Part II…… an interview with Robert McCammon 
(part I)
Robert McCammon, born July 17, 1952 in Birmingham, Alabama, have written nineteen books, working on his twentieth now. Some titles are SWAN SONG, MINE, MYSTERY WALK, BOY’S LIFE, STINGER, SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD, MISTER SLAUGHTER, THE PROVIDENCE RIDER.
Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?
A. I start work about 10 or so at night and work until 2 or 3. When I’m finishing up a book, I “double up” and work in the daytime as well.
Q. Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?
A. “Lost” in the writing? Well…I guess it’s a matter of concentration. The harder you concentrate, the more you become “lost” in the writing, I suppose. Doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen.
Q. When did you begin to write seriously?
A. When I was about 25 and realized my job at a newspaper was a dead-end.
Q. How long after that were you published?
A. About two years later.
Q. and the all important: What does the process of going from “no book” to “finished book” look like?
A. What does it look like? Well, it looks like extreme concentration, hard work and problem solving. Also sticking with it until it’s done. Does that answer your question, sorta kinda, or have I misunderstood it?
Q. Where/when do you first discover your characters ?
A. In my mind. I’m doing a series right now where some of the characters are ongoing, but others have to be made up from whole cloth. Still…are any characters made up totally from “whole cloth”? Probably not. They’re probably put together by the writer’s attitude and impressions of the world, people he or she have met…many influences there in creating characters.
Q. What inspired your story/stories ?
A. I like to read. I don’t write with an outline, so it’s like I’m reading my own work as it goes along. I want to know what happens. Also, I want to create a world the reader will enjoy living in for a little while.
Q. Have you? Or do you want to write in another genre`?
A. I’ve written in horror/suspense/mystery/historical. I’d like to do some “science fiction” writing, as well…whatever the definition of that might be.
Q. Anything else you’d like to share with us?
A. I was pleased to do this, and thank you for the questions. http://www.robertmccammon.com/
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Come back May 23rd when I review McCammon’s newest book, ‘I Travel the Night’
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Start your month off right!! DON’T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. The NEW SERIES, “The Writer’s Corner” INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!
I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Robert McCammon, Rhys Bowen,Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sue Grafton, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, Amber Winckler, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.
So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers’ special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create! Mark Childress is our April author. Caroline Leavitt is June‘s author. July features Rhys Bowen. Sue Grafton is August‘s author and September will feature Tasha Alexander. Slick mystery writer, Andrew Grant will join us this winter.
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