Hey y’all – welcome back!
We’re keeping the fun rolling with the second installmentof our Author Interview series with debut author Tricia Leedom.
Her novel Rum Runner hits the market in only a few days and we’re freaking out!!
So without further ado…
FHP: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?
TRICIA: Actually, I have the most fun writing male characters. The quirkier the better. Those types of voices just come to me more naturally. I think that goes for quirky female characters too. But not every character in the story can be eccentric. Someone has to be the straight-laced man or woman. And I think that’s more challenging to portray in either sex. You don’t want the character to be boring or stereotypical, so you have to find some quality about them that makes them different. Like an unusual hobby, a special talent or ability, or a phobia of some sort, something unique that adds depth to the character and helps round them out. My goal as a writer is to make the more conservative characters just as interesting and complex as the eccentric ones regardless of their gender.
FHP: What do you love most about the writing process?
TRICIA: Plotting is my favorite part of the process. I call myself a “loose plotter,” meaning I like to know where the story is going and where I need to be at the end of a chapter, but if a better idea strikes me while I’m writing, I’m not afraid to follow it. Writing a book is usually a pretty solitary job, but plotting can be collaborative. I really enjoy getting together with my writer friends and helping each other flesh out ideas. A lot of laughter usually accompanies these sessions, but they always get my imagination flowing and leave me with the itch to write.