Born?
Small-town coal-mining southwestern Pennsylvania.
Grew up?
Ditto. On a dairy farm. Lots of cows and chickens and cats and dogs. Horses and pigs. The occasional rabbit and duck. No sheep.
College?
Oh, yeah. It took me twenty years, but I finally did graduate.
Career choice?
I don't think I made one. First job was as a negative stripper for a college yearbook company. Worked for the phone company, the ARCO pipeline project, and then spent quite a few years working in the film industry.
Small-town coal-mining southwestern Pennsylvania.
Grew up?
Ditto. On a dairy farm. Lots of cows and chickens and cats and dogs. Horses and pigs. The occasional rabbit and duck. No sheep.
College?
Oh, yeah. It took me twenty years, but I finally did graduate.
Career choice?
I don't think I made one. First job was as a negative stripper for a college yearbook company. Worked for the phone company, the ARCO pipeline project, and then spent quite a few years working in the film industry.
Doing what?
Dialogue replacement work.
What took you to California in the first place?
It was as far away as I could get from coal mines.
When did you first start writing?
Third grade. A story about a witch who lived in a tree.
Do you still have it?
Fortunately, no. I don't have any of my anguished adolescent poetry, either.
First published novel?
The first one I admit to is LORD FAIRCHILD'S DAUGHTER.
Did you have an agent?
Yes.
Any rejections on that first novel?
One. I submitted the manuscript myself and it came back unread and with coffee stains on the first page.
How many books have you written?
At last count, forty-three.
Married?
Yes.
Children?
No.
Pets?
Cats. Always.
Dialogue replacement work.
What took you to California in the first place?
It was as far away as I could get from coal mines.
When did you first start writing?
Third grade. A story about a witch who lived in a tree.
Do you still have it?
Fortunately, no. I don't have any of my anguished adolescent poetry, either.
First published novel?
The first one I admit to is LORD FAIRCHILD'S DAUGHTER.
Did you have an agent?
Yes.
Any rejections on that first novel?
One. I submitted the manuscript myself and it came back unread and with coffee stains on the first page.
How many books have you written?
At last count, forty-three.
Married?
Yes.
Children?
No.
Pets?
Cats. Always.
Other interests?
Writing is my passion. Reading comes next. Then music; I play harp, dulcimer, piano. Occasionally I have needlepoint fits. There was even a loom around for a while. We have roses growing everywhere, but they pretty much fend for themselves.
How often do you write?
Every day. For several hours.
So you're disciplined.
In regard to that, yes.
You've written other things than books.
And bad poetry? Yes. Screenplays, advertising copy, pamphlets, educational and industrial film narration. Pretty much everything.
Why do you write primarily historical fiction?
I write humor. I don't find much humor in the world today.
Does that mean you'll never write a contemporary romance?
No. I started a contemporary novel at one point and will eventually finish it. Maybe in twenty years.
Future plans?
Keep writing. Be happy. Have fun.
Will there be more vampires in your future?
That depends. I'd originally planned a trilogy.
Is it really easier to write a bio this way?
Yes, yes, yes.
Writing is my passion. Reading comes next. Then music; I play harp, dulcimer, piano. Occasionally I have needlepoint fits. There was even a loom around for a while. We have roses growing everywhere, but they pretty much fend for themselves.
How often do you write?
Every day. For several hours.
So you're disciplined.
In regard to that, yes.
You've written other things than books.
And bad poetry? Yes. Screenplays, advertising copy, pamphlets, educational and industrial film narration. Pretty much everything.
Why do you write primarily historical fiction?
I write humor. I don't find much humor in the world today.
Does that mean you'll never write a contemporary romance?
No. I started a contemporary novel at one point and will eventually finish it. Maybe in twenty years.
Future plans?
Keep writing. Be happy. Have fun.
Will there be more vampires in your future?
That depends. I'd originally planned a trilogy.
Is it really easier to write a bio this way?
Yes, yes, yes.
Crescent Blues did a very nice on-line interview. Check it out at
http://www.crescentblues.com/7_3issue/int_mackeever.shtml
http://www.crescentblues.com/7_3issue/int_mackeever.shtml
