Apologies all around. I'm running a little late with posting, but I'm also a little under the weather. I blame the fluctuating temperatures. Sixty-five Fahrenheit in January, then back down to near-freezing? Nonsense! 

But I'll tell you what isn't nonsense, and that's this month's interview for Ask An Author. We got GA's finest Signature Author when it comes to historical fiction, folks. Before I go back down for another nap, here's @Mark Arbour!

• • • • •

Mark Arbour

33 Stories / 6,722,174 Words 

Okay, Mark, when did the writing begin? Here on GA, the first story of CAP started posting in December 2010. Was there anything before?

I actually started writing in 2008, and I posted on GA before 2010.  We had a big switch to a new system in 2010, and all of the copyright bylines changed to 2010.  The first place I posted was Nifty.

How do you manage to have two incredible series on the go at the same time and yet so wildly different?

First of all, thanks for calling my sagas 'incredible'.  This actually works out well for me, because sometimes I'll hit a mental dead end on one story, so if I still want to write, I have another one to focus on.

What is it like to handle reader expectations as such as successful author on GA?

The readers here are awesome!  I have known some of the people on this site for 20 years!  My readers understand that life sometimes steps in and derails me, and I get gentle pressure if I haven't posted in a while, but I find that if I'm relatively consistent, they're happy and I'm happy.  And when I have challenges and I share that with them, no one rallies around me more strongly than them.

Between the two series do you have a favourite?

I really don't.  Which one is my favorite depends on my current mood.  Looking at it, you'd think it was CAP because there are a lot more chapters in that saga, but that's not really representative of how I feel.  Bridgemont just takes a lot more research so it is slower.

And is there a favourite character for you, between Will and George, for example?

Let me answer that a different way.  I was asked recently if I was like any of my characters.  When I was younger, I was most like Brad but without his self confidence.  As I've gotten older, I've gotten more thoughtful, so start with Brad and blend in JP.  JP and Granger are my aspirational characters.  

The research for Bridgemont seems impeccable.  How do/did you go about it?

That is a lot of work.  For example, I was just working on the scene where Granger meets Napoleon, so I had to dig around on the internet to find floorplans and pictures/paintings of the Tuileries.  The thing that makes it easier is that I've been a fan of that era since I first read "Beat to Quarters" by CS Forester when I was 12.  Probably the biggest challenge (and my favorite Bridgemont story) was Odyssey, mostly because of the timing. The bookends were the Spithead Mutiny and the Battle of the Nile.

My biggest CAP research challenge was 9-11, because that is still such a raw wound, and the last thing I wanted to do was screw it up and piss off someone who dealt with a loss on that fateful day.

You often refer in comments to your “team”. What is their role?

I could not do this by myself, nor would I want to.  I have editors who try to catch my errors and I have beta readers who help me keep the story consistent.  Sharon (SAT8997) was my first editor and stuck with me throughout my writing, although now she kind of lazily sits on the sidelines (ducks).  Methodwriter has been my muse for the CAP saga.  I also have what I call a meta-editor, who does both functions (editing and beta reading) and must be incredibly detail oriented.  That person is basically my right hand 'man'.   For years, that function was filled by Peter A. Nonymous, but sadly he was struck with dementia.  He still helped me out, but as it took over more and more of his brain, it became harder for him to edit.  I was really hit hard by that, and contemplated quitting writing, but then Impunity volunteered to help me out, and she is absolutely amazing.  She is the main reason I persevered. 

Finally, just how do you stay so productive? 

The productivity usually comes from an idea.  I'll be thinking of my sagas and I'll dream up a new plan for the characters, and that will almost possess me.  I'll crank out a bunch of chapters, then calm my ass down and focus on editing them.  My team will tell you all about it, because we'll be coasting along and then suddenly there are five chapters posted for editing.

• • • • •

Thanks for the interview, Mark! It was fun to read your responses. 

As for the rest of y'all, make sure to send me some questions for future Ask An Author articles via PM. If you can't come up with questions, you can list an author for me to send some of my own! 

Until next month!