Hello,
I hope you're reading this because you're looking for a place to discuss my books. If you liked any one of them, or something about them, then thank you for visiting and I'm glad if I was able to give you some entertainment. If you didn't like one of them, or something about one of them, then please get it out in the open here; you'll feel better, I'll read it, and I'll let you know why I wrote it the way I did.
I started writing books because so few people were writing books that I wanted to read. It seemed like there were more authors every day, but most of them were aiming at a specialty niche in the reading public. I wanted to read about exciting events, advanced science, and people who could deal with their problems in an intelligent, competent manner. I'm not interested in characters with big flaws; perhaps some readers think that makes them more accessible, I think it gets in the way of the story. I prefer my neighbors and acquaintances to keep their clothes on and indulge their flaws in the privacy of their homes. My characters are not meant to be super men or women, but many of them are from the special forces community, and I think it is out of character for them to make stupid mistakes, especially in military matters.
Perhaps you're here to complain that I don't describe my characters very well. You've finished the fourth Tau book and don't even know what the color of Bob Kosciusko's hair is. Let me just say that Richard Dean Anderson would be perfect to play him if I am ever so lucky as to have any of my books made into a movie. Yes, I know, I'm a dreamer. Well, duh, I'm a writer. But now that I've said that, he's fixed in your minds, it's hard for you to imagine someone else playing him. He's pinned down. Already I'm regretting giving you that much of an idea of his appearance. I'm not interested in pinning down my characters, anymore than I would want someone to pin me down. So, it's a flaw, or it's a feature, take your pick.
To me, what matters is the story, not the characters or setting, although the setting is often important to the event. I like to think I describe some of the settings in a competent manner, but when I start to do the same thing to a character, they complain. On the other hand, there are a few hot ladies in my stories, and they don't seem to mind if I spend a few lines adoring them in their particulars, so maybe it's just my personal preference.
Anyway, let's move on. It's your turn.
Rick Lockwood
