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Reviews of books by some of the hottest writers working today, exclusive author interviews, literary news and criticism.
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 Topic: Interviews with authorsThe new items published under this topic are as follows.
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 The author of Through Troubled Waters talks about his book, his inspiration, the appeal to readers, advicce for other readers, the most troubling parts, and more
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 The author of Radiance talks about his novel, its premise, themes, inspiration, influences, how his writing career and career of a psychotherapist conflict and align, surprises, challenges, language, characters, on teaching poetry, and lots more.
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 The author of Constance Harding's (Rather) Startling Year talks about her new book, about the blog that gave rise to it, about the relationship between journalism and fiction, between fact and fiction, about future plans, and more.
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 The author of Angelopolis talks about her new book, her favourite characters in the book, her writing schedule, her dream book club, her hobbies, her research, her relationship to Russia and Eastern Europe, her ideal reader, and lots more.
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 Holding page for Jessica Bell's interview. Watch this space.
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 The author of Annwyn's Blood talks about his new novel, his latest screenplay, his upcoming work, his inspirations, the evolution of his writing style, the current book on his nightshelf, and lots more.
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.jpg?t=20121231090557) Amy is a longtime teacher, author, journalist, and editor, with writings ranging from fairy tales to bittersweet memoir. She shares her thoughts on shame, the power of fear and truth, and the transformative freedom of "speaking one's truths aloud."
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 The author of Media Magnetism provides us with an excerpt, talks about her new book and how it came together, about 'buzz' and how to get it, the pitfalls of social media, the value of a PR person, her two dozen experts, her new projects and lots more.
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 The author of Rage is Back talks about his new book, his connections with the graffiti artist community and its enduring appeal, the surprise appeal of children’s book parody Go the F**k to Sleep, the sway and transformation of NYC, and lots more.
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 The author of Lament Hill talks about her new novel, her characters and themes, the book's inspiration and her own influences, especially Stephen King, her challenges, her learning curve, and lots more.
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 The author of Tax Cheating: Illegal—But is it Immoral? talks about his book, his target audience, the morality and complexity of tax returns, the relationship between tax cheating and tax evasion, the occasions when evading taxes is the morally proper thing to do, and lots more.
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 The author of The Bracelet talks about how he began writing, his favourite authors, his current projects, his four novels, the theme of his work in progress, how he came up with his most recent title, and more.
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 The author of One Fateful Night talks about her series, her new book, her inspiration, her charity, her title, the lessons learnt from her first book, a sneak preview of her upcoming novel, and more.
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 Romance writer Liz Fielding talks about her many books, her background, her latest news, a sneak preview of her new work, other authors that have gripped her interest, about writing in general, her particular challenges, and lots more.
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 The author of The Purple Shroud talks about the writing of her latest novel, the complexities of working with an historical subject, the relationship between fiction and history, on reader feedback, on her character Theodora, on leadership in general, on her research processes, on the genres and authors she's currently enjoying, and lots more.
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 The author of Letters to My Children talks about where he came from, his latest news, when and why he writes, his favourite book, about when he'll call himself a writer, his inspiration, style, and lots more.
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 The creator of the Tintin Young Reader's edition talks about his love of Tintin, about how he became involved with the Little Brown Young Readers project, why Tintin remains so popular, his work on the series, upcoming titles, his favourite Tintin villain, his other Tintin projects and where to find them, and lots more.
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 The author of Little Night talks about her new book and its challenges and themes, her inspiration, the changes in her books, life versus fiction, on abuse, nature, accountability, and lots more.
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 The author of Roma, Underground talks about why he started writing, his literary influences, his biggest challenges, themes, authors he's enjoying, current projects, advice for other writers, and lots more.
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 The author of Strindberg's Star talks about his inspiration, his research, the settings of his book, his influences, his characters, on being a bestseller, and lots more.
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 The author of Helen Keller in Love talks about her interest in Helen Keller's life, her research (and some surprises she uncovered), her next book, and lots more.
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 Steve A. Mizera, author of From a Dime a Dozen to Priceless talks about his background, his writing, his themes, his inspiration, and lots more.
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 The author of Blueprint talks about her latest book, her research, the sequel to Blueprint, upcoming events, and lots more.
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 The author of The Darlings talks about her novel, her decision to leave law, family businesses, the setting and perspective of her book, Wall Street, on writing authentically, and lots more.
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 The author of Getting out of Dodge City Heading For L.A. On the Atchison,Topeka and Sante Fe talks about his book, about being a published author, words of wisdom for other novels, his tour schedule, and more.
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 Joseph S. Nicholas is a Nebraska author residing in the panhandle community of Gering. He is a graduate of Bayard High School, Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, and the University of Nebraska. Additional studies by the author included post-graduate work at the University of Wyoming and Chadron State (Nebraska) College. He is the author of Northern Deception: A Century Series Novel and Northern Discovery: A Century Series Novel. http://www.jsnicholasnovels.com/web/
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 Nancy Rossman has been a storyteller her entire life. Following a twenty-nine year career as a commercial real estate broker, Nancy turned to her first love of writing. Over the past eleven years she has studied with such notables as Alan Furst, Dorothy Allison, Abigail Thomas and Ann Hood. First Love, Last Dance is her first book. It is a memoir about hope and second chances.
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 The author of Becoming: The Life & Musings of a Girl Poet and Unscrambled Eggs talks about her books, about being published and self-publishing, the impact that being published has had on her life, and lots more.
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 John Flanagan talks about his 11th Ranger's Apprentice book, The Lost Stories, the 12th book and its potential setting, his characters, the upcoming film, his new series Brotherband, and lots more.
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 The author of the magnificent mosaic, Sourdough and Other Stories, talks about her book; about fairy tales, red hair and writing; and about much else.
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 The author of Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in All the Confusion talks about his first novel, his characters, about fame and obscurity, The Faroe Islands, about music in his work, about Buzz Aldrin himself, the television series, on international translations, and lots more.
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 The author of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School talks about her new book, her inspiration, the instructional language of recipes and how to decipher them, finding good recipes online, her own kitchen, and lots more
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 The author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day talks about his book, about the difference between writing short stories and writing screenplays, his inspiration, his editing and selection process, about genres, the value fo short fiction, and lots more.
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 The author of In Malice, Quite Close talks about her first novel, her characters, about Rimbaud and his poem that inspired the title and provided the epigraph, about the notion of malice, about Nabokov, her setting, her feline inspiration, her next novel, and lots more.
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 The author of Mice talks about his new book, bullying, about the imaginative leap into other people’s lives, other historical times, other realities, his plotting twists and turns, his characters, challenges, favourite novels, and lots more.
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 The author of The Echo Chamber talks about the value of creative writing courses, the relationship between the historical record and the imaginative process, his settings, his aural sense (and the value of long ears), collaborations, on taking the point of view of a woman, his influences, and lots more.
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 The author of Mastering Creative Anxiety talks about his latest book, about why creating produces so much anxiety, his best tips for either avoiding, or managing anxiety, how to 'get a grip on your mind', the relationship between making meaning and anxiety, and lots more.
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 The author of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit talks about the serendipity that gave rise to his book, his main character, his research, and more.
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 The author of The Pun Also Rises talks puns - his favourite puns, punning duels, the world pun championship, the pervasiveness of puns, and lots more.
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 The author of Alice Bliss talks about her upcoming debut novel, her characters, the musical that gave rise to the book, the war behind the story, her inspiration, her writing regimen, and lots more.
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 The author of Caleb's Crossing talks about her latest book, her characters, Native American history, the relationship between truth and fiction, her narrative structure, Martha's Vineyard, Harvard, and lots more.
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 The author of How To Turn Your Book Club Into a Spectacular Event talks about her latest book, about book clubs and their benefits, about why writing for middle-grade readers is so much fun, her darker talents, and lots more.
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 The creator of Jotspeak talks about her new writing site and why it's different, why she started it, on the spoken word form, her marketing process, their charity gigs, a sneak preview on where the site might be headed, and lots more.
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 The author of Cut Short talks about her debut novel, her ambitions, her schedule, her titles, her upcoming second novel, her ideal reader, and lots more.
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 The author of Mending Lucille talks about her inspiration, her path to publication, working with an illustrator, the trickiest parts, her other projects, and lots more.
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 The author of On the Smell of an Oily Rag talks about his latest book, about the "pen-notes fiction" genre he uses, perhaps for the first time in English, the value of fragments, his feelings towards Australia, forthcoming work, and more.
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 Kristin Bair O'Keeffe talks about her novel Thirsty, about her life in China and why she's there, her publisher, on the craziness and creativity, of promoting a novel cross-country, on why she's sending her resume to Cirque du Soleil, and lots more.
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 The author of The Tyranny of Blood talks about her novel, the next novel in the trilogy, her influences, the music she listened to while writing the novel, her favourite authors, and lots more.
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 The author of The Earth Hums in B Flat talks about her first novel, her youthful character Gwenni, her star agent, her innovative publisher Canongate, about how we can live more sustainably, her writing Masters, her next novel(s), and lots more.
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 The author of Sold talks about his novel, his characters, his publisher, his false starts (self harm and Virginia Woolf and management consulting), his other projects, and lots more.
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 The author of Ice talks about his latest novel, his characters -- both real and imagined, the relationship between fiction and biography, the relationship between love and madness, his upcoming work, and lots more.
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 The author of The Last Beach Bungalow and The Only True Genius in the Family talks about her latest novel, her thoughts on the origin and nature of genius, on her characters, on losing a parent, on the writing "zone", and lots more.
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 The author of the Harpur and Iles series talks about his 55 or so novels, his characters, the writers he admires, the secrets of successful series', management thinking (and management-speak) in the modern British police force, and lots more
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 The author of Nectar of the Gods talks about her debut novel, her characters, her plot, the wine industry, on writing crime, the similarities between fine books and fine wine, her next book, and more.
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 The author of Show Me the Sky talks about his novel, his characters, on being a full time writer, his travels, his earlier work, his next work, and lots more.
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 This is an interview with musician, teacher, and writer Walter Everett in which discussed are his own work, academic standards, the roles of artist and critic and other social actors, particular essays investigating music, the differences between academic and popular responses to culture, the world wide web, distinguished and enjoyable musicians such as Radiohead and Gnarls Barkley and Nirvana and Patti Smith, and music as a political force. Everett says, “It has been amazing to follow the changes in popular styles and artistry, alongside the changing notion of how and why people listen to music.”
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 The latest collection of Linda Benninghoff’s poems is here under the title The Spaces Between Things (erbacce-press, Liverpool, 2008). Like her previous chapbook departures, this collection brings memories of childhood, friends, family, and experiences of natural elements (animals, trees, water, and weather) to life. The 34 poems in this short book deal with the experience of feeling the space between things and how it relates to our definition of life as a conscious individual. I was intrigued by Linda’s deep involvement with nature and her use of poetic expression for sharing her thoughts with readers and so we arranged to have a brief e-mail interview. Here is our e-conversation about Linda’s recent book.
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 Tony Nesca, born in 1965, is the author of many books of fiction and poetry. As the reader will perceive, he is a writer who believes in the primacy of the unfettered imagination and the untrammeled life. In this candid interview, he talks about Winnipeg, Italy, influences, conventional publishers, on the neglect of Canadian authors, and much more.
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 The author of the Inspector Terry Mysteries talks about her books, her chosen genre, which of her books she is most happy with, on writing with a pseudonym, her research, and lots more.
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 The author of Of Angelic Blood talks about his book, his characters, his polemics, his writing style, his reading list, his hobbies, and more.
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 My interview with Douglas Wolk took place in October 2007, following the publication of his Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean. Naturally, we mostly discussed comics.
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 The author of Above the Starry Frame talks about her "faction", her characters, the Eureka Stockade and what it means, on the major themes of her book, and lots more.
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 The author of Grandmaster talks about the world of his book, his characters, his novel's narrative style, symbolism and messages, literary influences, and the point at which he decided to become a writer.
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 Ross Duncan, author of All Those Bright Crosses talks about the development of his book, themes, morality, his historical setting, the relationship between law and writing, and lots more.
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 The author of Footways talks about her book, her characters, the relationship between her novel and "real life", the mythology in her book, her career as a writer, her influences, and lots more.
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 Anthony Appiah in his book Cosmopolitanism (Norton, 2006; page 97) wrote that, “Once we have found enough we share, there is the further possibility that we will be able to enjoy discovering things we do not yet share.”
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 Gwendolyn Midlo Hall in Africans in Colonial Louisiana: The Development of Afro-Creole Culture in the Eighteenth Century (Louisiana State University Press, 1995), William Pollitzer in The Gullah People and Their African Heritage (University of Georgia Press, 1999), and editor Jacob Gordon with The African Presence in Black America (Africa World Press, 2004)—have focused on African cultural habits and values that long survived in America; and, as much has been written regarding the lives, artistry, and politics of the descendants in America of enslaved Africans and free blacks, that is of African-Americans, many of whom had and have complexions more diverse than the word black would indicate, most of what is written now about African-Americans is little more than a footnote: and those who add something comprehensive or new to public knowledge must be commended. Greg Thomas’s essay on canonization in jazz and literature respects both aesthetics and the context in which art is created and valued; and the essay is a fine piece of critical commentary, clear, reasoned, sure; and it identifies Marsalis and Gates as cultural heroes—not simply in light of their good intentions but in light of their genuine achievements…
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 Collins' language consultant, Dr Ruth Wajnryb talks about the making of the latest dictionary, being a professional eavesdropper, on the perishable language of youth, the metrics of word inclusion, the use of language for manipulation, the language of silence, how we should all use dictionaries, her next surprising project, and lots more.
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 James Sallis is pretty much the complete man of letters. Probably best known as a crime writer – in which role Ian Rankin has called him “one of the best of the best” – he has written sci-fi and literary fiction too. His non-fiction includes poetry, biography and criticism. And nor should one overlook here his work as a translator: if you should ever read Queneau’s Saint Glinglin in English, in the edition published by Dalkey Archive Press, you will be reading James Sallis’ prose. This wide-ranging interview – touching on various aspects of Sallis’ work and life, on the writing process itself and on the fate of the city of New Orleans - took place in July 2007.
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The author of Autumn Corridors talks about his book, research, the time it took, on whether he will continue his book's themes in a series, the publishing process, his personal life and lots more.
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 The author of The Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona talks about his book, his research, his writing and publishing processes, his private life (just a little), the rewards of writing, advice for writers, and lots more.
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 Professor Askin Ozcan is the creator of the hilarious humorous fantasy The Second Venice. Published in the later part of 2005, Askin’s book presents a wonderful mix of creative imagination, socio-political satire, edgy wit, and lighthearted debate over issues of global import. It was fortunate not to miss talking to this talented author who now teaches in Sweden and contributes to quality literature with his pen and mind. Terse in his answers, Askin shared his thoughts about humor and his books.
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 The author of Peace I Ask of Thee, Oh River talks about her book, her choice of genre, the research she does, the time it takes her to write a book from start to finish, her trials and tribulations, some details of her life, the rewards of writing, and lots more.
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 The author of Going Home talks candidly about his collection of stories, the beauty of the short story as a writing form, his characters, the relationship between stories and poetry, his voice, the impact of parenting on his work, his greatest achievement, and lots more.
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Who sired Alexander the Great? What conspiracies were underway when the wife of Philip of Macedonia was pregnant with a child whose birth, as a son, would let Philip continue to rule his land? Who was the sole witness to the paternity of one of the greatest leaders of earth? Faye Turner’s latest novel Traces: The Birth of Alexander the Great (Ki Eea Key Press, Tennessee, 2006) ventures to reconstruct the exciting history of Alexander’s birth by lacing together the events that preceded the great Hellenic leader’s arrival into our world. In this insightful interview, Faye Turner talks about her novel.
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 The author of American Youth talks about his novel and its positive reception, cultural differences in perception, his characters, his narrative voice, the relationship between teaching and writing, his literary influences, on filming his work, his next project, and more.
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 Dorothy Porter talks about her new novel El Dorado, on the "obscure and effete in poetry," the reasons for and difficulties with writing novels in verse, her narrative technique, and much more.
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 In this fascinating and extensive interview, the author of Pharaoh (to mention just one of Jackie French's extensive titles), talks about the writing and researching of Pharaoh, the critical importance of history and books to children, the thread that connects all her work, her unlikely hero, on maintaining passion in life, a big preview of her next book, and lots more.
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 The author of Final Paradox talks about her Trilogy, her protagonist, her story lines, her other writing, her many lives and inspirations, and much more.
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 I interviewed Nick Flynn in 2005, following the UK publication of Another Bullshit Night in Suck City. It was a wide-ranging interview and touched on such issues as homelessness, fatherhood, the memoir as a literary form and the literary influences on Flynn’s own writing. This is the full text of our interview; a shortened version had previously appeared in issue 2 of Citizen 32 magazine.
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 Donald Westlake (a.k.a. Richard Stark) has been writing fiction for close to half a century now, and his achievements have garnered many accolades. Significantly, his admirers include many writers among their ranks. John Banville has called him “one of the great writers of the twentieth century” while for James Sallis he is simply “a great American writer”. The Mystery Writers of America honoured Donald Westlake with a Grand Master Award in 1993.
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 The author of The Poetry of Business talks about her book, the power of poetry, the corporate crisis of meaning, her intended audience, Poetry Canada, and lots more.
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 The author of February Flowers talks about her first novel, her literary influences, on writing in a language which isn't her first, the conflict between old and new Chinese values that underpins the book, on the relationship between working for Yahoo and writing, on the over-commercialisation of the book market, about her agent, the new Picador Asia imprint, her next novel and more.
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 The author of The Book Thief talks about some major themes in his book, genre distinctions, the importance of darkness, on being a literary superstar in America, Death the character, his mise en abyme, The Standover Man, his next project and lots more.
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The author of Wolf Boy talks about the development of his first novel from a short story, the reasons he wrote it, his favourite graphic novels and comics, how he creates dialogue, the challenges of creating a comic, advice for other first time novelists, and more.
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 The author of Lies I Told About a Girl talks about the exaggerated reports of Australian fiction's demise, his writing process, his fictional characters and their not so fictional inspiration, the pain of princehood, the impact of class, the impact of fame (and its lack), on the nature of making a living as a writer, republicanism, his characters, his next book, and lots more.
Photo: Marina Oliphant
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 In this frank and detailed interview, the author of Out of Silence talks about her first novel, why she chose the late 19th century as the historical setting for her book, her main characters, the challenges she faced, the major themes of compromise and resignation, on the balance between female intellect and biological powers, on the relationship between science in the 1890s and technology today, and much more.
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 The author of Sibyl's Cave talks in delightful detail about the creation of her first novel, the relationship between her PhD and the novel, her use of mythology, her most challenging moments, the cyclical female creative cycle, the intimate connection between nonfiction and fiction, a solid hint at her next book, and lots more.
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 The author of The Professor's Daughter talks about her first novel and its main character, the value of her MFA, the musical and literary sources of her inspiration, her uses of layers of direct and indirect storytelling, what she learned from writing The Professor's Daughter, her next book, and lots more.
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 The creator of Girlosophy talks about how the concept came about, why she didn't self-publish, why the understanding of food is critical to all of the Girlsophy books, why the media has gone so astray in their messages, how she comes up with her topics, future projects, and lots more.
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 The co-author of Monterey Shorts 2 talks about himself, his writing, the Monterey Shorts anthologies, the Fiction Writers of the Monterey Peninsula group, his major challenges as a writer, the positive impact of the Internet, advise to new writers, and lots more.
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 The author of Silent Battlefields talks about himself, his work, his first novel, his other books, the major challenges he has faced, the impact of the internet on his writing career, advise to new writers, and more.
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 The author of Everyman's Guide to Scientific Living talks about the inspiration for her first novel, the sources for her photos, her characters, the difficulties she experienced, the impact of success, and lots more.
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Void Magazine's Executive Editor talks about his involvement in Void, his exciting ambitions for the Magazine ("I want to see our writers with contracts"), why poetry doesn't sell as well as it should, the ongoing role of magazines like Void, his own literary project, why he wishes everyone would put down Foer for a month and read Don Quixote, what he loves best about Void Magazine, and much more.
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The author of The Carny Kid: Survival of a Young Thief talks about the impetus for his book, the potential film, why knowledge is power, the importance of teachers, the negative impact of government agencies, the sequel, and more.
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 Martha Southgate is a very aware and gifted writer with a background in writing that includes journalism as well as novels. With an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College she has herself been a teacher. Her novel The Fall of Rome won the American Library Association’s Alex Award.
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 In this pithy and candid interview, the author of The Lost Thoughts of Soldiers talks about the pressures that go along with a dramatically successful debut, the gestation time involved in writing literary fiction, the despair within the publishing industry, her main character, Captain Frederick Benteen, about using real history as the subject of fiction, her writing style, the way in which The Lost Thoughts of Soldiers is also an Australian story, the importance of being ribald, and lots more.
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In this detailed and candid interview, the author of The Rose Notes talks about the genesis of her first novel, the character she struggled most with, her unusual narrative voice, on being labelled "rural gothic," the "luck factor" in fiction publishing, the future of fiction, the way in which a published novel has changed her, her key themes, and lots more.
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 The author of Our Napoleon in Rags talks about Montreux, his imaginary city, his well adjusted past, his own publishing company Sarabande Books, the reason why he didn't publish his own book, the positives and negatives of teaching, his influences and favorites, why he complains a lot, and lots more.
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 Dylan Schaffer has written three books: Dog Stories (with photographs by Jon Weber), Misdemeanor Man and I Right the Wrongs. The first is a book for dog lovers, a work of great charm, wit and insight but the other two are mystery novels that belong in the very top rank of this kind of writing and as such have universal appeal. This funny and in-depth interview looks at his influences, his dogs, the relationship between law and writing, Barry Manilow, boiled eggs, and lots more.
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 The author of Melanie in Manhatten talks about her latest book, her reasons for choosing Manhatten as a setting, which of her books she is most happy with, her research process, the time it takes her to write her books, why she writes series, the difficulty of finding an agent, tips for new writers, her signing schedule, and more.
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 The author of Book Marketing from A-Z talks about how she got started as a writer, where she finds ideas, rejections, her books and their inspiration, the impact of the internet, and advice for new writers.
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 The founder of GreyCore Press and author of Gudrun's Tapestry talks about beating the odds, her steep learning curve as a publisher, about the decline in fiction reading, about the differences in thinking as a publisher and thinking as an author, future trends in book publishing, the future of GreyCore and much more.
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 The author of Worm Story talks about his anti-hero, his workshops, the way children have and haven't changed over the years, why being called a parasite should be a compliment, why "slime" makes such an appealing character to children, his next book, an exclusive recipe/warning for Mars bars and baked apple, and lots more.
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 In The Culprit and the Cure Dr. Aldana has gleaned research from around the globe covering the areas of diet, disease, lifestyle, and healthy behaviors to provide a practical guide to making the changes science has proven will lead to better health and longer life. In this interview, Dr. Aldana talks about what makes up a healthy lifestyle, and the barriers and benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
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 The author of "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell" talks about her book, why the query is so critical, why she owns up to her imperfections, her web site, Writer's Crossing, on the pitfalls of being a professional writer in India, on cultural differences when querying across countries, on the biggest mistake writers make when querying, her tattoo, and lots more.
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 In this fascinating and in-depth interview, the author of Dropping Ecstasy with the Angels talks about the origins of the chapbook, spiritual healing, the drug ecstasy, how he chose which poems to include, the changes in his work over the years, the value of poetry, his blog, his many other projects, multimedia, and much more.
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We are the first generation since the advent of the Gutenberg printing press 550 years ago with the capacity to give our readers books as beautiful as the illuminated manuscripts of medieval Europe. And by making our books beautiful, we stand to create a much larger audience.
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 In this effervescent interview, the author of The Well Fed Writer: Back for Seconds talks about his new book (and how it relates to his old one), the huge demand for commercial writers, perceptions and misconceptions about commercial writing, how he found his many experts, how he juggles short and long term goals, how to leverage a creative writing background, on mentoring, his next book, and lots more.
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Tar and Feathers is the first book by Dorothy Nelson to be published in the United States. It is her second novel and her first novel, In Night’s City (1982), will also soon be published by Dalkey. She is working now on a third novel. In Night’s City won the Rooney Prize and was awarded an Irish Arts Council Bursary.
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 The "Angry Chinese Poet" is true to form in this feisty interview which looks at his new collection of work, about labels, on writing in two languages, the nature of 'academics,' his literary journal Otherland, migrants, predjudice, and his many rejections.
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 In this courageous and very in-depth interview, the author of Broken Land talks about her extensive body of work, her many ongoing projects, her literary magazine Thylazine, her passions, her politics, and the positives and negatives of life as an empowered multiple.
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 When Billie's Ghost first came out in October 2002, we interviewed the author, Chad Hautmann. Following its very successful debut, the book has been taken up by Penguin, and has just been re-released. The Compulsive Reader decided that it was time to interview Chad Hautmann again and find out more about the soft spoken author, the extraordinary story of how he was found by Penguin, his new book, the difficulties (and joys) of working on a second novel, his feelings towards government funding of the arts, and lots more.
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 The author of The Thin Pink Line and Crossing the Line talks about Chick-Lit, about her British characters, how her sequel came about, about the modern woman's desire to have it all, the inspiration for her work, advice for aspiring writers, her next two books (!) and lots more.
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 The author of Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour and What's Wrong with Dorfman talks about his adventures in self-publishing and how he attracted St Martin's Press, his out of print titles, the relationship between his life and his art, his next novel, his influences, on living by the pen, his moving Blue Streak, and lots more.
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 The author of Journey From the Keep of Bones talks about the making of her first novel, her other work, how she balances her life as a writer, her characters and key themes, the importance of her playwriting degree and theatre courses for writers, chanelling, New Mexico, her next novel, and lots more.
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 In this utterly charming interview, the author of The Last Song of Dusk talks about the origins of his first novel, the nature of the songs his characters sing, the unbearability of mercy, his favourite scenes from the book, on being compared to Rushdie, on homelessness, future stories, and lots more.
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 This ambitious novelist (who also published Jesus Lives in Trenton) takes time to discuss his most recent novel, the current state of the publishing industry, what it’s like to assume the POV of a sexually deviant pyromaniac, and his mentor…ahem, Albert Einstein (yeah, I know, it’s a weird choice for a writer of literary fiction, but Klim actually was a rocket scientist).
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 The author of Bright Planet talks about the writing of his second novel, the premises of his book, his research, his use of the Fibonacci numbers for the book’s structure, the literary games he plays in the novel, about the relationship between working as a bookseller and as an author, the future of small independent stores, his next book, and more.
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 The author of Totem talks about his latest book of poetry, the differences, similarities, and comparative difficulties in writing processes between novels and poetry, the spread of concerns in Totem, the overall conception of the book, the importance of "the one art form which is not threatened by not having an audience," the relationship between reading poetry and writing good poetry, on the luxury of having an editor working with him on Totem, new work on the horizon, and lots more.
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 The author of Names for Nothingness talks about the writing of her fourth novel, her characters, the impact of parenthood on the writing process, the PhD she is working towards, her other business - Screenrights, her research, her next book, and lots more.
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The author of The Timeless Art of Italian Cuisine talks about the writing of her book, about the appeal of true Italian cuisine, her love of Italy, about winning the prestigious Special Jury Award, 10 simple points for good and healthy eating, her cooking inspirations, and lots more.
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The delicacy of a work held together by gentle poetry and tough realism matches Bach in terms of words on paper. Once read, it takes up permanent residence in the reader in a way that has no match in my experience.
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In this charming interview, the author of Calling Bernadette's Bluff talks about his ideal reader, his adventures in self-publishing and marketing, his major and minor characters and themes, the Huxley letter, humanism, the Secular Community, his music, the sequel, and lots more.
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 The author of Advanced Writing talks about the making of his book, the limitations of other books for writers, his first book for writers, the importance of the reader, the underlying similarities between fiction and screen plays, the nature of the film world, the "NY Editor" and NYer in general (!), his views about literary fiction and value labels, his next book, and lots more.
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 The author of Girls in Trouble talks about the inspiration of her latest novel, about sharing ideas with her writer husband, juggling family life and managing the impossible, how she started writing, her website, the author she would most like to meet, the film business, her latest projects, and more.
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 The author of If Wishes Were Horses talks candidly about her writing inspirations, the origins of her latest novel, the favourite of her own works, how she met "Tom" and Stuart Little, the challenges of living with another writer, her characters, her themes, and work to come.
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The author of the Fast Track Guide on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal talks about the impetus for his book, on why the nonfiction book market is easier to break into than the fiction one, his Fast Track series, the development of his company Quill Driver Books, about the differences between independent publishers and the big multinationals, subjects not being addressed in the proposals he gets, self-publishing, and lots more.
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 The very modest author of The Reincarnation of Bennett McKinney talks about the making of his book, how he learnt his craft, found his publisher, the basis for his characters, on humour, and his favourite Darren on Bewitched...
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The author of The Road Goes On talks about his novel, about being a "charactaholic," about the nature of the "bludger," his main "rowdy" character Jack, the creative impulses behind his work, the Maori voice and customs, his literary influences, on dealing with problems of scope, his new projects, his Flashdrama egroup, the nature of short plays, and more.
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 The author of The Promised Land talks about the extensive research she did for her novel, her unusual structure, her characters, Jewish mysticism and mysticism in general, the "little gremlins" which affected her book sales, her unpublished novel, her company Logos Editing, and lots more.
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In this candid interview, the author of Write to Publish talks about his latest book, about the basics of story and structure, the modern writers' market, memoir writing, about his decision to leave the corporate world, about writing with young children at home, about the dying art of editing, about growing up dyslexic, his mentorship program, his new fiction, the companion handbook to Write to Publish, and lots more.
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 The author of Fresh Milk talks about the genesis of her book, the process of gathering the material for it, the challenge of writing a book part academic thesis, part entertainment, and part how to guide, how she researched the more riske topics and how she felt that might impact on her readers, the "way forward," her readers, recipes, Sheila Kitzinger, and potential future work.
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 The author of A Guide to Everyday Cooking talks about his latest cookbook, how fewer people are learning to cook from their parents, the proliferation of lifestyle programs, how he creates recipes, on using classic recipes, the photography sessions, kitchen wisdom, obtaining quality produce, organics, his favourite cookbook of all time, and his secret desire to write a culinary fiction :-)
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 The author of Shepherd talks about the genesis of her book, her father, the dragon story, melancholy for the past, the Mioritza legend, her themes, challenges, why the book wasn't translated into Romanian, and her two new projects.
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 The author of Write From the Heart talks about his latest book, the interactive writing exercises, how everyone has a story, about "peak experience" and the "essential wound," the spiritual nature of writing, Jung, self-esteem for writers, working with small presses, his next book, and the sacred power of language.
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 The author of The Eyre Affair talks about his novels, being a cross-genred author, the joys of having an international following, the influence of Monty Python, good humoured academics, satirising the classics, his bedside books, and more.
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 The author of the Mind-Body Makeover Book talks about his book, his key concepts, accupressure. the over obsession with physical perfection and paradoxically, rising obesity levels. his free teleclasses, obstacles to fitness, living an authentic life and more.
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 The author of Poet Power talks about his book, a poet's duty to publish, about working for free, about "selling" poetry, about the best, and worst poetry readings, writing online, poetry contests, and his next book.
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The author of Buddha Wept talks in great detail about the origins of his novel, his main character, on the nature of survival, his chapter titles, the notion of recovery and transcendence, his work at The Yoga Darshana Center and as editor of The Moksha Journal, his soon to be released next novel, Fire Lake, his poetry, on what constitutes meaningful writing and his new work.
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 In this quick, crisp and subtly humorous interview, the author of One Note Symphonies talks about his book, his lack of influences, his favourite words, reasons for publishing, his other work and more.
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 The author of Without Wings talks about her book's germination, her characters, the writing process, on teaching writing in a prison, on finding her publisher, her new book and lots more.
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 The author of The Prosperous Thief talks about her fourth novel, her characters, ideas and themes, the power of fiction, her research, influences, the novel's moral centre, her character's politics and her new work.
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 The author of Confessing the Blues talks about his latest book, his characters, about dreams that are dangerous journeys, about good and bad music and writing, slander, about his "quintessentially Australian" style, the tyre business, parental neglect, his next book and lots more.
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 Eric Kraft talks about his grand creation, Peter Leroy, literary success, his day job, his alter egos, his web site, on working in hypertext, on the negative impact of standardised testing (don't get him started), the myriad of other books he is working on, and lots more.
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 Noah Lukeman, literary agent and author of The Plot Thickens and The First Five Pages talks about his books, the differences between writing and agenting, the chief function of books and films, trends for literary heroes, the state of the publishing industry, self-publishing, his next book and lots more.
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 Mixed Blessings is written in such an open style, that I frankly wondered if it had been difficult to write. "It wasn't difficult at all, being open was the entire point. I've read some books on autism, and came away very confused by what the author was trying to say. We wanted to make the point that having an autistic child is not at all an easy thing. But it's not all terrible either. People need to face the problem of autism."
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 The author of Wild Surmise talks about her love of astronomy, the writing of a verse novel and her own particular style, her characters, the state of modern writing in general, and poetry in particular, the film made of her earlier verse novel The Monkey's Mask, her new opera, The Eternity Man and lots more.
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 The author of The Scar talks about his latest novel, major themes like scarring, hunger and his unique "monsters," his drawings, Quantum physics and its relationship to his work, literary snobbery, science fantasy and political commitment and his future work.
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 The author of Liam's Going talks about the writing of his latest novel, his characters, on being a "Joyce", the big themes, on hypertext and his own celebrated hypertext works, the natural weaving of voices in Liam's Going, on the limitations (and strengths) of the electronic, Storyspace - a computer program for creating hypertext which Joyce co-created, and his two as yet unpublished darker novels: "What are often called postmodern elements are in fact the facts of life for most of us who have to raise our children, lead good lives, love others, or otherwise work at making meaning in our lives without the benefit of any grand vision of how the fragmented moments of our lives fit together or what comes next."
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 Donald D'Haene talks about the writing of his book, sexual abuse in the church and his ongoing faith, his screenplay, the importance of catharsis, the "incest exception" clause, the sequel to Father's Touch, his other projects and more.
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Andrew Stone talks about his novel, Disappearing Into View, his writing style and how working in television helped him advance his writing skills. He also shares with readers about his battle with Tourette Syndrome, how he dealt with it,and how he turned it into a positive influence on his writing.
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 Jane Watson talks about her novel Hindustan Contessa, its themes, characters and concepts, her big break, her previous work and a hint at her next book.
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 The author of Eat First talks about the writing of her memoir, the difficulties involved, her mentors, the evolution of women's rights, her work as an attorney at the NLRB, founder of NOW, the impact of Hitler and the Third Reich on her family and on civilization in general, sexual and racial equality, major issues affecting people in the 21st century and some of her current work.
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 In this fascinating interview, the author of Wayward Brahmin talks about his novel, his characters, the underlying themes, self-publishing, the populist hunger for physics and astronomical knowledge, cosmology and a "theory of everything", the possibility of finding life on other planets, the relationship between the physical universe and spiritualism and his novels in progress.
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The authors of Russian Experiences talk about how they met, the things they've learned from their writing experiences, how they selected a publisher, future collaborations, the ways in which they promoted the novel and more.
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 Dean Warren talks about his novels, as well as his background in missile work, the appeal of the science fiction genre, genetic engineering and the repercussions of breakthroughs, his influences and future literary and analytical works.
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 The author of Gilgamesh talks about the making of her novel, her characters, how she used the original epic, about the differences between writing short stories and a novel, Australia in the 30s and 40, and more.
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 The author of A Cook's Tour talks about the pleasures of talking about himself, about being accepted as a guru by the business community, context and memory, the perfect meal, Vietnam, and more.
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The author of Billie's Ghost talks about his his novel, his research, the process of getting published, about the relationship between teaching literature, and writing it, and his big literary influences.
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.jpg) In this frank interview with The Compulsive Reader, Loubna Haikal talks about the migrant experience, about the nameless main character of her novel Seducing Mr Maclean, the research she did for the book, about writing with a Lebanese accent, the Varuna fellowship, racism, the media, and returning to Lebanon.
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 Author Rolf Gompertz shares wisdom, writing, and publicity knowledge with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of "This is the Place" and "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered."
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In this frank and fascinating interview, James Allan Fredrick talks about himself, the genesis of his first novel, his main character Jackson Cross, the use of popular culture in his novel, self-publishing, his other work, and what the future might hold for him.
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 In this exceptional interview, James Cumes talks about his novel Haverleigh, about growing up in Queensland, fighting on the Kokoda Trail in WW2, his next books, and his special project VOW.
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 William Eisner talks at length about the making of his latest novel, the influence of French novelists (especially Proust) on his work, his previous careers, and his future work.
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 Elizabeth Jolley, the author of An Innocent Gentleman, talks about her reader, changes in writing over the years, on innocence, themes, and labelling, and characters in her latest novel, An Innocent Gentleman.
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 The author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay talks about the making of his Pulitzer Prize winning novel, writing for Hollywood, the upcoming film version of his book, and gives us a tiny hint on what his next project will be.
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 The author of This is the Place talks about the inspiration for her book, her characters, the difficulties involved in getting a first book published, her free e-book Cooking by the Book, and her upcoming projects.
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 Philomena Van Rijswijk talks about living in Tasmania, the importance of Antarctica, the research involved in writing The World as a Clockface, major themes, her writer's retreat at Varuna, and lots more.
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 The author of Other People's Words talks about being an author, the publishing industry, the McPhee Gribble story, the Australian voice, e-books, and her latest project.
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 Sue Gough talks about the origins of The Nether Regions, the differences between writing adult and teenage targeted literature, about language, its limitations and power, her characters, on the creative process, on what she is reading, on teaching creative writing, and her next book.
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The author of The Correspondence Course talks about the origins of his novel, finding a publisher, the changes to writing mores and processes over the years, his upcoming memoirs, and more.
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 Gail Bell talks about the making of The Poison Principle, the book's narrative style, voice, and themes, the Varuna Writing Centre, poison, on the need to work, and her next book.
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 The author of Soul Dark Soil talks about her book, the process of writing, the benefits of being published by a small press, on inner life, on the dangers of writing about subjects close to home, literary heroes, and her next book.
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 An interview with the fascinating and very eloquent author Tom Keneally, focusing on his latest novel Bettany's Book .
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 The author of Different Flags talks about the making of her novel, her characters and themes, promotion efforts, and what she is currently working on.
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 Tim Winton talks about his latest novel, Dirt Music, Australian literature, the films of his work, the writing process, and more.
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 The author of Corfu talks in depth about his latest novel, the theatre, his literary references, on the "redemption of the ordinary", the possibility of a national literature, roots, the purpose of literature, the value of classic texts, and more.
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My interview with Kate Grenville on her latest novel The Idea of Perfection, e-books, teaching, being an Australian writer, her latest project and more.
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 Peter Carey talks about The True History of the Kelly Gang, Ned Kelly, his research, his linguistic usage, living in New York City, and more.
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 Simone Lazaroo talks to The Compulsive Reader about the making of The Australian Fiance, her unique narrative style, the big themes, Australian literature, photography, poetry, and her next work.
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Moses Isegawa talks to The Compulsive Reader about the writing of Abyssinian Chronicles, modern Uganda, on living in exile, and his next book, showing the same dry, wry humour displayed in his novel.
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In this exclusive interview, Matthew Kneale talks about the making of English Passengers, some of his main characters, winning the Whitbread, racism, fiction versus reality, and his next book.
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The author of Voices on the Stairs talks about the short story form, the making of her first book, her influences, creating characters, self-publication, her next book, and more.
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 Amy Houts talks about her kids cookbook, about the educational value of cooking with kids, her newsletter Preschooler in the Kitchen, writing non-fiction, children's books, the Culinary Institute of America, her next books, and lots more.
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Lily Brett talks about her book New York, the Big Apple itself, on the cult of busyness, on what it means to be an Australian writer, on being Jewish, and her next book.
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 Adair-Hoy is one of the most well known on-line author/publishers. Here she talks to The Compulsive Reader about her book, her publishing company, the future of e-books, about POD, writing with young children, poetry, and her work in progress.
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 The author of The Enterprising Writer talks about making a living with writing, setting up a business, obtaining clients, self-publishing, e-publishing, commercial writing, his online store, and his books in this very detailed interview.
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The author of Women Navigating Midlife talks about her book, about the changes which women go through at midlife, about Jungian psychology, how couples can work through their midlife changes together, about revealing herself in her books, and her next book.
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 The Author of Interviewing: A Guide for Journalists and Writers talks about the different types of interviewing, interviewing heroes, the best interview she ever did, her own horror stories, her next book, and more.
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