Jack: Any writing I do must start with a cup of
coffee. I like to get a running start, so I usually read through what I’ve
already written until my fingers start moving on the keyboard.
Paul: What types of books
do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?
Jack: I have what I would consider eclectic taste
in books. I like reading Stephen King, Dr. Seuss, Homer, Mark Twain, Jonathan
Swift, and Elmore Leonard. The reality of the characters and how well they
communicate to me is most important. Suspense and some surprises also help keep me interested.
Paul: If someone had the
power to step into your creative mind what would they see?
Jack: A lot of clutter. It’s filled with all sorts
of characters, scenery, places and ideas. They’d probably immediately hire a
housekeeper to clean it up.
Paul: Do you have a
favorite character in each of your series, aside from the lead? If so, which
one and why?
Jack: One of my favorite characters is “Vinny,”
Livinia Moore, introduced in The Color of Greed, Book 1 in the Raja Williams
Series. She started as the computer hacker sidekick to Raja Williams but has
become my favorite character in the books. She’s a strong, smart, beautiful and
fiercely independent woman.
Paul: How do you find the
time to write?
Jack: You don’t find the time to write, you have to
make the time to write. If you think, “Someday when I have the time, I’ll write
that great book I always wanted to,” you won’t. You have to make it a priority.
I find that sitting down in front of the keyboard and not getting up until I
write a certain number of words helps.
Paul: What is one thing
you hope I do not tell the readers?
Jack: Don’t tell them how sometimes in the middle
of a book I get so frustrated if a story doesn’t seem to be going where I want
it to go, that I tell my wife I’m throwing the whole book away, giving up
writing and starting a new career as a brick layer. Tell them instead that the
words flow from my lips in grand Shakespearean fashion.
Paul: Do you plot your
stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?
Jack: I run when I can and plot when I have to.
Paul: Do you have to do
much research for your stories?
Jack: Depending on what I’m writing, there might be
no research or a lot. I don’t find research necessary, but I find it very
helpful to inspire plot ideas and characters. Besides, I learn a lot of
interesting things about the world.
Jack: My most recent book is the third in the Raja
Williams mystery detective series, entitled Swimming Upstream. It takes place
near Mt. Rainier in Washington State and in the Northwest Territories of
Canada. Like any good detective mystery,
there are dead bodies and plenty of evil doers.
Paul: What inspired you
to write this book?
Jack: Reader demand for more of Raja Williams, and
Vinny had a hand in it. (I’ve also fallen in love with the characters.) My
interest in the global conflict between corporate successes and environmental
protection also played a part in inspiring the story.
Paul: Do you also write
any poetry, non-fiction or short stories?
Jack: Yes. I published a book of poetry and a
number of science fiction short stories. I also published some children’s fairy
tales and stories under the pen name Fun London.
Paul: What do you do when
you’re not writing? Do you have any hobbies or party tricks?
Jack: I love playing with my Rhodesian
Ridgeback/Lab mix and my wife, not necessarily in that order.
Paul: Thanks, Jack, that was great. I wish you every success for the future.
According to Jack, whether reading or writing, what makes a story great is how well it communicates to the reader. Whether presenting him with a hero he wishes he could be or a villain he chooses to hate, the characters must relate to the reader on a personal level. A reader will leave a good story in an improved condition. He may have learned something new about the world or himself, or simply been well entertained. That's why Jack writes.
Jack's Blog: Jack Thompson
Jack on Twitter: @jack_writes
Jack on Facebook: Jack Thompson
Jack's latest book: The Color Of Greed (Amazon)
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