Author: David R. Lewis
Author Interview: David R. Lewis
Book submitted to The First 7500 Words: Bloodtrail
First things first. Ninjas or pirates? And why?
Pirates of course. I look dreadful in black, but give me a shirt with floppy sleeves and tall boots and I am stunning! Who is your favorite author, and what is your favorite book or series?
I have no favorite author, but I’ve been most influenced by RobertHeinlein, Robert B. Parker, Dan Jenkins, Elmore Leonard and such. Favorite Book? There are two. Shogun and LonesomeDove. Do you remember the worst book you've ever read?
No, but I’m pretty sure Moby Dick comes close. What are your favorite genres and why?
Crime/detective stuff appeals to me somewhat, so does suspense. I’m more concerned with the characters and how they relate to each other than I am the genre. How do you meet your characters?
They just seem to show up. I know them well almost from the start. My wife complains that she’s never quite sure who will come out of my office when I’m writing. In my defense, I think that kind of immersion is vital, at least to me. When I’m in the middle of a book I most often chase my characters through the story and just write down what happens. Who is your favorite historical figure?
It’s a dead heat between Ben Franklin and Tarzan of the Apes.
You are trapped in a cave, facing a great fire-breathing dragon. You have a metal ruler, two pieces of string four meters long, a plate of steaming spaghetti and a chess set that is missing all of the rooks. What do you do?
Throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks. That’s what writers do most of the time anyway. Are you working on anything right now?
Yeah. I’m currently working on the forth book in a series of Westerns.
Any advice for your fellow authors?
It’s okay to be in love with words, just not okay to be in love with your words. In fiction our business is entertainment, not education. Be ruthless when self-editing, then take the thing to an unbiased individual to finish the job. Remember that strong characters can support and average plot, but weak characters take everything down with them. Understand that books, like paintings, are never finished. They’re just abandoned.
Book submitted to The First 7500 Words: Bloodtrail
First things first. Ninjas or pirates? And why?
Pirates of course. I look dreadful in black, but give me a shirt with floppy sleeves and tall boots and I am stunning! Who is your favorite author, and what is your favorite book or series?
I have no favorite author, but I’ve been most influenced by RobertHeinlein, Robert B. Parker, Dan Jenkins, Elmore Leonard and such. Favorite Book? There are two. Shogun and LonesomeDove. Do you remember the worst book you've ever read?
No, but I’m pretty sure Moby Dick comes close. What are your favorite genres and why?
Crime/detective stuff appeals to me somewhat, so does suspense. I’m more concerned with the characters and how they relate to each other than I am the genre. How do you meet your characters?
They just seem to show up. I know them well almost from the start. My wife complains that she’s never quite sure who will come out of my office when I’m writing. In my defense, I think that kind of immersion is vital, at least to me. When I’m in the middle of a book I most often chase my characters through the story and just write down what happens. Who is your favorite historical figure?
It’s a dead heat between Ben Franklin and Tarzan of the Apes.
You are trapped in a cave, facing a great fire-breathing dragon. You have a metal ruler, two pieces of string four meters long, a plate of steaming spaghetti and a chess set that is missing all of the rooks. What do you do?
Throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks. That’s what writers do most of the time anyway. Are you working on anything right now?
Yeah. I’m currently working on the forth book in a series of Westerns.
Any advice for your fellow authors?
It’s okay to be in love with words, just not okay to be in love with your words. In fiction our business is entertainment, not education. Be ruthless when self-editing, then take the thing to an unbiased individual to finish the job. Remember that strong characters can support and average plot, but weak characters take everything down with them. Understand that books, like paintings, are never finished. They’re just abandoned.
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