Ask the Author: Bill Schweigart
Answered Questions (17)
Bill Schweigart
Sad to say, but yes, it's the gang's last ride for now. But I'm working hard to ensure Ben, Lindsay, and Co. get a hell of a send-off. And because the team just agreed on the title this morning, you are literally the first person (after my wife) that I'm telling...keep your eyes peeled on NetGalley in the coming months for THE DEVIL'S COLONY.
Bill Schweigart
I love great partnerships, so I'm going to broaden "couple" to beyond romantic pairings, and go with Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Woodrow F. Call from Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove. In the same vein, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Another favorite partnership, this time with a bit of romance, Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist of the Millennium trilogy.
Bill Schweigart
I hope to have an announcement on that very soon. There's a possibility it could wind up in an anthology - but if not, I will make sure it finds another avenue. Stay tuned!
Bill Schweigart
But of course! And good luck - I hope you win!
Bill Schweigart
Done! Love is Silent = Nominated! And as you can imagine, I'm a big softie despite my genre. I'd rather write Ben and Lindsay sitting in a coffee shop than fighting monsters! But I'm working on #3 now...but I promise to have monsters!
Bill Schweigart
My favorite time of the day to write is early morning. For now, it's the only time really - I'm not a full time author (yet) so I have to wake up before my wife and daughter, before the dog gets a walk, before the day job begins...when it's quiet. Because the quiet doesn't last long.
Bill Schweigart
First, thank you for taking to time to read - and review! - Northwoods. I really appreciate it! Where did I get the idea? It started with the setting. My wife is a Wisconsin gal and has been taking me to the Northwoods for years! I fell in love with the place and when that happens, I usually start to let me imagination run and figure out ways I can set a story there. Then I heard about the hodag, a local hoax, and things started to come together...
Bill Schweigart
You are awesome - thank you! Made my day!
Bill Schweigart
Can't wait for your to read it!
Bill Schweigart
Yes! First, thank you for giving Beast a chance and continuing the ride with Northwoods. I'm writing Book 3 now. In the meanwhile, sometime after Northwoods is released, Hydra is going to put out a free download of some bonus content. Want to know more about that chest? How it got to the Northwoods? Who's behind it all? Hopefully, that'll be a little snack to tide folks over until Book 3!
Bill Schweigart
Lena, I'm so sorry - I JUST saw this question! When it comes to Goodreads I am UNGOOD. To answer your question: a full-throated YES. Standingcloud is front and center in Northwoods. He didn't get much "screen time" in Beast, but he's a major player in Northwoods. (And thank you so much for caring enough about him to ask a question!)
Bill Schweigart
I've walked Arlington's wooded trails for years and have always wanted to set a story there. Then one day I was in a local coffee shop, reading about the history of the area, and there was a blurb called "The Beast of Barcroft." Forty years ago, something WAS stalking Arlington, slaying pets and wild animals. Zoologists were called in to investigate. It captured my imagination and suddenly I had my story.
Bill Schweigart
There aren't enough hours in the day to write everything I'd like to write, so when I sit down for my modest daily word count, there's no messing around. I don't wait until I'm inspired! Some days the words flow, some days they're a trickle, but I'm squared up to my computer either way.
Bill Schweigart
My second novel is a horror novel called "The Beast of Barcroft." Something is stalking the residents of a wooded suburb of Washington, DC. When Ben McKelvie survives an inexplicable attack in his own backyard, he seeks the help of zoologist Lindsay Clark. Together, they discover the terrifying, unnatural link behind the attacks, but knowing the beast and stopping it are two different animals.
Bill Schweigart
I wrote my first novel on weekends over a period of four years. I was single at the time and had the luxury of huge swaths of time on my hands. As a husband and father (with a day job), huge swaths of time are not just a luxury, they're a fantasy. I wrote my second novel with the goal of a ridiculously low and attainable - but daily - word count. I had the first draft completed in less than a year. It's as true as the tortoise and the hare - slow and steady wins the race!
Bill Schweigart
That moment of discovery, when something you hadn't planned springs to mind and it's just a perfect, inspired bit that takes you in a new direction or deepens where you've already been. It's not the fanfare, it's that quiet moment by yourself when you're immersed in the story and you unlock it.
Bill Schweigart
Some days, the words come easier than others, but I've never had to deal with serious writer's block. I would say if you're blocked, switch gears to another scene or another story, as long as you keep your fingers on the keyboard.
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