Interview with John Dalglish

John Dalglish

Interview Date: 6/13/2012

Biography

I was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and adopted when I was just a baby.(Some may see the connection in my first book.) I lost my father at 13 and my mother remarried when I was 16, moving us to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. It was there that I met my wife of 29 years, Beverly, and became the father of three wonderful sons. We moved to Missouri in 1989 and are still here. I became an American citizen in 1991. I started my first book when I was 18 but it never got completed. Encouraged by my wife, I tried again and have loved every minute.


When did you start writing, and was there a significant event that prompted you to do so?

I have always been a reader rather than a writer but my son is David Dalglish, some of your fantasy fans may recognize the name, and he had done very well. My wife, Beverly, said one day, "I can't put two sentence's together and he must have got it somewhere, why don't you try." And so, I did and came out with "Where's my son?".

Kev's response: The Snark just whispered something at me ... "Milkman?"


Where do you get your inspiration for writing? What motivates you?

The thing I enjoy most about writing is the process itself. I will get an idea, just a base to start from, and then start writing. The characters and situations that are created during the process is so exciting. I love creating a new character and seeing what their personality will be.


Do you pre-plan your stories, or are you a by-the-seat-of-the-pants style writer?

I do make a base outline before I start. It helps keep me organized and I keep a directory of characters, their looks, quirks, etc. The outline gets modified as I come up with new scenes and insert them or remove others. The story itself, though, comes as it is written. That's the fun. It's like "OOOH, That's cool!".


Do you write only when inspired, or do you have a set schedule where you sit down to write?

To say I have a schedule is an understatement. My primary writing time is everyday at lunch. One hour, headphones on, typing on my netbook. I do, however, occasionally, take one of my days off and move the story forward as much as I can.

Kev's response: When I'm on a roll, those full days can rock, getting a sizeable chunk of a novel done.


Is there any part of writing that you don't enjoy?

I have to do most of my own editing. I have two people that I bounce things off and they read the book before publishing to give me edits, but then I go through it several times myself. By the end, I just want to move on to the next book.

Kev's response: Aye, I've never been a re-reader of stories within a short time frame, I've got the same issue going through my own numerous times in a row.


Where do you see the future as far as paper books versus digital e-books?

While I think paperbacks will always be around in one form or another, it's hard to see how they can compete with the digital market. Production, promotion and control of the product is both easier and cheaper, at least in the indie market.


What are your current projects?

I am about one-third through the number three in Det. Jason Strong Series. The working title is "For my Brother." Following that, I have a project I started entitled "Only one is real.". It is a collection of short stories, of which one of them is a true story from my life. The reader will be challenged to figure out which one and then be able to find out at the end.

Kev's response: Should be an intriguing premise for the reader to figure out.


Do you have any online sites where readers can find out more about you (and your books)?

Yes, I have a blog called "Just Sayin' " http://johncdalglish.blogspot.com/ where there are links to my books and I am on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf and Twitter https://twitter.com/johncdalglish.
John's new blog location is: http://jcdalglish.webs.com/
Thanks for having me, I appreciate it.
God Bless, John

Kev's response: John, thank you for joining me. I wish you the best on your series, as well as the shorts!



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