Meet the Author: Dennis De Rose
This week in our ongoing "Meet the Author" series, we spoke with Dennis De Rose, author of Bristlecone Magic.
Dennis De Rose has been editing mostly fiction for over ten years. He caught the writing bug about eight years ago when he began writing a diary. A local ASPCA hosted a writing contest when he was in the sixth grade. He won an Honorable Mention for a short story he wrote about his dog, Red. To date, he has written five short stories (some ongoing), three poems, and his first novel, Bristlecone Magic.
Describe your book in 25 words or less.
Bristlecone Magic is a YA Christian fantasy, a dialogue-driven novel about life in a rural setting… a tragedy, family, community, friendship, and so much more.
What inspired you to write this book?
I noticed a picture on LinkedIn, and oddly enough, the same photo showed up the next day — very odd for a busy feed like LinkedIn. I thought I might write a short story about it, but two months later I had written 68,500 words!
Tell us a little about the book writing process.
Bristlecone Magic took me two months to write, not including revisions and multiple reads (seven to be exact). I did very little research other than picking a real village (Rouses Point in Clinton County) and using a few real people as pivotal characters in my book (with permission of course).
What do you do for fun when you're not writing?
I enjoy talking to people, camping, reading, spending time with family, hiking, fishing, writing, editing, and puzzling.
What's the next project you're working on?
I am currently writing an article for our local historical society about diners in Middletown, NY from 1915 to 1970.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Never give up. Keep a journal. Write, but please write right and when you think you've done all you can to make your book the best it can be, have it edited by a professional. Whatever you do, do NOT rush the publishing process.
What are you currently reading?
Potshot, by Robert B Parker
Tell us about one of your favorite books or a book that changed your life.
It’s tough to pick a favorite when you read one after the other. My new favorite is Bristlecone Magic for obvious reasons. But I love time travel fiction, so I have to say anything by Jack Finney.
Do you have a favorite quote from a book?
“Jesus wept.” It's so powerful.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Jack Finney, Clive Cussler, Bill Granger, Stephen King (but not all of his books), Lloyd Alexander, Jasper Fforde, Stephen Hunter, Charles Dickens, Robert Service, Robert Louis Stevenson, Julius Thompson, Koos Verkaik, and a slew of others.
If you enjoyed this interview and would like to learn more about Dennis De Rose and his work, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.
His book, Bristlecone Magic, is currently available online and in store.