Interview with Author William Tooker
William Tooker arrived on Earth under fireworks one mid-summer night in 1967. There was neither fanfare or fulfillment of prophecy related to this event. He spent most of his childhood wanting to be up later and out longer.
He attended The Ohio State University but not to completion. His pursuits were in Classics, English and Theater. Someone told him that to be a writer you need a vocabulary and life experience. So William ran with that.
He has lived a lot of places from Ohio to California to Florida to Colorado. William loves animals and children though he only has animals. His non-writing time has been spent between the digital print industry and the last 6 years working educational tech support to be sure your kids can access their online content.
Ramona: Tell me more about your latest book & what was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?
William: My current novel available on Amazon is “Echoes of the Fall.” It is the story of the town of Veil, California. The town is haunted by an interstellar event that happened in the distant past. It is an ancient evil that has sprouted new darkness even as it attempts to resurrect itself.
The structure of the story was challenging. The town is really the main character so the chapters are snapshots of different people’s lives within it. So coordinating around that and bringing it all together as one story at the same time took some doing.
Ramona: Do you ever struggle with writer’s block? How do you overcome it?
William: I occasionally get stuck. Generally, if I distract myself for a bit the next step comes to me. If I really can’t get moving I decide that this is a good place for a plot twist and that always gets things flowing again.
Ramona: What motivated you to become an author?
William: When I was 13 years old on Thanksgiving I was at my grandmother’s house with the entire clan and was reading Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber in the living room. The scene I was reading was giving me an emotional reaction because I was so wrapped up in the character and in the moment.
This was when I understood that writing has the power of the shared emotional experience when done correctly. I remember thinking “I want to do that.” And then started the process of looking for what my stories were to tell.
Ramona: How many books have you written so far?
Echoes of the Fall -Current
Invisible Society: A Life Worth Dying For -Coming Next Year
Ramona: What are some of your best practices as a writer?
William: I try and get a good balance of authentic character banter intermixed with the exposition. It’s a good way to develop character while dropping knowledge that doesn’t seem too much like doing either one.
Echoes is Horror/Sci fi and Invisible Society more of an urban fantasy but I like even those things to have a sense of humor where appropriate. At one time or another reading even my most dark pieces you will laugh. You may hate yourself for it, but I won’t tell.
Ramona: What is your advice for aspiring writers?
William: Write it. Even if it’s terrible. Write it. It can’t get better until the garbage version is out and every little bit of practice is good. You have to really think that even a first draft of something is better than a pitch about an idea you have. Learn the business side as you approach ready to launch but you can start writing right now today.
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