Many thanks to Isabella Hargreaves, fellow Steam eReads author, for involving me in this blog tour.
What am I working on?
A week ago I got underway on a new romance novel that had been bubbling away in my mind for months. Prior to that, I spent time editing a short story that I’d classify as ‘mainstream’ but which also contains graphic sex scenes (good luck finding a market for that). Back in January, I wrote a zombie apocalypse story. Sometimes I think my muse is a bloodhound with attention deficit disorder.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Because I’ve never considered myself a ‘romance writer’, my approach to writing my first romance novel (Hollywood Hearts Ablaze, out March 5) was probably somewhat unconventional. It has, I hope, kept the storyline from being formulaic or predictable. The thing I worked hardest at was ensuring the whole novel held the reader’s interest, not just the love scenes.
Why do I write what I do?
I’ve published more than 20 short stories and (soon) two novels. The majority of that work has been horror. Most writers write what they like to read, and I have always enjoyed a scary story. But to my mind, a good story is a good story regardless of the genre, which means I’ve also enjoyed books by the likes of Jane Austen and Australian chick-lit author Liane Moriarty. My late mother-in-law suggested I try my hand at writing romance, since horror is not very saleable these days. I had as much fun writing Hollywood Hearts Ablaze as anything else I’ve written in my career, even if it didn’t contain a single vampire.
How does my writing process work?
I’m a high concept guy. It’s the sudden delight of ‘What if such-and-such happened?’ that convinces me to get to work. In the case of Hollywood Hearts Ablaze, it was, ‘What would happen if a woman reversed the traditional roles on Hollywood’s infamous casting couch?’Once I’ve got the concept, I usually sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and take notes as the story unfolds in my head. That said, I don’t plan stories or novels much. The notes I take are usually no more than phrases to remind me of key events or snippets of dialogue. Then, when I have a basic story structure, I begin writing and just let the characters do what they may. I love the way additional ideas occur during composition and how often those ideas spring up because I’m getting to know the people populating my story.When I’m writing, I try to knock out a thousand words a day, five days a week. If I can manage more, great. It’s all about routine; for me writing is no different to going to the gym or brushing my teeth. Once the first draft is done, I try to ignore the manuscript for as long as possible – six months if I can contain myself. If I come back too soon, the words are still familiar and I can’t be as vicious with my red pen as I need to be. I edit a lot in my professional life, so I can usually get a story into publishable shape within two or three drafts.