Where did your character, Dylan Blake in No More Illusions, come from?

It’s not unusual for authors to have a lot in common with the lead characters in their books. Dylan Blake is a combination of people I’ve met. At some point, he needed to be freed from my constraints. I had to get out of the way, and then watch to make sure all the characters in the book, including Blake, we're being real in the moment and that the story had a constant flow. Some of the particulars about Blake’s back story are revealed during the novel. That’s part of the mystery, so I’m not going to tell you about them here. It should suffice to say, that Blake had a very different life up until the time he entered the Police Academy as a 40-year old rookie. 18 months later, he’s been promoted to Detective First Class. 

So how would you describe him?

He comes from a small town, blue-collar family. Charlotte, the waitress he meets in Big Sur, talks about his having a rugged, outdoor, laid-back hiker look. Money has never been much of a motivator for him. Blake isn’t good at compartmentalization, or obsessed with legalities. He’s an incurable romantic, in love for the first time in a long time, contemplative, calculating, a little stubborn.    

Why did you write the book?

I felt compelled to tell this story. The characters are relatable. The stuff they’re dealing with matters. I’ve lived parts of it. 

So tell us a little about how you work.

A long time age I heard a radio piece, an interview with one of the guys in Steely Dan who was asked about the creative process behind some of the songs they wrote. He said he made an appointment with himself and showed up. That’s always seemed like fundamentally good advice to me. I tend to be more productive from mid-morning until late-afternoon, and then again in the evening. Being disciplined and exercising regularly are essential for me. Keeping my life in balance is a constant challenge. I’m not always good at that. Writing a book takes a lot out of you. You go to bed with it at night and wake up with it in the morning. That’s why I’ll never write about serial killers. They get too much press already, and contrary to the impression you get from the media, they’re an obscure percentage of the population. My books are about relationships, everyday morality, people who are trying to find their way. I’ve run a couple of small start-up businesses. Writing is harder.

If you could live your life all over again what would you do?

I’d have gotten serious about writing much earlier, maybe been a tree surgeon, a French impressionist-style painter, or a park ranger in Yosemite where the magic of the place is so life-giving.

Any advice for other people who think they want to be writers?

Like my mom says, "Get the lead out of your ass and do it.” Read good books, develop your listening skills, hang around with positive people. Work through the discouragement, and get involved with a critique group. While it may be possible to walk out of a cave with a perfect manuscript in your hand, I’ve never heard about anyone who’s done that.