Have you been wondering if my last name is Van Anderson, like Van Halen (cool), or just plain Anderson (boring)? If so, read on.
Me: Let’s start with the most basic question. What is your name? Is it Richard Anderson, with Van as your middle name? Or is it Richard Van Anderson, like Eddie Van Halen?
Myself: Van is my middle name. I wish my last name were Van Anderson. Richard Anderson is about as vanilla as you can get. I think the unidentified bodies in morgues should be called Richard Anderson’s instead of John Doe’s. As a side note, I did name my son Eddie Van Anderson as an homage to the famous axe man.
Me:You do realize that the apostrophe-s after Anderson’s and Doe’s is possessive, not plural.
Myself:Yes, but if I don’t use the apostrophe, the eye will see it as John Does, as in John does what? I hope the grammarphiles reading this will forgive me (or offer a better solution).
Me: Where did you get the idea to interview yourself?
Myself: I read The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, and in the back, she asks herself a series of questions related to the story. It was funny and insightful, so I thought I’d try it here. I think it will be a good way to give the readers some insight into who we are, what makes us tick, where we get our story ideas, how our writing process works, why we write, etc. etc.
Me: The who, what, where, how and why of Richard Van Anderson, author of surgical suspense.
Myself: Exactly. Fiction writing is all about asking who, what, where, how and why, so why not apply this to ourselves as well.
Me: Okay, so let me ask a what question. What do you like most about being a writer?
Myself: That’s easy. You get to wear pajamas to work, and you can drink on the job.
Me:You have young children. You don’t really drink at your desk.
Myself: No. I’m just playing into the writer stereotype.
Me:Then what is it that attracts you to the art and craft of writing fiction?
To be continued …
To read the interview in its entirety, go here.