Don Butler had a long career as a journalist at the Ottawa Citizen where he worked in a variety of roles, including executive editor. He lives in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, and is married to journalist Christina Spencer.
His first novel, a travel mystery called A Life of Bliss, was released in 2021. Norman’s Conquest, released in May 2024, includes many characters from his first book. He’s already planning a third mystery in the series.
About Norman’s Conquest
After surviving a near-fatal heart attack, Norman Pugsley, the grizzled managing editor of the Ottawa Daily Advocate, takes a buyout, anticipating a quiet retirement. Instead, he becomes entangled in his former newspaper’s investigation into a cold-case murder, a crime that decades earlier nearly torpedoed his career. As he delves deeper into the investigation, sparks fly with his former boss, a woman he once couldn’t stand. Readers are whisked into a world of quirky journalists, travel adventure and a protagonist who unexpectedly discovers his inner feminist.
Why do you write in the genres that you do?
I love injecting humor into my writing, and I think I have a knack for it. I also enjoy a good mystery. I blended both in my two novels: A Life of Bliss, a travel adventure published in 2021, and Norman’s Conquest, my latest murder mystery.
Are you more of a fan of plot-driven stories or character-driven stories?
The novels I enjoy need strong plots to engage my interest. But their characters must be compelling as well. I’m unlikely to stick with character-driven novels if very little happens, no matter how clever the writing. Nor will I love a plot-driven story with cardboard characters.
Fill in the blank: “People will like your book if they like stories about…”
People will like my book if they like stories about quirky characters and travel, told with humour and pace. Think Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club series, or Lessons in Chemistry’s Bonny Garmus.
What are your thoughts on typewriters?
Ask my wife – she has an affection for typewriters that has resulted in several vintage models scattered around our house. When I began my career as a journalist, I wrote all my stories – more than 1,000 in total – for nearly a decade on typewriters.
My verdict is unambiguous: writing on a typewriter sucks compared to writing on a computer. If you write something you don’t like on a typewriter, you’re less inclined to make changes because corrections are awkward. On a computer, you can try out various approaches quickly.
If you’re what writers call a “pantser,” that’s great. I want every sentence to be as good as it can be, so I’m always revising as I write. Doing that on a typewriter will only provoke expletives.
How do you name your characters?
I sometimes draw from familiar people and places. The last name of Norman Pugsley, my main character in Norman’s Conquest, was inspired by a street we have often driven. The moniker of another character, Jack Clifford, is my late father-in-law’s first and middle names.
I heard a child’s name being called at a beach last year and thought it would be a great name for a character. So, I used it.
Unfortunately, I also have a penchant for alliterative names: Bliss Browning, Renata Richter, Harrison Howard. I probably need to work on that.
What is your favorite website that you use to promote your writing?
I use my personal and author accounts on Facebook for most of my promotion. I’m also on X (Twitter). Instagram is popular, so I’m showing up there more often.
If Hollywood bought the rights to your book, would you want it to be turned into a movie or series?
If Hollywood came calling now, it would have to be a movie, methinks. But if I write more books featuring the same oddball characters, then – a series it is! I think they’re engaging enough that an audience would want more.
Who is your dream audiobook narrator?
My first thought was James Earl Jones. Who wouldn’t want the voice of Darth Vader to narrate their work? On the other hand, can he do humour?
Hmmm … Perhaps Ryan Reynolds would be a better choice. He’s Canadian and brought a wry sensibility to his movie role as Deadpool. He also voiced a garden snail in the 2013 film, Turbo. I think that’s the clincher.
How many words or pages do you typically write in one writing session?
I’m not one of those phenoms who dash off 5,000 words before breakfast. As a journalist, I was trained to produce clean, publishable copy. That’s kind of my mindset when I write fiction, which means the going sometimes can be slow. I aim to produce at least 500 words that please me but only rarely manage more than 1,000.
Do you have any writing rituals?
I write at my dining room table because my wife has taken over the home office completely. Is that a ritual?
What are your passions/obsessions outside of writing?
There’s a sign on my fridge that proclaims,
There is no sincerer love than the love of food.
I’m on side with that.
I do pretty much all the cooking in my household, and I’m happy to do so. I’m not quite a foodie, but I make a mean lentil soup. I also love travel, particularly to Europe. (Greece is a special favorite, as readers of my books will know.) Watching sports is another passion, though in deference to my wife, I mostly limit myself to highlight rather than entire games.
Have you made any public appearances to promote your book?
Is Simone Biles a decent gymnast? I had a strong book launch at one of Ottawa’s finest independent bookstores. Since then, I’ve been popping up everywhere at book signings.
Most shoppers ignore me, of course, but when I manage to engage, people often buy. It’s great fun to chat with people who want to read your novel.
I’ve had positive media coverage locally, and I continue to do events with other writers. And I do love book clubs.
Who would you most want to read your book?
I’d be thrilled if John Irving read and enjoyed Norman’s Conquest. I interviewed him once and I’m a huge fan of his novels, particularly The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Plus, Irving married a Canadian and got Canadian citizenship in 2019.
Are you a big reader? Do you own a large collection of books, or are you more of a borrower?
When I was young, I was a champion borrower. I’d take five or six books out of the library at a time, read them, return them and sign out another batch.
As an adult, I became a buyer. Over the years I’ve purchased hundreds – perhaps thousands – of books. My wife and I live in a small house, so we’ve been obliged to purge our collection several times in recent years, which always breaks our hearts. It’s never easy to dispose of something as precious as a book.
Have you ever gone away to work on a piece of writing? If not, where would you go if you could?
I have not, but when I was preparing to write my first novel, A Life of Bliss, I spent weeks in Greece, travelling to the places my character would go. That was incredibly helpful, providing reams of material. I’m pondering an Italian setting for my next novel, and the idea of spending more time in Abruzzo or Tuscany is beyond appealing.
What is an annoying thing that a non-writer has assumed about writers or the act of writing?
People who’ve never written more than their names but blithely assert that they intend to become novelists when they retire. The assumption is that no special skills are required. That gets up my snout.
How do you measure the success of your writing career?
Ha! Not by the financial rewards. My measure of success is simply hearing from people who’ve loved my novels or who ask questions about specific characters.
Consider this touching review, posted on Goodreads in 2023 by a stranger who bought my first book, A Life of Bliss, at a store signing.
As I was browsing around looking for a copy of Crime and Punishment, I saw this gentleman at the mouth of the store. My eye was immediately drawn to this display of books with a beautiful cover of blues, purples and a dash of various other colors.
On my way out of the store, I asked Don what the book was about. He began to describe, slowly at first, and perhaps with a little shyness. He soon began to unfold for me (with ever-growing enthusiasm) a tale of mystery, friendship, hope and love.
I could see from the glint in his eye the love that he put into this novel and found myself wanting to read his work if for no other reason than that alone. Boy oh boy! Am I ever glad I did.
This book is beautiful! I cannot find another word to describe it. It is beautifully written, full of hope, love, faith in others and most importantly, faith in oneself.
Thank you Don, for this beautiful gift that you have provided me. I will be reading this one more than a few times.
A reaction like that? That’s my measure of success.
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