Author Interview - Ronie Kendig - Part II

Author Ronie Kendig and I continue our interview.

3. We're all interested in time management issues. How do you balance family and writing?

This is quite the challenge, but (after God) the family comes first. I homeschool my four children, and that creates its own challenges in and of itself. However, my family has been wholly supportive of my writing career, and so they know that during the day, I'm (mostly) available to them (sometimes there are glitches, but we roll with it). After dinner, I go into my office and close the door. I have a doorhanger that I put on the knob. If that's there, they know they must fend for themselves or seek their father for help. I will typically write from 7/8 pm till midnight or one AM.

4. How do you get ideas for your plots? Do you start with characters or a storyline?

Many, many places. I'd like to think of myself as a student of people. I study them, my mind racing through scenarios and wondering why they did what they did. Or movies. Recently, I watched a movie that, to me, had an enviable concept, but the writer/director completely failed it. To me that was infuriating, so it made me want to approach a similar concept but with a much more satisfying conclusion and character arc. It's that inevitable WHAT IF springboard.

Although I haven't read Ronie's book, Dead Reckoning, it's on my Wish List.

Thanks, Ronie, for hanging out with us here the last couple of weeks. We pray the Lord will bless you and your family.