Writing a book can take anywhere from a few hours to a few decades. It’s all up to the author how fast the story comes to them, how much time they have to devote to their writing, and how much they want to play around with their story and characters. R. Douglas Clark is using his time in retirement to write. As a result, he has published a suspense book titled Dangerous Crossing. Below is my interview with Clark about the book, his writing process, and links to buy so that his several years of hard work can be read and enjoyed by his intended audience.
About R. Douglas Clark
Genre: Suspense
Author links (links will open in a new tab)
Links to buy
Amazon
Dangerous Crossing book summary
It looked like a simple case of blackmail for sexual misconduct. But when Eddie Maez, a prize-winning journalist, is asked to investigate, he finds himself dragged into a thicket of drug smuggling, human trafficking and illegal sports betting in the treacherous borderland of south Texas. Across the Rio Grande another threat looms: drug kingpin El Flaco is determined to get his share of the black market in the U.S.A.
Book excerpt: Pages 79-80
They came to a checkpoint.
It was one of those temporary checkpoints that the Border Patrol set up in remote areas to deter smuggling—of goods or of people—a kind of guerilla tactic dreamed up in Washington that was more bother than it was worth. A singlewide trailer, borrowed from the Parks Dept., provided an office, an interrogation room and two jail cells. At night, bright spotlights lit up the little operation, giving the misapprehension that it was bigger and tougher than it actually was. At 3:30 on a weekday night, it was staffed by two cops, one of each gender. The male cop was an old veteran whose face was severely wrinkled from heavy smoking, just putting in his time and counting the days until he could retire with a pension. The female was a young woman who wore black lipstick and heavy mascara. Eddie thought it was strange that the two truckers would not try to avoid the checkpoint. Surely they know about it. There were bumpy back roads that skirted the checkpoint, unmanned roads the farmers used to transport soybeans, okra, sugar cane—and farm workers, both legal and illegal.
The female cop was on duty for westbound traffic; the male had the eastbound side. The truck slowed down and the officer came out to meet it. Eddie pulled up as far as he could, hoping he could hear the conversation.
“IDs please,” said the grizzled cop. The driver handed over their driver’s licenses. The cop looked at the IDs, then back to the truckers. “Proof of citizenship,” he said.
The driver had a passport and his buddy had a birth certificate. The cop studied them briefly.
“What are you hauling?” he asked.
Review excerpts
“Clark’s attention to detail, whether it’s building relationships or probing the associations that lead people down dark paths, is very nicely done. The characters, their motivations, and their logical decision-making skills are clear and realistic, lending a powerful atmosphere to the overall intrigue and evolving dangers.” – Diane Donovan, Senior Midwest Book Reviewer; Donovan’s Literary Services
“The biggest focus of the novel has to be on the author’s amazing character development. The characters all felt real, allowing the reader to not only relate to them but to feel their own internal struggles and emotions as the events around them unfolded.” – Anthony Avina; author, journalist, and blogger
Talking Shop
What do you want readers to take away from your book?
Several things: a good story well-told; a feeling for the landscape of south Texas; a view of the broad spectrum of human capacity, from cruelty to caring, from selfishness to giving, from cold-blooded to warm-hearted.
What is a fun or strange source of information that ended up in your book?
The lifecycle of a shrimp. In the book, undocumented workers are delivered to a shrimp processing plant where they take in the catch of shrimp and prepare them for sale. See pg. 161
How long did it take to write your book?
Approximately five years. During that time, there were long periods (months) when I didn’t even think about it. Then I would work on it again with fresh eyes.
How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have formal training?
I didn’t think of myself as a writer until I retired and was able to write full-time. The only training I had was papers I wrote in college and my thesis while in grad school (where I studied music, not writing). The best training I got was reading, a lot of reading, mostly of fiction. And of course, I am still learning how to craft a novel.
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of great writers?
James Baldwin, Cormac McCarthy, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mark Twain
How well do you handle criticism? Do you ever use that criticism to change your story?
I am able to take criticism when it is warranted or leave it when it is not. I frequently will change something in the story due to justified criticism. In my previous book, I changed one character from a gay man to a straight woman.
What is the most fun part about writing? The most difficult?
The most fun is when I don’t know where I’m going, but I am figuring it out as I go. Writing is a form of thinking. The most difficult thing for me is plotting or resolving issues with the plot.
“What if” Scenarios
If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?
Raymond Chandler. I like his noir writing style and I like the moral dilemmas in which he puts his characters.
If you could be in a writer’s group with four famous writers, who would they be?
James Lee Burke, Richard Price, Jennifer Egan, Zadie Smith
Your book becomes a best-seller. What do you do next?
Hire a housekeeper to clean the house and keep writing.
Would you rather own your own bookstore or your own publishing house?
Publishing house. I would publish gorgeous coffee table books of black-and-white photography and color reproductions of contemporary paintings.
What famous artist or photographer would you want to create your book cover image?
Alex MacLean. He is an aerial photographer who finds patterns on the ground that can only be seen from the air. I don’t think he has ever done a book cover.
Just for Fun
A piece of music that changed your life.
Astor Piazzolla’s tango music. He was an Argentine-American composer (1921-92) who plays the bandoneon, an accordion-like instrument native to Argentina. When I walked into a record shop (remember those?) that was playing some of his music, I was transfixed and became obsessed with Piazzolla’s music.
Favorite place you have visited or you want to visit.
Mexico. I’ve been to Mexico several times, but there are still places I want to visit there, including Mexico City. Mexico is a vibrant and varied country that I never tire of. It would also be a great inspiration for a book setting.
Your favorite podcast.
Fresh Air, hosted by Terri Gross. Fresh Air (on NPR) covers a broad range of topics, especially politics and the arts. Terri always has interesting guests and is a probing interviewer.
A book that you recommend everyone reads.
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. This is a little jewel of a book. Written 75 years ago, it still holds up wonderfully. It is a very human story, and also very funny. Read it!
Celebrity you’d want to be friends with.
Michael Chabon. He has a rich imagination and a great sense of humor. I think he’d be fun to hang out with, plus I’d like to quiz him for writing tips.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of Dangerous Crossing here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
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Insightful interview, Laura. I enjoyed reading about his process. And late (like mine) foray into the craft. Inspiring stuff!
Thanks for reading! It always helps me to learn about other authors’ history and process as well.