Author Interview – Jim Lemon
I am more than pleased to present a fellow author, Jim Lemon, who is also a member of the writer’s group I attend every month, Write on Water. Jim has written three books, check them out below. He is also multi-talented, not only does he write and self-publish his books, but he is also musical.
Jim was a research scientist for over 30 years and a few other things before that. Now in his fourth life, he is pursuing creative writing as an antidote to retirement. So far it has been effective and rewarding.
I asked Jim a few questions that he happily answered –
Q: Why do you write?
Jim: Fun, inspiration, challenge, and perhaps one day, profit.
Maria: Wishing you luck with all of that.
Q: What inspires you or where do your ideas come from?
Jim: I trip over ideas every day. Ideas are easy, turning them into something special isn’t.
Maria: Yes, I agree
Q: How often do you write? Every day?
Jim: Pretty much every day.
Maria: That’s great productivity, Jim.
Q: Do you write in other languages?
Jim: No.
Q: What genre do you write in?
Jim: It used to be easy. I wrote scientific papers and books. Now I am supposed to classify my books by genre. It’s not as easy.
Maria: That’s so true. When I start a story I don’t necessarily know the genre. But apparently, it helps to sell books.
Q: Do you write in more than one genre?
Jim: I must do because when people tell me what my genre is, it’s always something different.
Q: Which authors have inspired your writing?
Jim: Nabokov, James (both of them), Camus, Sen, Ishiguro, and many others.
Maria: That’s a great list of authors.
Q: Do you write or have written non-fiction?
As above, lots.
Maria: Of course, you do. Scientific papers are definitely non-fiction.
Q: Where and how do you write and what surrounds you? (Home, café, with coffee, food, wine?)
Jim: Wherever I am, if I have a computer.
Maria: Well, that encompasses all of my suggestions, haha.
Q: How do you feel about the ‘write what you know’ mantra?
Jim: It used to be essential. Not only did I have to understand what I was writing about, I had to be prepared to give an off-the-cuff lecture on it.
Maria: You would have to have known your stuff as a scientist.
Q: What has becoming a published author done for your self-confidence?
Jim: A fair amount of ego-bruising, but a great sense of achievement.
Maria: Achieving is a great feeling.
Q: Do you interact with other authors? How?
Jim: Mostly writing groups.
Maria: Yes, writing groups are a great way to meet other authors.
Q: So, what’s next for you and your writing?
Jim: You know, the Booker Prize, maybe a Nobel…
Maria: All the best with that… aim high, I say.
Q: Where can readers find your books?
Jim: Online.
Maria: I have added your buying links under each book cover image.
Q: Do you sell your book/s in other ways than just online?
Jim: I have tried. I didn’t get the salesman gene from my father.
Maria: I sell mine at local markets and do ok, but it isn’t easy.
Q: What advice would you give a young or aspiring author?
Jim: If you’re not satisfied with your writing, nobody else will be.
Maria: That is great advice.
Well, Jim, thanks for your time, keep writing, and best wishes in selling books in the future.
Jim, it was lovely to interview you, you have had an interesting writing journey.
I would also like to thank Jim for the unique idea he has to help us authors’ names and books to be known. Jim makes book boxes that he gives to cafes (Sydney only right now) so we can add our books for customers to read. Enjoy reading our stories but please remember to return the book to the box for others to enjoy. Thanks.
One of Jim’s book boxes at a cafe in Gladesville. Happy reading if you find one of these boxes in your local cafe.
Are you an author and would like to be interviewed? Then send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll come back to you with questions.
Happy reading (and writing)
Author