In the final part of our three-part series of interviews from ThrillerFest 2018, James talks to prolific hybrid romance author Lexi Blake, Rambo’s father David Morrell, USA Today best-selling author Alan Jacobson, and, last but not least, megastar thriller author Lee Child.
This week’s highlights include:
- On the status of traditional publishing with Lexi Blake
- Lexi’s strengths and weaknesses as a hybrid author
- Working with a photographer for custom covers
- On Lexi’s relationship with her readers
- The importance for authors of patience and discipline
- Alan Jacobson on writing what you know, and also educating yourself about what you don’t know
- Why authenticity matters in Alan’s writing
- Choosing between having a feature film or a limited TV series made of your work
- On being a co-producer for the televised version of Alan’s Karen Vail series
- The origins of the Rambo story with the book’s author David Morrell
- Why it took four film studios and 26 scripts to get Rambo on screen
- Writing authentically about the Victorian era
- The importance for an author to continue growing, learning, developing
- Lee Child on reader feedback and how the reader creates the book as much as the writer does
- On continuing to enjoy the writing process after mega success
- Lee Child’s thoughts in the indie author movement and what it means to publishing
Resources mentioned in this episode:
PATREON: Self Publishing Formula Podcast’s Patreon page