Ask the Author: James R. Finley
Answered Questions (8)
James R. Finley
It would probably be Roger Zelazny's Amber, if I could move from shadow world to shadow world the way his main characters could. I think I'd just explore indefinitely.
James R. Finley
What happened to my father's second wife? I've never known.
James R. Finley
I do more research and take notes, and I read through notes I've taken during past research. I try not to get drawn into reworking what I've already written unless I've planned to edit that material, because rewriting can turn into a bottomless rabbit hole.
James R. Finley
I love making something new, something useful, something that makes people think. It's fun working with other people - coauthors and editors - who are dedicated and talented. Working on my own schedule is nice, too.
James R. Finley
Read a lot, on a lot of subjects. Practice. I think the most important qualities of good writing are clarity, vividness, and graceful structure.
James R. Finley
Right now I'm trying something different, working on a novel. It's a military science fiction story that draws on my experience as a career Marine, as a disabled veteran, and as a psychotherapist.
James R. Finley
For me, it's usually sparked by articles I read or things I hear in a professional setting.
James R. Finley
The book is the 5th edition of a collection of addiction treatment tools. My co-author Brenda Lenz and I have worked to keep this book up to date as the field has grown and learned. We did this update to adapt the book to the recent release of DSM-5, the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for our field, which revised some of the criteria and terms for different problems, as well as to make the content more concise while covering more situations.
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