John Aubrey Anderson
Check out the questions and authors on John Aubrey Anderson's website: http://www.johnaubreyanderson.com/
For example:
When did you first discover that you were a writer?
It’s difficult to put my finger on the exact moment ... but if pressed, I’d have to say it became more than evident in January of 2006.During that month I was trying to get my second book, Wedgewood Grey, off to FaithWords. Abiding Darkness was back in my hands for some jot and tittle stuff, and I was behind my self-imposed schedule on And If I Die. When I heard myself telling someone about having to juggle all three novels at the same time, it came to me that a million writers would cut off a finger to trade places with me. That’s when I knew I was a writer.As a footnote to that answer, let me offer this thought ... writers who are using their time well think more about writing than they do about being writers.
Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I can only see the world through my own eyes, but I try to keep myself out of the story, mainly because I’m not an interesting person. That means I have to listen closely so that I can hear what others see. Of course, my characters’ personalities will always come from my mind, but they won’t always align themselves with my grid.There was a time when I would scoff at writers who claimed to let their characters make decisions about this or that. Well, I don’t scoff any more. After the character becomes a person, I sometimes find myself waiting to see what he or she chooses to do next.
How do you choose your characters’ names?
Good question ... with lots of answers.I picture my characters in my mind as I’m writing ... sometimes I’ll just call a new one “xxxxx” until the story develops around that individual; eventually, I’ll see or hear a name that perfectly suits the person I’ve pictured. Quite often I’ll use names that are a compilation of the names of our friends or relatives. And there’s always the school yearbook or phone book.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Mostly I lean toward suspense/action/thriller/adventure things ... my preference is to get sucked into a compelling story and become immersed in tension.I read quite a bit of non-fiction, mostly to enhance my knowledge of spiritual things, and my wife reads to me when we’re riding in the car (which is often).The one book I read every day is the Bible.What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Having looked up quirky in the dictionary (eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, strange, bizarre, peculiar, odd, outlandish, zany), I have to confess that I’m pretty much of a dud in the personality department. I’m utterly predictable, and I always have been. For instance, I’ll almost always choose vanilla ice cream ... when I feel the urge to live on the edge, I’ll get chocolate. Now, don’t let me mislead you ... I’ve done some stupid things in my life, but even when I was living the life of an idiot, I was still predictable—even if predictably stupid.
For example:
When did you first discover that you were a writer?
It’s difficult to put my finger on the exact moment ... but if pressed, I’d have to say it became more than evident in January of 2006.During that month I was trying to get my second book, Wedgewood Grey, off to FaithWords. Abiding Darkness was back in my hands for some jot and tittle stuff, and I was behind my self-imposed schedule on And If I Die. When I heard myself telling someone about having to juggle all three novels at the same time, it came to me that a million writers would cut off a finger to trade places with me. That’s when I knew I was a writer.As a footnote to that answer, let me offer this thought ... writers who are using their time well think more about writing than they do about being writers.
Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I can only see the world through my own eyes, but I try to keep myself out of the story, mainly because I’m not an interesting person. That means I have to listen closely so that I can hear what others see. Of course, my characters’ personalities will always come from my mind, but they won’t always align themselves with my grid.There was a time when I would scoff at writers who claimed to let their characters make decisions about this or that. Well, I don’t scoff any more. After the character becomes a person, I sometimes find myself waiting to see what he or she chooses to do next.
How do you choose your characters’ names?
Good question ... with lots of answers.I picture my characters in my mind as I’m writing ... sometimes I’ll just call a new one “xxxxx” until the story develops around that individual; eventually, I’ll see or hear a name that perfectly suits the person I’ve pictured. Quite often I’ll use names that are a compilation of the names of our friends or relatives. And there’s always the school yearbook or phone book.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Mostly I lean toward suspense/action/thriller/adventure things ... my preference is to get sucked into a compelling story and become immersed in tension.I read quite a bit of non-fiction, mostly to enhance my knowledge of spiritual things, and my wife reads to me when we’re riding in the car (which is often).The one book I read every day is the Bible.What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Having looked up quirky in the dictionary (eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, strange, bizarre, peculiar, odd, outlandish, zany), I have to confess that I’m pretty much of a dud in the personality department. I’m utterly predictable, and I always have been. For instance, I’ll almost always choose vanilla ice cream ... when I feel the urge to live on the edge, I’ll get chocolate. Now, don’t let me mislead you ... I’ve done some stupid things in my life, but even when I was living the life of an idiot, I was still predictable—even if predictably stupid.
posted by storyline | 8:15 AM
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