Questions and Answers James Musgrave is a published author and educator in San Diego, California. His recent non-fiction title, The Digital Scribe: A Writer's Guide to Electronic Media (AP Professional, ISBN 0-12-512255-1) has been internationally published. He has a M.A. degree in Creative Writing from San Diego State University. In addition, Mr. Musgrave has finished Runner-Up in the $10,000 Annual Heekin Foundation Awards for New Fiction Writers (1994), and was a Semi-Finalist (1995) in both the Short Fiction and Novel-in-Progress categories. He has published short fiction in many literary journals, including: San Diego Writer's Monthly, FirstDraft, Back Channels, Pacific Review and Cowles Mountain Journal. He was an Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest Writing Awards for a Stage Play, Queen of the Moon. He has also been published at Ebooksonthe.net and Bookbooters.com with three novels: Sins of Darkness, Russian Wolves, and Lucifer’s Wedding. The first two novels were nominated for the $160,000 Frankfurt E-book Awards for the year 2000. Mr. Musgrave has appeared on national radio and television promoting his work and the publication of e-books in general. What are you currently working on? Iron Maiden, a Civil War thriller. I was looking beneath the surface of the Civil War, and I discovered a possible conspiracy. I have simply added gusto to the conspiracy to heighten the drama of the battle. I began my research from a single fact: Lieutenant Samual Dana Greene, who served as Executive Officer (and, during the battle with the Virginia at Hampton Roads, as acting Captain) of the Monitor, committed suicide in the late 1800s. I wanted to give meaning to his suicide, and thus my plot began. Also, like Stephen Spielberg, I wanted to honor my father, a combat vet who was in the Navy and on board the U.S.S. Dobbin during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Not enough is told about the individual soldier and sailor who serve these often unscrupulous powers. Plot Summary: The Swedish inventor of the U.S.S. MONITOR, John Ericsson, is driven by love and the need for money to bring his young wife back home from England, so he hatches a clever scheme to trick the Union Government into buying more MONITOR class ships, and this plan involves recruiting a young executive officer, whose father was also an inventor, to serve aboard the ironclad and make certain it does not defeat the enemy. Meanwhile, a British blockade runner and spy for the Confederacy has agreed to assassinate the inventor and torpedo the MONITOR before it reaches its rendezvous with the C.S.S. VIRGINIA (MERRIMACK) at Hampton Roads, Virginia. The characters converge, in a strange twist of fate, and the MONITOR sinks in a storm off Cape Hatteras. Ericsson and Greene then escape with their women to Easter Island to confront their prejudices and discover the pain and beauty of life without society's rules. Who or what has been a major influence on your writing and why? I first became interested in writing when my stepmother tore-up a story I wrote that depicted the dysfunctional family in which I was living (including a realistic portrayal of her). I was immediately drawn to this power I seemed to possess. My earlier literary inspirations were E. A. Poe, Nordhoff and Hall (MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY), and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Most recently, I have studied the craft and technique of writers like James Patterson and Thomas Harris. These two gentlemen have taught me the most about "how to" create the dark stories I enjoy creating. Patterson taught me how to write brief, action-packed chapters, and Harris taught me that villains don't have to be stupid. With which of your works are you most/least satisfied and why? I am most satisfied with Sins of Darkness because it gave me a chance to explore a time when true Liberals existed in this country, and they systematically disappeared. This book is an attempt to show a way it could have been a huge conspiracy. I also think I succeeded in creating a better than average psychological thriller. What are your favourite and least favourite words? I rather like the word "jubilee," as it makes me happy just saying it. The word "very" should be stricken from the English tongue. Who (Fact or Fiction) would you most like to meet, and what would you ask them? I would like to meet Norhoff and Hall, and I would ask them how much of their story, Mutiny on the Bounty and Pitcairn's Island was based on fact. Is there a book or story you wish you had written? Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger or Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse. If you could have one wish granted what would it be? Have the entire world understand me and my fiction. Is writing your full time occupation, if not what is? Teaching, but I'm working on it! What was your first professional sale? How did it feel when you received the acceptance? I sold a non-fiction book The Digital Scribe: A Writer's Guide to Electronic Media (AP Professional Press, 1996). I felt, "Well, now I have to start working," and that's what I did because I had sold it with an outline. Who is you favourite author? Thomas Harris If you could give one piece of advice to a would-be author, what would it be? Be certain you follow the laws against defamation of character and libel (especially if you write about a living person). Try to get your facts from reliable sources (ideally direct quotes from those who experienced the event). If you write fiction, don't be afraid of controversy. That's what sells copies! When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? When one of my creative works was read to the third grade, and the entire class shut up for once in their lives. When did you first feel that you were an author? When a reviewer said I had "created the most horrific and bloodthirsty killer she had ever read about." Are you for or against e-books? I am for anything which can get anybody to read. You forget, I am a teacher. What's the one question you have never been asked in an interview that you wished you had? And what would be your answer? Do I think drugs or alcohol help one to be more creative? No, ten million times NO! Are you a music fan? If so, what? Guns 'N Roses (I used their lyrics in my horror novel, Lucifer's Wedding), Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell (yeah, can you guess how old I am?), and Rage Against the Machine (flashback to the age of REAL MUSIC). SF, Skiffy or Sci-Fi? What is the correct shortening of Science Fiction and does it matter? Sci-Fi. SF could mean San Francisco. And Skiffy? Sounds like a frisbee thrown by a gay person. Do you have a favourite place to write? In my underwear in front of any computer screen. Do you enjoy book signings/conventions? Yes, although I sometimes get kinks in my neck from stress. Why do you like SF/F/H? These are the most imaginative of the genres (in my humble opinion). What book are you reading at the moment? A Perfect Evil, Alex Kava (a babe). Underworld, Don DiLillo (still plugging along on this one!) The Human Stain, Phillip Roth (he has kind of lost that laughing feeling of Portnoy's Complaint). Do you enjoy collaborating? Yes, in fact, I think it is possible to collaborate successfully on one novel. I think Larry McMurtry did it with his novel. How does your approach to the editing role differ from that of writing? I switch hats: from beret to green visor. Do You Always know a Story's Ending When You Begin Writing? Never. Are you a member of any writing groups? Just the schizophrenic group in my head. What's the most memorable thing said in a review of your work? "The historical facts presented concerning the assassination, if accurate, are highly illuminating. The theories of conspiracy are frighteningly realistic." Have you won any awards for your writing? Runner-Up in the Heekin Foundation Awards for Short Fiction for my collection of short stories, Rogue's Gallery. What's your main ambition? To become a best selling fiction author. Is there something you are particularly proud of? Staying sober and clean each day. Plug away - what do you have coming out? German edition of all three of my novels and possibly a collection of short stories (10); novels: Lucifer's Wedding, Sins of Darkness, Russian Wolves, and The Bright One, the Immortal (stories). Many Thanks, Jim Relevant Links James Musgrave Main Bibliography James Musgrave At Authors Den