Interview of Author H.D. Campbell

1.     Please tell our members a little bit about yourself and how your writing journey began.

My journey began when I was 10.  I always had an overactive imagination and wanted to give it an outlet.  Ironically, my first piece of writing was a random poem I wrote and showed my teacher.  Next you know, she’s publishing it in a magazine.  That woke me up.  I explored my writing soon after that and began writing short stories about what’s to be the main character in my espionage thriller series.  Eventually, this evolved into other genres.

2.    What is it that draws you the genre you write?

For my romances, I love the idea of romance but I also love how not all romances are the same.  You can have conflicts and know that some can be solved while others can’t.  For my mystery/suspense, I love to create elaborate crimes or set up the most impossible murders and watch them get unraveled by my investigative reporter.  I love old school journalism and finding the truth and investigative reporters are the best ones (in my opinion) next to the police in taking down criminals.  For my espionage thriller, I’m drawn for partially the same reason.  I love creating the most powerful terrorist plots just to see them get taken down.  I can do everything from plan assassinations to steal nuclear warheads.

3.     In one sentence, describe your book(s).

I write a myriad of stories from different genres based on one world.

4.     What would readers be most surprised to know about you?

A lot of time when I write, I’m most creative when listening to music because a lot of times, the music shapes or fits right into the scene.  I know it sounds crazy.

5.     How would your friends describe you in one word?

Nerd

6.     Now for a little fun, tell us a bit about what your office looks like.  Do you need silence to write?

While always organized, my desk is cluttered.  My office is in the living room.  I keep the television on for noise (I can multitask) or if there’s a show on, I can watch and write.  I SOMETIMES have both my Media Player and television on and I turn down one to give the other priority depending on what’s on.

7.     What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I enjoy spending time with my son Skyler and going out to experience my city.  I love to read everything from novels to comic books. I love watching movies and my favorite shows. 

8.    What are your pet peeves of the publishing industry?

       I don’t like the fact that it’s TOO EASY to get published where anyone can publish whatever they want however they want.  In other words books published with no editing or forethought as to the reader.  With publishing being so easy it sort of dumbs us down because many of us believe that once we’ve published a book, we know everything there is to know about the industry.  Another thing I don’t like is that some of us as authors don’t do enough research on what to expect from publishers then lead to their own understanding and get angry with the publisher.  We tend to misread what a publisher is supposed to do because we group them all into one category.  Each one is different and offer different services despite what our expectations are.

9.     What is your writing process?

Sitting down at my desk with my music, a cup of coffee and pecking away at the keys.  In writing itself, I just sit down and start free writing my story as the ideas flow.  Between my characters steering me and my story.   Mechanically, I don’t worry about “getting it right” the first time.  That’s what the editing and rewrites are for.  I concentrate more on allowing my story to flow.  That can also change in the rewrite.

10.   A day in your writing life.

My writing starts or continues in between my business which is H.D. Campbell Productions where I do editing for other authors as well as other services such as book trailers.  Then in between I’m working on my projects.  Then it’s father and son time with Sky

             Thank you.