“As for whether genre considerations influence what I write, they don't at all, but I might sell more books if they did. The Night Journal is a hodge-podge of historical fiction, western, mystery, and contemporary domestic drama. It doesn't settle into a specific market, reviewers have a hard time describing it, and sometimes it gets classified weirdly in bookstores. But from a writer's standpoint, I like that it's hard to categorize.” IfsWritingBookSometimesHardMightNightFictionMysteryInfluenceDramaSellsHistoricalWesternContemporaryGenreSettlingHard TimesConsiderationHistorical FictionJournalDescribingStandpointBookstoresReviewers Author:Elizabeth Crook
“It seems like the Western genre has crept out of its casings during the last few years, and expanded to include books and movies we wouldn't originally have thought of as westerns.” YearsBookSeemsLastsWesternGenreBooks And Movies Author:Elizabeth Crook
“The defining aspects of westerns are still pretty much in place - namely landscape and conflict. In other books the conflict can be internal, but in westerns it usually plays out on a big stage.” StillsBookPlayBigsStageConflictAspectLandscapeInternalsDefining Author:Elizabeth Crook
“The author with the greatest influence on me is my friend Stephen Harrigan, who critiques everything I write before I even bother to show it to my agent or editor. He's a truly great writer - author of Gates of the Alamo and other books you might know of, and his instincts about what's working in a story, and what's not, are just about perfect. My books would be very different without his influence.” KnowsWritingBookDifferentStoriesShowsMightWould BePerfectInfluenceMy FriendsInstinctAgentsBotherGatesEditorsCritiqueGreat WritersAlamo Author:Elizabeth Crook
“As for anticipation, you never know what to expect of a book. They're like kids: you bring them into the world, fret about them, and then at some point there's no other option but to turn them lose and see how they do.” KnowsWorldBookKidsTurnsLosesAnticipation Author:Elizabeth Crook
“I knew from previous books not to count on anything in terms of sales. My first novel - -The Raven's Bride, about Sam Houston's disastrous first marriage - -sold well and got attention, but my second book - -Promised Lands, about the Texas Revolution - -didn't.” FirstsWellsBookTermAttentionNovelLandRevolutionTexasBridesHoustonRavensPromised Land Author:Elizabeth Crook
“Promised Lands was a better book in my opinion, and it's still my mother's favorite of the three I've done, but I doubt anyone who isn't a blood relative has ever heard of it. Which is to say expectations aren't worth much in the book world.” WorldStillsBookDoneMotherThreeOpinionDoubtHeardBloodLandExpectationsRelativePromised LandBlood Relatives Author:Elizabeth Crook
“I love the writers in Austin. We stick together. We all like each other and go to each other's book signings in case no one else shows up.” BookShowsTogetherCasesSticksSigningAustin Author:Elizabeth Crook
“I'm halfway through a novel set in two time frames - Austin in the 1960's and Alpine (Texas) in present day. It started out to be a small, lighthearted, humorous book about family relationships; I was tired of writing war stories and tragedies.” WritingTwoBookWarStoriesNovelHumorousTragedyTiredTexas1960sHalfwayPresent DayAbout FamilyAustinFamily RelationshipWar StoriesAlpine Author:Elizabeth Crook
“Angle of Repose is one of my favorite books. I fell in love with it in college. When I submitted The Night Journal to my agent she got very excited because she said it reminded her of Angle of Repose.” SaidBookNightCollegeMy FavoriteExcitedAgentsJournalAngleReposeFavorite Book Author:Elizabeth Crook
“I'd be a dope to compare my writing with Wallace Stegner's, but that book probably influenced me in ways I didn't even realize while I was writing The Night Journal.” WayWritingBookNightRealizingCompareJournalDope Author:Elizabeth Crook
