What’s new with John?

Though I haven’t been updating this author blog of mine very often, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing. I’ve actually been writing A LOT over the past year – so much that my fingers rarely go more than a couple of waking hours without touching a keyboard.

The other day, a fellow author with BQB Publishing asked me to join her on a blog chain tour, where I get to answer some questions about what’s going on in my writing world. I figured it was a good opportunity to catch my blog followers up to speed on what’s new.

terri
Terri Ann Leidich

Before that, however, let me tell you about Terri Ann Leidich, the author who invited me on this tour. Terri’s third book, Family Inheritance, will be released in October. It’s her first novel, and the pre-release reviews have been excellent! Please check it out, along with her contribution to this blog chain.

Now, onto the questions…

a) What am I working on?

I actually just finished writing the second book in the Sean Coleman Thriller Series. My wife is busy proofreading it as I’m writing this blog. Once she’s done identifying all of the embarrassing misspellings and sentence fragments I managed to miss during my own review, I’ll fix the problems and send the manuscript off to my publisher. I’m confident that readers who enjoyed From a Dead Sleep are going to love it! Some characters have certainly gone through some changes since the first book.

In addition to the two online columns I write each week (one for BernardGoldberg.com and one for GreeleyTribune.com), I’ve been busy working on some new marketing efforts for ‘From a Dead Sleep,’ which include more book signings and other author events.

b) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I feel that my stories are very character-driven, while most from the Suspense/Thriller genre rely primarily on the plot line to keep readers engaged. I use several points of view and really dig down into multiple characters’ psyches to let the reader identify with them on a very personal level. I’ve been told by a number of readers that they feel like they know the characters I’ve created by the time they’ve finished reading my stories, and that always brings a smile to my face.

c) Why do I write what I do?

Though I’ve never been a great public speaker or a gifted conversationalist, I’ve always felt like I have plenty to say. Writing gives me a chance to really formulate my words and convey precisely whatever point or story I wish to relay. For me, writing is perhaps the more honest and accurate method of communication.

I write Suspense/Thriller fiction because I like to keep readers on their edge of their seats until the wee hours of the morning. I also like the challenge of ruining their predictions of where the stories are going.

I write commentary because there are a lot of things in politics and culture that truly concern me. Now is not a time in history to be silent if you feel you have something important that needs to be said.

d) How does my writing process work?

I try to write for about two or three hours each morning during the week, after I drop my children off at school. The house is typically empty during that time, so I’m usually able to really focus on what I’m doing. I tend to do my best work in front of a PC in my home office, although the best ideas seem to pop into my head when I’m far away from a computer.

That’s it! Thanks for reading my blog.

Next, keep an eye out next week for the next link in the chain. Aspiring author and fellow Greeley Tribune blogger Lori Johnstone will be talking about working on her first book, and the other writing projects she’s involved with. For now, here’s a sneak peak of her blog:
http://mamabear-livenwrite.blogspot.com/.

lor
Lori Johnstone
Share this blog: