Interview with Steve Alten

OH: Tell us a little about what life was like for you before you decided to take the plunge and become a full-time writer.

SA: Despite having earned a doctoral degree in Sports Administration, I found myself the owner and only employee of a floundering water treatment company. I decided that becoming an author would be my salvation.

February 2004

OH: Had you always been into writing? If you were, where were the places that you first started to get your work published?

SA: With the exception of a few sports articles and a paper on treating infrapatellar tendonitis, I had never published anything prior to my first novel,

MEG. Never even took a creative writing class.

OH: How long did it take you to write your first published novel? How many re-writes did you do? Then, how long until it was actually published?

SA: Original manuscript took 5 months. Edits took another 7 months. The novel was published 10 months after it sold.

OH: A lot of people say that they have always dreamed of writing a book. Alas, they never do. What made you determined to become a writer? Is it anything like you thought and hoped it would be?

SA: When I set a goal, I don't just make a wish list. I figure out what the necessary steps in achieving the goal are. Luck is a residue of hard work.

OH: What do you think is the most important part of a good story? What have you found are the bits that your fans seem to like the most?

SA: Personally, I have always enjoyed stories with plenty of action and drama. As an author, I learn the nuances of creating character conflict.

OH: When you begin a novel, do you have the entire story and all the characters already mapped out? Or do you surprise your self by inventing new angles and characters as you go along?

SA: A little bit of both. I try to map out the basics of the story and characters. Then let the writing and research lead me down different paths.

OH: Where do you get your ideas? How much research do you then carry out?
SA: I get ideas from reading and television, as well as my own imagination. I keep a paper and pen near the bed in case I dream something really bizarre. As to research, I do a lot of it, not only before writing, but also during the process.

OH: Your website is very popular. I have found out you answer all of your mail personally. Do you think keeping yourself accessible to fans helps make you more successful?
[BB]
SA: I know it has. If for nothing else, I've established relationships with certain experts in their field who have helped me as editors. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising. Hopefully, my personal responses have given my readers another reason to enjoy my work.

OH: Characters in your stories are often named after your fans. You also use some of your fans as editors and proofreaders of your work. Where did you get this idea of involving your fans so much?

SA: Started in my book THE TRENCH. First, I needed names of victims, so I used the names of critics of MEG. Once I started receiving e-mail from fans, I asked them to send me descriptions. Much easier for me, plus it gives the readers a sense of participation.

OH: You must be a very busy person. What is a typical day's writing like for you? How did you come by this routine? Was it just trial and error?

SA: First 2 hours spent answering e-mail. Writing till lunch. 30 minute break, then check e-mail again and write until fatigued. Usually around 5.

OH: How do you want to advance as a writer? Are you someone who wants success in terms of book sales? Or are you happier with being able to have the freedom to write what you want without worrying if it will be a commercial success?

SA: I am ambitious and competitive. I want to be the best I can be. I want to see my books at the top, and enjoy the rewards that come with that, while always giving back. My Adopt-An-Author program is one way I give back.

OH: You have set up a unique organization which encourages kids in school to read more and enjoy what they are reading. Where did you get the idea for this? Also, tell us a little bit about the organization.

SA: While a far cry from Romeo and Juliet, monster shark, doomsday, and submarine thrillers are very popular among students. Each day I receive dozens of heartfelt e-mails from teens in junior high and high-school who go out of their way to thank me. I always write back within a day. Most of these students "hated reading" until they opened the first chapter of MEG, and suddenly found themselves "hooked." As a result, many teachers now use my novels as required reading... to their students' delight. To assist teachers and students, I created the Adopt-an-Author program. The goal of the program is to offer a unique avenue for teenagers to:

1. Enjoy reading, something many students avoid like the plague.
2. Have direct access to an established, best-selling author, in order to encourage their own career choices.
3. Offer creative new avenues and opportunities for students to become more involved.
4. Have a "pen-pal" as an author. Sort of a "big-brother" who will encourage them academically.
5. To provide teachers with a "pool" of curriculum ideas, quizzes, and projects to make their lives easier. These materials can be downloaded on the interactive website at www.SteveAlten.com by clicking on the teacher/student icon. The program works.

OH: Tell us a little about your latest book?
[BB]
SA: My next book, published in July, will be MEG, Primal Waters, the third book in the series. After that comes The LOCH, about the Loch Ness Monster. As to Resurrection (my most recent book) it won't get as much publicity, but it is near and dear to my heart. The DOMAIN series was quite exhausting, due to extensive research. Resurrection takes place in 2032, and delves into what's left of the human race a million years from now. At the same time, the story mirrors the mythology of the Mayan Popol Vuh...while answering: What happens to us when we die? Is there really an after-life? Do we possess a soul? Does God exist?

Points of interest during the research phase included Necromancy the ability to communicate with the souls of the dead to gain information. MAJESTIC-12, established on 24 September, 1947 by special classified Presidential order following the recovery of airborne objects that fell over Roswell, New Mexico between July 4th and 6th of that same year. MAJESTIC-12 has utilized the services of some of the most brilliant minds in the world, including Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer. Even after all these years, it remains our government's most super secret program. The BIBLE Code: Hidden within the original Hebrew text of the Torah is a cryptogram encoded messages that pertain to man's history.

Remote Viewing -- a mental faculty that allows an individual to describe a target or event that is hidden from our normal senses by distance, shielding, or time. Transhumans and Posthumans -- the next steps in human evolution. What will we be a million years from now?

OH: What was the best piece of advice about writing that you have ever heard?

SA: Create character conflict.

OH: As someone who has found success, what five pieces of advice would you give to a person who is starting out on the long hard road to becoming a writer?

SA: My suggestions would be:
1. Learn how to set goals.
2. Work hard. Be persistent.
3. Do not accept excuses from yourself.
4. Setbacks are part of success. Deal with them and bounce back higher.
5. The more you write, the better you get.

Owen Hollifield, original 2002

Steve Alten is the writer of mainstream fiction and science fiction books and is also the founder of a unique charity set up to help students improve their reading, he can be found at www.stevealten.com. Owen Hollifield is a freelance writer from the U.K, he can be reached at poodle_springs@yahoo.co.uk .

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