Topic: Author Interview
Dorien Grey the Person
1. What three words do you think describe you as a human being?
An amazingly difficult question, actually. But I might choose
"caring", "optimistic" and "egocentric."
2. How do you think others would describe you?
I would truly like to think they might use the three same words.
3. Please tell us what you are most passionate about outside of writing.
Life, and the excruciating awareness of its brevity. I am obsessed
with honor and dignity and trying as best I can to live the Golden
Rule.
4. Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them.
I have a very cat (surprise!) named Crickett, who I got as a kitten
and have had now for nearly 18 years, I believe.
5. What is your most precious memory?
They vary, of course, but the two that leap to mind at the moment are
both related to my Navy days. First as a Naval Aviation Cadet, being
on a solo flight and finding myself utterly alone in a huge "valley"
created by a circle of towering clouds and looking down at the earth
far below. It was euphoric. Second, spending a week in Cannes, France
in the company of four young men my age—two French and two German.
None of us spoke the other's language all that well, but it was
without question one of the best times in my life.
6. What is your most embarrassing memory?
How much space did you say I have? There are far too many to relate here.
7. If you weren't a writer, what would you be doing with your life?
To be honest with you, I cannot conceive of being or doing anything
else. Of course, were I a millionaire, I probably could find a couple
of things to occupy my time.
8. In two paragraphs or less write your obituary.
Roger Margason, who wrote a number of books under the name Dorien
Grey, was finally dragged kicking and fighting across the threshold
between life and death. Though he had no physical children, he leaves
a large family of characters who to this day inhabit and enliven his
books.
He liked to think of his legacy as a being tree, the leaves of which
are comprised of his words, and under which he hopes future
generations might relax in shade and comfort on a warm summer's day.
Dorien Grey the writer:
9. Can you describe the time you realized you were indeed a "real" writer?
I can't remember a time when I didn't realize. As to when other people
realized it, too, that was a gradual and continuing process over the
years.
10. What is going on with your writing these days?
I have three completed manuscripts sitting (none too patiently, I
freely admit) in my publisher's pipeline: book #12 in my Dick Hardesty
Mystery series, the first book in a new series which will alternate
with the Dick Hardesty series, and a semi-memoir consisting of letters
written to my parents while I was in the Navy so many years ago, and
which include detailed accounts of the two favorite memories mentioned above.
I'm currently nearly 2/3 through the second book in the new series.
And I maintain two major blogs and several minor ones. And in my spare time….
11. What are your future goals for your writing?
First, I want to keep doing everything I can…such as accepting your
kind offer to contribute to your blog…to encourage as many people as I
can to take a chance with my books. Secondly, by writing series, I
intend to keep following the development and evolution of my
established characters as long as the reader wants me to.
12. Can you describe a typical writing day for you?
While I have no set schedule, I do spend nearly every day from 7 until
5 writing...if not on a novel-in-progress, then on my various blogs
and keeping up with email and my on-line networking…and on any way of promotion I can think of.
13. Why do you write?
Honestly? Because as mentioned above I am very aware of every second of time that passes, and I am driven to leave as much of me behind as I possibly can.
14. What writer most inspires you? Why?
I truthfully can't think of a writer I have ever read who did not
inspire me…positively or negativey…in one way or another. I alway pay
homage, though, to Robert Lewis Taylor's Adrift in a Boneyard, whose
style I have been paralleling since I first read it over 50 years ago.
15. How do you define your writing?
I like to think of it as talking with a friend, for I seriously do
consider the reader and the writer as partners, and I consider my
readers as friends, even though we may never have met.
16. In one sentence—what do you want people to say about your writing
in fifty years?
I wish I had known him.
Dorien Grey the details:
17. Can you tell us where to find more information on you? Website? Blog?
Glad you asked. My website is http://www.doriengrey.net and contains
information on (and the first chapters of) each of my books, as well
as video trailers on three of them, plus a drawing you're invited to
enter for a free autographed copy of one of my books. I have a blog of
random mind-belches, Dorien Grey and Me
(http://www.doriengreyandme.blogspot.com), the blog version of my
soon-to-be book A World Ago (http://www.doriengrey.blogspot.com) a
compilation of letters written home to my parents while I was in the
Navy at the height of the Cold War, and Dorien Grey: A Life in Photos
(http://www.doriengreyphotolife.blogspot.com) , displaying photos of
my life like a glass case of pinned butterflies. I also have
occasionally-posted blogs on AuthorsDen and Amazon.
18. Is there a place where readers can reach you?
There's nothing I like more than hearing from my readers…or anyone who might be thinking of becoming one. My door is always open at
doriengrey@gmail.com .
19. Can you list all your book titles so people can look for them?
Sure: thanks for the chance. The Dick Hardesty books, in order, are:
The Butcher's Son, The Ninth Man, The Bar Watcher, The Hired Man, The
Good Cop, The Bottle Ghosts, The Role Players, The Popsicle Tree, The
Paper Mirror, The Dream Ender, and my
western/romance/adventure/mystery Calico. I might suggest, if you've
not read any of them before, you might start with The Popsicle Tree or
The Paper Mirror. Any of the books can stand alone, and while the
characters continue from book to book and have been growing and
evolving since the first book, either of these two mentioned might be
a good place to start; then you can go back if yuo wish…as I hope you
will.
They are all available at or on order from any bookstore in the country.
20. For new readers—what can they expect when they read your book(s)?
I hope they not only can expect to find, but will find, real, likeable
characters that you can identify with as human beings. The fact that
they most of my characters are gay is a deliberate choice, since I
want very much to show that what unites us as human beings far
outweighs our differences. There's also a lot of humor, good, solid
plots with lots of red herrings to keep you guessing. As I said
above, I look on the reader as a partner in each book.
In conclusion:
21. Take as much space as necessary to speak to our readers—what
would you like them to know about you and your writing?
The best way for anyone to know about me and my writing is, of course, to read one of my books…or go to my website and read the first chapter of any book at random. It will tell you whether you might want to read more. I like to think of it as the potato chip principle…you won't be able to stop with just one.
I've covered a lot of ground in the answers to the questions above,
but please keep in mind that, to a writer, the reader is the most
important person in the world. Without readers, the words in books
would just be so many trees falling, unheard, in the forest.
And thank you again, Joyce, for the opportunity to talk with your readers.
