Today, The Chicago Contingent welcomes Anthony Award winning author, Robin Burcell. She's here to discuss her latest book, THE BONE CHAMBER, recently released with Harper:
Dana Kaye: You've made a distinct shift from Police Procedurals to high-octane thrillers. What motivated the transition?
Robin Burcell: I read one of James Rollins’ thrillers and I was hooked! There was something about the excitement and adventure of jetting off to other countries, exploring new cultures, and vicariously living the life of an operative working for the government that thrilled me, made me want to experience it for myself. Suddenly, my own life of investigating crime as a police officer seemed so… ordinary. It may have something to do with my passion for the old “Man From U.N.C.L.E” shows when I was a kid. I wanted to be a secret agent. I decided to write a book where an ordinary law enforcement officer was thrust into the midst of a government conspiracy, thus allowing me to live the dream of being a special operative from the safety of my own computer desktop.
DK: How does your background as a police officer and forensic artist inform your writing?
RB: Quite simply it allows me to instill my experience from over twenty-seven years working as a police officer and forensic artist into the book. My protagonists benefit from that experience, since my training is their training. Granted, while I’ve been to Rome I’ve never jetted off through Europe, chasing after criminals and investigating legendary caches of treasure. My crime fighting has only been done on the local level. But that is what imagination is all about.
DK: After publishing five novels, how has your writing process changed?
RB: I’ve started writing on a larger canvas, so to speak. I am allowing my characters to take bigger risks, move outside their comfort zone, travel to new places and fight bigger villains. The writing process itself has not changed that much—unless you count the research. Where I was writing about San Francisco PD in past books, I am now writing about foreign countries, the most recent being Italy. And naturally, traveling to Italy was necessary to make sure my scenes rang true. I might have to set more books in foreign countries. Traveling to foreign countries for research is a lot of fun.
DK: In this economic climate, are you making any changes to your marketing efforts? Doing anything differently this time around?
RB: Internet, internet, internet. I am running a contest on Facebook and Twitter, and hitting various blogs, giving away copies of books to lucky readers as well as some other choice prizes. But I am also visiting a few key independent bookstores in hopes of introducing my work to new readers.
DK: What's the biggest piece of advice you could give an aspiring writer?
RB: A page a day is all it takes to finish a book. I wrote my books working full-time and raising three children, so I understand a busy schedule. At first the idea of writing a book under these circumstances seemed daunting. But when you break it down to small steps-a page a day-it becomes a manageable and enjoyable endeavor.
Robin is heading out on book tour, so visit her author page to see if she's coming to a bookstore near you. Chicagoans, she won't be doing a formal signing in the windy city, but she'll be in town January 28th for stock signings at various local bookstores.
Showing posts with label author interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author interview. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Writer's Block Wednesday: Q&A with Onrie Kompan
Joining the Chicago Contingent just before the Thanksgiving festivities, is comic book author, Onrie Kompan. Onrie is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago, a native to the area, and his first comic book series, YI SOON SHIN: Warrior and Defender, launches today!
Dana Kaye: What was your motivation for writing this series?
Onrie Kompan: I grew up reading many comic books and have always been intrigued by the struggles that super heroes dealt with. I always felt like I could relate to them on a personal level but there was always this line that couldn’t be crossed because none of these heroes actually existed.
When I first started writing comics I found that nothing I had produced was adding any value to the medium. Then one day, I came across a TV show called THE IMMORTAL YI SOON SHIN.
Like many super heroes, Admiral Yi endured very difficult hardships and I believe he stands out more because he existed. Not only is he real but you can also relate to him because he was just as human as everyone else. His philosophies not only guided me through the process of producing the series, but they also had a significant impact on my life in general.
Because so few people outside of Korea know who Yi Soon Shin is, I feel it is my calling to bring his story to the center stage of the world.
DK: Speak a little bit about the writing process. How is it different for comics and novels?
OK: I spent 5 years learning how to write novels and then spent two years unlearning it all. Not that writing novels is a bad thing but comics have a very different flow to them than novels. You need to get the point across very quickly.
In college, many of my professors asked me to slow down when I was writing so that I could see everything on the page. This forced me to pay attention to all the fine details going on in each scene, but I was no longer focused on the actual story itself and I often found myself stopping and asking, “Wait, what’s this about again?” In other words, when it comes to writing, I have a severe case of A.D.D and memory loss.
In prose forms, you control the whole playground and I find that to be a bit distracting. I like to get close to my characters and I like to watch them interact with one another. Writing comics has always felt natural to me because I can let my artist worry about the background details. I’m all about character interaction.
DK: Since this is your first series, what has surprised you about the publishing process? Anything you wish you knew going in?
OK: Oh yeah! I’m still learning things as I go and I’m making lots of mistakes and having lots of breakthroughs. I had many mentors who helped me along the way. Mort Castle and Len Strazewski taught me how to write and produce. My father taught me how to conduct business. All of them have been extremely supportive.
Putting my production team together was a dream come true but there were some difficult moments. Till this day, none of us have actually met each other face-to-face. David (the editor) and I talk on the phone fairly often but the rest of the team is pretty spread out. Gio’ lives in Italy and Adriana and Joel are from Argentina.
Despite our distance and how difficult it can sometimes be to communicate with each other, I have never worked with such a committed group of artists. They are all extremely talented and it’s a great honor working with them.
In my humble opinion, the ride isn’t worth it if you know what’s in store for you. If you decide to get involved in comics, you’re already taking a risk and are in store for a ton of surprises. Some are great and some just really suck. But there is nothing more gratifying than accomplishing the goals you set for yourself and standing out from everyone else.
DK: Which book or series made you want to write comics?
OK: Growing up, I was a huge Spider-Man fan and I always knew that I wanted to write comics professionally.
Over the last ten years, I began exposing myself to more mainstream comics and eventually started developing an interest in independent graphic novels.
I have a great deal of admiration for writers that choose to maintain their integrity and know when to walk away from a project. Alan Moore’s works are a prime example of that.
I would love to write all kinds of comics but I also feel that it’s important to add to the medium. The comic book industry as a whole is in dire need of afresh perspective in order to survive and attract new readers.
For decades comics have been seen as a childish form of entertainment. That’s something I would like to see change over the course of time and I’m really glad to see that there are so many talented writers out there who are telling their own stories.
******
Want a signed copy of Issue #1? E-mail Onrie and he'll send you one! For more information on Onrie and YI SOON SHIN, visit his website.
Dana Kaye: What was your motivation for writing this series?
Onrie Kompan: I grew up reading many comic books and have always been intrigued by the struggles that super heroes dealt with. I always felt like I could relate to them on a personal level but there was always this line that couldn’t be crossed because none of these heroes actually existed.
When I first started writing comics I found that nothing I had produced was adding any value to the medium. Then one day, I came across a TV show called THE IMMORTAL YI SOON SHIN.
Like many super heroes, Admiral Yi endured very difficult hardships and I believe he stands out more because he existed. Not only is he real but you can also relate to him because he was just as human as everyone else. His philosophies not only guided me through the process of producing the series, but they also had a significant impact on my life in general.
Because so few people outside of Korea know who Yi Soon Shin is, I feel it is my calling to bring his story to the center stage of the world.
DK: Speak a little bit about the writing process. How is it different for comics and novels?
OK: I spent 5 years learning how to write novels and then spent two years unlearning it all. Not that writing novels is a bad thing but comics have a very different flow to them than novels. You need to get the point across very quickly.
In college, many of my professors asked me to slow down when I was writing so that I could see everything on the page. This forced me to pay attention to all the fine details going on in each scene, but I was no longer focused on the actual story itself and I often found myself stopping and asking, “Wait, what’s this about again?” In other words, when it comes to writing, I have a severe case of A.D.D and memory loss.
In prose forms, you control the whole playground and I find that to be a bit distracting. I like to get close to my characters and I like to watch them interact with one another. Writing comics has always felt natural to me because I can let my artist worry about the background details. I’m all about character interaction.
DK: Since this is your first series, what has surprised you about the publishing process? Anything you wish you knew going in?
OK: Oh yeah! I’m still learning things as I go and I’m making lots of mistakes and having lots of breakthroughs. I had many mentors who helped me along the way. Mort Castle and Len Strazewski taught me how to write and produce. My father taught me how to conduct business. All of them have been extremely supportive.
Putting my production team together was a dream come true but there were some difficult moments. Till this day, none of us have actually met each other face-to-face. David (the editor) and I talk on the phone fairly often but the rest of the team is pretty spread out. Gio’ lives in Italy and Adriana and Joel are from Argentina.
Despite our distance and how difficult it can sometimes be to communicate with each other, I have never worked with such a committed group of artists. They are all extremely talented and it’s a great honor working with them.
In my humble opinion, the ride isn’t worth it if you know what’s in store for you. If you decide to get involved in comics, you’re already taking a risk and are in store for a ton of surprises. Some are great and some just really suck. But there is nothing more gratifying than accomplishing the goals you set for yourself and standing out from everyone else.
DK: Which book or series made you want to write comics?
OK: Growing up, I was a huge Spider-Man fan and I always knew that I wanted to write comics professionally.
Over the last ten years, I began exposing myself to more mainstream comics and eventually started developing an interest in independent graphic novels.
I have a great deal of admiration for writers that choose to maintain their integrity and know when to walk away from a project. Alan Moore’s works are a prime example of that.
I would love to write all kinds of comics but I also feel that it’s important to add to the medium. The comic book industry as a whole is in dire need of afresh perspective in order to survive and attract new readers.
For decades comics have been seen as a childish form of entertainment. That’s something I would like to see change over the course of time and I’m really glad to see that there are so many talented writers out there who are telling their own stories.
******
Want a signed copy of Issue #1? E-mail Onrie and he'll send you one! For more information on Onrie and YI SOON SHIN, visit his website.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Writer's Block Wednesday: Q&A with Jason Pinter
This morning I have the pleasure of hosting Jason Pinter, author of the Henry Parker series. His latest installment, THE FURY, launched yesterday from Mira Books.
Dana Kaye: Tell us a little about your writing process. How has it changed from book one to book four?
Jason Pinter:Writing the first book, the hardest thing for me to learn was pacing. I think most every first novel is a little overwritten, and when writing a thriller the first think you need to do, as Elmore Leonard so wisely said, is cut out the boring stuff. So I trimmed probably about 70-80 pages from THE MARK. Now as the series progresses, I feel like I have the pacing down pat, but I want to make sure that every book keeps the characters growing and changing. If the book doesn't have some sort of emotional impact on the character, it's not worth writing. I want readers to have a stake in what happens to the characters, so that's something I've worked hard on, especially in the new books coming out.
DK: THE FURY is out now and the THE DARKNESS is out in December. Multiple books a year seems to be the growing trend. What led you to publish two books back to back? Is this something you'll be doing every year?
JP: When it came time to write the fourth book in the Henry Parker series, I wanted to do something different and bigger. Probably my biggest inspiration for these books was James Ellroy's masterful L.A. CONFIDENTIAL. And what I loved about that book was how he took a seemingly isolated incident, the Nite Owl murders, and as you looked closer you saw it was the tip of a massive and sinister iceberg. I'm no Ellroy, but I wanted to write a story that was much larger in scope, intimate in character, but possibly a snapshot of the time (as Ellroy's book was of 1950's Los Angeles). I'm not sure if this will happen every year, but I think that because these two books should be read back to back it works well.
DK: You came from a publishing background as an editor. How has this shaped the way you write?
JP: I think I'm a good self-editor, and I also listen to my editor (who is very, very wise). I've fought battles before with authors who refused to believe that I had their best interests in mind. And anyone who thinks their prose doesn't need a fresh set of eyes probably isn't a very good writer. So I'm a pretty ruthless self-editor, but I also almost always defer to my own editor, as she's really made every one of my books better.
DK: Newspapers are shutting down, indie bookstores going under and kindle sales on the rise. How has the rapidly changing world of publishing changed your marketing strategies?
JP: Much more attention has shifted online, and that's both a blessing and a curse. Rather than add to newspaper coverage of books, online coverage seems to be replacing it. Newspapers in a lot of ways signed their own death warrants, but I'll never understand how they can ignore some of the biggest problems with their book sections. Many papers, including some of the biggest in the country, seem to almost willfully ignore the books that people are actually reading. And when you lose touch with your readers and the community, you're living on borrowed time. Thankfully the online community is full of passionate hardworking reviewers, critics and bloggers who don't care about what other people think they 'should' be covering--they just write about what they love. Which is why there's such a great mix of online sites devoted to mysteries, thrillers, romance, literary fiction, non-fiction, and everything else. I only wish newspapers would embrace such diversity.
DK: You mentioned earlier that James Ellroy inspired THR FURY. Has Ellroy read THE FURY? Any joint signings in your future?
JP: I wish and I wish. Though Ellroy is on Facebook, so perhaps I can cyberstalk him. Can one be 'The Demon Dog of Facebook'?
DK: What's one piece of advice you can offer aspiring writers?
JP: Use rejection as fuel. We've all been there, we've all faced rejection, but the successful writers internalize that frustration and anger and use it to hone their craft. It's easy to blame external forces--editors, agents, the industry--it's harder to sit back, look in the mirror and work your butt off. Success is often as much about discipline as talent.
Dana Kaye: Tell us a little about your writing process. How has it changed from book one to book four?
Jason Pinter:Writing the first book, the hardest thing for me to learn was pacing. I think most every first novel is a little overwritten, and when writing a thriller the first think you need to do, as Elmore Leonard so wisely said, is cut out the boring stuff. So I trimmed probably about 70-80 pages from THE MARK. Now as the series progresses, I feel like I have the pacing down pat, but I want to make sure that every book keeps the characters growing and changing. If the book doesn't have some sort of emotional impact on the character, it's not worth writing. I want readers to have a stake in what happens to the characters, so that's something I've worked hard on, especially in the new books coming out.
DK: THE FURY is out now and the THE DARKNESS is out in December. Multiple books a year seems to be the growing trend. What led you to publish two books back to back? Is this something you'll be doing every year?
JP: When it came time to write the fourth book in the Henry Parker series, I wanted to do something different and bigger. Probably my biggest inspiration for these books was James Ellroy's masterful L.A. CONFIDENTIAL. And what I loved about that book was how he took a seemingly isolated incident, the Nite Owl murders, and as you looked closer you saw it was the tip of a massive and sinister iceberg. I'm no Ellroy, but I wanted to write a story that was much larger in scope, intimate in character, but possibly a snapshot of the time (as Ellroy's book was of 1950's Los Angeles). I'm not sure if this will happen every year, but I think that because these two books should be read back to back it works well.
DK: You came from a publishing background as an editor. How has this shaped the way you write?
JP: I think I'm a good self-editor, and I also listen to my editor (who is very, very wise). I've fought battles before with authors who refused to believe that I had their best interests in mind. And anyone who thinks their prose doesn't need a fresh set of eyes probably isn't a very good writer. So I'm a pretty ruthless self-editor, but I also almost always defer to my own editor, as she's really made every one of my books better.
DK: Newspapers are shutting down, indie bookstores going under and kindle sales on the rise. How has the rapidly changing world of publishing changed your marketing strategies?
JP: Much more attention has shifted online, and that's both a blessing and a curse. Rather than add to newspaper coverage of books, online coverage seems to be replacing it. Newspapers in a lot of ways signed their own death warrants, but I'll never understand how they can ignore some of the biggest problems with their book sections. Many papers, including some of the biggest in the country, seem to almost willfully ignore the books that people are actually reading. And when you lose touch with your readers and the community, you're living on borrowed time. Thankfully the online community is full of passionate hardworking reviewers, critics and bloggers who don't care about what other people think they 'should' be covering--they just write about what they love. Which is why there's such a great mix of online sites devoted to mysteries, thrillers, romance, literary fiction, non-fiction, and everything else. I only wish newspapers would embrace such diversity.
DK: You mentioned earlier that James Ellroy inspired THR FURY. Has Ellroy read THE FURY? Any joint signings in your future?
JP: I wish and I wish. Though Ellroy is on Facebook, so perhaps I can cyberstalk him. Can one be 'The Demon Dog of Facebook'?
DK: What's one piece of advice you can offer aspiring writers?
JP: Use rejection as fuel. We've all been there, we've all faced rejection, but the successful writers internalize that frustration and anger and use it to hone their craft. It's easy to blame external forces--editors, agents, the industry--it's harder to sit back, look in the mirror and work your butt off. Success is often as much about discipline as talent.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Writer's Block: Q&A with Linwood Barclay
I had so much fun with Marcus last week, I decided to invite an author again this week. Joining today's writer's block is Linwood Barclay whose latest novel, FEAR THE WORST, launched this week. Linwood is a master at suspense and, before heading out on tour, he was kind enough to offer a few pearls of wisdom:
Dana Kaye: Speak a little about your writing process. After writing eight novels, how has your writing process changed over the years?
Linwood Barclay:Well, for one thing, I don't print them out anymore. I used to print out each chapter as I went, but now I just write the whole thing as one file without ever hitting the "print" button. But I suspect that's not what you meant by the question. I don't think my process has changed all that much, but I hope I'm getting better at it with each book. I'm aware of the things I don't do as well as I'd like, and try to improve each time. I'm also learning to listen to that voice in the back of my head that warns me when something is not going well. I've regretted it in the past when I've not listened.
DK: What draws you to writing ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances?
LB:I'm an ordinary person, so I write about the kind of person I know best. I find it easier to get inside the head of a regular guy than some brilliant detective or spy or ex-military loner. Not that I don't love books about those kinds of heroes, but I don't typically identify with the situations a Jason Bourne might find himself in. But a father whose daughter is missing, I think that's a character, and a situation, a great many readers can imagine themselves in.
DK: All of your novels are packed with suspense. What tips and tricks can you offer about maintaining tension on every page?
LB: I like chapters to end with a revelation, or a turning point. That bit of white space between chapters creates a "dramatic pause" effect for me. And I love performing the thriller equivalent of a magic act. I've got you looking over here, but what really matters is happening over here, up my sleeve. But mainly, I try to write something that keeps me interested. If I'm getting bored, then the reader will get bored.
DK: The world of publishing has drastically changed since the publication of your first book. Kindle sales are rising, newspapers are shutting down, etc. How are your promotion strategies adapting to the changing market?
LB: I'm glad I'm not the one who has to devise the promotional and marketing strategies. But FEAR THE WORST is the first book where I have gone on not only real tours -- Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada -- but a blog tour. I like the part about not having to pack. The situation with newspapers concerns me deeply, having worked for them right up until last year when I decided to work exclusively on books. And among the many things newspapers have cut back in the space devoted to book reviews. It's more difficult to get books reviewed in the pages of a newspaper, but the blogs and other sites are trying to fill the gap.
DK: What piece of advice can you offer aspiring novelists?
LB: Two of three things. The first, of course, is to write. Even if you are the only one who ever reads the material. And persevere. I had written a couple of novels by the time I was 21, and thankfully, they were not published. (Not that there was even the slightest risk of that happening.) My first book -- not a novel -- wasn't published until I was 41. And my first novel came out when I was 49. So, you have to stick with it. The other advice: Read. You can learn so much by reading. All sorts of things. Stephen King's book On Writing is as good as anything I've ever read when it comes to advice in this area.
Dana Kaye: Speak a little about your writing process. After writing eight novels, how has your writing process changed over the years?
Linwood Barclay:Well, for one thing, I don't print them out anymore. I used to print out each chapter as I went, but now I just write the whole thing as one file without ever hitting the "print" button. But I suspect that's not what you meant by the question. I don't think my process has changed all that much, but I hope I'm getting better at it with each book. I'm aware of the things I don't do as well as I'd like, and try to improve each time. I'm also learning to listen to that voice in the back of my head that warns me when something is not going well. I've regretted it in the past when I've not listened.
DK: What draws you to writing ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances?
LB:I'm an ordinary person, so I write about the kind of person I know best. I find it easier to get inside the head of a regular guy than some brilliant detective or spy or ex-military loner. Not that I don't love books about those kinds of heroes, but I don't typically identify with the situations a Jason Bourne might find himself in. But a father whose daughter is missing, I think that's a character, and a situation, a great many readers can imagine themselves in.
DK: All of your novels are packed with suspense. What tips and tricks can you offer about maintaining tension on every page?
LB: I like chapters to end with a revelation, or a turning point. That bit of white space between chapters creates a "dramatic pause" effect for me. And I love performing the thriller equivalent of a magic act. I've got you looking over here, but what really matters is happening over here, up my sleeve. But mainly, I try to write something that keeps me interested. If I'm getting bored, then the reader will get bored.
DK: The world of publishing has drastically changed since the publication of your first book. Kindle sales are rising, newspapers are shutting down, etc. How are your promotion strategies adapting to the changing market?
LB: I'm glad I'm not the one who has to devise the promotional and marketing strategies. But FEAR THE WORST is the first book where I have gone on not only real tours -- Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada -- but a blog tour. I like the part about not having to pack. The situation with newspapers concerns me deeply, having worked for them right up until last year when I decided to work exclusively on books. And among the many things newspapers have cut back in the space devoted to book reviews. It's more difficult to get books reviewed in the pages of a newspaper, but the blogs and other sites are trying to fill the gap.
DK: What piece of advice can you offer aspiring novelists?
LB: Two of three things. The first, of course, is to write. Even if you are the only one who ever reads the material. And persevere. I had written a couple of novels by the time I was 21, and thankfully, they were not published. (Not that there was even the slightest risk of that happening.) My first book -- not a novel -- wasn't published until I was 41. And my first novel came out when I was 49. So, you have to stick with it. The other advice: Read. You can learn so much by reading. All sorts of things. Stephen King's book On Writing is as good as anything I've ever read when it comes to advice in this area.
Check out Linwood Barclay and FEAR THE WORST, coming to a bookstore near you:
Borders in Baileys Crossroads, VA August 13 at 7:30pm
M is for Mystery in San Mateo, CA August 14 at 7:00pm
Mysteries to Die For in Thousand Oaks, CA August 15 at 1:00pm
The Mystery Bookstore in Los Angeles, CA August 15 at 4:00pm
Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, CA August 16 at 2:00pm
Murder By The Book in Houston, TX August 17 at 6:30pm
Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, OH August 18 at 7:00pm
Books and Co in Dayton, OH August 19 at 7:00pm
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