tell us about your books
Do you plot
or let the story unfold as you write?
For
me, I start with an idea, which could be anything. A title, a line, a ‘what if’
scenario, and in one memorable case a dream. Wherever the inspiration comes
from, after I have a think about it and decide how to approach the story I work
from that point and write forward. While I have an idea where things are going,
and the main characters, I never plan anything. This is especially true of an
ending. Whenever I find myself wondering how it will end, I shy away and force
myself not to plan, just write it.
As
you might imagine, this means a lot of work in re-writes, which I always do a
minimum of five times, leaving time between each to try to look at it with
fresh eyes.
I
have a saying; ‘Write from the heart and edit from the head.’ That works for me
and more importantly, I find I want to write because I want to know what
happens next to my character(s).
Have you
ever cried while writing a book?
I
have teared up during writing. I’ve found that the older I get the more likely
I am to cry during movies. Funnily enough, my problem comes during rewrites.
When I read my own words, after they’ve been written. Even though I know what’s
about to happen, that’s when I cry.
In
Thirty-Three Days, there are three places that without fail I cry every single
time. Now that is strange enough, but when you think that during writing,
re-writes, editing, proofing the audio etc., I’ve probably read TTD fifty
times. But those three spots get me every time. I’d like to think that means it
was well written.
What's your
favorite book you've written?
In
one way this is easy to answer, Glimpse, The Tender Killer (book 3 of the
Deadly Glimpses Trilogy). There are aspects of this book that for me still give
me goosebumps. I loved the psychology in the story, and creating an alter ego,
named Jolly, for the schizophrenic serial killer. I wrote it so that the reader
would ask if Jolly was imagined, or was he somehow real? It also brought a
climax to the ‘will they or won’t they’ romantic element of the trilogy.
The
reason I said in one way is due to what has happened since it was released.
Glimpse was written as a trilogy and I told the story I wanted to tell. The
most gratifying thing for me was after publication how many requests I got from
readers asking what happens next and reviewers saying they hoped there would be
another installment. I had moved on and was writing other projects, but the
call for a fourth book continued.
Glimpse
4, called Glimpse, The Angel Shot is now around 85000 words, and OMG, I LOVE
it. It’s dark, and for those readers who wondered what would happen to Rick,
Pat and Juliet next – hold onto your hats, you-re going on a roller-coaster
ride. I can tell you Jolly is back, and how.
Who is the
biggest influence on your writing?
For
many years it was my (slightly more famous) namesake – the other Stephen
King. I’ve been complimented by some readers saying our writing styles in
creating characters is similar. All I can say to that is if I could write one
hundredth as well as he, I would die a happy man.
Of
more recent times I’ve discovered Michael Robotham. Never have I been so moved
as reading his stories of clinical psychologist Joseph O’Loughlan. I think the
hallmark of a truly great author is one who can make you care for his/her
characters as if you were related to them. Michael Robotham gets me every
single time.
Did you have
to research forensic science or criminal psychology for your latest suspense?
Most
definitely. My passion is writing thriller/police procedural stories about
serial killers and showing the reader why and how they became the way they did.
I think when most people read newspapers about horrific killings, we all ask
why? My stories seek to answer that question.
My
research for this is exhaustive. My daughter has a degree in criminal
psychology and justice (she works for the Supreme Court) and a good friend is a
very successful clinical psychologist. I run ideas by both of them and have
many in depth discussions to try my best to get it right. I read a lot too, and
of course these days Google is a wonderful tool.
and now for some fun
What's the
most blatant lie you've ever told?
The
most blatant lie I’ve ever told has never been discovered (I hope). It’s been
years since I told it, and I did it because I was researching for a book I
wrote many years later called Domin8 (released April 13th though The
Wild Rose Press). Domin8 is a contentious story, a thriller/police procedural/whodunnit
that puts my protagonist in a poor light. His wife of 26 years due to early
menopause has lost all desire for sex, and Dave, through a set of unusual
circumstances discovers an online treasure trove of women who crave no strings
meetings via chat rooms and dating. Dave thinks he has found Utopia, until
someone starts murdering his lovers and he becomes the prime suspect.
I
can’t tell you the lie I told, but I can tell you I did a lot of research for
Domin8
Do you have
a favorite quote?
I
do. Among family, friends and work colleagues I am famous for it and I believe
this is a truism to live by: “Sometimes it is better to seek forgiveness than
permission.”
I’ve
found that sometimes it’s better to have an argument after the fact that’s over
quickly when I apologize, than protracted debates, ill feelings and fighting
before where one tried to stop the other from doing something they really
want to do.
Selfish,
me? Nah, no way.
Has the dog
ever eaten your manuscript?
No,
but my laptop did once, but it had a happy ending. I forgot to back up,
foolishly thinking WORD was doing it automatically. One day my laptop crashed
and I lost almost 20,000 words of a MS. I tried everything to recover it and in
the end had to re-write it all from scratch. But what happened was in doing so
it took off in a completely different direction and was so much better for it.
Some say I should let my PC crash more often J
Are you
jealous of other writers?
I’m
horrendously jealous of any author who can afford to do it full time. OMG I
have so many stories to tell, and so little time to do it because I work for a
living managing a large car dealership selling Kia’s.
If
only I had more time, not only could I write more books, but I know the quality
of what I write would improve because I believe the more a writer writes, the
more they hone their craft.
Who's more
fun, bad boys or perfect gentlemen? Or Bad Girl or a lady?
There
is an old saying I think is very true of most men. We want to marry a virgin
who becomes a tigress. My wife of thirty years and I have a joke, and how much
truth is in it I will leave up to you to decide. I married her for the sex, and
she married me for my money – we both got it wrong.
Where can we find out more?
Website: www.stephen-b-king.com
Facebook: @stephenbkingauthor
Twitter: @stephenbking1
Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/2mrOQJo
Download Domin8 on Amazon and other online retailers https://amzn.to/2xCrMNC
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