Interview & Contest: NM Singel

N.M: I’m an only child so writing has always been my escape into other worlds. But my “ah-ha” moment came in college. I studied theater and English at Purdue University. While rehearsing for a performance of Hot L Baltimore, the director asked us to write a short excerpt about our character. A two paragraph blub became a full-fledged short story with people wanting more. An acting professor once told the class to only be an actor if it was something you had to do…not something you wanted to do. I knew I had to write. Good advice because that’s the “it factor” that you need when times get tough…keeps your fingers on the keyboard.

N.M: They’re very supportive. Writing is a career path that comes with many potholes. To have such a wonderful team behind me is a real luxury.

N.M: Movie on a page. (okay , that’s four)

N.M: I’m a morning writer so I get up early. Certainly the most creative part of the day for me. Afternoon is research time. It’s a great time to switch on the sponge part of my brain and absorb what I can.

N.M: Challenging: Page one. That blank page is staring back, white, blank and saying, “go ahead…show me what ya got.” The story is racing around my head like a bull trying to get out of its pen. Now I have to wrangle that wild beast and put it some sort of order…always challenging.

Easiest: Last page. The beast has been tamed.

N.M: Blake. He’s more complex than even he knows. The result is a hero who’s a bit unorthodox…a quality I really like in a good guy.

N.M: Only five? Wow. I think writers cobble together pieces from every corner of life. But I have a few that always seem to talk to me.

• Shakespeare. Did you really write those plays? (Promise I won’t tell anyone.)
• Hemmingway. Was it all that fishing or all that drinking that helped you write such great literature? Oh, wait, maybe I don’t want to know the answer to that one.
• Twain. What’s with the white suit?
• Mozart. Listen to this. It’s called Rock and Roll. What do you think?
• Da Vinci. This is a computer, Mr. Da Vinci. Yikes, better not ask that question.

N.M: I’ve always been sort of an astronomy geek. The telescope, the star pointer, the whole celestial shabang is in a corner of my office. If I could dream of doing something amazing, I’d love to be a space tourist.

N.M: Home improvement or at least I think its improvement. I’ll watch HGTV and think, yeah, I can do that but then reality hits. There’s usually a glaring moment in the project when I understand why they’re the pros. That’s when I’m happy to get back to my writing.

N.M: Yes… here it is:

N.M: Book II : The Secret of the Sun

N.M: www.NMSingel.com or www.thewickedpassage.com

N.M: Do you prefer paper or plastic? I know diehard print book fans. They like the feel and smell of the pages. And I know others that don’t go anywhere without their e-readers. I suppose it’s a personal preference, but it’s a brave new world out there. Exciting to watch.