Interview
with the New York Times best selling author Stephen Paul
Coonts
Dear
Mr. Coonts:
When
did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I have been fascinated by books since I was a child. Always
wanted to write, but didn't have the craft. During the Vietnam
War I toyed with writing a flying story, and tried to do
so for ten years after the war. It wasn't until I got a
divorce in 1984 that I decided to commit the time and energy
to learning the craft and finishing a manuscript.
You
have been a military aviator, attorney and bestselling writer,
what have you not done that you would still like to achieve?
I entered a happy marriage six years ago, and have had a
wonderful experience being a stepfather. I have drank deeply
of life. Can't say I enjoyed every drop, but I wouldn't
change a day of it. Every experience got me to where I am.
I have a fun job, make a good living doing it, am happily
married and have great friends.
How
much has being a military aviator influenced your life and
writing?
See previous answer. It was the road less taken. I spent
my youth serving my nation, had great adventures, met and
got to know rare and honorable men--I wouldn't change a
day of it.
If
you have a favorite genre, what is it?
I suppose action-adventure, but I love mysteries, history,
read biographies, all kinds of books.
Your
recommended book reading list includes the book HUCKLEBERRY
FINN by Mark Twain. What is it about that book that captures
your imagination?
HUCKLEBERRY FINN was the first modern novel. The style was
revolutionary when it was published. The clear, intense
writing still shines like a beacon. It showed every writer,
including Hemingway, what a book should look like--Twain
and Hemingway have influenced every writer since. Then there
is the simple, linear story of a boy going down the river
to great adventure, manhood, the future... and he does so
with courage and grace. The theme is from THE ODYSSEY by
Homer, and is one of the most powerful in literature. Contrast
this book with some of the hand-wringing, angst-filled "realistic"
fiction being written for young people today.
Is there a difference between writing a short story and
a novel or screenplay?
In my opinion short stories and screenplays are closely
related, requiring a strong, usually linear plot, few if
any subplots, and quick, powerful character development.
Novels can have more subplots and richer character development,
but there is a reason novelists of yore learned their craft
writing short stories, including Twain and Hemingway. Of
course, the changes in our lifestyle, i.e. the growth of
television and death of the weekly magazines, have killed
the market for short stories, so modern novelists don't
have this minor league to learn in.
Who
do you consider the very best authors of our generation?
I am not going there. Any list would be subjective and inadvertantly
omit someone who should be included.
If
you were washed up on a desert island and could have only
one book, what book would you want it to be?
I am tempted to say ROBINSON CRUSOE, but the better answer
would be The ODYSSEY.
What
is your favorite leisure activity? Is it reading?
Flying, reading, shooting, hunting, going to lunch with
my wife, talking to her about anything under the sun.
Have
you ever had "writer's block", and if you have,
how did you get past the block?
Yes, I have writer's block every day. This is the occupational
reality that I suspect every writer must wrestle with. My
imagination is not good enough to generate good ideas on
demand. I wish it were. The struggle to come up with good,
fresh, original ideas is the very essence of the creative
effort.
Where
do you get your ideas for your books?
Everywhere. As an established writer with a contract with
a major publisher, I don't have the luxury of writing anything
that strikes my fancy. Action-adventure pays my bills. This
is what my publisher wants and what I have agreed to write.
For money. So that is the main thrust. I have done some
other books, one nonfiction, THE CANNIBAL QUEEN, several
anthologies, and one novel that is a long stretch from military
action adventure, SAUCER, will be published next March.
One contemporary novel I wrote years ago I haven't even
shown to my publisher. I also do flying articles for a flying
magazine several times a year. The October issue of Boy's
Life contains a short piece I did for them.
When
your first book became a bestseller were you surprised that
it was so well received and successful?
Astounded. Still am. Lightning struck. Never thought I wrote
badly enough or well enough to write a bestseller. Being
nice is not a factor in literary success. In fact, some
of the weirder people I know are successful writers.
How
much influence have your family, friends and military colleagues
had on your writing?
Every book is the sum total of the writer's life experiences.
The richer your life experiences, the wider your circle
of friends and acquaintances, the more stuff is on your
literary shelf to write about. If your shelf is bare, get
out and live life. Get a new hobby, meet new people, have
a new adventure, restock your imagination.
How
does it feel to be a famous author?
As John Grisham pointed out, no one is more anonymous than
a writer in a nation of people who don't read. Occasionally
someone recognizes my name, but usually they say, "Oh,
you have the same name as my favorite writer. Of course,
he spells it different, Koontz."
How
much has being a financially successful writer affected,
or changed your life?
It hasn't. The money has changed my lifestyle for the better.
I don't have to worry about where the mortgage payment is
coming from. I can afford to fly whenever I wish, live where
I want, but I am no celebrity, thank heavens.
Do
you have a specific routine and schedule for writing?
I try to leave my summers open. Work five days a week in
the fall, winter and spring. If only my imagination would
cooperate!
How
well do you believe FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER was translated
to film?
That is a complex subject. The book was a serious war novel,
the film was more action adventure. Perhaps it was the best
that Hollywood could do with the subject.
What
writers would you say most influenced you in life and your
own work?
Wow, how much space do you have? I write action-adventure
because these were the stories I enjoyed the most through
the years. Alistair MacLean, Hemingway, Agatha Christie,
Rex Stout, Raymond Chandler, Ernest K. Gann, Louis L'Amour,
Jack Schaefer, Elmore Leonard, Homer, Twain, Fenimore Cooper,
etc.
What
advice can you offer to someone just embarking on a writing
career?
Live a rich life. Get to know a wide circle of people, develop
a working interest in as many things as possible, be non-judgmental,
understand that the vast majority of the people you meet
from all walks of life are doing the best they can on their
journeys through life. Read everything you can get your
hands on, and learn the craft. Learn the craft. Learn the
craft!
Are
you working on a new novel now, and if so, could you please
give us a brief synopsis?
I am under contract with St Martin's Press for two more
action-adventures. SAUCER is in the can, done. I was thinking
of a tale about California, but September 11 changed that.
My editor thinks a flag-waving tale where Americans stand
tall will sell next summer. I am still trying to figure
out what that is. The manuscript is due Jan 1, but I won't
make that. Maybe March 1. If I can develop the right idea.
This ain't easy stuff. About this time on every book I tell
my wife that maybe we should give up on writing and buy
a couple of McDonald's. She always laughs. I never do. Still,
I know that if I keep thinking of possibilities, something
will come. It always has. I pray it always will until I
am too senile to punch a keyboard.
Now,
where is the send key on this program?
Please
visit his website at: http://www.stephencoonts.com
- in addition to a wealth of information regarding his books,
he has some great common sense advice for all writers there.
A
personal message to Mr. Coonts from the Short Shory Group:
We
would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Coonts
for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer these
questions for the Short Story Group. His advice and insight
into the writing craft will be an invaluable asset to all
our members.
Warmest
regards to you Stephen,
R.
Jeffrey Priddy
Editor and Publisher
The Short Story Group
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