What inspired you to pursue a career in writing after retiring from the U.S. Air Force?
Well, my job in the Air Force has no equivalent in the civilian world, so I had to find something else to do. I spent about 10 years confirming that I'm a great worker, but I'm terrible at making a living. I've always loved reading, and always wanted to write, so I went to college on the G.I. Bill to study English and Creative Writing. It turned out that I'm pretty good at it, so I went on to get an MFA, with the thought that if the writing doesn't pan out, I could teach. I learned during the MFA program that I'm a terrible teacher, so that pretty much left writing. I guess I'm lucky in that I'm basically forced by circumstances to try to make a living doing what I love.
How has your background in American history and your experience in the military influenced your writing style and choice of subjects?
I've always been a student of history, at least unofficially. The great thing (and the terrible thing) about history is that no matter how much you know, there's still more to learn. That thing about those who don't learn history are doomed to repeat it is true. Studying individual events from history, and then finding the connections between them and other events tends to shine new light on all of it. I've always found military history really fascinating, particularly the Civil War. I don't know that my military experience has had a lot of influence on my writing, other than I find myself using way too much profanity (probably). As far as choice of subjects goes, I tend to just write about whatever catches my fancy. For example, my book A Rare and Dangerous Beast is the result of reading, about the Civil War, the Sand Creek Massacre, the Nez Perce War, and the Johnson County War. It occurred to me that a person could have been young enough to actively participate in all those things, and then I realized the thing they all had in common was the persecution of the weak by the mighty - with the exception of the Civil War which was a reaction to it (slavery). It just kind of grew from there.
Can you share a bit about your creative process? How do you approach writing fiction versus non-fiction?
I don't really have much of a creative process. I tend to just think about things until an idea pops up. Then, I kind of figure the whole thing out in my head, before typing it all up. It's during the writing that I tend to notice issues and figure out how to fix them. As far as fiction vs. non-fiction, most of my non-fiction comes from my own life, and I tend to keep it kind of light - humor plays a big part, although I can get pretty serious when writing about issues. In A Rare and Dangerous Beast, I felt that humor was important, in that it could balance out the often horrific subject matter and keep the book readable. I think you can also tell a lot about a character by their sense of humor, and it was important to me for readers to like and care about the characters.
Your work often explores themes related to the Old West. What draws you to this particular era and setting?
I grew up on Westerns. John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies, TV westerns, and Louis L'Amour, and Max Brand novels were entertainment staples for me. As I got older, I began to see the flaws in them, and moved on to more challenging western material, like Swarthout's They Came to Cordura, which had a very different look at the Old West. My love for the old west has never changed, but my perspective about who the heroes and villains were certainly did.
In what ways does living on a family farm in Indiana inspire or inform your writing?
Working on a tree farm involves a lot of hard, year-round physical labor, and inspired me to want to work indoors. It certainly taught me the importance of a strong work ethic. Once I get started on something, I go at it hard. My family comes from coal country in Kentucky, and my grandparents told the funniest, and most hair-raising stories about living in Kentucky during prohibition and the depression.
How do you balance your time between writing and maintaining your farm?
It hasn't been a working tree farm since my dad died 30-some years ago. I don't spend a lot of time maintaining the farm. Some of the land I rent to a local farmer, and the rest I spend my time just clearing brush, and trying to turn it into sort of a park.
Could you tell us about your experience being published in various anthologies? How has that impacted your writing journey?
Well, it's always gratifying to have someone interested in publishing any of my work, and that validation can really help a writer to keep working, even if it doesn't pay anything.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are looking to get their work published?
I wish I had some. Then I could take it too.
How do you handle writer's block or periods of creative drought?
I just keep thinking about things until something really strikes me. When I get stuck with a logistical issue, like how to get the character from a to b, I find that pacing and smoking helps.
Are there any specific authors or books that have had a significant influence on your writing career?
Oh man, too many to name, but L'Amour, Brand, and Swarthout are big early influences. The Flashman novels by George MacDonald Frazer were a huge influence on A Rare and Dangerous Beast. Other authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, Dee Brown, Alistair MacLean, Robert E. Howard, Donald E. Westlake, Joe R. Lansdale, . . . I could go on forever, really.
What do you hope readers take away from your writing?
I hope they get as much joy out of reading my stuff as I get out of reading others'. I also hope I give them something to think about, something that sticks with them.
Can you share any upcoming projects or works-in-progress that you're excited about?
Right now, I'm trying to work out the plot for a small-town comic mystery.
How do you incorporate feedback and criticism into your writing process?
I get my wife to take first crack at it. She is great (and merciless) at finding flaws, particularly in logic and storytelling. After that, I have some very smart and well-read friends from varying backgrounds and perspectives who generously volunteer to tell me what I've gotten wrong. Seeing my work through their eyes keeps me aware of how readers will take what I'm writing. One of the things I hope I do is write stories that anyone can enjoy reading, whether or not it's in their preferred genre.
As a writer with a military background, do you find yourself drawn to themes of duty, sacrifice, and honor in your work?
I do, but I think it has more to do with how I was raised, than my military experience. My parents and grandparents and extended family were great examples of all these things. Don't get me wrong, I saw some great (and all too often, tragic) examples of duty, honor, and sacrifice in my time in the military, and I served with many who, to me anyway, are real heroes, but I tend to be a little more cynical about those years. I think we tend to think of those terms only in relation to the military, when in reality, there are just as many examples in the civilian world - they just tend to be quieter, and less dramatic.
What are your thoughts on AllAuthor? Is this a website you see yourself using for some time, even in the future?
I like it a lot. I suck at self-promotion, and this is an inexpensive tool that has been very helpful to me. I imagine I'll be using it for a long, long time - at least until I get popular enough that a publisher will pay someone to do that stuff for me (provided I live that long).
