Ask the Author: Chad Strong
Answered Questions (6)
Chad Strong
My most recent novel, High Stakes, is a Western Historical Romance set in Victoria, BC, Canada. Victoria is my home, and her history has always fascinated me. Couple that with my love of western stories, and High Stakes grew out of that. I hadn't planned on writing a "romance" per se — that aspect was to be only part of the story. But the deeper I wrote, the more important that aspect became. Nevertheless, it's still a story with a lot of action. The main character is male and the female characters are strong people as well. It's a story men don't need to be afraid of because one of its categories is "romance". It's a Western Historical with action and romance that I hope will appeal to a universal audience.
Chad Strong
The drive to write is always there, nagging at me behind everything I do. Inspiration is everywhere: from a few words someone says, to a feeling evoked by something I've seen or experienced, to a story someone has told me about something in their life. Sometimes, the snippet brings the story idea with it right then; other times, it comes gradually, a little note at a time, until finally it takes enough shape to make sense.
Chad Strong
I've just completed a new, self-published edition of my novel, High Stakes. Along with revisiting some short stories that have been on the back-burner, I've begun a Young Adult fantasy novel.
Chad Strong
The best advice I could give aspiring writers is to learn from every source you can get your hands on. Read, read, read. And then apply what you've learned. Tweak what needs tweaking and apply again. Write, write, and rewrite. And rewrite. And rewrite again, if need be. Learn from rejections - because they will happen. And never, ever give up.
Chad Strong
I'd say the best thing about being a writer is all the worlds you get to explore, the characters/people you get to know and understand; you really learn to put yourself in other people's shoes. I've learned so many unexpected things along the way, and I hope I never stop learning. Life is amazing!
Chad Strong
Actually, I don't experience "writer's block" all that much. But at those times when I just can't seem to get what I need out onto the page, I find it helpful to do something physical, like take a walk in Nature, or work on something completely different, something to switch gears and allow my mind to let go of whatever it's stuck on. Usually, I can then go back and bring a fresh perspective to the work.
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