Ask the Author: R.E. Conary
Answered Questions (10)
R.E. Conary
" The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door . . ."
This isn't mine, but I couldn't resist. It's from KNOCK by Fredric Brown, one of my all-time favorite authors. He started by saying, " There is a sweet little horror story that is only two sentences long:
"'The last man on Earth sat alone in a room There was a knock on the
door . . .'
"Two sentences and an ellipsis of three dots. The horror, of course,
isn't in the two sentences at all; it's in the ellipsis, the implication:
what knocked at the door? Faced with the unknown, the human mind supplies something vaguely horrible."
And that's how horror stories grab us -- when they work well -- sending chills up our spines and raising gooseflesh. Do we open the door or not?
This isn't mine, but I couldn't resist. It's from KNOCK by Fredric Brown, one of my all-time favorite authors. He started by saying, " There is a sweet little horror story that is only two sentences long:
"'The last man on Earth sat alone in a room There was a knock on the
door . . .'
"Two sentences and an ellipsis of three dots. The horror, of course,
isn't in the two sentences at all; it's in the ellipsis, the implication:
what knocked at the door? Faced with the unknown, the human mind supplies something vaguely horrible."
And that's how horror stories grab us -- when they work well -- sending chills up our spines and raising gooseflesh. Do we open the door or not?
R.E. Conary
There are so many worlds to choose from. As much as I like mystery fiction, the worlds are as violent and depressing as this one can be. Though it would be fun to hang with Nick and Nora Charles. So I’d probably pick a world from fantasy or science fiction.
My first choice would be Fritz Leiber’s Nehwon and the city of Lankhmar home to the fearsome thieves Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. There I would own a tavern and bar for them to hang and if they brought along some ill gained goods, I’d be happy to act as their fence.
My second choice would be Keith Laumer’s 29th century frontier worlds where I would hope to be aide to Galactic diplomat Jaime Retief. I’d get along well with his tongue-in-cheek attitude and practical solutions. We could use him here and now.
My first choice would be Fritz Leiber’s Nehwon and the city of Lankhmar home to the fearsome thieves Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. There I would own a tavern and bar for them to hang and if they brought along some ill gained goods, I’d be happy to act as their fence.
My second choice would be Keith Laumer’s 29th century frontier worlds where I would hope to be aide to Galactic diplomat Jaime Retief. I’d get along well with his tongue-in-cheek attitude and practical solutions. We could use him here and now.
R.E. Conary
I never plan a reading list--summer or otherwise--as I read year round. There are about 60 books on my TBR shelves and others as ebooks I hope to read by October. Several are mysteries from the 60s and 70s like SAY IT WITH MURDER by Edward S. Aarons, a Carter Brown ONLY THE RICH, two Dan Fortunes by Michael Collins, a couple Mickey Spillane, THE DOOMSDAY BAG by Michael Avallone, and THE BOLD HOUSE MURDERS by Eugene Franklin to name a few.
I’ll also be catching up on my favorite author, J. A. Jance, as well as books by Lis Wiehl, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Liz Bradbury, Anne Hagan, Charlie Hudson, Frederick Forsyth, Dick Francis, Jo Nesbo, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Ed McBain, Lawrence Block and others.
I’ll also be catching up on my favorite author, J. A. Jance, as well as books by Lis Wiehl, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Liz Bradbury, Anne Hagan, Charlie Hudson, Frederick Forsyth, Dick Francis, Jo Nesbo, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Ed McBain, Lawrence Block and others.
R.E. Conary
Nick & Nora Charles from The Thin Man. Their rapport can't be beat and the best portrayal of them was William Powell & Myrna Loy. Besides Nick's the one who first taught us that a martini needs to be shaken not stirred ("always to waltz time").
After that it's a toss-up between Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan) & Laura Holt (Stephanie Zimbalist) or David Addison (Bruce Willis) & Maddy Hayes (Cybill Shepherd). These come the closest IMO to matching Nick & Nora in rapport.
After that it's a toss-up between Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan) & Laura Holt (Stephanie Zimbalist) or David Addison (Bruce Willis) & Maddy Hayes (Cybill Shepherd). These come the closest IMO to matching Nick & Nora in rapport.
R.E. Conary
I want to get away from detective mysteries for a bit and have started a sword and sorcery fantasy. It's about a small group who in their youth were hailed as heroes, but who now are old and gray--sort of like me--and find they must face that challenge again.
I've also considered two political thrillers. The first I call "Red POTUS: lapdog, puppet or mole? Russia's man in the White House." The other is tentatively titled "Rise of the Oligarchs." Same basic cast, different perspective. Why should today's robber barons keep buying politicians when they can just run the country themselves. Have to see if those ideas flesh themselves out enough to demand my full attention.
I've also considered two political thrillers. The first I call "Red POTUS: lapdog, puppet or mole? Russia's man in the White House." The other is tentatively titled "Rise of the Oligarchs." Same basic cast, different perspective. Why should today's robber barons keep buying politicians when they can just run the country themselves. Have to see if those ideas flesh themselves out enough to demand my full attention.
R.E. Conary
The first three Rachel Cord books dealt with current issues and cases in her life. Yet there was a backstory, a history, she'd been refusing to face. Like the hero's journey of old one must come full circle back to one's beginnings. I've always felt she had to do that to be complete. "Queen of Tarts" does that for her. It took her nearly 21 years. It took me eight to get her there.
R.E. Conary
Sometimes a phrase will trigger it and I need to see where it goes. That's what started the Rachel Cord series. "My curse preceded me into the squad room." Like Cyrano de Bergerac's nose that led him "by a quarter of an hour," Rachel's over-sized bosom entered rooms before she did. I had to follow.
R.E. Conary
Write your story, not someone else's. I try to follow the advice of Oscar Wilde ("Be yourself; everyone else is already taken") and Raymond Chandler ("Don't ever write anything you don't like yourself"). I believe there's an audience for every story. Other than that, it's simply just doing it and doing it again and again and again. Writing begets more writing.
R.E. Conary
Sometimes poorly letting it eat at me. Other times just ignore it and go read someone else's book as I'm never without a book to read. Eventually the problem will work its way out on its own. One method that works for me is go back to the beginning of the story and start reading until I reach that block. Often that will reveal another path to take.
R.E. Conary
Writing something I'd like to read. I've always considered myself a reader first. As I tend to be a "seat of the pants" writer without planning or outlining, I'm often surprised where a story goes and enjoy those "OMG I didn't expect that" moments which I hope others will enjoy too. Of course, that can also lead to getting bogged down in some featureless morass wondering "how'd I get here?"
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