>Seven Questions With William Cooper

>Broken Bones, Mended Hearts
By William Cooper
eBook, Dreamspinner Press, May 2010

Periodically, I’ll be featuring a short interview with an author here. My first victim … er, guest is Dreamspinner author William Cooper. Special thanks to Rachel West for the e-introduction!

Let’s start with the basics: what’s your story about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

My story is about two college guys who’ve been best friends for years. After Noah, the main character, is attacked outside the library, Mark realizes how much he really cares for his best friend.

How did you get started writing fiction?

I started writing fiction back in middle school. My seventh grade teacher gave us an assignment—take one of our favorite novels and rewrite the ending to it. Ever since then, I’ve been writing non-stop.

Where did the inspiration for “Broken Bones, Mended Hearts” come from?

In part, it’s based on my own best friend. Like Mark, my best friend has always been there for me through everything. (Though sadly, he doesn’t have a romantic interest in me.)

The story was originally written for Dreamspinner’s A Brush of Wings anthology. When I read the prompt about stories about angels, I thought of a figurative angel, rather than a literal one. And Mark is Noah’s angel.

How much time do you spending writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

I try to write every day. Some days I only manage to get a couple paragraphs done, others I’m practically glued to my keyboard. I have a whole folder filled with random scenes and drabbles that I popped into my head that I had to write down. Some I’ll probably never use, but occasionally I go back through them and add to them or use them in a WIP.

How do you write, physically speaking? Longhand, laptop, desktop, inside or out, at a desk, comfy chair, in bed?

90% of my writing is done on my laptop. I write pretty much wherever I am—at home at my desk, in the middle of my Ancient Literature class, or even while I’m working at the flea market. I always have a notebook with me in case I need to jot down a quick scene or idea. A large part of “Broken Bones, Mended Hearts” was written during my British Literature class. (Sorry, Dr. Chuska.)

What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you? What comes easiest?

The hardest part of the writing process is the waiting. I’m extremely impatient so I’m constantly pacing waiting for replies. It seems like a lot of the writing process is waiting—waiting for your beta reader, waiting for an acceptance/rejection, waiting for edits, waiting for a proof copy, waiting for a cover and then waiting for release. Sometimes I think I’m in the wrong field when I think about all the waiting I have to do.

The easiest part is coming up with the story. I’ve constantly got stories floating around in my head so it’s not hard to pick one and turn it into words. (Although it’s hard to stick to one very long sometimes.)

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

My long-term goal is to make my living as a writer. I’d love to be able to spend my days writing and get paid for it. Maybe then my friends will stop looking at me like I’m mental when I say I’d rather sit home and write then go out to a party.