First Word

I get asked all of the time about my process of writing. All writers have their own processes. My process is unlike another author's process. My close friend Scott D. Roberts , author of Vengeance is Now , describes his process like that of a police detective with index cards and notes plastered on his office wall like a shrine. My process is much more up in my head. Sometimes I write little notes here and there to ensure I don't forget. But overall my process is meditative. If I'm stuck on plot line I will lay down, close my eyes, and visualize. In my new book Body in the Trunk I had to first get a road map in my head as to where I wanted the story to go, but I also let the story tell itself. I always start with a vague sense of the overall plot line, but I have to let the story unfold. Characters define themselves in my head. Personalities come to life organically to the story-telling process. Creating the tension, intrigue and mystery is about building-blocks. You...