P.A. Woodburn Interview

1.   What is the most productive time of day for you to write?

I frequently write very late at night or into the early morning. After that I may sleep until 11.00 am.

2.   Do you start your products writing with paper and pen or is it all in the computer?

I start with paper and pen. I may have several false starts and a lot of scribbles before I get going.

3.   What do you draw inspiration from?

I like to write about animal issues so I try to keep up to date with those. I also want to make the book suspenseful and exciting so I think about different ways to kill people. I try to keep up to date with life in general so that my characters will be current.

      4. Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

           I do set goals but frequently break them. I may not write as many words as intended or I may go way over my goal.

5.   Are you a published or a self-published author and how did you come up with your cover art?

     

     I am a self –published author. I had Karyn Carpenter, a photographer make my   

cover. We searched through many pages of photographs for Cries in the Dark . We wanted a photo of a distressed chimpanzee. Eventually we found one in Fotosearch and purchased the license. Karyn made some alterations to the eyes and hand then added my name and the book title. I think the cover depicts the sense of hopelessness a laboratory animal must feel.

6.   What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

I have always loved reading. I'm old enough that I've dabbled in several careers

Already such as nursing, laboratory worker, animal activist, fund raiser and a financial worker for DSHS.

When I was supposed to be studying organic chemistry for an exam I read a book by Farley Mowat called, "A Whale for the Killing." I was very moved by the book, and I did manage to pass the organic chemistry. 

A week later I read a story in the newspaper about some people who were trying to raise the money to purchase a ship to save whales. I tracked them down and joined the group. For the next five years I was passionately, obsessed with saving whales.  I thought then someday I'd like to write a book that is good enough to stir people up and encourage them to help animals. I was on the committee that chose the crew for the ship, and I sent them off with a bunch of copies of "A Whale for the Killing." I could not go because I had a young child.

7.   Do you own an e-book reading device?

      Yes.

8.   Who are some of your favorite authors? What are you reading now?

I like James Rollins, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Tess Gerritsen, Patricia Cornwell, Karen Slaughter, Jessica Speart, Nevada Barr, David Morrell, Lee Child, Nicholas Evans and many, many more.

For my reading at the minute—I am concentrating on Indie authors whom I have not read previously. Some good ones are Ellen O' Connell, J.A. Konrath though he has been published by a dead tree publisher, A.J. Lath, D.A. Boulter, D.B. Henson, Mary McDonald, Jeff Heppel , Vicki Tyley and I expect there are many I haven't read yet. There are many good Indie authors. I haven't had time to read very much lately.

9.   What do you think of book trailers?

I have only seen one by Tess Gerritsen. It was good but when she detailed how much it cost her to have it made I would be hesitant with my budget.

10.   What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I just published my first novel on June24th 2010, and I need to start a web page and blog. I need to do more promotional stuff. I have not started another novel yet, but when I do it will relate to animals somehow.

For contact at the minute I'm on Facebook and Twitter as P.A. Woodburn. I go to Kindle Boards nearly everyday.