Spotlight Interview: D Jordan Redhawk

Today we have the pleasure to learn a bit more about D Jordan Redhawk, author of some amazing books.  Tiopa Ki Lakota for example is one of my all time favorites and the copy on my shelf is well used. Also, I was more than happy when Broken Trails was finally released last year.

So, let’s start with some warm-up questions first:

Coffee or tea?

Ooooo, tough choice. I normally drink tea (chai latte when I can afford it) because it’s better for you or so I’ve been told. But when I’m out and about, coffee is what I order!

What puts you in a bad mood?

Stupidity. Not the “I’m truly ignorant of my circumstances” kind, but the “I know better but today’s trend is that it’s cool to be stupid” is what really annoys me. If a person purposely acts unknowledgeable about something I KNOW they’re aware of, it chaps my behind.

By extension, I believe everything is a mirror and when I point a finger at someone in judgment all those fingers are pointing back at me. I won’t deny pulling the “dumb blonde” act when I think I can get away with it…which is why I hate it in other people. I obviously hate the tendency in myself.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I’d want to be the master of space and time (Hiro on the TV show “Heroes”!) I could pick up a winning lottery ticket for one thing. Be able to beat all the shoppers on Black Friday. Travel anywhere in the world without having to purchase plane tickets. Heck, I could visit Milan for lunch and make it home in time to watch the latest episode of my favorite show!

Where is your favorite place you’ve ever traveled to?

West Germany. I was stationed there in the mid-eighties and fell in love. One of my regrets is that I didn’t terminate military service overseas rather than returning to the U.S. It would have been super-cool to have picked up a Department of Defense job and stayed in-country.

Fav chocolate?

These days? Atkins Chocolate Coconut Bars. In the past (when weight gain wasn’t a problem) Toblerone was a favorite. As a child, I drooled for Rocky Road bars & Idaho Spud bars. Nummy!

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Emigrate to New Zealand with my wife. Buy a small house, settle down into retirement and travel around the world.

And now on to the writing-related stuff:

For how many years have you been writing now, and how did you come to it?

I’ve been writing for sixteen years this go round. When I was a teenager, I wanted to become a published science fiction author. Eventually I stopped writing in favor of drawing and painting.

In 1998, I was an airbrush artist selling my art at science fiction conventions. It didn’t make a ton of money, but it kept me in paints. For various reasons, we moved out of the state and into a teensy little apartment. There wasn’t room for the airbrush studio, so I packed it all into storage. With nothing to do to fill my time, I began writing again.

Why do you write? What does it mean to you?

I can’t NOT create. I also have a tendency to daydream…a LOT. Writing feeds both of these quirks in me.

How long does it take you to write a novel?

On average, about four months. When I’m strict with myself, I write a thousand words a day at least five days a week. Those words add up!

How much time per week do you spend writing?

Ten hours, give or take an hour. It all depends on if the Muse is free with her suggestions or playing hard to get.

When and where do you write the most?

Most of my career I’ve been writing in the mid-mornings, sometimes at home, sometimes at a coffee shop. Lately I’ve been attempting to retrain myself (unsuccessfully, I might add) to write late at night after work. I always feel guilty that the chores aren’t getting done, and I can only do them in the day before work. Which is better? The cat boxes aren’t stinking the place up or I got my word count? Who knows…

How would you describe yourself?

Silly. Dependable. Loyal to a fault. Wishy washy upon occasion with a tendency to take myself far too seriously at the worst times.

How much of yourself is in your characters?

I’m of the opinion that I couldn’t write a character unless there was some part of me within him or her. Of course, that doesn’t mean that my characters perfectly reflect me – none of them are truly me.

So to answer the question…five percent?

What do you find the most challenging part of writing?

Sitting my butt in the chair and getting my word count. That is the toughest thing I struggle with…DAILY! I can find so many other things to be doing rather than writing. And that’s pretty silly since when I AM writing, I’m having a blast!

What are you reading right now?

I’m currently re-reading The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and a Star Trek Voyager fanfic series by Fletcher DeLancy.

What do you think makes a good romance novel?

A lot of emotion, a lot of angst and a happy ending.

What advice would you give new authors?

Keep writing. Join a writing community. Learn as much as you can from every possible avenue. Read books and books and books on a wide range of non-fiction topics. Fiction can educate you on what works and what doesn’t; non-fiction can inspire ideas.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a contemporary dark fairy tale, “Darkstone.”

In upcoming publications, “Freya’s Tears” just hit my email box last week for edits, so I’ve been living a space opera lately. That book should hit the stands this summer.

What future writing projects can we look forward to?

Next up on the plate for sure is the completion of a cyberpunk genre, “Ulina Mokupuni”. I hope to have that one completed, edited and submitted by November 1st. After that, it’s a toss up between a time-travel piece and a modern day fantasy I’ve been thinking about.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Astrid Ohletz

Publisher