Interview With Bruce Hale
When did you start writing and why?
Although I've been writing since I was in grade school, I began writing as an adult in my mid-20s because I was bored with the other jobs I'd been doing, and I loved to read. I started doing journalism and moved into fiction after about seven years.
What inspires you to write?
The love of stories.
Why do you use a gecko in your books?
When I was living in Hawaii, we had geckos all over the house. I started drawing them and came up with such a fun character that I began to write about him.
Are the characters based on people?
Some of the Chet Gecko characters are roughly based on people. Chet is a little like me (except I don't have a tail). Natalie resembles my friend Betsy, who's a real wisecracker. Mrs. Toaden is based on my thoroughly disgusting 5th grade teacher, who, when we were busy taking tests, used to pick her nose and eat it!
When and how did you start writing professionally?
I began doing freelance writing when I was living in Japan in 1982. I started with restaurant and concert reviews, then moved into it full-time as an advertising copywriter.
We're in 8th grade. Did you write a lot when you were our age?
Although in 6th grade I wrote some stories and shared them with friends, by the time I reached 8th grade I was more into cartooning.
What is your favorite part of being a writer?
So many favorite things: finishing a story I'm happy with; seeing my books in stores; hearing from readers who enjoy my work; and I also love the freedom and flexibility of being self-employed.
Least favorite?
It's very stationary and solitary work. Sometimes I need to make an effort to get out and see people. And sometimes my forearm hurts from typing.
Did you want to be a writer when you were younger or did you have other dreams?
I had many careers in mind when I was a kid -- pirate, Roman gladiator, fireman, frontiersman, and Tarzan. The idea of being a writer occurred to me around 4th grade, but I still tried many other things before ending up as a full-time fiction writer. I worked as a gardener, DJ, actor, journalist, etc.
How long does it take you to write one book and how many have you written?
To write a Chet Gecko book, it takes me about 5-6 months. This includes one month of procrastination, several weeks of brainstorming and plotting, two months for a first draft, and the rest of the time for revisions and illustrations. I've written 23 books that have either been published or are in the process of being published. I've also written about 10 stories that were so bad, nobody would publish them. It took me about nine years to land a book contract to publish my first book with a national publisher.
Any inspiring words or advice?
Write because you love stories, not to get rich. If you do what you love, do it with passion, and persist until you succeed, money has a way of catching up with you.
--Send a letter to the editor telling us what you think and we'll publish it.