Ask the Author: Pat Olney
Answered Questions (10)
Pat Olney
Your secret identity may not be so secret, my friend. I watched the leafs with intense agony again this playoff season, so nothing new there. And, yes, I do miss the cheeky beers! Will reach out next time we are in the UK! Cheers.
Pat Olney
Currently, I am working on my second novel: Baltic Avenue. The inspiration for this came from my reading of an unpublished book by my good friend, Peter. I liked the main characters and wanted to tell more of their story. I set out to write a "sort of" sequel with his blessing.
Pat Olney
I find that inspiration can strike at the strangest times, and it is important to quickly find the keyboard and get back to writing. I have written chapters in my mind while cutting the lawn, cycling and even while picking raspberries. It's a bit like a sailor waiting for the wind, you have to grab it while you can. The inspiration for my short story: Coronado, came while I was sitting at a hotel pool and saw a woman's feet resting on the ledge of her room's window. I thought "what an odd sight" and the spark for the story was lit.
Pat Olney
I am currently working on my second novel, Baltic Avenue. In addition, I have ideas for a couple of short stories I'd like to work into a collection.
Pat Olney
Write. Don't wait for the perfect idea. Take inspiration from wherever you can and run with it. Find a few trusted people to encourage you along the way. Also, don't take yourself too seriously. Try to enjoy the process.
Pat Olney
I really enjoy the sense of creating people out of nothingness—watching as they come to life and their stories begin expressing themselves through me. I often think of the characters from my first novel, Fire Horse, as actual people and find that I miss them sometimes.
Pat Olney
Often, when I try to "schedule" writing time, it can be less than fully productive. When I find myself unable to write, I move on to other projects and wait for inspiration to strike. The few times that I have "pushed through" and forced myself to write, I have typically had to go back and redo anyway because the product was not up to my potential.
Pat Olney
Sara braced herself, electricity vibrating through her nerve endings, her fingers shaking uncontrollably as she reached for the box lid and her head, now a blank void save for thoughts of her sister Linda, again filled with the echoes of Gustavo's threats. Sara's trembling hand opened the lid; her brain processed the image of Linda's wedding band first, then the horrible truth filled her: Sara's selfishness had cost Linda her life.
Pat Olney
I find the future much more interesting than the past. If you could actually go back in time you would probably find that it sucked to live 500 years ago, or back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. I'd like to go forward, perhaps to the future imagined by Gene Roddenberry in the Star Trek series. That feels like a good place to be. I've always wanted to visit the moon, and that would be an easy weekend getaway in the 24th century.
Pat Olney
I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction. This summer, I plan a couple of re-reads: The Selfish Gene, by Richard Dawkins (non-fiction) and a couple of Dennis Lehane books form the Kenzie and Gennaro series. I also plan to tackle something new, as yet to be discovered.
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Jun 01, 2024 05:43AM · flag