Interview with M J Stadtler
Published 2014-07-05.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes. It was titled "The Far Country". I had to change the name because it was already taken and a movie by the same name stared John Wayne.
What is your writing process?
If I have a thought, I start typing and see where it leads. Sometimes it's a short story or a poem. I will often post it to Fanstory a website for writers to get feedback from other writers. If the idea continues to flow, I'll continue with the story. That's how my first book grew from 26 pages to 292.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Not really. I grew up with Dr. Seuss books and High Lights magazine. I wasn't much of a reader as a child and as an adult I read little more than the headlines on MSN. Now and then a I'll read a short article that catches my attention.
How do you approach cover design?
I get my ideas from the story line and then try to capture it in a photo. It might be my own, or a picture off the internet from one of the free photo sites.
Describe your desk
My desk looks like a tornado ripped through the office. I have bits and pieces of notes that have story ideas, poems that I haven't typed and a number of memory cards with my work saved on them.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up on the west side of Cleveland. The neighborhood was Old Brooklyn. It was the era of the burning river. The Cuyahoga was so polluted it caught on fire. The city has never lived it down and it was more than 40 years ago. I don't write about real subjects. All my stories are fictional. I'd have to say my childhood didn't have an impact on my writing because I don't write about personal events of the past.
When did you first start writing?
I started writing in 2006. It was mostly to get away from watching TV all night. I started with our sons PC and eventually got my own laptop. For awhile I was writing something everyday. I've slowed up a bit. I'm waiting for the mental drought to end so I can pour into another project. I have a story on tape that I've been working on transcribing, but it's going very slowly and I get bored with the typing.
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Books by This Author
The Melvin Twitcher Book of Stories and Poems
by M J Stadtler
The Melvin Twitcher Book of Stories and Poems was written for children with the adult reader in mind. They are intended to be enjoyed by both the young and mature alike. Many of the stories are in rhyme to make them fun and most have a life lesson to be learned.
