Bold Journey Interview

I had the pleasure of being interviewed recently by Bold Journey magazine. 

We were lucky to catch up with Mark Love recently and have shared our conversation below. 

Mark, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I am always working on a new story (or two) and ideas for characters, dialogue and scenes are frequently coming to mind. This can be triggered by an action I witness or a conversation overhead. When this happens, I’ll jot down the idea in a notebook if I’m not close to a computer.

Part of this can also stem from my writing process. I don’t use an outline. They are too restrictive. So I’ll start with a main character and an idea or two to get the story rolling. Once that’s written, it may trigger another scene. Since I’m not writing sequentially, it’s similar to working on a jigsaw puzzle. I’ll write the scenes or the dialogue as they hit me. Later, I’ll go back and put them into some semblance of order. At that stage, I’ll read everything and determine whatever needs to be written to connect the pieces.

It’s not a logical approach, but no one ever said creativity had to be logical.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a mystery writer. That genre captured my attention from a very young age. As a storyteller, I focus on creating realistic characters and situations that the readers can identify with. None of my characters are perfect. They all have flaws, to go with their strengths and weaknesses. All my stories take place in Michigan, mostly centered around Detroit and the suburbs. The locations are a major part of each book. I love it when readers contact me and say “I’ve been here! I know this restaurant”.

Before starting on mysteries, I worked for five years as a freelance reporter for a couple of newspapers around Detroit. Not only did that provide me with great experience, but it also served as the inspiration for my two main characters.
I write two different mystery series. The Jefferson Chene novels are about a squad of detectives working for the Michigan State Police, investigating major cases in the metro Detroit area. Most of these are homicides and the investigations cross several city and county boundaries.

The Jamie Richmond books are about a young woman who was an investigative journalist for ten years before deciding to take her skills, experience and contacts and pursue her passion of writing mysteries. Each time Jamie is working on a new book, she stumbles upon an actual crime. She can’t let it rest until she figures it out.

In the first book, she also begins a romantic relationship with a guy who is a police officer. So there’s a bit of romance in these stories. With a last name of Love, an editor told me that’s expected. Love really is my name.

Both series are written in the first person. While it can be a challenge writing the Jamie stories, I’ve had many compliments for how well I’ve captured the character and portrayed her.

Writing is one of my passions. When I create a story that can entertain the reader, capturing their interest and offering an escape from their day, that’s my motivation to keep writing.

One of my favorite opportunities is participating in festivals where I can sell my books. Interacting with readers and pitching my stories can be a lot of work, but it’s also fun. At times, it’s like being on stage, ready to perform. I try to find a way to connect with shoppers. In the Jamie Richmond series, Jamie is a redhead. If a young lady with red hair passes my table, I’ve been known to ask if she modeled for one of the book covers. That usually leads to a smile and often, a sale.

I also teach business courses at a local college. As a storyteller, I use my creative writing skills to engage the students, drawing them into the material. Often, I include some escapades from my own work experience to keep the discussions going.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

As a writer, you have to be observant. That means paying attention to details that can make or break your story. I’ve watched people interacting at restaurants and social gatherings. You can learn a lot about characters by observing their body language alone. If you’re close enough to overhear the conversation, that can open many possibilities for your characters. If you’re writing a contemporary story, like I do, you’ll discover that few people speak in perfect sentences. Realistic dialogue can really move your story along.

A thirst for knowledge is essential. I don’t know everything. But I don’t hesitate to reach out to people with different experiences and interview them. I’ve talked to police officers, doctors, lawyers, aerobics instructors, criminologists, teachers and a Civil War buff. One of my favorite interviews was with a woman who trained human remains dogs. The details she shared worked out perfectly for the beginning of “The Wayward Path” .

I discovered early on that outlines are too restrictive for me. Some people insist on plotting everything out with an outline. You need to determine what method works best for you.

Don’t try to get the story perfect the first time. You’ll drive yourself crazy. Just write! There will be plenty of time later to edit the work. Nobody gets it right the first time. The main thing is to write. Whether it’s on the computer, a voice recording or in a notebook, just write.

I highly recommend joining a writer’s group. It’s been my good fortune to be part of a couple over the years. The feedback can be reassuring and helpful. My current group has about twenty people in it. We meet each month and anyone who wants to share a bit from their latest project can read aloud for up to seven minutes. The others share their reactions and offer suggestions. It’s all constructive criticism. There are people writing from different genres, including poetry. 

As a writer, you need to develop a thick skin. Rejections happen. But one publisher or magazine’s rejection can be another one’s gold. Keep writing.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Marketing and promotion are my greatest challenge. It’s an important task for any writer. You could have written the greatest story ever, but it will never get off the shelves if you can’t get the attention of potential readers. Like many authors, I don’t have an extensive budget for marketing. So you do the best you can with what you have to work with.
I try to post on different social media sites, such as Instagram, Twitter (X) and Facebook with some frequency. The personal appearances at local libraries and festivals helps too. There are a few different services I’ve tried too. There are so many out there, it’s difficult to find the best ones. Measuring the return on your investment is never easy. Your marketing efforts should lead to sales.
​
I have also appeared on several podcasts. That’s another avenue I need to explore further. Being interviewed or reading scenes from one of the books can be a great way to connect with readers