Ask the Author: Kenton Long
Answered Questions (6)
Kenton Long
Prodigal Sons of Liberty: A Modern Thriller was primarily inspired by my own blog, ProdigalSonsOfLiberty.com, a conservative news/opinion blog. I imagined, "what if" an average guy like me, a part-time blogger, got caught up in extraordinary circumstances where everything we hold dear in America is at stake. America teetering on the brink of civil war. An America left with only two options: the first, impossible; the second, unthinkable.
Kenton Long
Most of my inspiration comes during the act of writing---while I'm in the midst of writing AWFUL, embarrassing, stupid-sounding sentences. In addition, I'm inspired by reading other authors and reading/learning history.
Kenton Long
Currently promoting my debut novel Prodigal Sons of Liberty: A Modern Thriller. In addition, I jot down notes of ideas for the sequel. My debut novel is the first of a three-book series.
Kenton Long
The most important aspect of writing I learned is gauging my novel's progress by PAGES, not time. For years I made the mistake of gauging my novel's progress by the number of hours I spent writing. Unfortunately, agents, publishers, and book buyers don't want to see a timecard. They want to see PAGES! I needed a PRODUCT. That's when I started sitting my butt in the chair and started pounding out PAGES, as painful as it was. Awful pages. Awful sentences. Awful grammar, spelling, the works. BUT now I was producing pages! And with those awful pages came unexpected inspired story ideas. Low and behold, before long I had a completed first draft, a completed second draft, and so on. I came back to those embarrassing pages in later drafts rewriting them into a novel I'm very proud.
Kenton Long
Hearing from readers who enjoyed the story and connected with the characters is the BEST. I might add, hearing the character's talking in my head---saying things I didn't expect.
Kenton Long
I always have writer's block. The UNBLOCKING comes in the doing, the writing. The Muse alights upon working shoulders.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more