed Jack Keller southern crime series. He is a writer of the genre known as "Redneck noir".

His first novel, The Devil's Right Hand, was released in 2005; Good Day in Hell, his second novel featuring North Carolina bail bondsman Jack Keller, was released in March 2006. His third book, Safe and Sound, was published in 2007, and Breaking cover was published in 2008.

E.I. Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager? What were you like? Please tell us more about JD Rhoades -- the man behind the newspaper columnist, attorney and now an author of southern crime series.

JD Rhoades I was pretty wild as a teenager (after a brief period where I was, if you can believe it, a fundamentalist Christian). I discovered and fell in love with the books of Hunter S. Thompson early on, and decided that's who I wanted to be. Unfortunately, I soon found out it wasn't enough just to stay wild and loaded all the time, you actually had to write something. And, you had to make a living, thus law school. I didn't actually start writing again until about 1996, when I started writing the newspaper column as a sideline.

E.I. What is it about the art form of southern crime writing that enchants you the most?

J.D. Rhoades The places that I see in my head, and the voices that I hear, are usually Southern ones. It's not like I chose it.

E.I. How do you imagine audience as you are writing? Do you try to do character development, chapter outlines, various novel-related brainstorming? Do you have sheets of newsprint covered in a story boards all over your walls?

J.D. Rhoades I really don't think of any particular audience as I'm in the act of writing the first draft. I think that would hang me up. In a way, I'm the audience; it's as if I'm seeing the story unfold in my head and I'm just writing it down. I do a lot of brainstorming, but no, no storyboards on the walls. Lots of notes in my notebook, though. Some of them are actually legible.

E.I. What was your biggest challenge in developing the character, Undercover FBI agent Tony Wolf in your book “Breaking Cover”? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story? How did you overcome these challenges?

J.D. Rhoades The biggest challenge in developing Tony Wolf's character was to try to separate him from the protagonist of my previous series, Jack Keller. There are some distinct similarities; both, of course, are tough guys, and both loners to an extent. But Tony's a lot more cautious than Jack. Keller can be insanely reckless, while Wolf lives in a state of almost constant (and well-justified) paranoia. So as the story went on, the characters naturally diverged.

E.I. How much of Tony Wolf’s life is planned out in your head in spite of the great dark mystery of the story?* How did you decide what level of details your reader will accept?

J.D. Rhoades I generally have an idea of who the character is when I start. As I write, I am thinking ahead about what the next few scenes are going to be, and where I want the book to end up, but that's about all the pre-planning I do. I've been known to do an outline at the publisher's
request, but I feel free to depart from it as soon as the contract's signed.

E.I. If you were asked to read a page from “Breaking Cover” is there one that you would personally select to share with your fans?

J.D. Rhoades I've posted an MP3 of me reading the first few pages of the book on my website, http://www.jdrhoades.com

E.I. How do you weave so much suspense and elements of information into your stories and yet you keep them so fast-paced?

J.D. Rhoades First off, thank you for that. I find that I tend to write very slowly, so as a scene or sequence of scenes go on, I start fretting a bit about how long it's taking and wondering if it's getting too long winded or boring. So I try to move things along as fast as I can. But then, when I
go back and read it, what took me hours to write goes by in minutes on the page.

E.I. What do you find to be the hardest part of writing “Breaking Cover” How do you know where you will go next?

J.D. Rhoades The hardest part of writing any book for me is actually sitting down and writing it. Once I can force myself to do that, things start to flow--usually. When I'm stuck for where to go next, I start asking “okay, what does each character want, what's his or her goal, and what would they do next to go after it?” If you know your character, usually something presents itself. *

E.I. You are well known in the writing community as the *writer of the genre known as "Redneck noir” *Do you ever feel pressure or insecure, or are you able to separate all that from your own creative process? *

J.D. Rhoades Oh, I feel insecure all the time. I'm sure most writers would tell you the same. There are a lot of times when you're thinking “Is this really any good, is this gong anywhere, etc.” You just have to press on and try to keep up your faith in the story and your ability to tell it. *

E.I. What would you tell those authors considering applying to an M.F.A. program? In your opinion how important is it for a writer to have a writing degree?*

J.D. Rhoades I don't have an advanced degree in writing, and as far as I know, none of my friends who are successful writers do either. I don't think it's vital, although I suppose the contacts you might make in an MFA program
would be helpful in getting published in the arena of literary fiction. Genre fiction, the sort of stuff I write, not so much. *

To learn more about JD Rhoades, please visit his site
To purchase his books, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Noble

UPDATE INTERVIEW: # 1 New York Time, Publisher’s Weekly & USA Today Bestselling Author: Alyson Noel

“Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Alyson Noel. She has a new sequence of novels call the Immortals series is well received by her fans. The first book, Evermore, is a New York Times Bestseller, and it was released in February 2009. The next book in the series, Blue Moon, was released in July 2009. It is another New York Times Bestseller. Ms. Noel’s third book in the series, Shadowland is now available for Pre-order at Amazon. The third book in the series Shadowland, will be released November 17th 2009.

Ms. Noel, has also written the novels Saving Zoey, Kiss & Blog, Art Geeks and Prom Queens, Cruel Summer, Laguna Cove and Fly Me to the Moon.

E.I. Tell us about the Immortals series for Young Adult. What drew you to attract YA readers with a different concept? What sort of feedback do you get from readers that have contacted you about the books?

A.N. Like most of my books, The Immortals was inspired by my own life. I’d gone through this horrible period of grief where I lost several loved ones in quick succession and then almost lost my husband to leukemia. In an attempt to deal and make sense of it, I started writing Evermore on the side (I was under contract to write Saving Zoë and Cruel Summer at the time), and I knew that in order to explore the themes I was interested in, it would have to be a paranormal tale. And since I’ve always been a fan of anything mystical and/or paranormal, I dove in headfirst!

As for the feedback, well, it’s been wonderful! I admit to being a little worried about its release as my first seven books were all realistic fiction, but I couldn’t be happier with the enthusiastic response of readers and how eagerly they’ve embraced Ever and her world!

E.I. What challenge or obstacle did you encounter in creating “Ever” while writing and creating her in your novel?

A.N. Ever was actually very easy to write. The grief I’d experienced easily mixed in with hers, and she just sort of grew and took shape in my mind. Her sister Riley was the biggest surprise, as she ended up getting a much bigger role than I first imagined, and I enjoyed writing her so much I was sad to see her go. Which is why I’m thrilled to announce that she’ll be getting her own series set to debut in Fall 2010!

E.I. How much creative control did you have with Ever and Damen in comparison to your previous teen novels? Do you always know a story's ending when you begin writing?

A.N. I’m lucky to work with such a fabulous editor, Rose Hilliard, who gives me full reign and only enhances but never interferes with my voice or my vision. And while I almost always know how a story will end (it’s the journey that shifts and changes along the way) I have to admit that while writing Evermore, I was so focused on the story at hand, it wasn’t until I’d reached the end that I realized it was really just the beginning, and so we decided to make it a series.

E.I. How do you weave so much information into your stories and yet you keep them so fast-paced?

A.N. That’s actually something I really used to really struggle with, but reading Robert McKee’s fabulous book, Story helped me immensely. He urges the writer to dole out the info only as we need it and not a moment sooner, which really helps avoid those much dreaded “info dumps!”

E.I. What was your biggest challenge in developing the characters, Damen, Jude and Ever? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story? How did you overcome these challenges?

A.N. Damen is the one who evolved the most. In my first draft he was far too “good” and “nice” and “perfect” and it just wasn’t working for me—not that I have anything against good and nice and perfect, but it’s not always very interesting! It wasn’t until I really pondered his history, and the fact that he’d been around for 600 years, and I realized he’d probably accumulated his fair share of baggage along the way, and he suddenly became far more complex and more fun to write.

As for Jude, well, I love writing him. He’s so complex, and, at the moment anyway, we’re unsure just whose side he’s really on, and even though he’s pretty much just how I pictured him from the start, he’s definitely taken on more depth as the story evolves.

E.I. If you were asked to read a page from “Shadowland” is there one that you would personally select to share with your fans?

A.N. Page 233 because it shakes up everything Ever thought she knew for sure—it sets her whole idea of herself, her destiny, and her relationship with Damen off balance.

E.I. Do you find that the real story magic comes in the editing? Does the story continue to evolve for you even beyond the first draft? Do you have any particular approach to editing your work?

A.N. I love the editing/revising part—that’s when it all really comes alive! Though with my deadlines as tight as they are, I also revise as I go. I start each day going over what I wrote before, then I continue on to the new stuff. Then I revise several more times before I turn it into my editor.

E.I. When did you get the first inkling that your books might become wildly popular? Can you describe your feelings upon realizing this?

A.N. Just before Evermore was released a few things happened that hadn’t happened with my previous releases: I sold the foreign rights to Germany at Auction, the dramatic rights were optioned by Spring Creek Productions, and my publisher started getting really large orders from booksellers and retailers, and, we knew it had to be some kind of sign.

When I get the news that it had debuted on the New York Times Best Sellers List for Children’s Paperbacks I was at the dentist’s office getting my teeth cleaned (but I took the call anyway!), and on the way home I learned it had also hit the USA Today list, and that the film option deal had been finalized (it took several months to close), and I couldn’t help it, I just broke down and sobbed like a baby—thinking about the whole, long, difficult journey, from a pretty tough childhood and beyond, and I could hardly believe I’d really just realized a dream.

E.I. With ten books under your belt, how have you evolved as a writer?

A.N. Well, in some ways the writing process has gotten easier, but mostly because I’ve allowed myself to trust in it, to just go with it, and to get the story down, because I know I’ll revise it over and over again later. And in other ways, I feel like it hasn’t evolved at all! I just finished my 12th book, am starting my 13th, and as soon as I filled up the title page with the usual info, I got that same horrified, panicked, sinking-gut feeling—wondering how I’d ever find a way to fill up the next 300 and some odd pages! That, unfortunately, is something that never changes!

E.I. What can fans look forward from you in the coming months? Can you give us a hint as to what it's about?

A.N. Well, sometime in spring/summer 2010, Dark Flame, (book 4 in The Immortals series), will be in stores, then Riley’s series (no title yet) will debut in fall 2010, and there’s a good chance that book five in The Immortals series will also be released in 2010 (though I’m still waiting for a confirmation on that). And I’ll also have a short story in the Kisses From Hell anthology that was really fun to write. 2010 is going to be a very busy year!

Thanks so much for the interview!!
To learn more about Alyson Noel, please visit her website at: http://www.alysonnoel.com/

To purchase her books please visit http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_0_6?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=alyson+noel&sprefix=alyson

INTERVIEW: Bestselling Author, Playwright & Award-Winning Actor - Ron McLarty

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Mr. Ron McLarty. He was discovered as a writer by Stephen King, who listened to his unpublished novel which Mr. McLarty had recorded as an audio book. Stephen King declared The Memory of Running” as The Best Book You Can’t Read in 2003.

His book, “The Memory of Running” is about a 43 year old real nice guy, 279-pound, hard-drinking, womanless, friendless, self-professed loser Smithy Ide, who works in a dead-end job as a quality control inspector at a G.I. Joe toy factory action-figure in Rhode Island, putting arms and legs on an action hero.

Mr. McLarty is also a professional character actor, he’s had recurring roles on the following T.V shows: Sex and the City with Sarah Jessica Parker, The Practice with Dylan McDermott , Laura Flynn Boyle and James Spader, Spencer: For Hire a mystery suspense series based on Robert Parker’s novel with the late Robert Urich and Law & Order SVU with Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Malone and Ice-T

He has appeared in films and on the stage, where he has directed many of his own plays. Mr. McLarty has written all of his novels and plays by longhand.

E.I. Tell us about your book ‘Art in America ’ and how did you come up with the title and idea?

R.M. ART IN AMERICA was written as a homage to the healing power of theatre. I chose community theatre in this case because there is a sense of mission and commitment non-professionals bring to the table. I can't say for certain how the title seeped into my head except without Art, even silly art, we're just going through the motions of life.

E.I. How much of "Steven Kearney" , "Ticky Lettgo" and "Red Fields" life is planned out in your head? How do you know where you will go next with any of your characters?

R.M. When I first began to write, I plotted out everything. No guesswork. I simply followed my outline. MISTAKE! It wasn't until I trusted my characters to speak and act for themselves, to create their own story that I found joy in writing. More often than not I'm pretty surprised where my characters lead me.

E.I. Tell us about “Traveler” and the memorable, winning cast of characters you created in the novel?

R.M. I've set novels in my hometown of East Providence, RI before. It was wonderful growing up in a very, very diverse town. Portuguese, Italian, African-American, Irish . . . you name it. For the most part we all got along and found our places in the world. TRAVELER is a blend of the real and the imaginary.

E.I. The story of camaraderie among Cubby, Bobby, Juno and Billy in Traveler is hilarious and tragic. Are these characters base on real people?

R.M. They're a compilation of people I grew up with. I've done some book events in East Providence and every now and then someone will come up to me and say 'That guy was me, right?' (I always say yes).

E.I. What motivates you to write about men like Jono Riley in Traveler, Smithy Ide in Memory of Running and Steven Kearny in Art in America, who seem to have something missing from their lives?

R.M. For many people, perhaps for most, life is a wild journey. A search for the correct place, love, belonging. It's usually a person we seek, who will make us less afraid and take the time to listen to our hopes and fears. I didn't know that Jono or Smithy or Steven were going to find what they were looking for when I put them on the road but I was happy for them when they did.

E.I. Do you give each character the same amount of thought or attention when developing them as you do the major players in the story?

R.M. It's necessary for me to like the people in my stories . . . even the one's that common sense tells you not to. My personal experience has shown that given the benefit of the doubt, most people are a whole lot better than first impressions. So yes, even the folks passing through get plopped under the microscope where special attention gets paid.

E.I. Did you go to NY 30 or 40 years ago to become a writer but ended up becoming a character actor? Please tell your fans about the origins of your original goal to be a writer? Had you wanted to write as a child and how you ended up doing acting? Do you have formal training in either discipline?

R.M. I got discharged from the Army in 1971. I had my first novel completed and figured it might take a month or so before I was paid millions for world wide publication so I auditioned for a play, MOONCHILDREN, at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. That play went to Broadway (for three minutes) and that led to commercials, more plays, television series and films. It did not however lead to publication for that I had to wait 31 more years. But I always wrote for the pleasure of it which is a must for the writer. There's never a guarantee of anything beyond the blank page. I practiced writing and acting sort of informally. They're very similar in that the actor's technique of storing physical and vocal observations of the world to be brought up and used as character studies is invaluable to the writer as well when he or she is fleshing out the lives lived on the page.

E.I. When you sat down to write a new novel, do you always have any idea what the subject would be? Was your mind always totally blank until a character whispered in your ear..... "Here's my story. Write it down." Or do you have no outline, no road map and you where just simply along for the ride?
R.M. The key is to trust that the characters won't let you down. That they will have lives and insist on living them. And they do.

E.I. What challenges or obstacle did you encounter while writing and creating Smithy Ide in “Memory of Running”? How did you overcome these challenges?

R.M. I like to think I learned to write finally, with THE MEMORY OF RUNNING. I had previously insisted on manipulating my stories and the people who inhabit them to arrive at some pre-destined conclusion. But when I was forty my folks had a terrible one car accident that would eventually claim their lives. I took a hotel room near the hospital they were in and at night to distract myself from this awful situation, I began a long poem about an overweight guy pedaling across America. After my folks were gone I turned the poem into a play and then into a novel. When I say that Smithy really wrote his own story with me adding commas and periods--I mean it.

E.I. With "Memory of Running", "Traveler" and now “Art in America” under your belt how have you evolved as a writer?

R.M. I'm evolving with my characters. I never write for the sake of writing. Some days my characters want to chill, tell me nothing. I'm good at waiting now because I know, sooner or later, they'll say 'let's get going.'

E.I. Do you let anyone read your manuscript, before you send it to your editor?

R.M. My wife, Kate Skinner is a very great actress with the artist's insight and a prodigious reader. Her suggestions and help are invaluable.

E.I. Give us three "Good to Know" facts about you. Be creative. Tell us about your first job, the inspiration for your writing, any fun details that would enliven your page.

R.M. I'm not sure I can offer "Good to Know" facts about Ron McLarty but here's a few things that taken together may add up to something. Because of my long wait for publication I became a more or less full time actor and landed some nice parts on Broadway, television and film. I also narrated many audio books and gave voice to a lot of commercials. I didn't realize until much later that while my feelings were indeed hurt at what I thought was literary neglect--there was a silver lining to it. There wasn't room in me for hurt feelings when it came to acting roles not gotten. I never had to lug that huge sack of disappointments around that are so much a part of the acting profession. When I got published (due to an article Stephen King wrote after listening to me read MEMORY in audio), I was at an age when I could enjoy the ride and not get lost in thinking it was my due.

E.I. Mr. McLarty, Thank you for contributing to my blog. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know your work a little better. Would you like to end your interview with a writing tip or advice for young aspiring writers?

R.M. Tell YOURSELF a story--something that interests you. Diligence and hard work are important of course but so is imagination--cultivate it. And of course keep at it.

Photo of Mr. McLarty By Jerry Bauer

To learn more about Ron McLarty please visit his website at: http://www.ronmclarty.com/

To purchase his books please visit www.amazon.com/

INTERVIEW: Bestselling & Award Winning Author, Jon Clinch

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Jon Clinch. His new novel, “Kings of the Earth” is a powerful and haunting story of life, death and family in rural America is due for released in July of 2010.

In his masterful debut novel which springs from Twain's classic story, Mr. Clinch delves into the history and heart of one of American literature's most brutal and mysterious figures: Huckleberry’s Finn father Pap.

His book FINN was named one of the best novels of 2007 by three major newspaper, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Christian Science Monitor. FINN was name a notable book by the American Library Association and was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle’s first-ever best recommended list and Sargent First Novel Prize.

E.I. Can you tell us a little bit about your short story “The Dog”?

J.C. You could think of it as a missing chapter of my novel FINN, although the truth is that it's a kind of farewell to Finn himself. The short story, like the novel, takes off from the details of his death room in HUCK—only this time, instead of black cloth masks and whiskey bottles and a wooden leg, the object in question is a dog collar.

E.I. What inspired you to release “The Dog”?

J.C. I liked sending it out there as a missing piece of my first novel, the way Twain's "The Raftsmen's Passage" existed as a missing piece of HUCK. There was a nice symmetry in that. I've posted it for free on my web site at www.jonclinch.com, and it's also available for the Kindle at Amazon. The Amazon version is about as cheap as I could make it.

E.I. It seems that FINN attracted a lot of publicity and readers. When are we going to see FINN on the screen?

J.C. Sooner than you might think. All I can say right now is that the story is in the best possible hands. I've read the script, and it's a thing of beauty. We have a mighty director. Casting is under way. I'll keep you posted.

E.I. With two books under your belt, how have you evolved as a writer?

J.C. I guess you're talking about my next one, KINGS OF THE EARTH, which Random House will publish in July. KINGS is a much more modern story than FINN, set in the twentieth century instead of the nineteenth. The book's language and method and themes have a more modern feel as well. With KINGS, and with the project I'm working on now, readers will sense an expansion beyond the high-intensity claustrophobia that marked FINN.

E.I. What can you share with us about “Kings of the Earth” without spoiling it?

J.C. One description of it begins this way: "The edge of civilization is closer than we think." KINGS is about three brothers who live in poverty on a crumbling dairy farm in upstate New York. One of them dies in his sleep, and things unfold rapidly from there.

E.I. Did you feel as much pressure when you were writing “Kings of the Earth” as you did following on the success of FINN? What was your biggest challenge and obstacle while writing and creating it?

J.C. The pressure was huge, and it really got in my way for a while. It's bad enough to be constantly looking over your shoulder—but when the person who's gaining on you turns out to be YOU, it's kind of a nightmare. I finally stopped trying to replicate what I'd done in FINN, threw out an entire novel that I'd spent a year and a half writing, and began fresh with KINGS. Instead of FINN's big, mythic narrative voice, it uses a dozen first-person narrators who tell their own versions of the story at hand. That technique alone freed me up a great deal.

E.I. Give us three "Good to Know" facts about you. Be creative. Tell us about your first job, the inspiration for your writing, any fun details that would enliven your page.

J.C. My wife, Wendy Clinch, is publishing a very funny mystery novel in January with Minotaur Books, called DOUBLE BLACK: A SKI DIVA MYSTERY (it's the first in a series, set in a little Vermont town like ours).

E.I. We've been married for thirty-three years.

J.C. The best thing the two of ever did is to raise our daughter, who's now a science teacher in New York City.

E.I. What's next after “Kings of the Earth”?

J.C. Another novel set in my home area in upstate New York. More details as they become available. Thanks for inviting me to visit your blog...

To learn more about Jon Clinch please visit his website at: www.jonclinch.com

To purchase his books please www.amazon.com

INTERVIEW: World-Renowned Bestselling Author and Playwright: Warren Adler

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with World-renowned writer, and playwright, Warren Adler. Mr. Adler has written fourty books and published thirty novels two of which, “The War of the Roses” and "Random Hearts," were made into successful films.

"War of The Roses," the film, debuted in 1989. Two time Oscar winner, Michael Douglas , Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner, Kathleen Turner paid tribute to this sophisticated film noire with scintillating performances under the direction of Oscar nominee and Emmy award winner, Danny De Vito. It remains one of the most popular film noire genre movies of all time.

“Random Hearts” was released in theatres in 1999 starring Oscar nominees, Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas. Academy award winning director, producer the late Sydney Pollack was credited with much of the critical acclaim, but clearly much of the credit rightfully goes to the author.

Mr. Adler has optioned twelve of his books for film ensuring a film legacy equal to that of his publishing career. The manuscript for "Private Lies" sold for $1.2 million, which at the time was the highest price paid in the early 90’s for an unpublished manuscript.

Adding there short story to his accomplishment this prolific author also wrote the Fiona Fitzgerald Collection of five short stories. "The Sunset Gang" was selected by the American Playhouse for public television and presented in a three hour television series running from 1991 to 2002.

His 29th novel, "Funny Boys", was published by Overlook Press in the spring of 2008. "New York Echoes," his 30th novel, which was taken from one of the short story collections, was expanded into a novel and published in the winter of 2008 by Stonehouse Press.

In addition to his accomplishments as a writer Warren Adler was an enterprising business man. He founded WHAG-TV, the NBC affiliate in Hagerstown Maryland in 1970. Before getting into television, he acquired WQCM-FM, a Hagerstown radio station in the late 1960’s.

Mr. Adler is the founder of the Jackson Hole Writer's Conference, and has served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jackson Hole Public Library.

E.I. Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager? What were you like? Please tell us more about Warren Adler -- the man behind the author.

W.A. I was child of the depression. My father was mostly unemployed through that period and we shuttled back and forth from my grandparents house in Brooklyn. I was a boy scout, marched as a bugler in the WW 2 victory parade, loved my childhood, my parents and grandparents. We had no money, but who cared. Life was sweet. I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to tell stories, write works of the imagination and I haunted the library, loved books and movies. Still do. I have never lost faith in the promise of America.

E.I. What is it about the art form of writing that enchants you the most?

W.A. By my lights, writing is a calling. You either feel its power or you don’t. Writing is my life. I never attempt to analyze the urge to create parallel lives through novels, short stories and plays.

E.I. How do you imagine audience as you are writing? Do you try to do character development, chapter outlines, various novel-related brainstorming? Do you have sheets of newsprint covered in a story boards all over your walls?

W.A. I never imagine an audience, never brainstorm, never cut clippings, never outline. I research on google these days. I compose my books like a jazz man, create the characters and they work out their own destiny. If I knew how a story would end I would never write it. I have written forty books, published thirty so far and continue to write daily.

E.I. Do you let anyone read your manuscript, before you send it to your editor?

W.A. I never show my books to anyone until I am satisfied that they are finished. Never did. Never will.

E.I. When your novel “RANDOM HEARTS” was adapted to film, where you involved in the casting process? Had you considered Kristin Scott Thomas and Harrison Ford for the starring roles in the movie? And did you served as production advisor on the film location?

W.A. I have sold or optioned 12 of my books to the movies, a record of sorts. I do not write my novels and stories with the movies in mind. They have made two major pictures, of which “The War of the Roses” has become a classic. Random Hearts was a mess and I wrote a piece in the New York Times telling how much I hated it. I was quite satisfied with “War” and I loved the trilogy “The Sunset Gang” adapted from my stories. It appeared on the PBS network. I was on the Warner Lot for a year trying to get my other books made into movies. Frankly, I had no impact on the making of the movies and find the process boring and weird and many of the people associated with that business shallow and narcisstic. Today most movies are made for a target audience of people under fourteen.

E.I. What was your biggest challenge in developing the character, Kay Chandler in Random Hearts?

W.A. I never over-analyze or think in terms of challenges. Developing a character sounds like movie speak. I don’t know what it means. I eshew all this creative writing talk and I find it counterproductive. A writer is a writer is a writer. Deconstruction is for literary academics not for creators of literature.

E. I. If you were asked to read a chapter from your latest book “Funny Boys’”, is there one that you would personally select to share with your fans?

W.A. There are lots of jokes in Funny Boys. I do read those parts with the most jokes. After all it is about a comedian and people like to laugh. Authors who read tend to be boring and as an experienced public speaker I am very careful not to rely on reading my works before audiences. I would rather talk about the book, its origins and read only bit parts. I’m made hundreds of appearances and found that formula the best.

E.I. What inspired you to write “FUNNY BOYS” And has the book been optioned for film yet?

W.A. Yes, the book has been optioned for a film. I know the turf, have been to the Catskills in its hey day and have experienced relationships with Jewish gangsters when I grew up in Brownsville Brooklyn around the corner from the headquarters of Murder Inc. This will make a great film if the producers can assemble a perfect cast and understand the characters and the environment. I live in hope since I have been down that road many times before. I was quite lucky with The War of the Roses.

E.I. What was your biggest challenge and obstacle while writing and creating Mickey Fine and Mutzie Feder in "Funny Boys"? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story? Are any of the characters in the story actually based on real people in your life?

W.A. Once again, I don’t think in terms of challenges. Everything evolves in the creative process. Characters form, inter-react and become real people in the parallel world imagined in the creative process. As I said before I am against deconstruction and the language of the creative writing classes. Talent is a mysterious force that happens. If you have it you know it and you must nurture and respect it. As for being based on real people, all fictionalized characters are an amalgm of those people who the writer has met in his life. But the process is subconscious and I try not think about how it pops into the writers mind. The less you know of the process, the better the performance. Just ask any painter, composer or “real” writer.

E.I. If you were allowed total control of the Hollywood version of (FUNNY BOYS) who would be in it? And in your opinion who do you think should direct?

W.A. Milton Berle, if he were still alive and in his twenties would be perfect and Speilberg, who lives, is my first choice. I’m sure there are people around who could play the part of the Tumler and many can play the parts of the gangsters. I can see the picture in the movie of my mind. I hope the producers can take a peek.

E.I. Mr. Adler, Thank you for contributing to my blog. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know your work a little better. Would you like to end your interview with a writing tip or advice for young aspiring writers?

W.A. You can get more on my website warrenadler.com If I sound somewhat like a curmudgeon forgive me. I tend to be too outspoken…but what the hell. Good for you to keep writing. Best Warren

To purchase Mr. Adlers books please visit www.amazon.com

INTERVIEW: Bestselling Author, Novelist, New York Times & San Francisco Chronicle Journalist: Tom Dolby

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Tom Dolby. He is the author of the best-selling novel The Trouble Boy. It was published in 2004 and was followed by his third novel The Sixth Form in 2008. He was a co-editor of , Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys in 2007. The rights to the anthology were optioned by Bravo TV in 2008 as a reality television series.

Mr. Dolby was born in London, but raised in San Francisco and now divides his time between Manhattan's West Village and Wainscott, New York. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Village Voice and San Francisco Chronicle. He is a graduate of Yale University, where he received his BA in the history of art.

Secret Society is his first book for young adults and is now available in every bookstore and on line.

E.I. Tell us about your latest book “Secret Society” for young adult? What drew you to attract the YA readers?

T.D. I had an idea to write a book about a secret society that was recruiting teens, and it seemed like the YA genre would be right for it. Secret societies are full of mystery and intrigue and it seemed like a good fit.

E.I. What was your biggest challenge or obstacle while writing and creating the characters Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story?

T.D. A little bit of both -- I knew the characters before I started, but they certainly evolved as the story developed.

E.I. If you were asked to read a chapter from this book, is there one that you would select to share?

T.D. I like the initiation scene a lot!

E.I. What inspired you to write “Secret Society”?

T.D. I was inspired by real-life secret societies, as well as classic adventure stories.

E.I. As a first time YA novelist, do you feel more pressure, feel insecure or are you able to separate all that from your own creative process?

T.D. I think a novelist just has to write the best book he or she can write -- you can't worry too much about the book's reception, particularly while you are writing it.

E.I. If you were allowed total control of the Hollywood version of “Secret Society’’ who would be in it? And who do you think should direct?

T.D. I would love to see a Wes Anderson version of it -- my favorite parts of the book are the quirky moments, and I think he would bring that out. As for casting, it's hard to say -- I'll have to think about that!

E.I. Mr. Dolby, thank you for contributing to my blog. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know you, and your work a little better. Would you like to end your interview with a writing tip or advice for young aspiring writers?

T.D. Just keep at it, and try to write every day -- it's important to stay in practice!

To learn more about Tom Dolby please visit his website at: http://www.tomdolby.com/about/

To buy his books please visit http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=tom+dolby&x=12&y=22

INTERVIEW: Stan Swanson - Author - The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Mr. Stan Swanson. Mr. Swanson worked as a writer, columnist and editor for a Denver area newspaper. He also worked as the entertainment editor for Denver Magazine. He formed Stony Meadow Publishing in 2005 as a means to writing and publishing additional works

The Dragons of Shadara was Stan’s Swanson’s first book and was released in 2003. His book, The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck, is a juvenile fantasy adventure was published in 2007. The second book in his exciting fantasy series Pandemonium in Pennywhistle will be available in 2010.

Mr. Swanson currently resides in Colorado with his wife, Joy. He has three children and four grandchildren.

E.I. Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager? What were you like? Please tell us more about Stan Swanson -- the man behind the author and journalist?

S.S. I was rather shy growing up, but I learned to play guitar when I was about 14. I was in several groups through my college days and soon got over my stage fright. I wrote a lot in my teenage years and was really into science fiction. (I also got into songwriting so you can tell I was really into the creative process in my formative years.)

E.I. Do you enjoy writing? *What is it about this art form that enchants you the most? Why have you chosen to write in the genre in which you write?

S.S. I do enjoy the writing process, but people might be surprised to find out it is work just like any job. Sometimes I can sit down and write quite easily, but at other times I really have to force myself. I don't really believe in 'writer's block'. You just need to sit down and write no matter what comes out of your pen, pencil or keyboard. I think what enchants me the most is creating something out of nothing and then actually seeing it in print. It's like scoring the winning touchdown in a football game. And I actually write in different styles for different audiences even though I really enjoy writing stuff for tweens and teens. Even though the first book I wrote The Dragons of Shadara was aimed at teens, my next two books were non-fiction works for songwriters. I then wrote the first book in the Hobart Hucklebuck series and consider it one of my favorites. The characters really came to life for me and I could really use my sense of humor. However, my latest work is strictly for adults. (Forever Zombie: A Collection of Undead Guy Tales is now available on Amazon along with my other works.)

E.I. Could you describe your path that leads you to publication--any stumble along the way? Is there anything about you that you would do differently, knowing what you do now?

S.S. After many rejections on The Dragons of Shadara, I decided that self-publishing was the best route for me to take. There was a huge learning curve in doing it this way, but it has worked out well as I now have five books available on Amazon and other online bookstores. By the way, The Dragons of Shadara was originally published through AuthorHouse. I re-published recently under my Stony Meadow Publishing company as Dragontooth: The Prequel.

E.I. Was there a central theme that you wanted readers to grasp?

S.S. There was no central theme in The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck. I just wanted to write something that kids would enjoy reading. It has received good reviews, but sales are always hard for the self-publisher who must do all their own marketing, etc.

E.I. Are there any kid or teen books rocked your world while growing up? And why?

S.S. I loved Raold Dahl, but I read mostly science fiction while I was growing up. Most people won't know what I'm talking about, but the Tom Corbett: Space Cadet books were a great series for kids. As far as books go for tweens and teens, you can't ignore the impact that Harry Potter has had upon the reading habits of kids. My only problem with the books was that they got darker and darker as the series progressed. The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck will never take that route. I don't want to alienate my original audience.

E.I. How do you imagine audience as you are writing? Do you try to do character development, chapter outlines, various novel-related brainstorming? Do you have sheets of newsprint covered in a story boards all over your walls?

S.S. I've tried everything from post-it notes on my bulletin board to index cards. But I generally develop the basics of my story in my head and don't even jot down many notes the first few days. I usually fall asleep thinking through the plotline. The, when I'm ready, I do a chapter-by-chapter outline so that when I start writing, I know exactly what's going to happen in each chapter. Sometimes that changes as I go, but for the most part, I stick with the outline. I also do character development sheets so I get to know my characters before I start writing.

E.I. Let’s talk about Hobart Hucklebuck, the protagonist in your novel The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck. How much of Hobart planned out in your head? How do you know where you will go next with his character?

S.S. By the time I started writing The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck. I could visual Hobart as easily as the kid next door. I knew what he was likely to do in any situation, but he's basically an "everyday" kid that most readers can identify. He will grow and mature to a certain extent, but as I stated earlier, I don't want my characters to grow up too fast, so future books will have only short gaps in time from the previous book.

E.I. What is a typical work day schedule when you are in full writing mode? Would you tell us a little about your process for editing, revising, and novel development?

S.S. I try not to do the same thing everyday although If I really fall into a true writing mode, I might write for several days before doing anything else. But typically I will write for 2-3 days, then do some editing on a different book (I usually have 2-3 books going at once.) And some days I will stay away from the process completely and try to enjoy something else so my brain stays fresh and it all doesn't become too "work-like". I edit my books heavily. (Maybe too much...) I edited/revised The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck 9-10 times before I felt it was ready.

E.I. How long did it take you to write “The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck” and The Dragons of Shadara.

S.S. I wrote The Dragons of Shadara over a four year on-and-off period. The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck took about two years. I wrote the second book in the series in about 3 months, but still have several edits to go before it is actually done.

E.I. What's up next? Is there another book in the works? What can you share with your fans?

S.S. I just released Forever Zombie: A Collection of Undead Guy Tales a few days ago. It is a collection of 12 short stories, but they are not your typical 'slice-and-dice' zombie tales. They all have lots of humor and endings you might not expect. I think that even a non-zombie fan would enjoy the stories. The second book in the Hobart series The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Pandemonium in Pennywhistle is basically finished, but still needs a couple more edits. I have also started an outline for the third book in the series. (The second book should be available in the Spring of 2010.) I'm also working on a humorous book titled The Ultimate Survival Guide for Humanity: How to Survive Attacks from Zombies, Vampires, Aliens, Ex-Lovers and Other Scary Stuff which should also be available next year.

E.I. Mr. Swanson, thank you for contributing to my blog. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know your work a little better. Would you like to end your interview with a writing tip or advice for young aspiring writers?

S.S. My only suggestion for aspiring writers is just to keep writing. Don't get discouraged by rejections. All authors receive them. Many successfully books (including the Harry Potter series) were rejected many times before publication. Don't believe in writer's block -- just write, write write. And never worry about editing your stuff until you're done with the project. It just slows down the creative process if you try to edit as you go. And good luck!

To learn more about Stan Swanson please visit his website at: http://www.stonymeadowpublishing.com/