author interview - Tor/Forge Blog

Q&A with Sarah Adlakha, Author of She Wouldn’t Change a Thing

August 10, 2021August 9, 2021admin

Want to know more about debut author Sarah Adlakha and her new book She Wouldn’t Change a Thing? Keep reading to see her answers to all of our burning questions!

What kind of research did you do for this book? Did you learn anything surprising?

The main character of She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a psychiatrist, a mother, and a wife. She is a woman who struggles with wearing too many hats, being everything to everyone, yet not feeling like she’s enough for anyone. She is the person I was before I changed careers. So there really wasn’t too much research for me to do in order to get inside her head or to understand the world she came from. The only scene that required any research was one in which Maria undergoes hypnosis. Once I learned the technique, I really wanted to try it out on someone, but – for obvious reasons – I still haven’t found any takers.

What is your writing routine?

My writing routine depends on the time of year. During the school year, when I am at home by myself, I am able to carve out some time during the day for writing. I also run a medical practice from home, but it doesn’t take up my whole day. When my youngest is home from school, it is impossible to get any writing done during the day, so I start when she goes to bed and generally stay up past midnight. It isn’t ideal, but it works, and it has definitely taught me some excellent time management skills.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?

Perfect is the enemy of good. The subjectiveness of writing doesn’t fit my personality as well as the concreteness of the sciences. Right and wrong makes sense to me, and when I started the editing process for my first novel, I had a difficult time accepting that at some point, I just had to let go and be okay with imperfection. I could spend hours rewriting one paragraph trying to make it perfect, oftentimes going back to the beginning and using the very first draft I’d created. It took me a long time to learn that, regardless of the words that found their way onto the page, perfection looks different to different people.

When writing a book, do you plan it out first or do you go with the flow?

I am a plotter, through and through. I am envious of people who can go with the flow and learn what’s going to happen as they write it. I know from the first word how my story is going to end. Not only do I write out a synopsis, but I write out a summary of each chapter before I create an outline to detail each paragraph. Things might change a bit within the paragraphs – and there is certainly a fair amount of editing that goes into it – but I have found that if I try to wing it, I will spend an inordinate amount of time rewriting in the end.

Order a Copy of She Wouldn’t Change a Thing—available now!

Extras / What's New

Interview with My Brilliant Life Author Ae-ran Kim

February 3, 2021April 15, 2024admin

Ae-ran Kim’s My Brilliant Life explores family bonds and out-of-the-ordinary friendships, interweaving the past and present of a tight-knit family, finding joy and happiness in even the most difficult times.

Areum lives life to its fullest, vicariously through the stories of his parents, conversations with Little Grandpa Jang—his sixty-year-old neighbor and best friend—and through the books he reads to visit the places he would otherwise never see.

For several months, Areum has been working on a manuscript, piecing together his parents’ often embellished stories about his family and childhood. He hopes to present it on his birthday, as a final gift to his mom and dad; their own falling-in-love story.

Through it all, Areum and his family will have you laughing and crying, for all the right reasons.

Get to know Ae-ran Kim by reading our interview with her, and grab your copy of My Brilliant Life—available now!

Which character do you relate to the most?

That would be Han Areum, the storyteller in the novel. There are a lot of seeds in my earlier short stories that grew into this novel, and from the very beginning of my career I’ve been consistently exploring where I come from and rewriting my own foundation myth. With this book, I was finally able to move beyond my own history and become more interested in other lives.

What is your writing routine?

Like many writers, I try to read and write every day. Like athletes who train regularly to maintain their muscle mass even if they aren’t going to be competing right away. At the same time I do the things that everyone does in their daily lives, and depending on deadlines that proportion changes.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?

Many people’s advice and support and criticism have all had an effect on me. Along with all comments about skills and aesthetics. What comes to mind now isn’t about writing but about life; this quote humbles me as a writer when I examine a character’s life.

“People so rarely tell us the truth . . . . The truth is, we know so little about life, we don’t really know what the good news is and what the bad news is.” —Kurt Vonnegut

[English language source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/02/09/kurt-vonnegut-graphed-the-worlds-most-popular-stories/]

What was the book that made you want to become a writer?

I’d have to say almost all the books I’ve been fascinated by or found myself lost in. Of course, among them there are books that people said weren’t “serious” literature. I can’t pick just one single book that made me want to become a writer but I can talk about stories that helped me become a writer—those are actually stories I wrote myself. I imagine it’s the same for dancers and painters. No matter how clumsy, there’s nothing that teaches you more than the dance you’ve danced yourself, or the painting you’ve painted yourself.

What are the characteristics of a great book to you?

Books that trigger the desire to read another book. The way a great question is a question that triggers another question. Even if they aren’t classics or “good” books, I think any book that helps you go from the book you’re reading now to the next one is generally a good one. While recommendations by experts are great, too, I think it’s important to have a personal map of books that contain your own mistakes and failures.

Order a Copy of My Brilliant Life — Available Now!

Author Features / Extras

Wild Cards Discussion with Saladin Ahmed, Paul Cornell, and Melinda Snodgrass

July 11, 2018May 29, 2024torforge3 Comments

Listen to the authors of George R. R. Martin’s latest Wild Cards novel discuss Low Chicago!

George R. R. Martin’s famous other series is a great sandbox that has hosted some of the best writers in science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels. The Wild Cards universe is a place where superheroes and villains fight, love, and just try to survive. The plague that led to the emergence of superhero “Aces” and mutant “Jokers” resonates with anyone who’s ever felt a bit… different from normal people.

Hugo and Eisner Award-nominated author Saladin Ahmed (The Crescent Throne, Marvel’s Black Bolt,) Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Chalk) and Melinda Snodgrass, who is a long-time Wild Cards author and editor, a screenwriter, and the current executive producer on the forthcoming Wild Cards TV show, all have a lot to say both about working with superheroes and working with George.

Saladin Ahmed
@saladinahmed

Paul Cornell
@Paul_Cornell

Melinda Snodgrass
@MMSnodgrass

Author Features / Fantasy Firsts

Interview with Cora Carmack, Author of Roar

May 16, 2017May 16, 2024torforge

Welcome back to Fantasy Firsts! Today, we’re excited to share an interview with Cora Carmack, talking about her upcoming young adult debut. Roar, available June 13th, is the beginning of a brand new series, about a land where magical storms rage and those who can control them control the power. Preorder Roar now for a special bonus offer, and read the first four chapters here!

Will you tell us a little about Roar and what inspired you to write it?

Absolutely! YA speculative fiction was my first love. I used to run a popular YA book blog, and writing YA fantasy was my biggest dream. So while I’ve been writing full time and publishing for the last few years, I’ve been longing for the day I could dip my toes back into the YA Realm. And Tor Teen gave me that chance.

I first had the idea for Roar while doing a radio interview for one of my romance books. The interviewer asked if there was something I really wanted to write that I hadn’t yet. So I mentioned my desire to write YA Fantasy. Then I also said I’d always wanted to write a book about storm chasers, but hadn’t yet because I didn’t have time for all the research it would require. I remember thinking… I suppose I could write a fantasy book about MAGIC storms, and then I could just invent all the research. The interview continued, but all the while my mind was whirling, filling in the gaps of a world that suffered from violent, magical storms. As soon as the call ended, I sat down and typed up everything that came to mind–a black market that sold storm magic, a princess with a dire secret, and a band of storm hunters who battle tempests to steal their magic. I was OBSESSED.

Technically, Tor Teen had already offered on a proposal for a different fantasy book, but I went to my editor and pitched her this new idea for a world plagued by sentient storms, and thankfully she was totally on board. And the rest is history.

What’s the most bizarre thing you learned while researching Roar?

Great question. Remember when I thought writing a book about magic storms wouldn’t require much research? Wrong. It required even more research because I had to write, think, and plot a book about storms wherein radar and computers don’t exist. So I dug back into early records and writings on weather to see how they thought about storms, what they had observed, how they attempted to predict the weather, etc. In the midst of that, I found all these crazy superstitions and signs that people thought could help them predict the weather. Here’s a few of my favorites from The Book of Signs by Theophrastus (A greek philosopher who was a student of Aristotle):

It is a sign of rain or storm when birds which are not aquatic take a bath.
A dog rolling on the ground is a sign of violent wind.
It is a sign of storm or rain when the ox licks his fore-hoof; if he puts his head up towards the sky and snuffs the air, it is a sign of rain.

Do you identify with any of the characters in Roar?

I’m a very character driven writer. I think it stems from my days doing theatre. I like to really inhabit my characters and understand what makes them tick, and let them lead the story. In order to connect that deeply with each character, I have to identify with them. So many of my characters have a small kernel of me in them—some fear or hope or secret or insecurity that makes them feel real to me. Aurora has so much of my teenage self in her. She’s restless and feels stifled by her surroundings and longs to make her mark on the world. Growing up in a minuscule town in the middle of nowhere in Texas, I felt that same longing intensely as a teenager. Another character that really sticks out is Novaya. She (like me) suffers from anxiety. But unlike me, she has volatile magic that must be contained and kept secret at all costs. So glad I don’t have to juggle anxiety and deadly magic.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Writing is hard. There are days when I identify a bit too much with the myth of Sisyphus. Like I’ll never reach the end of what I’m working on. But my favorite parts of writing are what come before and after the endless boulder-pushing that is drafting and editing. First… I love the moment of genesis—the spark of an idea and the mad dash to flesh it out. But my favorite moment of all is when my book finds its perfect reader. We all have our favorite books, the ones we wish never had to end, and we gladly reread again and again. It’s such a joy to find those books as a reader. But it’s nothing short of remarkable when your book becomes that for someone else.

Where do you like to write?

I get restless easily, so I have to move around a lot when I’m writing. I’ll start out at my desk and write for a bit there, and then move to the couch, then maybe move downstairs to the other couch for awhile. I recently got a treadmill desk, so I’ll work while I’m walking on that. When the weather is nice I’ll write on my porch. And this might be a little TMI, but I actually write in the bathtub a lot! My dad made me this awesome desk-thing that goes across the tub so I don’t have to balance my laptop precariously on the edge anymore. And it makes for a great place to focus and relax.

Which books are currently in your to-read pile?

I just recently finished Frostblood by Elly Blake, so I’m eager for the release of the sequel Fireblood. I do most of my reading via audiobooks because of some vision issues, so next up in my queue is The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova, and A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas.

If you could only recommend one book, what would it be?

This is brutal. My current go to recommendation is The Tairen Soul series by CL Wilson. It’s a complete, 5-book fantasy romance series. And guys, this series is everything. I laughed and cried and stayed up late in the night unable to stop reading. It currently sits on the top shelf of my bookshelf which previously had been reserved only for Harry Potter. That’s how much I love these books. They made my HP shelf!

Who are your literary heroes?

I mean… Not to be cliche, but J.K. Rowling is pretty much queen of my life. But I figure she’s like half the world’s literary hero. I also adore and admire Libba Bray. I first fell in love with her words as teenager with A Great and Terrible Beauty. I stalked her on livejournal for a while, and realized we had a lot of things in common. She grew up in Texas, got her start in theatre, and moved to NYC on a hope and a prayer. I actually sent her a long angsty email as a teenager asking for advice about life and college and writing, and she wrote me back the most heartfelt and compassionate response. She made my dreams feel like a tangible, possible goal, and I’m not sure if I’d be where I am today without that reply she sent.

What’s your favorite method of procrastination?

Oh man. I am the queen of procrastinating. The Internet is usually my biggest distraction – so many times I’ll be like “I’m just going to look at Twitter for a minute” and then suddenly I’m rage-scrolling for an hour. Also Snapchat, and those voice-changing filters…my friends and I will often use Snapchat instead of texting, telling each other random stuff while having a cat face. It’s the best (and the worst). And like so many other human beings, I have a Netflix problem.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I mean, we just talked about procrastination…does that count as a ritual? LOL. I usually write on my computer, but whenever I’m stuck on something I’ll write by hand in a notebook or journal. It makes me slow down, and sort of gives me the permission to suck because I know I can always fix it while I’m typing it up later. That method always seems to open things up for me. I’d say I’ve probably handwritten a substantial section of all of my books at one point or another.

What’s next for you?

Well, in the immediate future, I’m headed to RT Booklovers Convention in Atlanta and then Jay Crownover and I are taking a month-long trip to France, Germany, and Norway. So get ready for a ton of ridiculous Instagram posts! 😉 Then I get back in to the states about two weeks before the release of Roar, during which I will likely subsist on caffeine and food delivery for days. As far as books go, All Closed Off (the fourth book in my Rusk University series) is set to release on July 18. And I’m hard at work on the sequel to Roar, which I’m so excited for. We’ll get to delve deeper into several characters, plus there’s a rebellion, and more romance (for both Aurora and other characters). The storms also kick it up a notch in this book, so all in all, I’m pretty pumped to work more on that.

Order Your Copy

Visit Cora Cormack online at her website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Author Features

Chevy Stevens Interviews Sherri Smith, Author of Follow Me Down

May 3, 2017May 16, 2024torforge

Follow Me Down is a rare find—a gutsy, visceral, and beautifully crafted psychological thriller from a talented new author. Chevy Stevens, bestselling author of Never Let You Go and Still Missing, sat down with debut author Sherri Smith to talk about her novel and writing during the long Canadian winter.

Chevy Stevens: In Follow Me Down, Mia Haas is a troubled woman forced to return to her hometown in North Dakota after her twin brother disappears and the body of his high school student is pulled from the river. The story has everything I love in a dark and twisty psychological thriller: complicated family dynamics, small-town secrets, fascinatingly flawed characters, and lots of surprises. I’m not the only one enthralled. Diana Chamberlain said, “This engrossing page turner will keep you guessing right up to the delicious ending” and Publishers Weekly called it an “unsettling crime thriller.” They got that right!

When I read an early copy of Follow Me Down a year ago, I instantly knew this book was special and wondered about the author. How did she get so good? Who is this amazing fellow Canadian writer? Recently Sherri’s editor asked if I’d be willing to ask Sherri some questions, and I jumped at the chance.

Sherri! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. It’s exciting to be on the other end of an interview. First off, what is your background? Did you go to university? Or the school of hard knocks?

Sherri Smith: Wait. Before I answer that, I need to ask, is this really happening? Is Chevy Stevens really interviewing me? I need a moment pull my fan-girl self together, so please hold on a sec.

[Long pause, full of calming breathing-techniques or maybe hyperventilating. It’s always a fine line.]

Ok, I’m here. I’m here. Thank-you so much for that lovely introduction!

So yes, back to your question. Definitely both. I did go to University but it was a few years after high school. I knew it was something I was paying for myself and so I worked and saved some money first.

Turned out though, I was really bad at saving money and even more accurately I didn’t make enough money to save, since I lived on my own and had a very crappy job. So when I finally made it to University I had to continue working thirty-plus hours on nights and weekends. It wasn’t pleasant and I should have only taken courses part-time, but at this point I was a in a big hurry to get a degree because I felt so behind and old (which now seems ridiculous.) In the end, I was pretty proud of myself when I graduated with an honors degree in Literature and Politics. I promptly resumed working at a slightly less crappy job but at least I had better critical thinking skills.

CS: I think it’s fabulous that you got a degree—and worked so hard for it. I never went to University but I always wish I’d had that experience. Maybe when I’m older! Speaking of experience, many authors have a couple unfinished manuscripts or even completed drafts that never ended up going anywhere. Do you have any books hidden in drawers?

SS: I definitely have some unfinished drafts, but they’re each probably under twenty-five pages. So I either give up way too soon, or know when to quit. Depends on the day.

CS: Maybe you could turn those into short stories one day! You know, with all your free time. Ha. You live in Winnipeg but your book is set in North Dakota. I loved the richness of your small-town setting and how it played a part in the story and the character’s lives. How did you decide on your location? Canada versus the US?

SS: It was for entirely selfish reasons. I needed an excuse to go down to Target in Grand Forks. So I’d tell everyone I was ‘researching,’ but I was really at Target, oh and at Gordman’s. I love that store.

CS: That is an absolutely brilliant reason for choosing a setting. I have to admit I picked Seattle for my next book because I love visiting the city. Great minds think alike. Maybe we’re related? Mia and Lucas are twins, and obviously share a strong bond. Do you have any experiences with twins? Or naughty teenage girls? Because you have a few of those!

SS: I don’t have any experiences with twins. But absolutely some mean-girl stories from those awful middle school years. There was one girl, who was particularly sophisticated in psychological warfare. I think she provided the foundation to write a lot of wicked characters (so a big thank-you to her for murdering my self-esteem in 9^th grade, it’s come in handy after all!)

CS: Ugh. I think we all have our mean girl stories. I remember a few from my high school day, and those events can haunt you for a long time, which brings me to my next question. Your character takes a lot of prescription medicine (or NOT prescription) and I’m curious about your research—it was so well writtenJ

SS: Thank you!

I’ve been asked that a lot lately, always with a certain amount of suspicion. So I will take the opportunity to clear the air, I am not personally a pill-popper.

I researched Mia’s pills use, mainly by lurking in a lot of online forums where people freely discussed their drug use. How it made them feel, what they recommended to one another and what one might want more of and why. That definitely helped get an idea of the physical and mental sensations certain drugs might bring about. A pharmacist at my local Safeway also helped me out with my sketchy questions about certain medications, their effects and what you could and couldn’t mix, (this was of course, after establishing I did not need an ambulance.) She was great!

CS: Well, you did a fabulous job. It’s obvious you did a lot of work to bring these characters to life. They were so vivid and three dimensional. How long did it take you to finish Follow Me Down? Do you think the long, cold Winnipeg winters helped?

SS: It’s hard for me to pin down the exact timeline, since I had such a meandering start. I think it took two years at least, and then another year of edits. This was my first thriller and the learning curve was huge. I spent a lot of that time also reading as many thriller novels as I could, trying to understand why certain books worked for me and others didn’t.

And yes, the winter absolutely helps, because there’s literally no reason to leave your house, and in turn, your desk.

CS: Now that your book has been published, what has been your biggest surprise? Is it everything you thought? I know this isn’t your first book, but your first in this genre. Anything different?

SS: The biggest difference from when I last published is the huge presence of book bloggers. I’m just in awe of how supportive they are and how integral they’ve become to the promotional side of the industry.

As well, the expectation for a writer to participate in social media is much bigger, which hasn’t come easy to me. My social media age is like ninety years old and sharing unsolicited information about myself still feels odd but I’m getting the hang of it.

Lastly, the thriller community is also so much more supportive of one another and that’s been the best surprise in all of this.

CS: You’re right. The thriller community is amazing and I’ve made a few wonderful friends. When I’m not working, I love looking at vacation rentals on VRBO and planning dream holidays for all of us. What is your favorite method of procrastination?

SS: Oh good question. I love that you plan dream holidays! So much better than what I do, which is aimlessly knock-around the Internet. I read articles I don’t need to read and forget about them fifteen minutes later. I search for used vintage furniture. I look for answers to random thoughts, like what was that actor’s name, was she/he in that other thing I watched, or what is the exact altitude of Santa Fe, New Mexico. If I feel sick in any way I put my symptoms into Google and get really scared by what comes up. I also like to do online jigsaw puzzles, (yeah, I know, nerd-alert but at least I will know how to handle myself if I end up in a senior’s home) because it gives me something to look at, other than staring at font that does eventually blur together if I stare at it too long.

For this reason, I will disable my Internet for long stretches out of the day if it gets too distracting.

CS: Ha! I love all of those and will probably try a few on my next bout of Internet procrastination. (I’ve never tried online Jigsaw puzzles!) Writers are known for their strange quirks and superstitions. I need the same keyboard and have several of them stashed in the closet in case they are ever discontinued. I also use ear plugs and can’t write if a door is slightly open beside me. Do you have any writer quirks?

SS: What keyboard do you use? I need a new one! I don’t have any superstitions, I don’t think? As for quirks, I know a lot of writers listen to music to draw them out of dry ruts, or to keep the energy up from all the sitting writing requires, but I watch comedians. A few snippets on YouTube and the fog lifts. (Trying to make one another laugh, ranks highest in my family as demonstrations of love so I get some good material there too.)

CS: I’m obsessed with a Microsoft Wireless Comfort 5000. Like me, you have a young family. I get asked often how I balance it all (not very well) and I only have one child. What is your system for getting your work done while still managing to be an awesome mom, who goes to dance class with her daughter. I’ve seen the video, remember!

SS: Ahhh, yes. The video. (Who knew one could use a helmet in a dance class?!)

Trying to balance it all is hard. Having kids certainly changes things. I army-roll to my office now, so my children don’t see me, that’s mainly how I still get things done. Actually ‘office’ is way too lofty, I work at a desk crammed in my son’s nursery, far too close to his cloth diaper bag. I’m also constantly lured away from writing by my four-year old daughter’s pleas to play a variety of imaginary games, in which she controls everything and I am forbidden to go off script (future writer?) But aside from space issues, continual distractions and the emotional tug-of-war kids can put you through; I think having children has actually made me a more efficient writer.

First off, I drink less, and so I’m hung-over less. Plus I’ve set out boundaries and a schedule, that have forced me to get things done, rather than flitting around all day without restriction. I can’t wait for inspiration to make an appearance; I have to chase it down. So I like to get up really early, get as much done as possible before my mom-guilt wins out and I put what I am working on behind me for the day.

CS: Your daughter sounds a lot like mine. It’s her Universe and she’s very clear about that. I think the only place we can control anything is in the pages of our books. Can you tell me anything about your current project? What aspect of it excites you the most?

SS: My new project is another suspense novel. I don’t want to say too much about it at this point other than it takes place at a wellness retreat, and involves psychotropic tea and murder. It is the most intricately plotted thing I’ve ever attempted and so I’m excited to find out if all those jigsaw puzzles will pay off!

CS: It sounds riveting and I can’t wait to read it! I really appreciate you answering all of my questions. I know you are a busy woman. It’s always so fascinating to me when I get a chance to look inside another writer’s world. Thank you for sharing yours with me.

SS: And thank you for the interview! It’s been such an honor.

Order Your Copy

Follow Sherri Smith online on Facebook, Twitter, and her website. Chevy Stevens can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and her website.

Author Features

Interview with W. Bruce Cameron, Author of A Dog’s Purpose

December 6, 2016May 17, 2024torforge

As any lover of dogs will tell you, there’s nothing quite like the friendships between human beings and their canine companions. A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron gives us humans a chance at a dog’s eye view of the world, and next month it’s coming to the big screen! We sat down with the author to talk about adaptations and, of course, dogs – on and off set.

How has the movie, A Dog’s Purpose, changed your life?

I have always been so interested in reading that I forget that most people don’t dispose all of their income at the bookstore. When one of my novels is published I’m surprised it isn’t mentioned on the floor of Congress or put into the minutes at the UN. What seems hugely important to me doesn’t really register with most folks. So for a long time I’ve had to tell people what I’ve written and what it’s about. Now, though, when I say I’ve written A Dog’s Purpose, they’ve all heard of it. That has given me the illusion that I am more popular.

What was it like to interact with the canine stars on set?

Okay, you caught me. I was supposed to be talking to the actors, the producer, the director, and instead I spent all my time playing with the dogs. I bonded with the Corgi to the point I think he and I both thought he would be flying home with me, and rolling around with the dogs on set was the most fun I’ve had in some time. I don’t think the dog trainers were too happy with me, though. I was a bit of a distraction.

What, creatively, is the difference between writing a novel and adapting a screenplay?

Adaption is like sitting down and deciding which of your fingers to cut off. It’s all about what to throw out, because if you try to take all of A Dog’s Purpose and cram it into a movie, you’re going to have a five-hour movie. There is so much story that has to go, so much character detail. It’s like tossing ballast out of a hot air balloon—for it to fly, you have to dump stuff. I think the movie is magnificent, but it is not the whole picture. For that, you have to read the novel. I think understanding, for example, what is going on in Todd’s head, or why the dog’s first starts thinking about purpose, or why Buddy returns to the dog park, will really enrich the movie-going experience.

Will there will be a sequel to the A Dog’s Purpose movie?

If enough people go to the movie when it comes out, everything is in place to begin work on the sequel almost immediately. So, fingers crossed.

You have your own dog at home, Tucker. How did he come into your life?

Tucker was abandoned as a newborn with his siblings in a box outside of a city shelter, an act of heartlessness that is the inspiration for my novel The Dogs of Christmas. (Spoiler alert: it’s really happy). My daughter runs an animal rescue in Denver (www.lifeisbetter.org) and picked up the puppies and gave them to a mother dog who had just weaned her pups the day before. The mother dog nursed the little abandoned puppies until they were old enough to be adopted, and by that time, my daughter knew Tucker was the dog for us. She had a real talent for that: matching people with pets. She brought Tucker to us and he’s been in charge of the house ever since.

What else do you have in the works?

I have a set of books for younger readers that are based on the A Dog’s Purpose Ellie’s Story details the life of Ellie, the search-and-rescue dog. Bailey’s Story tells the life of Bailey, the childhood pet. Both of those are just out. And in the fall of 2017 we’ll see the publication of Molly’s Story, the cancer-sniffing dog. On the adult front, A Dog’s Way Home will be out in May. It tells the story of a dog banished by breed-specific legislation who, taken far away from her family, decides to find her way back—through hundreds of miles of wilderness. And in June, A Dad’s Purpose, which is a humorous look at what it is like to be a father in today’s world.

I’ve read A Dog’s Purpose—what should I read next?

I would highly recommend the next novel in the series: A Dog’s Journey continues the story of the dog in A Dog’s Purpose, pretty much picking up right where the first book left off. A Dog’s Journey actually has a high reader-rating than A Dog’s Purpose, but I’ll leave it up to the individual to decide which one is better.

Buy A Dog’s Purpose here:

Follow W. Bruce Cameron on Twitter (@adogspurpose) and Facebook, or visit his website.

Author Features

Q&A with W. Bruce Cameron, the Author of Ellie’s Story

March 11, 2015May 10, 2024torforge

Author W. Bruce Cameron discusses Ellie’s Story, his heartwarming illustrated novel adapted for young readers from the beloved and New York Times bestselling A Dog’s Purpose.

Will you tell us a little about Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel and what inspired you to write it?

When I was researching search and rescue dogs for A Dog’s Purpose, I was captivated by the world of service animals who save people from danger. I knew children would love the story of Ellie! Some of the themes of A Dog’s Purpose might be too intense for young children, so Ellie’s Story is a way to introduce younger readers to this wonderful dog.

Did you find it easy or challenging to re-tell Ellie’s story for a younger audience?

Honestly the most difficult part is to stop imagining other adventures this dog could have.

Did you learn anything surprising while researching or writing Ellie’s Story?

I didn’t realize that everywhere we go we are shedding skin cells, and that a dog’s nose is so powerful that it can track these minute traces in the air and on the ground. What I learned while researching search and rescue dogs is just how powerful a dog’s nose it. This information has informed everything I write.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

There is really not an aspect I don’t enjoy. I don’t particularly care for reading what I’ve written—all I can see are ways to improve it. If I had been a sculptor, I would have kept chopping away at the marble until it was all gone.

Do you have any writing rituals?

My best writing is done after a long bike ride. I usually can work out a story problem while cycling.

What’s the first book you remember loving?

The City Boy, by Herman Wouk. I’m not sure how old I was, maybe third grade. I was burning through these books at school, and I think my parents thought if they gave me a real, full-length novel, I would stop pestering them to take me to the book store all the time. I absolutely loved it. I read it maybe ten times that year.

What’s your favorite method of procrastination?

Okay, how did you know… My biggest time waster is the internet. Facebook and email distract me in the middle of my work. Next thing I know I’m looking at puppy videos on YouTube.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you’re working on?

August 2015 will see the publication of my most ambitious work: The Dog Master, which tells the story of the first domesticated wolf—the first dog, in other words. Set in the Paleolithic era, this coming together of two struggling species occurred just as the world was entering the Ice Age. It’s a thrilling adventure and an epic tale.

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