Let There Be Questions (Part 1)

I recently made another jaunt to fair Kennesaw State Universiry and spoke to this semester's Entertainment Marketing Class. I give them an overview of how a book is produced and also talked about my buddy Scott Sigler's remarkable marketing skills.

As usual, the students handed in questions so over the coming weeks I'll be answering some of those queries. I plead a heavy schedule right now, but I will get to them bit by bit.

So let's start with this one from Ben C:
"On your website there is obviously a bit of sarcasm toward Rowling -- what are your true sentiments about what she has done with the genre?

Oh dear, it might be time for me to reread my website. If my comments came across as sarcastic then they're not right. I am awe of Ms. Rowlings' accomplishments in the face of a less than enthusiastic initial response to her first book. The woman didn't give up. I can't say much about her writing talent as I've only read the first three books and will finish the series when the last one comes out. As much as I want to know Harry's journey, I'd like to see the writer's as well. What Rowling did was reintroduce kids to fantasy and for that I heartily thank her. Once you've pried a kid's mind open with a book, it won't easily slam shut. Also, I sincerely respect her charity work. That being said, I have no desire to have her fame or her wealth. For me, it would distract from the writing.

Ben also asks: Do you feel that being adopted made your mind wander to sci-fi and fiction than that of someone raised by birth parents?

Now that's an intriguing question. I don't think the adopted bit actually skewed me in that direction. Instead, I think I was wired toward the supernatural. As an only child, I amused myself by reading and dreaming up stories in my head. I read almost no science fiction and only a bit of fantasy as a child, yet I write in those genres. Jim Butcher(The Dresden Files) on the other hand, was spoonfed science fiction and fantasy by his sisters. We come to the craft of writing in different ways. I suspect the adopted part of my past plays into my books somehow, but I haven't spotted it yet.

More down the line -- stay tuned....