“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” ―Beatrix Potter

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Welcome back to another post on the CRAFT OF WRITING blog. This year we’re talking to various authors about their personal journeys in writing. I’ll post an interview each month with an accomplished author to learn how they started writing, what their average day is like, what advice they have for others, and more.

I’m excited to have my good friend and colleague Dr. Steve Hooley back on the blog. Steve’s writing journey has produced his Mad River Magic middle grade series including the latest addition: Satan’s Subway. Click the image below to go to the Amazon book detail page.

Steve is not just a great author, he is also a master craftsman and is responsible for the magnificent “propeller pens.” Anyone who comments on the blog will have their name entered into a random drawing to receive one of these gorgeous writing instruments. (Retail value ~ $80.00) The winner must reside in the United States.

Since the interview posts on a Tuesday, I’ll choose the winner around 9 pm Thursday night.

And now, the interview:

Welcome, Steve, and thank you for joining us!

Thanks for the invitation, Kay. It is a pleasure to be here.

Why did you decide to become an author?

I first became interested in writing in my junior year, high school English class. We had a new teacher, Miss Warner, who introduced us to writing short stories. Several of the boys created a phantom student, John Kauffman, who turned in stories that pushed the limits of acceptability. Miss Warner read John’s stories to the class, and it was exciting to see laughter and a positive response to our stories. John got an A that year and was never uncovered.

After that year I turned my efforts to math and science and getting into college for premed.

Years later, 2009, was the year the writing bug really bit. My father was turning 90. He had severe dementia. He had written his memoirs of his work during WWII, but it had never been edited and published. I spent that summer editing the book, publishing the book, and our family presented it to him at his birthday celebration. The smile on his face brought tears to my eyes and let me know I really wanted to write.

How did you prepare to write your first book?

I took a correspondence course -Long Ridge Writers Group – now called the Institute for Writers – thinking I would prepare to write articles for woodworking magazines. The first half of the course was nonfiction. The second half was fiction. I thought I would skip the last half, but changed my mind because I had already paid for it. Wow, that was fun! I then took the fiction writing course, started a book as part of the curriculum, and continued working on the book after the class was finished.

I also subscribed to Writers’ Digest and began reading books on writing. I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers and began attending conferences.

About that time, I learned of The Kill Zone blog and began following their posts.

When was your first book published? What was its title?

My first book was published in 2019 – The Hemlock Aperture – clean teen, advanced middle grade fiction.

What is your typical writing day like?

After morning devotions and checking emails, I try to get in 2-3 hours of writing. Afternoons, I alternate between working in my shop making legacy pens and outdoor yard work or wood cutting. I exercise at the end of the afternoon on a Nordic Trac. Evenings, I catch up on the news and read.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I write for my grandchildren and middle-grade readers. I’m concerned about current cultural events and influences that are harming our young people. So, I find fulfillment in setting a story in the background of such events and negative forces, then creating a story that forces the characters to deal with those issues. Not preaching, but making the reader think and evaluate.

What is most difficult for you about writing?

Two things: 1) Finding time to write, with multiple other things competing for my time, and 2) Marketing. I hate marketing.

What advice would you give someone who is considering becoming an author?

1. Begin reading all the books you can find on the subject
2. Start attending writers’ conferences
3. Look for a local writers’ group and join
4. Find writers’ blogs, such as The Kill Zone
5. Look for the best blogs in different areas of writing that interest you
6. Plan to write one or two books that you will never publish – your practice books

Are you working on a book now?

Yes, Oliveeda, in the style of Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, set in the crisis of child trafficking. Stand alone. Not part of my middle-grade fantasy series, the Mad River Magic series.

In addition to writing, what else are you interested in?

Making “legacy pens” – pens made from very old wood or historic wood. See the link to my website below.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

1. My website: https://stevehooleywriter.com/
2. My monthly newsletter: We discuss a new or different wood or pen each month, and have a drawing for the pen. You can sign up for the newsletter on the opening page of my website. Be aware that when you fill in your email address and click the “subscribe” button, you will receive an immediate email asking you to confirm that you are real, and want to sign up, by clicking another button. This is “double opt in” and for your security. I’ve found quite a few people who wanted to sign up, but thought the second response was unnecessary, and never got a newsletter.

Thank you, Steve, for being with us!

Thanks, Kay for the invitation!

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Meet Steve Hooley

Steve Hooley is a physician/writer. He has published seven short stories in four anthologies, his father’s memoirs, and is currently working on a middle-grade fantasy series, Mad River Magic.

Steve lives with his wife, Cindy, in rural western Ohio. They have five children and nine grandchildren. When not writing, he makes legacy pens and takes care of his enchanted forest.