Ask the Author: Carson McCloud
Answered Questions (6)
Carson McCloud
Three westerns to date: I wrote Devlin’s Ride first, followed by Sonoran Gold, and then Blood on the Bighorns. So far each book has been a stand-alone with none of the characters overlapping. However, my next release will be the sequel to Devlin’s Ride.
Carson McCloud
I’m thinking of a sequel for Brett Rawlins and his family. Has he grown too hard and withdrawn from his community? What challenges might he and Mourning Song face next? How might the town of Pryor react to the loss of Davis Judd.
Carson McCloud
All my work starts with a What If?
What If a man started his own ranch and had to square off against a ruthless robber-baron? Devlin’s Ride.
What If a bandit wanted to steal a load of gold, not for the wealth, but for a deeper reason? What If along the way he found a little redemption by helping a lost family? Sonoran Gold.
What If a young man was betrayed and left for dead after everything was taken from him? How much would he have to change to get it back? Would he want to? Blood on the Bighorns.
What If a man started his own ranch and had to square off against a ruthless robber-baron? Devlin’s Ride.
What If a bandit wanted to steal a load of gold, not for the wealth, but for a deeper reason? What If along the way he found a little redemption by helping a lost family? Sonoran Gold.
What If a young man was betrayed and left for dead after everything was taken from him? How much would he have to change to get it back? Would he want to? Blood on the Bighorns.
Carson McCloud
There is no easy path here I’m afraid. My first book took 13 revisions over a span of 3 years before I published it. There are some writers who are faster obviously and I envy them, but if you want to be a writer prepare yourself for a grind. It’s less about slapping paint on a canvas for an hour and more about putting in the daily 1,000 words or the hour studying craft or the time reading other authors and trying to divine their secrets. You have to do the work.
Carson McCloud
You get to write about daydreams. It’s also so very portable. If an idea strikes me at work, I’ll take a moment to jot it down in the notes on my phone.
Carson McCloud
Either stop writing and do something else while thinking about the problem. For example take a long walk or sit outside somewhere. Break the block by breaking out of your norms. I would also say that not thinking about the problem often works wonders. The subconscious has a terrific ability to create solutions when you let your mind do other things. The critical part of this is the moment it happens take a note about it in your phone or whatever you have handy. The subconscious also has a way of forgetting these solutions when you aren’t watching it.
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