Q And A With The Author

Q: How long have you been writing and what made you decide to start?

Over half of my life. When I was in the fifth grade we got an assignment to write some sort of story, and I did, and I liked it so much—the process of using my imagination and creating a story—that I decided that I was going to keep what I had written for me. I ended up writing a whole other story that was a condensed version of the one that I was keeping for myself, and that condensed version was the one I used to satisfy the assignment. We didn’t have all that long for the assignment…maybe a week…but I was still able to continue the original story I’d started, and also write out the story to turn in and read before the class.

Q: How do you write your stories? How do you come up with the ideas for your stories?

When it comes down to it, I just write. I sit, and I write. After I write, I read and re-read, and I edit. The ideas come to me. I’m not really sure I can specify much more clearly, but suddenly something will strike me as a candidate for a potential story, and then when I am able to sit and write about what struck me, I am able to see more clearly what it actually is.

Q: When you write a story, do you start from beginning to end? Is everything already down in your mind to the last detail, or do you write scenes and then come back and piece them together later?

I have a couple of different ways actually. When I first started writing, I did only ever write in chronological order from the beginning to the end, and yes, everything was already laid out in my mind. As I got older I started to write the scenes that came to me the strongest, and then piece things together once those were done. I find that I use a combination of methods really, depending on the type of work I’m writing. If it is a longer, more involved piece, then I start with whatever scenes have come forward to me the strongest, and work from there. For some of the shorter works, it is more-or-less beginning to end, but rather than having everything predetermined in my mind, I start from a scene, an image, a word, phrase, or idea, and I start writing. As I am writing, I understand what I should write next, and I do just that. As I continue along in that process, I come to finish the work.

Q: Are your characters you? To what extent to they represent you?

No. All of the characters in the stories I write are simply characters. Many times, they are based on situations or traits or characteristics that I am knowledgeable about or have had some sort of experience with. Other times they are based on how I imagine a particular set of circumstances or personality traits would mesh and interact. There are cases where the characters and I have things in common in a general sense—perhaps a shared belief or way of looking at things, or ethnicity—but they are their own people.

Q: Who is your favorite author? What types of stories do you like to read?

I don’t have a favourite author. Traditionally, I’ve enjoyed fiction. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to read lots of non-fiction as well. The method of selecting what I read is the same for either genre: if something seems interesting to me, I’ll pick up the book and look through a bit of it. If I’m still intrigued, I read the book. If not, I put it down and move on.

Q: Who are you as an author? What types of stories do you like to write?

Wow…generally, I’d like to think that I’m an imaginative author; as such, I see myself more suited to works of fiction. At the same time, depending on the topic, I could probably do a work of non-fiction someday. That said, I do feel like I would be much more likely to actively choose to write fiction. I enjoy the process of using my imagination when I write, so anything that I write where I can do that is enjoyable for me.

Q: You’ve spoken about how you got started writing, so how does it feel to finally be an author?

It is many things. I feel tremendous joy at finally being able to achieve a dream I’ve had for a great number of years. At the same time, I’m finding that this whole process is a bit like starting and running a roadside diner singlehandedly. There is so much involved from the planning, the publishing, the distributing, the marketing, the selling etc. that it is enough to make your head spin! I’ve been handling that by taking things one step at a time, and consulting with my publisher, and those in the know!

Q: Your first published work was Sonam The Star. Tell us about that.

What specifically would you like to know? Sonam The Star is a story about a monk named Sonam who is more than meets the eye. Years ago, I had the opportunity to live and work in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Nepal, in the middle of a Tibetan refugee camp. The story is based on that experience. I had a wonderful time writing this story. The words seemed to literally fly one right after the other onto the page, and it was finished in no time! After that, it was a matter of finding the proper illustrator to do the story justice so that The Reader can see what I see when reading it. In the end, I think things worked out well, and it’s made for a handsome book.

Q: Sonam The Star is an illustrated work. Did you find it difficult to write a story that you knew would be illustrated? Do you intend to do more illustrated works?

The writing of the story itself—and the descriptions of each of the accompanying illustrations—wasn’t hard at all. It was much more difficult to find the proper illustrator…far more difficult than I would have ever imagined. When I work with an illustrator, I need someone who can meet the following criteria:

1. Is a high quality artist.
2. Can take detailed instructions regarding what is to be illustrated, and faithfully illustrate according to those instructions.
3. Can complete a project within four to five months.
4. Has reasonable rates.

So far—though I realize I’ve not had contact with all the illustrators in the world—I’ve not met many potential illustrators that are able to satisfy all of my criteria. Yes, I do intend to do more illustrated works, but as part of that, I will need more illustrators…so, if you are (or know of) an illustrator who can meet my criteria, by all means contact me!

Q: As an author, what is it that you are looking for people to come away with when reading your books?

Primarily, I’d like them to enjoy the story for the story’s sake. Next, for illustrated works, I think I’d say I’d like them to feel as drawn to the way the story is told or revealed as they are to the illustrations. If people reading my books are able to feel as if they are transported into a different world, if they enjoy their time in that world and in that story, and they are willing and ready for me to take them on another journey to a different world; through a different story when they are finished, then I can say I’ve done what I am supposed to be doing.