FAQs… and some answers (v)

As a challenge to write about FAQs – frequently asked questions, I wrote about questions I am often asked about me and my writing… then thought it was only fair I should answer them:

1. Do you want to be famous? Tricky question – I would like my work to be famous, so lots of people read my stories, and lots of people pre-order new books… Recently I was lucky enough to meet Damien Boyd who writes the excellent DI Nick Dixon police procedurals, set in Somerset, right where I live. I am delighted he is so popular – he’s a million book seller!! He gave a talk at our recent Weston-super-Mare Literary Festival; as a local writer I was involved, but I thought how wonderful it would e to go to places with which I had no connection and talk about writing and my writing and my books! I’m sure I don’t want all the unwelcome trappings of fame, but I would like people to know me as a writer.
2. Who (which other author) do you write like? I’m not sure… I’m not sure I wrote like anyone else. I’m reading Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon mysteries at the moment; as well as writing exciting mysteries, Nevada is the most brilliant descriptive writer I have ever read; her stories are set in different National Parks in the USA – her descriptions of the geography and landscape and flora and fauna are just stunning, deserts, wetlands, forests – rain forest and boreal, swamps and mountains… If you haven’t read any of her books, do, you will be in for a treat. To me the master of the narrative is John le Carré – he has been a huge influence, but I definitely don’t write like him – he is a ‘great’! Agatha Christie is sometimes sneered at these days, but she is so good at character, at intrigue, at moving plots along briskly…
3. How do you self-publish? I self-publish through KPD on Amazon; I find it very straight forward and easy, and have been really pleased with the results. A friend also publishes on Amazon but on Lulu too.
4. I’ve got a really good story, do you want me to tell you then you can write it for me? No… sorry, but I don’t mind giving you some help when you start writing it yourself!
5. When did you start writing? As soon as I could write. I have made up and told stories for as long as I can remember, and as soon as I could write, I wrote!

Here are some links for you:

my books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=lois+elsden&sprefix=lois+elsde%2Caps%2C136&crid=1ZRU9Q39GEO23

Damien Boyd: http://www.damienboyd.com/

Nevada Barr: http://www.nevadabarr.com/