New Author Spotlight: Robert Evert

By day, Robert Evert wields the mighty forces of education as a university professor. Outside of the classroom, he's busy spending time with his wife, two sons, his pets and his imaginary friends. Oh and neurotically writing, of course! His first novel is Riddle in Stone, a book I recently enjoyed, and Robert is in the spotlight for our new blog feature!

What are your favourite books and how have they influenced your writing?
Well, Tolkien gave me a love of reading and fantasy! He really changed my life. Not just in terms of writing, but emotionally as well. I was a very lonely and shy kid growing up. In high school, I found a group of friends who also loved his work. We still interact with today.

In terms of books that influenced my writing, I have to say that Stephen King’s On Writing really helped the most. I honestly couldn’t have gotten published without reading it over and over again.

If there’s anybody out there who wants to become published, I recommend that they get King’s book!!

What authors have inspired you? 
Tolkien far more than anybody else. Tolkien’s Middle Earth is so rich, it’s as if you can go there and walk around. You can smell the pipe smoke in the Prancing Pony and feel the sun on your face as you drift along the Anduin. It really is magical. I wish that I could write that well!

Describe your writing process. How do you handle writer’s block and other challenges?
You know, I really don’t get writer’s block. Knock on wood! I think the reason is that I don’t see myself as “writing.” I see myself as “recording.” The characters all belong to themselves. I just sit there and write down what they do and say. That keeps the pressure to perform to a minimum. I have no clue what is going to happen or who is going to pop in. I just keep typing.

In fact, my novel, Riddle in Stone, wasn’t going to be a novel. It was just a fun writing activity. Every day, I wrote for fifteen minutes or so about this odd guy named Edmund. I had no idea who he was or what he wanted. I just let him walk out of his front door and things happened to him.

To me, that’s the process. You have a group of characters and you just let them do what it is they need to do. I don’t try to make them create a story for me. I don’t have an ending in mind. I just watch and record. It’s amazing how many times they surprise even me! Boy! I probably sound insane, don’t I?

What are your future writing plans?
Well, if Riddle in Stone sells well enough, I want to keep writing about my main character—Edmund. My publisher (Diversion Books) has asked for a second book, Betrayal in the Highlands, and says it’ll be released in August. Fingers crossed!!