What is your writing process?
For the Clearwater stories, I imagine a situation for Joe to solve and then come up with one or two more complications. I always try to think of the ways that Mia and the CHIPs guys can make him more real. I then write like a madman until I have the story told. At the edit stage, I supplement the content with anecdotes from my personal expereince and edit, edit, edit and edit again. When I think I have a finished product, I turn the manuscript over to my editors and find out from them that I need to do a lot more work.
How do you approach cover design?
I have been blessed to have come across a fantastic cover person. Her name is Rita Toews and like me, she is a Canadian, which means we are both nuts. Early in, she learned that I have no taste in anything artistic. I usually suggest some ideas I have that I believe might make sense for the title of the book. She designs a cover that has nothing to do with what I have suggested and usually comes up with a winner.
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