An Interview With Author - Leslie Dicken

I IM'ed Leslie Dicken today in her response 'My books arrived.' She has the first first run of her book. This isn't her first book in print. She has several shorter ebooks, and one print book on Amazon The Price of Discovery by Jordanna Kay, her pseudonym. The book she received today is her first under her actual name.

There is always the question, "What did it feel like to see your name in print." Leslie said "sort of unbelievable, like it wasn't real, but just a dream." I've always felt like it was the 'brass ring' like the story has gone full circle and was now complete. I've reviewed Leslie's book, and love it.

There is always another book. I'm working on 2 more historicals. Leslie is not working on another historical. She finds the genre limited. Her current WIP is a contemporary.

I asked her How to Write a Novel. I always love to hear all the different methods.

A lot of trial and error! Starts and stops! Begin with a general idea or image and then "feel" my way around until I find the right characters and setting for it. Then, the deeper I get into the story, the more I'll plot and outline the remaining scenes.Do you write about people you know? Use things you've seen? ...not necessarily, but I've had ideas generated from TV shows or articles I've read. I've taken people's quirks and certain personality traits and given them to characters."When you write a story - do you write about life, the 'human condition' or do you write about something light and entertaining." I asked this because A Tarnished Heart does have a lot of depth to it, but it isn't heavy or a moral story. You never realize that the book has literary elements until well after reading it.

Hm, that's a hard one to answer. I wouldn't call myself 'light and entertaining' but don't plan to write about the 'human condition' either (that makes me think of all the literature I had to read in high school and college!). I tend to have certain themes that I come back to again and again: such as belonging, loneliness, identity.

It didn't surprise me that Leslie has some literary training at a college level. It explains why her books are in the 2% of submissions that make it to stage 2 of the submission process at EP.

I used to read a lot more than I do now. But when I do read, I most definitely harvest some thoughts or ideas or setting or sentence structure. A book is considered "great" when I am truly inspired by it and can't wait to get back to my own writing.I read about 10 books a year, mostly romance, but all subgenres. I read all the Harry Potter seriesI asked about the Harry Potter novels. There is a lot of discussion among the 'How to Write a Novel' crowd about whether the success was based on the fact that Rowlings returned to the classic 'formula' plot structure and followed it religiously. Some say that it had little to do with the book's success. Others said it was vital to the success.

I noticed plot, but I don't think that's what made it the success it was. My opinion of Harry Potter was that the writing/prose was not top-notch (but then again, she did write for children). However, her imagination was astounding. All of the characters and spells and creatures were fascinating.

A Tarnished Heart will be available within the next few weeks from Amazon.com. Leslie is selling author signed copies from her website: www.lesliedicken.com






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