The Choker was the winner in the Popular Fiction category of the 2019 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Lee Carl.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Choker, 2018
What’s the book’s first line?
Birds lay eggs, not diamonds, or rubies, or emeralds.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
How did this jewel-spangled choker get in the eagle’s next? Did it involve theft or murder? It’s a mysterious adventure with many angles.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
A friend was watching eagles lay their eggs and hatch and raise their young on TV. He suggested the idea.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
His probing skill and gentle ways.
When did you first decide to become an author?
Many decade ago.
Is this the first you’ve written?
No. I’ve written 14 and published 11.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m a 90-year-old retired university professor of journalism.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Several hours each day.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Keep writing.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Yes, if it would mean reaching more readers. I don’t write for money. I write for the joy of it.
Is there something in particular that motivates you?
I get a “high” when I turn out a good paragraph. It’s better than drugs.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Alexander Dumas, because he turned a kid (me) into a lover of story-telling.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
The Count of Monte Cristo. (I bet you didn’t expect that answer!)