About L.F. Falconer:
A maverick with a pen, Nevada author L.F. Falconer brings her own unique style to dark fantasy, infusing the real with the unreal to provide imaginative insights into hard, yet timeless social issues. Falconer has lived in a variety of places throughout the American west and enjoys getting off the beaten path to explore the back roads whenever possible.
What inspires you to write?
I have been a story-teller ever since I can remember. When I began school and learned to read, I knew I wanted to be an author. I always had my nose buried in a book and read everything I could get my hands on. Writing is a creative drive that lives inside which I cannot turn off. All I can do is allow it to thrive with some educated guidance and control.
Tell us about your writing process.
I tend to find outlines quite useless. All too often my characters take matters into their own hands and take my story into a different direction than I originally planned. Sometimes they know what they’re doing–other times I have to rein them back in. I find it hard to create on a keyboard, so all my rough drafts are done pen to paper. I do a small character sketch with words, but mostly I find it helpful to actually draw a portrait. This gives me a more in-depth view of the character. It’s in the eyes. And if I try to make my character do something that might be out of the norm, I can usually look at the sketch and ask, would so-and-so really do this? Looking at the character’s face usually provides me the correct answer.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Absolutely! Some of my more amenable characters and I have gotten into some deep, philosophical discussions. It certainly helps me to understand them and their personalities. I do have a few interesting exchanges with my not-so-nice characters as well. I do have to try and get to know them all equally and intimately, whether I like them or not.
What advice would you give other writers?
Never stop learning your craft! Writing is in a constant state of evolution, so you can’t allow yourself to stagnate. And read. Always, always read. Everything. Not just the stuff you like.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I tried to get my foot in the door of traditional publishing off and on for decades before I realized I would have to change my writing style to fit a more mainstream audience if that was the course I wanted to follow. My writing crosses and blurs the lines of genre and is just enough outside the lines to ever have mass-market appeal. So I began to investigate the alternatives–either self-publish or concede defeat. I chose to self-publish.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
This is a toughie. I love the fact that self-publishing offers the struggling talent an opportunity to be read, but I fear too many new writers rush the process and fail to produce their best work. The established publishing houses offer well-edited works, but fail to accommodate the more innovative novice. I would love to see the big publishers take a larger interest in programs to assist the small, indie authors in order help produce more vetted, polished works.
What do you use?: Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Dark Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
L.F. Falconer Home Page Link
Link To L.F. Falconer Page On Amazon
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