About Dustin Stevens:
Dustin Stevens is the author of more than 30 novels, 23 of them having become #1 Amazon bestsellers, including the Hawk Tate and Zoo Crew series. The Boat Man, the first release in the best-selling Reed & Billie series, was named the 2016 Indie Award winner for E-Book fiction and The Debt was a 2017 finalist for the Independent Author Network Action/Adventure novel of the year. In addition, he writes under the pen name T.R. Kohler, having released several thrillers there as well.
He is an award-winning screenwriter in the prestigious Harvardwood and Emerging Screenwriters competitions, as well as the Nashville International Film Festival and the Honolulu Film Awards. In addition, he is the only multi-time finalist at the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival.
A member of the Mystery Writers of America and Thriller Writers International, he resides in Honolulu, Hawaii.
What inspires you to write?
Most anything, as my story ideas have been known to spring from movies, television, songs, even dreams (on more than one occasion). More than anything, though, is good writing, which has me perpetually indebted to many of my fellow authors.
Tell us about your writing process.
I have two distinct processes, depending on the work I'm writing at a particular time. Having several series out, if the book is part of those, I am forced to do a bit more outlining. Never do we want details not to align from one book to the next, and we always want to make sure that characters are evolving correctly.
If the work is standalone, I am definitely a bit more of a gunslinger (for lack of a better term). Nothing is more exciting than having a single scene or character in mind, and then just sitting down and seeing where it goes!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I am actually more of a visual than auditory writer, meaning that I envision what the characters are doing. It could be said I am often a second-person narrator in my works, as I am a fly on the wall inside the worlds I create. (An experience I hope extends to other readers as well)
What advice would you give other writers?
I wouldn't know that I am in any position to be doling out tips, but I will say the greatest piece I ever received was in a quote from Stephen King, who said, "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write."
Before I ever wrote a page, I read hundreds of books in myriad genres and learned something from every single one. Start there, and then just sit down and go. Do it knowing it will be tough, and there will be mistakes, but they will all make for a much richer final product.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
As a hybrid author, I see the upside in doing both. Going with a publisher, they handle marketing and outreach, which are both invaluable. As an indie, we can cultivate a much deeper experience with readers and can experiment a bit more. I think it depends on what the particular work is, where an author is in their career, and how they envision the work being received.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
The numbers indicate that ebooks will continue to grow at a strong scale, and I am inclined to believe that trend will continue for at least a while longer. Nearly every person alive has an electronic device of some sort with reading capability, and I believe the industry will look to harness that.
Where I think the biggest changes will be is in distribution, with a move away from just a few central publishing platforms.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Action Adventure, Police Procedural, Legal, Medical
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Dustin Stevens Home Page Link
Link To Dustin Stevens Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
