Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
Open for Submissions
Exclusive Interview with
John Russell
When did you start writing?
When I was in junior high school.
What makes writing your passion?
The ability to communicate experiences, thoughts, and emotions to the reader, to take someone along with me on my life's journey, and to know that my voice will live on through my books long after I've physically departed this old planet.
How long have you been writing?
55 years.
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
Pure elation!
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
The vagaries of the publishing industry.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
Sit my butt in the chair and write!
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
Develop a thick skin and don't give up. Find yourself a support group, even if it's only one or two people, who will encourage you, give you honest feedback, and inspire you to continue to write. Ignore those "critics" who merely have an axe to grind and like to make themselves feel superior by putting others down.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Keep writing...you're eventually going to make it.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
I ignore the bad reviews, for the reason that they rarely if ever contain anything useful or relevant. After reading some of the "iffy" reviews I wonder if they've even read my book!
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
I know that I've communicated with a fellow human being, and that they've gotten it. It's awesome!
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
Yes, a good, relevant book cover helps to sell the book.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
I do connect with my readers; I love getting their feedback and insights.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
It's a wonderful feeling, but also humbling to know that people find my work praiseworthy.
Who is your favorite author? Why?
John Updike, for his ability to accurately portray the human condition.
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
James Patterson.
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
Get a life.
What would you say to your readers?
Thank you!
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
What is your day job if you have one?
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
Did you have a happy childhood?
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
The ability to read and comprehend. It amazes me how many adults can read something and not understand it. We've got to go back to the reading comprehension classes I experienced in elementary school.
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
What is your favorite music?
Share a secret with us 🙂