What is your writing process like?
I write books in series that range from four to six books in each series. I start with an "inciting incident" which is the trigger for the action that follows. Often times this incident is a historic event that sets the stage for future consequences. In almost all my work, the past informs the future. I create what I call a "Brand Universe" which is a world or milieu in which my characters act and the plot plays out. Everything I write is intended to be made into a television series or movie franchise so every chapter is played out like a scene in an episode or movie. When I start, I rarely know the middle, or end of the book, which most writers probably think is crazy, but if I create good characters, they'll tell me what they are going to do next, so far (thirty books so far) it works for me.
How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
I almost never have a problem coming up with ideas. I find writing is a process of learning. I research an idea, find the facts, and make-up the rest. The reader and I should both learn something from the time and work we both put into the book. Just because something is fiction, doesn't mean a reader should learn something they didn't know before. My horse racing books detail the corrupt and dangerous side of horse racing; the spy series explains how the PRC's MSS operates; and my private detective series uncovers rare items that have been misappropriated, stolen, or lost to history. History is my go-to resource. I don't rely on gimmicks like the supernational or characters in capes. My characters are real, flawed human beings just trying to survive.
What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
For me, writer's block is in the middle of every book. At that stage, I've taken the opening premise to a point where decisions have to be made both by my characters and me. I usually find the answer by doing more research. I ask myself: what happened in the real world that resembles what is happening in my story? This method of solving the problem also provides an air of reality and avoids what the television people call "jumping the shark."
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
I generally don't pay attention to reviews, good or bad. Nobody likes bad reviews, but you can't expect everyone to like what you do. If you try to write to please an audience you write crap. Just keep writing. The more you write, the better your writing will be. The job is writing, not pleasing people.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
As I mentioned before, the middle is the most challenging.
How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
I've been writing for about ten years and I've written 40 books, including Neo-Noir Crime and Spy Fiction, Detective Fiction, Biographies, Hybrid Graphic Novels, Marketing Books, and Children's Books. I've also written a number of screenplays. Before I started writing books I wrote Web Video Commercials for clients. It taught me how to write dialogue and how to find the who, what, and why anyone should care about a story. That led me to write two marketing books, "What's The Big Idea?" and "Brand Universe. These books explain how to use movie and TV writing concepts to market an idea/product.
What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
Just write and keep writing. Writing is not a hobby, it's work, approach it like work. The job is to create a beginning, a middle, and an end. Nothing else matters. If you keep writing a beginning, a middle, and an end, you'll keep getting better. If you try to write to please an audience or sell lots of books, you will never be any good. Just write.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
I start with an incident; I drop in a character; and if the character is strong, he or she will tell me what the plot will be. My characters create the plot. I just write it down for them.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I've written about 40 books. My favourite is the next one.
What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
The middle.
What inspired the idea for your book?
I am inspired by history and learning something I didn't know before. Then I ask myself, "what if..." In my book, "The Axel Files: The History of Cardenio" I discovered that the Shakespeare play, "The History of Cardenio" has never been published and has been lost to time. Many people believe Shakespeare didn't write the plays he is credited with writing. This is not a new idea. The arguments against Shakespeare as the author are compelling. So... what if the lost play, "The History of Cardenio," if found, could prove who really wrote all those plays. That's a book.
What was your hardest scene to write, and why?
As I've said, the middle of every book is the hardest, because it demands a decision that leads to the climax.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
Peace and quiet.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
Elmore Leonard and Dashiell Hammett
When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
I check once a year to see if I still exist.