I know that when a new book comes out, especially from a new author, readers have lots of questions about it. In today’s post, I’ve picked five questions that I might receive from readers about Hunter Hunted.

1.  How long did it take you to write Hunter Hunted?

Hunter Hunted is a little different from some other novels that I’ve written. It went through a few more renditions because it was a novel where I learned a whole lot about the craft of writing. I wrote the initial draft in about eight weeks. Each revision took about six weeks with time thrown in to let it “marinate” for a bit. In total, there were, I believe, two additional drafts, each lasting about six weeks. Then, as I moved the book toward production, I gave it two three good reads, each about a week. In total, including both drafting and “marinating,” was a little over three years, but remember, Hunter Hunted was a special case.

 2.  What was the hardest part about writing Hunter Hunted?

As I mentioned earlier, I learned a whole lot from writing the novel. One of the hardest lessons to learn in the earlier stages was how far as a writer I had to go with this particular book to make it publishable. I’d made contact with an agent at a writer’s conference and sent her my proposal. She suggested that I send it through a professional critique, which I did. When I got it back, I realized how much pride I had to swallow. But I did. I implemented most of the suggestions, and the novel came out better than I ever dreamed.

3.  What was the most fun part about writing the novel?

I loved the characters. Jake and Jenna, of course. I also enjoyed writing about the minor characters like Nigel Armstrong, Jake’s sidekick, and Sugar, Jenna’s “assassin pimp.” I also liked deriving names for Jenna’s cats. I picked Sniper because of her illegal occupation and got the idea when, while on a walk, I noticed a cat hidden behind a large flower with nothing showing but his head. Jewel came naturally after that because Jenna’s legitimate occupation is a goldsmith and jeweler.

4.  With which character do you identify the most?

That’s a great question. Probably Nigel. In the workplace, I’m more of a sidekick than a leader. I like playing that supportive role and helping others succeed.

5.  How did you determine what themes Hunter Hunted would have?

That’s another good question. Throughout learning the craft of writing, I’ve learned many things, one of them is that a writer’s purpose is to tell a good story that will keep people entertained. Otherwise, a novel can come across as preachy. When devising the plot and revising, the themes of the novel will naturally percolate. That’s exactly what happened with Hunter Hunted. I wanted to spin a good tale that would keep people reading. As I did so, several themes became clear.

Question: What other questions would you like to ask about Hunter Hunted?

I have not received any compensation for writing this post. The work mentioned in this post is of my own writing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”