I’m thrilled to have as my final “what are they up to now” author, someone I’ve known for over 20 years (we were of course in diapers when we met, because we can’t be much over 20 now…) Pete had tremendous success as an Indie author, and I’ll let his update tell you know what happened next…
Peter Clines
Peter Clines
Wow. Has it really been three years since I bored Elena (and the rest of you) silly with my ideas on writing and publishing? I guess so…
About six months after our talk, 14 was released and became a small press blockbuster. At about the same time I was contacted by an agent who’d read Ex-Heroesand liked it. He wanted to know if I had a rep and if I’d be willing to talk. And to be honest, I turned him down. Twice. But he was very persistent and kept after me and finally I agreed to let him see what he could do.
And it turned out he could do quite a bit, which meant I was free to focus more on writing. As I write this I’m in the middle of my second multi-book contract with Crown Publishing (a division of Random House). I also have stories coming out in anthologies from Evil Girlfriend Media, Ragnarok Publications, and IDW.
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Some writers get to work and live in paradise. Here’s an update with one of those lucky authors, Honolulu’s own…
Deborah Turrell Atkinson.
I have started a new series, starring a new character. The first book is finished (I’m calling it IMPACT ZONE). Never a dull moment. Meanwhile, I’m working on the second in the new series. (The following is from Elena) Deborah continues to teach with the Jackson Hole Writers Conference, where I had the genuine pleasure of her feedback on one of my manuscripts. This is also one of my favorite writers conferences! Great teachers, writers, agents, and editors and one of the most beautiful locations you could possibly visit.
Read a synopsis of Deborah’s new book!
Allow me to introduce my newest novel, a thriller I’m calling Impact Zone. Hawai‘i native Rod Tautala, a veteran of the Middle East war, is finally clean and sober and living in Dayton, Ohio. One day, he receives two startling phone calls: his mother reports that his abusive father is dying of cancer and Grant Bowman, an army buddy, announces that he’s mailed a set of ten-year-old photos from their days in Kuwait. Rod leaves for Honolulu and asks his good friend Sam DeForge to retrieve the package and mail it back to the islands. Soon after, the Dayton police inform Rod that Sam was stabbed to death retrieving the package. Rod finds himself guardian of Sam’s precocious and troubled sixteen-year-old daughter. Rod and the feisty Bahati embark on a mission to uncover the motive behind Sam’s death. While he and the girl evade relentless killers, they also face internal demons and navigate the rocky path to renewed hope and love.
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Sometimes we forget authors are people too — and have big exciting life events,
which aren’t about their writing careers.
Here’s one of my favorite “life” updates, from author
Elise Stephens.
Since [the interview], I wrote Forecast, a YA Urban Fantasy about a fifteen year old boy who embraces the ability to see into the future in order to save his family. I also gave birth to my first baby two weeks after the release of my second book. I affectionately termed the book and the baby “twins” during this process. 🙂 I am now learning to juggle being a mama and making time to write so that I can maintain my passion and my sanity. My current project in-the-works is a children’s fantasy about a young boy living in 1950s Ireland who discovers a dragon egg. This summer I completed Orson Scott Card’s Literary Boot Camp, in which I studied with OSC and 11 other students for a week in North Carolina. It was a fantastic experience. I’m also still posting my field notes from the Creative Republic on my blog at www.elisestephens.com and interacting with people on Facebook (Author Elise Stephens) and twitter (@elisestephens).
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One of my earliest interviews back in 2010 with New York Times Bestselling Author,
I caught up with Bob over email, he’s been a very busy writer!
Well, since [2010] I’ve published two more books in the David Sloane series, Murder One and The Conviction. I’ve continued to teach around the country, started my own four day writing seminar, TheNovelintensive.com, and made a trip to Paris for pure fun. I’m excited that my new novel, My Sister’s Grave will be published this November, with a sequel to follow and about two new dates for my seminars as well as an October 2015 seminar in Tuscany, Italy through the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
You can find Robert Dugoni on his website, Facebook, and twitter @RobertDugoni
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Continuing with the mystery writers, one of the funniest authors
I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing, is
Like Robert Dugoni, she’s done a lot of work since April 2011, when I first had her on my blog.
Since you interviewed me, I completed Through a Yellow Wood and then abandoned the idea of a third in the Devil’s Harbor series and instead wrote No Substitute for Maturity, third in the Subbing isn’t for Sissies series. I was making notes for a fourth in that series when my dreams took me back to Hemlock Lake and the plot of a third book, The Devil’s Tombstone. It’s a dark book, and long (500 pages or so) and I think it will be the last in the series. I’m finishing up the first draft now and hope to have it out before the end of the year. Then I’ll definitely write a fourth Substitute book. Cheese Puff (the protagonist’s entitled dog) has more fans than I do and they let me know they want to see more of him.
In the meantime, I turned 66 and made the decision to let my hair go gray. To my hairdresser’s dismay, I allowed it to grow out naturally so the line of demarcation has been clearly visible. I can’t change the process of aging, so I’ll flaunt it.
You can find Carolyn J Rose on her website, Facebook, and twitter @CarolyJRose
Check back Next Week for another Writer Update
Check back Next Week for another Writer Update
Thanks for inviting me to provide an update. Writing it down makes me feel like I accomplished more than just letting my hair grow.
Great to have you!