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Danielle Steel
Honour Thyself
Where do you get your ideas for writing your popular novels?
This is one of the hardest questions for any writer to answer. A book begins
with an image or character or situation that I care about deeply. Over weeks
and months - it's a long process! - of taking notes and writing scenes, I
become immersed in this world. At that point, ideas begin bubbling up
almost of their own accord. The world gradually takes shape, the characters
become real, and suddenly I'm just a bystander in the unfolding drama.
When did you start your writing career?
I started writing stories as a child. In my late teenage years, I developed a
real passion for it, and wrote a lot of poetry. I completed my first novel
when I was 19 years old.
How did you get your first book published?
The usual way – through a long series of rejections, revising my manuscripts,
and kept trying again and again. Finally I was fortunate enough to find a
good agent.
Can you name an author you really admire and/or what's a
favorite book?
Well, I always go back to the classics. I love French literature. Colette is a
special favorite of mine. At the moment, I'm enjoying John Grisham quite a
bit.
If you have any pets, what are they?
I have FIVE miniature Brussel Griffon dogs, one rabbit, one parakeet,
and a Vietnamese pot bellied pig named Coco! What a zoo!
What's a favorite book that you have written?
This always changes! It's often the last book I've written, just because I
become so involved in it. Right now, MESSAGE FROM NAM, FIVE DAYS IN
PARIS, and KALEIDOSCOPE stand out.
Do you write sequels?
No, I never do sequels . They're an invitation to unfavorable comparison,
and I've got too many new stories to tell?
Are your books based on real people and/or your life?
Never on real people, and virtually never on my own life. I prefer to
create fiction, and not be bound by "real" people in my work.
How long does a novel take for you to write?
From beginning to end, the entire process takes about 2 1/2 years.
Did you study writing in school?
No, never did. I studied literature design and fashion design. Who knows,
maybe I missed out on something important - then again, maybe not!
How do you make time to write books and still keep a family?
This is a hard one. I don't sleep! My kids are more precious to me than
anything. I'm with them all day, and I write all night.
Interview Date: 2004
Profile and questions compiled by Rosanne L., Matthews Branch Library
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