How long have you been writing for and how much of that time have you spent writing fiction?
Wrote the first draft of Maids of Misfortune, the first book in my historical mystery series in over 30 years ago, but started publishing my work 13 years ago.
What’s the average word count for the books you write and how long does it take you to write your average book?
80,000 for the science fiction, 120,000 for my historical mysteries, although I write a number of novellas and short stories.
What is your writing routine (Do you have a daily word count goal? Do you write whenever the spirit moves you?)
When I have shifted from research to writing, 1000 words a day is my goal.
How much do you research for a book before you start writing?
For the historical mysteries, 2-3 months worth of research. For the science fiction, I do this as I go along. Since my science fiction is more character driven, more of this time is taken up with world building.
What do you find most difficult about writing a book?
I really enjoy all aspects of writing, even the editing.
Which of your books are you most proud of and why?
I tend to like the most recent, otherwise I don’t have a favorite.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write and why?
One of my historical mysteries because the topic unexpectedly turned out to be very relevant to a distressing contemporary controversy.
Which self-publishing platform do you like the most and why?
While I don’t find any of them difficult, I really do appreciate Draft2Digital’s constant upgrading of the tools it makes available to authors.
Would you publish with a traditional publisher if they contacted you? Why?
No, I did do one translation with an Amazon imprint early on, but I wouldn’t even do that again. I know that I get more satisfaction and probably a lot more revenue as an independent author.
How many unfinished or unpublished works do you have?
Only one, and that is one I am co-writing with my daughter and intend on finishing when we both have time.
Do you prefer creating stand-alone books or series?
Series
What’s one character you wish you would have created? What do you find compelling or interesting about this character?
Frankly, I love my own characters too much to compare them to others!
What book do you wish you would have written? Why?
I’m just worried I won’t have time to get all my own stories written, don’t have any desire to write anyone else’s books.
Do you find it challenging to write characters of a different gender, race, or culture than you? Do you do any special research for these characters?
I see this as a positive challenge, particularly for the historical work. However, this means that even for those characters who are most like myself, I need to do research to ensure I am being historically accurate. As a professional historian, I am used to considering how attitudes towards economic status, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc shape people’s attitudes and behavior. As a result doing research about specific characters in a certain place and time (an Irish servant or a Chinese merchant in late 19th century San Francisco) is always part of my preparation. For the science fiction work, I have a good deal more leeway, but I also have the past to guide me in world-building. Since I am not dealing with alien civilizations, and I am dealing with near-future science fiction, it is not much of a stretch to extrapolate the behavior of humans from their past.
What does success as a writer look like for you?
Having my books read and enjoyed, which, in turn, has translated to a healthy addition to my retirement income.
Writing can be a lonely job. Do you take any special steps to ensure you remain part of the world?
I do a daily post (on facebook and substack) which keeps me connected to fans, I also have a wide author community that I am in contact with through facebook. Since Covid, I also speak daily on the phone with friends and family.
Constantly sitting and writing can be physically debilitating. How do you take care of yourself, physically?
I walk for an hour daily.
Do you read your reviews? How do you deal with bad ones?
I spent more time looking at them early on to figure out what I was getting right and where I could improve. Now, I tend to just look at the reviews coming out when I first publish a work. I never respond to a bad review, and over time it’s become clear that the main problem is that my books simply are not what certain readers enjoy. As I develop a fan base for my series, these tend to happen less often, readers tend to only go on and buy subsequent books if they enjoyed the first.
What books have you read that were particularly inspiring?
Way too many to list. I believe that I am inspired by every book I read.
Do you have a favourite author? A favourite book?
Currently, In science fiction, I love the books of C. J. Cherryh and William Gibson. In mysteries, the series by Deborah Crombie.
Do you plot your stories in great detail before starting to write, or fly by the seat of your pants?
I do tend to plot my stories ahead of time, but I notice that as I have gained confidence in myself as a writer, these outlines are less detailed and more flexible.
Of all the characters in your stories, which is your favourite?
Not surprisingly, my main protagonist, Annie, in my mystery series, and Mei Lin, the protagonist in my science fiction series are my favorites.
Have you based any characters on real people? If they found out, how did they respond?
In my historical mysteries, I do have a few real historical figures have walk-on roles, but they are long dead.
What’s the best thing about being an independent author? The worst?
The best thing is the control I have over everything–the text, the titles, the cover, where the books are sold, at what price. There is no worst. I love being an independent author.
Do you make a living selling your books?
If I was young and just starting out, I believe I am making enough so that I could probably support myself, or only need a part time job. Since I am retired, my income is a nice addition to my retirement income.
What advice would you give to a new author?
Write the stories you want to read, learn as much as you can about both the craft of writing and the business of marketing your books, and be patient and enjoy the journey.
