Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I was born in the far frozen north of Wisconsin, but after living in the country for 8 years my family moved to
BEVERLY HILLS.
We managed a year in Los Angeles before we moved to the relative quiet of San Diego in 1969.
As a result of that displacement from living far out in the Wisconsin Big Woods (where Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books began) to the middle of LA, I'm semi-reclusive and can't stand disruption and unnecessary noise.
My books, though convoluted stories about damaged people, won't leave you feeling drained, exhausted. I'd rather convey some of the peace I have now that we're back in the woods of Wisconsin, living at the edge of a quiet lake.
What's the story behind your latest book?
After carrying a great first line around in my head for 20 years, since long before writing my first book, I sat down January 31st and typed it into a blog post. And kept going for 1,000 words that day.
And 1,000 the next.
Every single day for 5 weeks I wrote between 1,000 and 5,000 words. I know story structure, knew the waypoints I had to hit, but I let the details surprise me.
Read more of this interview.