Interview with Margaret H. Bonham

You've got some books in print. Tell us what they're about.
I write both nonfiction and fiction. The fiction side is the Swords of Destiny series published by Yard Dog Press that includes Prophecy of Swords and Runestone of Teiwas. These books encompass the story of Lachlan, who was betrayed by a trusted friend and murdered thousands of years before. He returns to avenge his death and discovers much to his chagrin that getting what you want is often more difficult than you ever imagined.

Tell us a about the main character.
Lachlan is a typical heroic character with some pretty serious flaws that come out over time. He trusts too much. He also has a bad temper. He's a son of a god, which makes it that much harder to not cross the line and become a tyrant. The world he is in is typically infuriating -- lots of intrigue and people having their own motivations. And yet, throughout this, he's trying to be the warrior god's champion. Tough order.

Have you written anything else?
Yes, I have 28 books in print or under contract. Lachlei, which is a prequel, will be published in March 2008 with Dragon Moon Press/Edge. Howling Dead, another series, will be published in 2009 by the same publisher.

Almost every writer is inspired by someone else. Does anyone inspire you?
I don't know. I'm probably inspired by Shakespeare's writings if I think about it.

What made you want to write?
I've been telling stories since I could remember. I starting trying to put a book together when I was 5.

Who drives the story, you or your characters?
Probably ultimately me. Occasionally the characters reveal something or something happens and I have a "aha!" moment.

Who proofreads and critiques your work?
My husband.

Where do you get your ideas?
I have no idea. From everywhere and nowhere. I get ideas all the time.

Where do you write?
In my office, at my kitchen table or sometimes in a hotel room or coffee shop if I'm on the road.

When do you write - set times or as the mood moves you?
I work constantly -- 14 hour plus days at the writing gig -- so usually I'm writing whenever I can. The fiction happens in between the nonfiction.

If you could invite any other writer to dinner who would ask and why?
I have no idea. I've had dinner with plenty of writers. So, I'm not sure.

When did you first start writing?
5 years old. Maybe older.

What's the last book you read and really enjoyed?
Badlands by Selina Rosen and Laura Underwood.

What drives you to write?
It doesn't go away. I simply write a lot. Can't stop.

Do you use the Internet to check facts, or the library?
I tend to purchase a gazillion books on the topics that my books cover. Occasionally I might use the internet to check a stray fact or two, but for the most part, I do a lot of reading.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do?
Karate. Playing with my dogs. Hiking. Sled Dog racing. Podcasting.

Do you ever have a problem with writer's block?
No. I don't believe it exists. There have been times when I've been depressed or trying to figure out where to go next, but I believe writer's block is an excuse to not write. To be lazy. To not face the fact that you have to write every day.

Who's your favorite author (other than yourself)? Why?
I no longer have a favorite author, mainly because there are so many good authors out there who can tell an interesting story. The more I write, the less I have a favorite one. For example, I've read books by Laura Underwood, Selina Rosen, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, JK Rowling, Ursula LeGuin, CJ Cherryh, Michael Moorcock, Ronald E. Howard, Bev Hale, Bill Allen, Matthew Wayne Selznick, Gloria Oliver and a host of other authors and loved their writing one way or another.

What's your favorite book (other than one of your own)? Why?
Again, it's really hard for me to quantify the book thing. There are a lot of awesome books that I've read that I just can't point to and say one is better than the rest.

Some writers say that they have to write a certain amount of words every day. Do you do this? Why or why not?
I used to do the word count thing and I believe strongly that beginning (and even intermediate) writers should do this. It's a good way to get something on the page. I've been a little more relaxed as I've gotten older. In most cases, I get somewhere around 1000 to 2000 words done a day. I'm comfortable with this.

If you could be any character
I really don't know. I'd sort of like the original Star Wars series -- the whole concept of a Jedi knight was so cool. So, maybe Luke Skywalker or a female version of that. You'd never catch me in a dress like Princess Leia.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I'm at cons all the time -- I try to keep my con calendar updated. Visit my website at http://www.shadowhelm.net and my blog at http://shadowhelm.livejournal.com. I'm re-releasing Prophecy of Swords as a free podcast at www.prophecyofswords.com.

Maggie