1. Do you play music while you write — and, if so, what’s your favorite?
I usually have music on while I write. I prefer hits from the past few decades, including songs by Michael Buble and Josh Groban. When I realize I’m not paying attention to the lyrics, I know I’m really concentrating on my work.
2. Do you prefer ebooks, printed books, or audiobooks most of the time?
I prefer printed books. I can take them with me almost anywhere, and I can flip back and forth through the pages easily if I want to. It also makes me feel like our world hasn’t changed too much.
3. Does writing energize or exhaust you? Or both?
I would have to say both. Being creative seems to energize me, and I get excited when I have a breakthrough or the plot takes a certain twist. But lots of time at the computer, putting everything together and working on formatting, can be exhausting.
4. Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Funny that you should ask! I’ve had a couple of kitties who like attention while I’m at the computer, but they usually either settle for curling up in the chair next to mine or lying on the desk in between my keyboard and the monitor. One especially intelligent cat stepped on F7, revealing to me that I can simply press that key to get spellcheck. It really has helped.
5. Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym, and why or why not?
I’ve considered it recently, since Dale Evans Rogers is no longer a household name and some people assume I’m a guy. I don’t know how people feel about a man writing some of the fiction I do, so I’m tempted to go by Adele or Della, or at least give my name a more feminine spelling, such as Delle.
6. Have you ever traveled as research for your book?
I haven’t traveled to write books as much as travel has inspired me to write books. Two trips to the Caribbean helped me to pen three novels, and frequent visits to the mountains inspired another. I also had the interesting experience of being a movie extra, which sparked another story.
7. How did you come up with the title for your book? Lighthouse on Tortola, my romantic adventure novel, was easy to title, since it centers around a lighthouse on the British Virgin Island of Tortola. It came to me rather quickly, and I never really thought about calling it anything else.
8. How do you come up with character names for your stories?
I love naming characters! I try to match each character’s personal traits or personality with his or her name without making it obvious. I have a list of interesting or exotic names I’ve collected over the years that I refer to if the right one doesn’t pop into my head. I steer clear of names of family or friends unless there’s a reason to use them, but I often use our cats’ names and include them in my stories. My sister was thrilled when I recently wrote in her beloved Ragdoll, Blue, describing his appearance and personality.
9. How do you use social media as an author?
I’ve depended on Twitter quite a bit for information and promotions. Some people I’ve met there have given me good advice and inspiration, and it’s such a useful tool for showcasing writers’ work. Facebook has been helpful also, since friends I’ve had to move away from can be informed concerning my stories.
10. How long have you been writing or when did you start?
I come from a family of writers, so I’ve always had an interest in it. In the fourth grade, we were instructed to work on short stories, which encouraged me, and fifth grade meant lots of book reports for our reading book. I was a member of the high school newspaper, which further encouraged me, especially since a couple of my articles were nominated for awards, with one winning. In college, I took a writing course that taught me to trust my instincts concerning writing and, as I got into my twenties, I had more of a desire to pen experiences I’d had.
Twitter: DaleSRogers
Facebook: DalesittonRogers.wordpress.com