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| Image: zoetnet via Flickr/Creative Common |
In my continuing quest to blow your minds, I again present
three very different authors whose answers to the same questions may surprise
you.
Sydney Landon is a New York Times bestseller-listed author
of romances, including the Danvers series; David C. Cassidy’s books, including
Velvet Rain and Fosgate’s Game, defy categorization but might be called “speculative
fiction” (but isn’t all fiction, by definition, speculative? Isn’t fiction a
form of speculation?). And Patricia Sands is the award-winning author of The
Bridge Club and The Promise of Provence.
Name three characteristics of books that you like.
Sydney Landon: Humorous
dialogue, a strong introduction and a realistic plot.
David C. Cassidy:
For me, a story has to have depth and feeling. It’s got to have characters I
love, and those I love to hate. Above all, it’s got to be real. When you strip
away all the obviously impossible stuff, the story has to hit me with reality
at some point. The danger, the struggle — it has to be something I can feel.
The best stories do that. Avatar
would be just another sci-fi adventure without the deep-rooted threat to the
indigenous people of Pandora — the threat to their core beliefs. For me, that’s
gold, and James Cameron is a master at this kind of storytelling.
Patricia Sands:
- A compelling style that immediately engages.
- Strong imagery that draws me into the emotion of the scene, setting or location.
- Creativity that captures the imagination.
What makes you keep reading a book?
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| Patricia Sands |
Patricia Sands: All
of the above (answer #1), plus a good plot and well-developed characters.
Sydney Landon: Connecting
with the characters. Otherwise, I lose interest and have a hard time finishing.
David C. Cassidy: The
characters. Whether they’re larger than life or just the guy selling hot dogs
on the street, I’m always observing characters in books and movies. I watch. I
listen. I learn. The best books have all those little nuances in the characters
that make me want to follow them to the bitter end.
What are some books that you weren't able to put down until you finished them?
David C. Cassidy: Abarat by Clive Barker; The Thief of Always by Clive Barker; In Cold Blood by Truman Capote;
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom; Salem’s
Lot by Stephen King.
Sydney Landon: Fifty
Shades of Grey by EL James; The Faces of Evil series by Debra Webb.
Patricia Sands: There are
few books that I begin and don't finish.
Do you consciously try to emulate these books? If so, what form does that take: plot, structure, characters, settings, author's voice and word choice?
Patricia Sands: No, not consciously. However,
I know that the more I read, the more I become aware of incorporating the
traits I admire of other writers into my own style.
Sydney
Landon: No. I believe every author has a certain style and
that generally comes through no matter what.
David
C. Cassidy: It might be the sincerest form of flattery, but I
don’t consciously do it. I would say most authors don’t, but I would also say
that unconsciously, we probably do. It’s natural to emulate those we admire.
I’m a photographer, and the only way I became the creative photographer that I
am was by studying photographs of the photographers I admire. That didn’t mean
I went out and copied their style. It meant that I learned new ways of thinking
— new ways of looking at the same subject. Some of my biggest influences in
writing have come from three very different authors: Stephen King, Clive
Barker, and Mitch Albom — and I’m probably a hybrid of all three to some
degree. I’ve studied their work and a lot of other authors from different
genres, and have tried to incorporate their techniques in all facets of my
writing. Not by copying strict rules or things that they’ve done, but rather
their way of thinking or looking at the world and the characters who inhabit
them in different and unique ways.
Do you try to avoid any of the techniques or conventions followed by your favorite writers?
David
C. Cassidy: For me, each story has a different feel
to it—the writing has a different feel to it. I just write it. I don’t worry if
someone sees or doesn’t see similar techniques used by other authors. You can’t
shackle yourself by saying, “Oh crap, King did this like this.” Why? Because at
one point, King probably said, “Oh crap, Poe did this like this.” And Poe
probably said, “Damn that Shakespeare. He took all the good stuff.”
Patricia
Sands: No. Many of my favourite writers have decidedly
different styles than mine. I believe it is important for each of us to find
our own unique voice and hone that craft.
Sydney
Landon: Not at all.
I never know where a story will take me and what means I'll use to get
there. I've probably tried them all.
What rules of writing do you intentionally break?
Sydney Landon:
Grammar. Sometimes the rules say it's wrong, but it sounds so right!
Patricia Sands: None
intentionally and probably several unintentionally.
What rules of writing do you intentionally break?
David C. Cassidy:
Every last one. Even speling and grammer if I have to. Seriously, I do uphold
one rule: There are no rules. I don’t get the whole “don’t do this, don’t do
that” mentality with writing. I cross genre boundaries in stories—does it
lessen the whole? Not for me. It adds to it. A great story is like a great photograph—the
best photographs tell the story exactly as it needs to be told.
Thanks very much, all!
Author, photographer and half-decent juggler David C. Cassidy spends his writing
life creating dark and touching stories where Bad Things Happen To Good People.
Raised by wolves, he grew up with a love of nature, music,
science, and history, with thrillers and horror novels feeding the dark side of
his seriously disturbed imagination. He talks to his characters, talks often,
and most times they listen. But the real fun starts when they tell him to take
a hike, and they Open That Door anyway. Idiots.
David lives in Ontario, Canada. From Mozart to Vivaldi,
classic jazz to classic rock, he feels naked without his iPod. Suffering from
MAD (Multiple Activity Disorder), he divides his time between writing and
blogging, photography and photoshop, reading and rollerblading. An avid amateur
astronomer, he loves the night sky, chasing the stars with his telescope.
Sometimes he eats.
David is a member of Independent Authors International. Visit his website.
Patricia Sands
lives in Toronto, Canada most of the time, Florida some of the time, and the
south of France whenever possible. With a happily blended family of seven adult
children and, at last count, six grandchildren, life is full and time is short.
Beginning with her first Kodak Brownie camera at the age of six, she has told
stories all of her life through photography. She is the author of the
award-winning novel, The Bridge Club and her most recent release, The Promise
of Provence. The latter is an Amazon best-seller that was also featured on the
Movers & Shakers Digital list.
Thanks to reader demand, a sequel to The Promise of Provence in in the
works! Put your feet up and be carried away to the south of France in this
delightful novel. Her stories celebrate
the rewarding friendships of women and examine the challenges life often throws
in our paths. Becoming a published author at this stage of her life was not on
her agenda but she knows now she will never stop writing.
Patricia is a member of BestSelling Reads. Visit Patricia's
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