Interview with H. A. Dawson

Today I’m talking to the very talented mystery writer, H.A. Dawson. Thanks for talking to me today.

What would you tell your younger self about writing anything?

Just give writing a go. It doesn’t matter how poor you are to start with, just make sure you maintain your interest and enthusiasm by learning, improving your craft. These are prime motivators in keeping focus on the future objective of becoming an acclaimed professional.

How long have you been writing?

I began about ten or eleven years ago. Prior to this I was never brave enough to do it. That’s my only regret.

What was the hardest part of writing your last book?

I don’t find any passages hard, as a rule. If I do, it’s because I lack the knowledge relevant to the scene, such as not having historical information or detailed surgical information. Once I have researched all the necessary information, I’m good to go. I don’t find intense, emotional passages any harder than mundane ones. In fact, the opposite can be true, as the greater the challenge, the more I enjoy the process. If I had to say anything was an obstacle, it’s the first two or three chapters, as I’m still learning about my characters and introducing them to the readers. After that it flows.

When you develop characters do you already know who they are before you begin writing the story or do you let them develop as you go?

I create a document for each character before starting. It contains basic information, such as relationships, job and age. One of the most important things to identify before I start is the character’s goal for the story. This will help me decide character traits and patterns of behavior, which I also make a note of. Other things such as speech patterns, mannerisms or quirky behavior, are developed on the go.

What are your current projects?

I am writing a series of 4 mystery books, each from the viewpoint of a psychiatric nurse. I have completed 2 and am due to start the third.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

Full-time. The flexibility of working from home suits me and allows me to fit in gardening, tennis, and swimming. I don’t have a motivation problem, although I can have a problem of knowing when to quit for the day I have been known to fall asleep and filled a document with a continuous assorted characters!

Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?

Reading allows you experience someone else’s thoughts, actions, joys and problems. I like to ‘experience’ things not in my grasp so I can understand and empathise better. My passion for writing goes with my fascination of people. I continuously wonder why people act as they do, what drives them, and how they must feel when undergoing problems. I love trying to get inside heads and like to know every small detail. Some people might find me a bit dark, as when I see something on television, such as a horrific accident, I start to imagine I’m writing it, and consider each small detail, from the impact through to the introspection. My protagonists are my close friends. To me, they are real, tangible people.

Could you tell us a bit about your most recent book and why it is a must-read?

I have a mystery four book series aptly titled “Circles of Subterfuge” The stories relate to a group of nurses sharing a house.

Does writing energise or exhaust you?

It bolsters me, without question. If it exhausts you, you’re in the wrong job. You must love what you do, otherwise why do it? A lack of passion shows up in the writing. I can tell when a writer is going through the motions, rather than becoming their character and living their life. There is a distinct lack of empathy in such pieces, and it comes across as flat.

Does a big ego help or hurt writers?

You must be confident enough to believe in your work and your writing skills and accept that some people will hate it and make harsh comments. But you must also be flexible enough to accept criticism from the right people and accept their opinions might help you produce a better product. Not everyone wants to put you down.

Have you ever experienced reader’s block?

Exhaustion can cause it, as can a problem with the story, such as not knowing how different elements of the mystery will connect or a lack of knowledge relating to a scene. If I’ve planned it out, done my research, and had regular breaks, it doesn’t happen.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I hope I do both, although in truth, I write for myself and hope it’s both original and something a reader will enjoy. Writing has to come from the heart. If it doesn’t, it’ll lack any depth and empathy and may even seem contrived. Reading is subjective. There are so many different opinions regarding the quality of a piece of writing that if you try to write for a reader you’ll end up pleasing no one.

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

It’s said ‘write what you know’. If a writer doesn’t feel emotions and is not good at empathising, then by following that rule, they could write good books. However, if that same person tries to write something they’re unfamiliar with, and they don’t have to ability to empathise, then the writing won’t be convincing.

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reins of the story?

Because I do some planning, I always know the end goal of my main characters. Therefore, I have the reins of the story. However, I do find that once I have written a few chapters, I ‘morph into’ the characters and understand their emotions as though they were my own. When that happens, they hijack the story and the book writes itself. Providing I keep the end goal in sight, I enjoy the ride.

What gives you inspiration for your book(s)?

People and life inspire me. I’m a deep thinker and a people watcher.
Had I written when I was much younger, I’m not sure I would have been as effective. Life experience is valuable and helps me to understand people’s peculiarities and the psychology behind patterns of behavior.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

My characters come from my imagination, although I’d be lying if I said I didn’t pinch things from people I knew. I find people with extreme characteristics the most interesting, and they’re the people I’m most likely to observe and use for my writing.

” It was a worrying situation and a sign she was ignoring what was taking place in her body. However, since I wasn’t there to judge but to support, I cast such pointless thoughts aside and focused on the future and on helping her in the best way I could.

A little while later, since time was in short supply and I had already been there for far longer than I should have been according to the guidelines, I announced my departure. Once I had reaffirmed the form our relationship would take, I gathered my belongings and got ready to leave.

Carmen held open the door. ‘Are you Jimmy and Judy Lowe’s daughter?’

Her question surprised me, making me gasp. I gave a slight nod.

‘Did you ever find out why he took his own life?’

‘W-what?’ I was confused. ‘No … he, he had a heart attack.’

Even as the words left my mouth, I knew I shouldn’t have spoken. Evidently, my mother had told me another lie. She had been ashamed of whatever had gone on, and rather than being honest with me she had taken the easy option. Of course, she would say she was protecting me, but how could that be true? I should not be learning something so fundamental from one of my patients.

‘You seem surprised?’

‘No,’ I said quickly. ‘If it seems that way it’s only because you knew.’

A smug expression crossed her face. ‘I lived locally, close to the school he taught in.’

‘You knew him?’

She pressed her lips together. It was clear that she knew something more substantial, although there was no way of knowing if it would turn out to be significant. Sometimes people claimed to know more than they did to gain the upper hand, and given what I knew about her, I suspected that was what she was doing.

Ignoring her pride-filled expression, I left her house and hurried to my car. Then, alleviated of my need to be professional, I sank back into the seat, pulled my phone from my bag, and dialled my mother’s number.

‘Dad killed himself!’ I screeched. ‘How could you not tell me?’

‘Shona, it’s-’

‘Don’t Shona me. I had a right to know.’

‘I get that, but how does it solve anything?’ Mum said. ‘It doesn’t change anything, does it?’

‘Of course it does. He was my father.’

‘It won’t bring him back.’ She paused. ‘I’m sorry, but I have to go. A woman’s in labour and-’

‘So that’s it. That’s all you’re going to say.’

‘Yes, for the moment. Please forget it. It’s not important and-’

‘Of course it’s important. You lied to me.’

‘Shona, please realise this is difficult for me as well. I’ll tell you all you need to know when we meet, okay?’

Reluctantly, I agreed.

‘Thank you,’ she said, and the phone clicked in my ear.”