Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with PL Sullivan

What inspired you to write “Bound”?

Sullivan: It was a confluence of events—I’d just finished re-reading CJ Cherryh’s Morgaine Saga (an absolute must-read if you haven’t read it), and I’d recently watched the second part of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. I was frustrated by the other stories I tried to read. I wanted to read a story with a take-charge female protagonist: Someone who’d earned their skills and knowledge with bitter experiences and was the right person to have on your side when something deeply awful has taken place. I’d run out of material from authors I liked and saw so many other stories relegate women to uninteresting roles or not really put them in charge. My wife offered the perfect advice, “Well, why don’t you write a story you like?” I’d toyed with writing in the past, but my daytime job and family obligations didn’t seem to allow any time for writing. But if my wife was on board…. Flash forward a bit, and I’m starting to understand what a gigantic task I’d taken on. Not merely the challenge of writing a novel, but the challenge of learning HOW to write a novel. I’m still working on that second part.

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

Sullivan: I avoided names of anyone I knew and then looked for names that were easy to say and quite distinct from each other, which resonated with me.

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

Sullivan: For those readers interested in the writing process, I’m an outliner. I need to know the ending of the story before I can write anything else. Almost every scene was written with a list of objectives the scene needed to fulfill. I kept those purposes in mind as I structured the small movements and dialogue needed to achieve those objectives. I then wrote the actual scene. And then revised it, and revised it, and got critiques, and revised it, and revised it, and got critiques, ….

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

Sullivan: Publishing is closer to a Ponzi scheme than a legitimate business. Think about how many high school basketball stars will get drafted into the NBA. You are less likely to become financially successful as a writer than one of those high school kids will be at basketball. Give up? No. But be realistic. You need to get enough pleasure from the writing process (and THAT isn’t always fun) that money and recognition are not your objectives.

What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?

Sullivan: I love espionage books (John LeCarre and his books with George Smiley as the protagonist are all wonderful). There are so many SF authors I love. Think of (Arthur C Clarke, CJ Cherryh, James SA Corey, Ursula K LeGuin, Larry Niven….

What are you working on next?

Sullivan: Some short stories and a sequel to Bound are bubbling around.

Learn More About the Author and Bound here:

Facebook: @SullivanPatrickL

Web Site: www.boundkeld.com

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