YA author Roger Leslie is back on the blog. We’re chatting about his new LGBTQ+ young adult novel, No Stranger Christmas.
Bio:
Dr. Roger Leslie is an author, editor, publisher, and inspirational teacher. He discovered his life’s mission following the light that emerged from his youthful struggle to reconcile his sexual orientation with his spirituality. Once he found his soul, he has lived from it to inspire people to live the life they dream and empower them to follow their unique spiritual destiny.
Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews, Roger.
What inspired you to write this book?
My readers know that I write in numerous nonfiction and fiction genres. I love the challenge of trying something I’ve never written before. Not long ago, I felt inspired to write a Christmas novel. Like most people, I love the spirit of the holidays. The idea of adding a work to inspire readers while sharing the magic I feel during this special season delighted me. So, I dove right in and started writing. Ultimately, it became a story of family, creativity, art, self-worth, and first love.
What’s the next writing project?
I’m always working on several books simultaneously. The next scheduled published work is Being Mr. Leslie: What My Students Taught Me about Teaching and Life. It’s a collection of individual vignettes dedicated to former students who helped me find my niche as a teacher, and who helped me come into my own as a man. Publication is set for May 2025.
What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
The biggest challenge when writing a new book is to get my well-meaning but meddlesome “editor brain” out of the way to let my “creative brain” set free the book already inside me waiting to come out next. It’s a conflict with which nearly every one of my writer clients struggles. My advice is always: In the first draft, don’t get it right, get it written. Once your subconscious has delivered a first draft that’s powerful to you, then use your conscious-level editing brain to revise the work so it’s most powerful for readers.
If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
Continuing the advice I offer in the previous question, I bookend my research. When I have a writing idea, I begin by researching what other books are already out similar to the idea percolating in my brain. Authors must ensure that we’re offering the world something original. If the topic has already been covered, then I either abandon that project or come up with a new perspective on the topic so my book resonates with insight and originality. Then I write and write and revise and revise. During the revision process, I make a list of notes about details I must research to make every scene accurate and engrossing. A good editor also helps identify what concepts need more depth and what details don’t seem accurate, or accurate enough not to distract readers from the theme of the book.
What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.
I almost always write at my desk in my office. My L-shaped cherry wood desk is in the corner of a general work area that includes my interview corral (with studio lights, microphone, and laptop) and personal library of books I’ve collected and cherished my whole life. Above my computer screen is a window. Every morning, I open the blinds to see the sky and the tops of trees in a wooded area across from my house.
What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?
My taste in authors is as varied as my penchant for writing in as many different genres of fiction and nonfiction as I can. Whatever I’m inspired to write, I’m excited about the challenge of tackling it—especially if it’s in a genre I haven’t written before. But as a former English teacher, I have always loved the classics. So, often I’ll return again and again to such stellar authors as James Baldwin, Carson McCullers, and Isak Dinesen. More contemporary giants include Toni Morrison and Amy Tan.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?
Listen to your still, small voice within. Trust it. It has all the answers you’ll ever need to lead a life of passion, promise, and fulfillment. If you have a passion to write a book, I am a writing coach, editor, and publisher. I’d love to help make your dreams come true.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Amazon Author
Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!