When and why did you begin writing?
My first poem was triggered by acute personal tensions; through writing it, I got some sense of control over those tensions.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
From my early 20s, though it took a long time for my opinion to be vindicated.
Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?
My first area of writing was abstract and speculative. I was motivated to try the area of romance and fantasy by a close friend and fellow writer.
What is the most important thing that people DON’T know about your subject/genre that they need to know?
My speculative readers need to know my romance work, and vice versa, to see that the two areas complement each other.
What have you written so far?
My first collection of poetry and prose, Exacting Modality of the World Web, was published by Café Books in 1970; A Chip off the Old Block was published by Aloes Press in 1973; Nothing Hero was self-published in 1984; my collection Prickling Counterpoints was published by Deadline Books in 1996; my novellas High Wired On and Self’s Blossom were published in paperback in 2002 by Public Press. Self’s Blossom was republished as an e-book by Silk’s Vault publishing, then by Extasy, then by Atla. My other romance stories were published by Extasy between 2010 and 2015: An Ecstatic Rendezvous; Darlene; Dreamtime Sensuality; Explorations; Further Explorations; Fools’ Paradise and Therapy Rapture.
Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures?
I did not use any marketing techniques. My sales figures were always low.
Did you make any marketing mistakes that you would avoid in the future?
I assumed that a large number of reviews would mean substantial sales.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I have a tendency to abstraction, and have a struggle to make my characters feel like flesh and blood; dialogue is always problematical for me.
What do you like to read in your free time?
Quite a lot of history.
If there was one thing you could do to change the world, what would it be?
Remove greed and power from the minds of the leaders.
Who or what inspires your writing?
I am inspired both by people I have met, and by my own desires and fantasies.
What is one thing you hate about being a writer?
I feel some sense of guilt about it being a soft option, instead of facing the real issue of life head on.
Learn more about David Russell:
Waking Writer 