Ask the Author: James R. Preston
Answered Questions (9)
James R. Preston
Ooooh, now that's a good one. I'll say Oz to meet the Tin Man, followed by the Centerville of Robert A. Heinlein's wonderful Have Space Suit -- Will Travel to hang out with Kip rebuild a space suit, and of course, Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts for some Quidditch. Under no circumstances would you catch me in King's Derry, Maine. Huh-uh, no way. Not 'Salem's Lot, either. One more? Okay, I think the Los Angeles of Robert Crais' awesome Elvis Cole stories would be great, as long as Joe Pike came along. What would I do there? Why, anything, anything at all would be cool.
James R. Preston
My friend Alan Brennert's new book, Daughter of Moloka'i. It's the sequel to his huge hit, Moloka'i. I started it and then had to stop because of my own work and this is not a book I want to read in small bites. I look forward to getting back to it soon. Full disclosure, which I will always provide when commenting on a friend's book: Alan & I have been friends for years. I've watched his career with awe and envy. Look for more on it in the near future.
James R. Preston
Sorry for the length of time it took me to answer -- this went into the wrong file. Anyway, no, I didn't work at Long Beach as faculty, but I ran the Reserve Book Room and Current Periodicals in the library for several years in the 70s. Seems like a long time ago, and in some ways yesterday. It was during this time that I sold my first short story to Analog Science Fiction.
Did you work at CSULB or attend there? We might have bumped into each other. I was mostly behind the desk on First East.
Best,
James
Did you work at CSULB or attend there? We might have bumped into each other. I was mostly behind the desk on First East.
Best,
James
James R. Preston
I have no idea. When I started seriously writing I simply had to do it and that has never changed. Saturday at dinner my wife told a friend, "James is always working."
James R. Preston
I'd say getting to know the people who have been rattling around in your head, although there are downsides to that. See the Forward to Red Dragon, called Forward to a Fatal Interview, where Thomas Harris talks about Hannibal Lecter. Heh heh heh.
That and getting to talk to people who want to write. The work itself can be great, but other times the story will try to kill you. So far none of mine have succeeded.
That and getting to talk to people who want to write. The work itself can be great, but other times the story will try to kill you. So far none of mine have succeeded.
James R. Preston
Write. Think of writing like playing the piano --you gotta do it, and do it, and then do it some more.
Read. Constantly. Everything.
Check out a blog called Writers in the Storm.
Track down Robert A. Heinlein's Five Rules for Writers. If memory serves it was part of an address he gave to a graduating class at Annapolis. That says it all.
And then write.
Read. Constantly. Everything.
Check out a blog called Writers in the Storm.
Track down Robert A. Heinlein's Five Rules for Writers. If memory serves it was part of an address he gave to a graduating class at Annapolis. That says it all.
And then write.
James R. Preston
Oooh, this question I love. The new book is called Remains To Be Seen, and it is the sixth in the Surf City Mystery series. Agatha Plumlee is T. R. Macdonald's wealthy eighty-something friend. A group of people ask him to deliver her to them, or, if it's easier, just her head.
James R. Preston
I grew up reading, first Norse mythology, then science fiction in Amazing Stories. I guess I always wanted to do it. No one has ever asked that before.
James R. Preston
Buzzkill started because I had this image of a young woman lying on her back in a field, with a man standing over her holding a straight razor. I knew she was bleeding from a small cut on her forehead, and that was all. The image wouldn't go away so I had to figure it out. That's a very different way for a story to start for me. Thanks for asking!
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