TL Hines Interview

Sean:  First off, let me say congratulations on the novel.  I think a lot of us have lived this process through you and have learned a lot.  I am really enjoying the novel.  I think you have a unique voice that come through in the writing.  At times, you even make me laugh out loud and that’s not easy to do through writing.

 

Sean:  There is very little information that can’t be found on your website, but I did have a couple of pointed questions, if you have the time to answer. Number one:  You mention Stephen King as being your first inspiration to being a writer.  What other writers have influenced your writing and why?

 

TL Hines:  I read a lot of Stephen King, fantasy and spec fic in my teen years, then graduated to crime fiction and mystery as I became an "adult." I'm still a huge fan of crime fiction, and a lot of crime fiction writers have been huge influences on my own style. C.J. Box, who writes Wyoming-based rural mysteries featuring a Wyoming game warden, is wonderful. I also love Elmore Leonard for his rapid-fire sure-handed pace, James Lee Burke for his breathtaking turns of phrase, and George Pelecanos for his total immersion in character.

 

Sean: What is your writing routine?

 

TL Hines:  I still work that "day job," so my daily writing happens each morning between about 5:00 am and 7:00 am. That works well for me, because I really believe my brain has been "warmed up" by all that REM sleep during the night; I find the first few hours of the day are my most productive. I always, always, fire up my iPod and listen to music while I write; something about being immersed in music helps me block out the real world and keeps me immersed in the world I'm writing.

 

Sean: How do you balance work, family, and writing?

 

TL Hines: Not always as well as I should. That's the other reason why I write early mornings--that leaves evenings open for my family. And of course, the balance of the day is devoted to my other work. With the book releasing now, most of my waking hours are devoted to promotion and such for a few weeks, so family time is stretched a bit tight. But we anticipated this before, and scheduled a 10-day family vacation to the Oregon coast right after the ICRS convention in July. So, I think it's good to schedule some concentrated family time right after any concentrated "book" time.

 

Sean: How has your educational background helped you to become the writer you are today?

 

TL Hines:  Even though I didn't major in Creative Writing at the University of Montana, I took a number of Creative Writing courses--including a couple from William Kitteredge, a well-respected Montana writer who helped guide the Creative Writing program at UM for a number of years. (In fact, my major memory of Kitteredge was him telling me: "You're obviously talented, but melodramatic." I suppose that's still true, to some extent.) Instead of creative writing, I concentrated more on editing and nonfiction in college; Gerry Brenner was a professor who was particularly helpful to me. I do think spending several years writing nonfiction, advertising, articles and promotional materials taught me the vital importance of writing on a deadline.

 

Sean: Was there a special teacher or mentor that made a significant difference in your writing?

 

TL Hines:  Oh, hey, I kind of jumped the gun on that with the last question, didn't I? Gerry Brenner, an English Professor at the University of Montana, was probably the most influential professor during my college years. Michael Darcher, who taught the "Introduction to Creative Writing" class I took as a sophomore at UM, was probably the most responsible for making me feel I could write fiction. In high school, Mr. Teddy was the most influential teacher for me; naturally, he was an English instructor. More recently, so many other writers have been very helpful and encouraging--chief among them C.J. Box.

 

Sean: What is your advice to a teenager wanting to pursue a writing career?

 

TL Hines: Oooh, that's a good question. Okay, here's what I'd say: take advantage of every chance you get to write. Join the yearbook staff and the newspaper staff, if those are available to you. If not, look for online writing opportunities (a ton of web sites are always looking for content) or start a blog. Get into the habit of writing regularly, and get in the habit of taking writing assignments with deadlines. The pressure of deadlines will force you to produce, and having your writing read and edited by others will help you start developing a thick skin. Writing is very personal, but editing is very impersonal; you need to recognize, however, that the impersonal step of editing can really improve your message.

 

Sean:  Thank you for your time and I pray for your continued success.

 

TL Hines:  Thank you, Sean. And I pray for your continued success, as well!