Years ago, I read an article by William Styron (author of Lie Down in Darkness, The Confessions of Nat Turner, Sophie’s Choice,) in a periodical called the Saturday Review of Literature, which is no longer published. I wished I had saved it because I’ve never been able to find it and it made a big
There is the term “historical fiction,” and I think we can all agree that it is a work of fiction (that is, imagination) based on historical fact. But historical fiction covers an unusually wide range of literary work. There can be novels such as my Midnight Magic, which, while ostensibly set in Renaissance Italy (Naples)
When you receive the galley of your book, you are looking at it in print for the first time. That is a big psychological change. [For those unfamiliar with the term, galley refers to the first printing of a book, a trial printing of the book, so to speak. It is not bound, and is
It is not that unusual in the world of publishing for a book to become what is called, “orphaned.” What is meant by this is that the original contracting editor stops working on the book before it is done. There can be many reasons. The original editor moves to another publishing house. The original editor
Like many writers I have a particular fascination with words. I have an extra interest insofar as I write historical fiction and like to use words that reflect/suggest the language of the time. Thus, in Sophia’s War, I even included a glossary of 18th century words as befit this narrative of the American Revolution. Here
A dedication is perhaps one of the few things a writer can give that others cannot. With almost eighty books published I’ve posted a lot. The first one—my first book (Things That Sometimes Happen)—was to my son, Shaun. After all, I wrote the original stories for him. Indeed, all my children have had books dedicated to
The question is often put to me: “Isn’t it lonely being a writer? Sitting there at your computer, having no one else around?” I wish it was lonely. I sometimes pine for solitude. In truth, I am surrounded, badgered, hounded by my characters. In the midst of a project they never leave me alone. “You’re thinking
On Sunday I reread MS of book A, and made such changes as I thought productive. On Monday morning I worked on a new book B, which is due at Editor’s desk on November 1. On Monday afternoon, having received (via US post) final notes from Editor on book A, I made the changes she requested.
At about eleven AM—having started at six AM—I went through my new manuscript for the Xth time. I decided it was done. Was it truly finished? I had been working on this, the first draft, for six months. No, not finished, but finished enough that my editor needs to evaluate it. The only one who
The future begins in the past. [some university professor of mine]