Transcript of Interview with Randy Rawls on 10-2-03

Marsha: I'm delighted to have as my guest for this interview Randy Rawls, who writes a series of mysteries set in small towns in Texas. His hero is Arthur Conan (Ace) Edwards, a Dallas private investigator or PI, who narrates his cases. Sweeper and Striker, his two cats, accompany him to each location and may (or may not) stay one step ahead of him. Each town and area’s unique history lends to Ace’s adventures. His tongue-in-cheek narration brings humor to his stories while his lack of understanding of women leads him into and out of romantic conundrums. His three novels in the series to date are Jake's Burn, Joseph's Kidnapping, and Jade's Photos. Randy, how did you get started writing?

Randy: I’ve been a writer my whole life. rowing up, I wrote “short stories” of negligible value. As an adult, I started several books without finishing any.

However, one day while sitting at the computer, I began to plink about a high school student kicking a soccer ball in his backyard. That evolved into my first “finished” book, David's Game, a coming of age story about three high school students, the game of soccer, and adults who would prey on them.

That was so much fun, I wrote the second in what would become a trilogy, Tim's Game. During the marketing of David's Game, I discovered where the real work in writing lays—getting someone to publish the work of art.

Marsha: How true that is! How long have you been writing?

Randy: Like I said above, all my life. However, I began David's Game about ten years ago.

Marsha: When did you first know you were a writer?

Randy: Am I? Except for that moment when someone tells me he or she enjoyed my work, I don’t consider myself a writer. Maybe I will when I receive my first six-figure advance. Until then, I’ll simply say I’m a man who enjoys writing.

Marsha: That's interesting that we "who enjoy writing" each see our definition in a different way. What pivotal moment made you decide to write for publication?

Randy: While writing my first, an acquaintance of mine had a book published. I read it and thought it was pretty good—not as good as mine, but pretty good. I figured, if he can do it, so can I. Guess his was better than my first take on it. David's Game remains unpublished.

Marsha: As you said, the "getting it sold" part is the hardest. What were your first steps into publishing?

Randy: I did all the conventional things, meaning query, query, query. After years of no one even reading a manuscript, I opted to go with EPublishing. Jake's Burn, the first in my Ace Edwards, Dallas PI series, was published by Writer’s Club Press, an imprint of iUniverse.com. Joseph's Kidnapping and Jade's Photos followed with Mystery and Suspense Press, another imprint of iUniverse. The latter is affiliated with Mystery Writers of America. Pushing these three books out through the EPublishing world allowed me to get a toe in the door. My fourth in the series, Jingle's Christmas, will be published in September 2004 by Quiet Storm Publishing (QSP), a mainstream land press. Two other Ace Edwards cases are under contract with QSP for 2005 and 2006.

Marsha: Do you have other work published?

Randy: I've also had one short story, "Billie," published in June of 2003 by www.OrchardPressMysteries.com. It is archived under "Short Stories." I invite everyone to read it.

Marsha: What "voice" do you most like to write in, and why?

Randy: I enjoy writing in first person. I can relax and let myself be sarcastic, humorous, or serious. In third person, I feel that I must follow all the rules. In first person, I can kick back and make up the rules.

Marsha: What was it about your genres that interested you enough to choose to write in themt and not in other genres?

Randy: The first two books (unpublished) featured young people and the game of soccer. At that time I was actively coaching youth soccer—something I did for twenty years. The stories came naturally to me.

The Ace Edwards series was almost an accident. A friend in a critique group had completed her first in a series about an insurance investigator. At a meeting, she asked for input about the plot of her second. I suggested she could write about arson and the destruction of insured possessions. Bodies could be found in the glowing embers. She pooh-poohed the idea. Later in the year while on a 100-kilometer bicycle ride out of Cisco in Eastland County, Texas, I saw a beautiful home atop a far hill and the idea returned. That, coupled with my fascination for the area, forced the story of Arthur Conan Edwards (Ace), Dallas PI into being.

Marsha: You've already touched on this a bit, but expand, please. What sparks a story for you?

Randy: A town, an event, another story, almost anything. Jake's Burn was sparked by the town of Cisco and the wonderful stories from its history. Joseph's Kidnapping spun out of a trip to Canton for First Monday Trade Days. It is such an incredible flea market that I knew an Ace adventure had to use it. Jade's Photos began with research for Joseph's Kidnapping. Grand Saline is ten miles from Canton. When I discovered that it sits on top of one of the largest salt domes in the country, I was hooked. Of course, once I dug deeper, I discovered a better story in Grand Saline than even the salt dome.

I wrote Jingle's Christmas because I enjoyed John Grisham and Janet Evanovich’s Christmas novellas so much. They were both fun reads and prompted me to let my imagination go a little more awry. The result: The theft of toys from the warehouse supervised by Santa’s Chief Elf for North Texas operations. Where does the elf turn for help? To Ace Edwards and his cats, of course.

Marsha: It sounds like such fun. I can hardly wait to read it! Randy, what type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead, or plot, or do you simply dive in?

Randy: (Chuckling) I’ve been told more times than I can remember to outline, to plot ahead, to know everything before committing the first word to paper. Doesn’t sound like fun to me. I jump in. The phone rings at three in the morning and we’re off on another adventure.

Marsha: That's a great way to begin a mystery. Do you back up and worry about names, characters, a title, phrases?

Randy: When I start writing, the phone rings at three in the morning, waking a reluctant Ace. I know the caller is going to hire Ace to investigate a specific crime, and I know Ace’s cats are not going to be happy with the phone call. Oh, I also know the book title will start with a J. Everything else develops as I write. Part of my unconventional approach. You’ll never find it taught in a writing class.

Marsha: (Laughing out loud) None that I've ever attended! How many words or pages do you aim for each day? Do you write best at a certain time of the day? What type of writing schedule do you have?

Randy: Don’t I wish? I may write all day one day then not go near the story for days. Totally undisciplined.

Marsha: Well, it works for you. How do you handle life interruptions?

Randy: As a bachelor who lives alone, the only interruptions are the ones I orchestrate. There are days I lock myself inside and only write and eat. There are other times I ignore the story.

Marsha: Do you get blocked? Any hints how to stave it off?

Randy: I’m not familiar with Writer’s Block.

Marsha: Lucky you! But you've heard of it?

Randy: Yes, I’ve heard of it and have read about it, however, it hasn’t happened yet. There are times when an event farther along in the story cries to be written; actually gets in the way of writing in a chronological way. So I skip forward and write it. Then I go back and tie the two parts together. Is that block? Beats me.

Marsha: No, I wouldn't call that a block. More like the brain racing forward. It's a good thing that you have a handle on it. Now, what one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

Randy: Most. That’s easy. The flow of the words as they come to life on the computer screen. The chuckle, the smile and the swelling of my ego as I read them.

Least. Yuck, editing and rewriting. Rewriting and editing. Also, I have a love-hate relationship with critiquers.

Marsha: Oh-oh! Remind me not to read any manuscripts for you. Just kidding! Randy, has your writing changed from when you began?

Randy: My early writing followed few of the “rules” because I did not know there were rules to be followed. I simply wrote. Now I know the rules—even the ones I ignore. My writing is tighter, crisper, I use less words to say more. At least that’s what I hope.

Marsha: That's a good goal for every writer. What's the best advice you ever received?

Randy: Write what you want to write in the way you want to write it.

Marsha: What advice would you offer to someone just starting out as a writer?

Randy: Write what you want to write in the way you want to write it. Then don’t expect anyone to like it. Writing a book, a short story or an article gives you no claim to anything.

Marsha: Who are your favorite authors? Which ones are your role models or inspirations?

Randy: Favorites. Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton and Nicholas Sparks. These are the top three wordsmiths in the business today. Individually, they can do more with words than the next twenty authors combined.

I have no role models. If I did, I might attempt to write like them. Hopefully, I emulate no one.

Inspirations. Every author I read is an inspiration. Every published author is an inspiration.

Marsha: What are some ways you promote your books? In other words, what kind of publicity do you do to attract readers?

Randy: Since my current books are EPublished, my promotions are limited. I attend conferences, solicit reviews, hand out bookmarks and other paraphernalia, and stage book signings. I maintain a web page and offer autographed copies through that site.

Once I get closer to publication of Jingle's Christmas, I will hire a publicist and follow his or her advice. Some of the events will be radio and TV interviews, book signings, reviews, and other public appearances. Since it’s a Christmas story, I must concentrate my efforts on October, November and December.

Marsha: Why did you write your current work?

Randy: To have fun.

Marsha: (Laughing) How important that is. When writing gets to be drudgery, when you lose the sense of writing to find out what happens next, it takes the sparkle out of the process. What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?

Randy: My dream is to write a serious piece of literature, a story that will be remembered twenty or more years from now. Will it happen? Nah! Don’t have that kind of talent.

Marsha: Oh! Never doubt your ultimate talent and influence. You're not finished growing as a writer! What is your next project?

Randy: I have a book in progress that takes place in a small southern town in 1955. It portrays race relations as they truly existed at that time, not as they are typecast on TV, the movies and modern books. I want to finish that story and see it published.

I also want to go back and re-write my first two books so they meet requirements for publication. They are excellent stories. The weakness is in the writing.

Marsha: It's been such a joy to interview you, Randy Rawls. Good luck to you.

Randy: Thanks for the opportunity.