“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
“I changed my hopes to being a singer [when I was a child] and sat around with my hair in my face droning Mac Davis songs. Writing was sort of a last stand. Come to think of it, it was the only "talent" I had that anyone asked for more of.” ThinkingWritingChildrenLastsFacesSongTalentChangedHairSingersSatMacsLast Stand 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
“The Night Journal received two awards that I'm terribly proud of - -the Spur from Western Writers of America, and the Willa Literary Award from Women Writing the West. Both these groups are filled with great writers and good people.” PeopleWritingTwoAmericaNightGroupsProudFilledWestWesternAwardsGood PeopleJournalSpursGreat Writers Author:Elizabeth Crook
“It took me ten years to write The Night Journal, so that was a big ordeal.” WritingYearsBigsNightTenJournalOrdeals 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
“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
