Author Q&A: Lyle Nicholson

Today we’re interviewing Lyle Nicholson, the author of five novels, two novellas and a short story, as well a contributor of freelance articles to several newspapers and magazines in Canada.

In his former life, he was a bad actor in a Johnny Cash movie, Gospel Road, a disobedient monk in a monastery and a failure in working for others.

He would start his own successful sales agency and retire to write full time in 2011. The many characters and stories that have resided inside his head for years are glad he did.

He lives in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, with his lovely wife of many years where he indulges in his passion for writing, cooking, and fine wines.

SADYE: How did you come to see yourself as a writer, and what inspired you to seek publication?

LYLE: I’ve always wanted to write. I wrote letters to friends when I travelled and enjoyed the stories I could share.

My first time I saw my words in print was in our city newspaper when I had a travel story published with a full spread of photos. I was deeply moved by the experience.

Then, with the new platform of independent publishing, I decided I would try to produce a book.

I had no idea that seven years later I would have five novels, two novellas, and a short story published.

My sixth novel is due out in August.

SADYE: Tell us something about your writing process that’s unusual or that you haven’t revealed before.

LYLE: My writing process can begin with an image. My first one, Polar Bear Dawn, was of sitting in an oil camp near the Arctic Ocean.

I wondered what would happen if you found a body being consumed by a polar bear.

Four years later, Polar Bear Dawn was born. The next book, Pipeline Killers, happened when I thought of the bio bugs that are used to clean waste oil — what if they changed genetically?

I have a strange mind.

SADYE: What has been the most surprising, rewarding, and challenging parts of your writing career?

LYLE: The most surprising part of my writing career is how much I enjoy it. I was never that solitary in my previous sales career, but I love this.

My greatest reward is my readers, the comments they make, and the joy they get from reading my books.

My biggest challenge to my writing career is the sitting part. I often write standing at a counter to get my one to two thousands words done per day.

SADYE: What has been the most touching or memorable piece of reader feedback you’ve received?

LYLE: A reader from the USA sent me an email. Her husband is a police officer.

When he read about Detective Bernadette, he loved how she talks to herself. He admitted to his wife that he did that all the time. He found my character very real.

That meant a lot to me.

SADYE: What advice, as relates to your writing career, would you give your younger self?

LYLE: I would have told my younger self to have written more, read more, and sent more articles off to try to get them published.

And take more chances. I excelled at writing in university; however, I was too scared to embrace my passion.

I was accepted to a college of journalism over thirty years ago; however, at thirty-five I was too scared to take the leap — my world of sales was more comfortable.

I did not start my writing career until I retired at fifty-seven.

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Learn more about Lyle Nicholson on his website, where his books can also be purchased. 

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