Interview with Stephen Woodfin author of "Money is Thicker than Blood".
1.Your name: Stephen Woodfin
2.Short Bio: I am 59 years old, have practiced law for 27 years. I hold a BA in religion from Dallas Baptist University (1974), a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC (1979) and a law degree from Baylor Law School (1985). My law practice focuses on complex civil litigation and class actions. I have been married to Mary Paige Woodfin for 25 years and have three daughters.
3.When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing seriously about six years ago. I have written a total of five novels and am working on my sixth. My novels are fast-paced legal thrillers and murder mysteries.
4.What inspired you to write your first book?
I had wanted to write a full length novel for many years and had started several times and set the unfinished manuscripts aside. I finally decided I wasn’t getting any younger, so I hired a writing coach and got busy.
5. Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
I obtained an agent after I completed my first book and worked with her for a couple of years. She submitted my first three books to several major NY houses and we heard nothing back. So I partnered with another writer and we formed a small press that publishes our works and the works of other authors.
6. How do you market your work?
I blog, work on Twitter and comment on other social media. I also run ads on various sites.
7. What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Money is Thicker than Blood. It is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of major collegiate football.
8. How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
On average, I can write a 70-75,000 word novel in about 5-6 months.
9. What genre would you place your books into?
Legal thrillers and murder mysteries.
10. Where do you get your book plot ideas from?
From various places. One book was about a WWII vet with Alzheimer’s disease. My mother had AD and my dad fought in the Battle of the Bulge. I have a trilogy that deals with the relationship of faith and politics, a topic that has long interested me. The football book just seemed like a fun thing to do.
11. Do you have writing routine?
I write regularly, almost every day. I usually have a scene in mind and use it to form a complete chapter that is about ten pages long.
12. Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?
I can’t say I have ever suffered from it. Whatever book I am writing at the time percolates in the back of my mind while I’m not writing, so when I sit down at the keyboard, I have a direction in mind.
13. Are there any specific authors whose writing styles or subject matter inspired your book?
I can’t say any authors inspired my books. I love the short snappy dialogue of Robert Parker and the way James Lee Burke draws a scene.
14. What are you currently reading?
I read and review several books per month for a site, so that takes up quite a bit of my reading time. On my “to read for pleasure list” right now is Darcie Chan’s The Mill River Recluse. I finished James Lee Burke’s Feast Day of Fools a few days ago.
15. Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for?
We recently published a fine historical novel about the Cuban Revolution, Rebels on the Mountain by Jack Durish. It is a great read, as is Andre Le Gallo’s Satan’s Spy.
16. What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Keep at it, learn the craft of writing, associate yourself with professional writers and learn from them.
17. Do you have another project in the works? If so, what is it?
I am working on a sequel to the football murder book and plan to finish it by about the first of April.
18. How can people get in touch with you?
a) Your blog details? http://venturegalleries.com/author/stephenwoodfin
b) Your Facebook page? http://www.facebook.com/VentureGalleries
c) Your Goodreads author page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4838099.Stephen_Woodfin
d) Your Twitter details? @stephenwoodfin
Thank you so much & good luck with all your books.