When did you first decide to become an author?
Decades ago, I had a few articles published and I launched an offbeat humor zine. Work and family obligations became paramount and writing receded into the background. After spending years immersed in genealogical research and uncovering the details of my English immigrant ancestor’s settlement in Illinois, I realized I had quite a story to share with not just my own family, but anyone interested in early 1800’s immigration and Midwest pioneer life. I knew that if I didn’t make this stunning story available to historians as well as the pioneer’s descendants, it would never be done.
What else have you written?
The award-winning book, Searching for Charles: The Untold Legacy of an Immigrant’s American Adventure, was published in 2022. Readers may learn about it at SearchingForCharles.com.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I retired in 2019 and spend my days on a few hobbies and occasional travel. As someone with a passion for American history, visiting the sites of epic moments in history and imaging what it was like at “this” place, when “that” happened, is always a rewarding and surreal experience for me.
What does your writing process look like?
I ease into my writing. As I draft the initial chapters, my ideas evolve significantly as I consider the reader’s journey. This creates a deliberate, start-and-stop process that lasts for weeks or even months while the narrative arc matures. Once I have a solid roadmap, however, the words flow rapidly.
What does being an indie author mean to you?
Independent authors have complete freedom to tell their story their way. My first book, Searching for Charles, has three main sections. The first is Charles’ story, told through his correspondence. Had I limited the book to just that scope, it might have been a solid candidate for traditional publishing, but that wasn’t the book I wanted to write. The result was an epic, 185-year tale of an immigrant’s journey and that of his descendants, told in an almost circular way that hadn’t been done before.
What do you wish you’d known before you published?
Even with my second book, I was surprised how much work remains after the book has been handed off to an editor. Editing, proofreading, layout and cover design, file preparation, uploading, advertising, review and other publicity activities take an enormous amount of time. Writing the book can be drawn out as long as an author wants, but if the publication and launch are to be as successful as possible, an enormous amount of work must be packed into several months.
What’s a great piece of advice you can share with fellow indie authors?
“There’s nothing to it but to do it.” I used to joke that I was going to write a book on procrastination but I kept putting it off. Thinking about writing your book won’t get it done. The coming year will come and go; it’s up to you whether, at the end of that time, you’ve written your book or you’re still thinking about it. Intentions don’t result in publication.
What are you reading right now?
I’m currently reading, for the second time, The American Revolution in Indian Country by Colin G. Calloway.
What’s next for you?
It’s possible Searching for Charles and Searching for Harold will be the first two books of a trilogy. We’ll see….
