About Neil S. Plakcy:
Neil S. Plakcy is the author of over 70 novels in mystery, romance and adventure. A retired college professor, he lives in South Florida with his husband and two somnolent golden retrievers. He has a passion for rubber ducks, stuffed bears, and raspberry mocha coffee.
What inspires you to write?
The voices in my head! Seriously, characters start to talk to me, or ideas pop up and I can't stop thinking about them. I'm inspired by people at the grocery store, by things I see while walking my dogs.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac and Jimmy Buffett, because of the way they incorporated their lifestyles into their writing. Also KJ Charles and Cat Sebastian. Right now I'm reading an Amanda Cross I missed when it came out.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm pretty Type A when it comes to writing. I'm at my kitchen table around 9 AM, clearing up email and items on my to-do list. By 10:00 I have my current book open on my laptop and I'm getting started. Around 11 I make my raspberry mocha and that fuels me until the dogs need feeding or walking. Back at the laptop in the afternoon for a few hours. I'm a linear writer, working with a very basic outline and moving my characters forward.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I listen to my characters! Sometimes they start talking at inopportune moments like when I'm on public transportation or in a mall. I have been known to pull off to the side of the road and start dictating into my phone to get ideas down.
What advice would you give other writers?
Observe. Read. Write. Writing is both an art and a craft, and like any craft, you have to practice it. Take notes of what you see around you– how people dress, talk, behave. Understand why they act the way they do, and incorporate that in your stories.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I started writing long before self-publishing was an option, and I have left behind a long string of large and small publishers that are no longer in business. As soon as the Kindle came out, I jumped into self-publishing and never looked back.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think authors need to double down on being human. Whether that is in social media, so readers know you are a real person and something of who you are, or by cultivating your particular voice. That's how you will survive as an author.
What genres do you write?: Romance, adventure, MM, mystery
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Neil S. Plakcy Home Page Link
Link To Neil S. Plakcy Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
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LinkedIn
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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.
