“[I’ve learned] there exists a small universe of wacky, driven, and skilled individuals who, against all odds, manage to write books and get them published.”
— George Arnold
A member of the Writers’ League for 17 years, George lives in Garland, TX.
Scribe: In what genre(s) do you write?
George Arnold: My 25 published books include five genres: Detective mysteries (10), semi-bilingual international adventures for YA (11), non-fiction humor (2), how-to for writers wanting to be published (1), and historical fiction (1).
Scribe: What author would you most like to have a drink with, and what’s the first question you would ask them?
GA: Winston Churchill, one of the best craft-persons of the English language ever. What do you think would have happened if you had been Prime Minister in 1938 instead of Neville Chamberlain?
Scribe: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book would you want to have with you to keep you sane?
GA: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.
Scribe: What have you learned from your association with the Writers’ League?
GA: I’m not the only one. There exists a small universe of wacky, driven, and skilled individuals who, against all odds, manage to write books and get them published.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
GA: I set out to write 25 books. I’ve accomplished that. I may concentrate on marketing these books and writing short stories, a form that has fascinated me.
Scribe: Here at the Writers’ League, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one Texas-related book that has come out within the past year that you couldn’t put down?
GA: Not sure of publication years, but any of the Hackberry Holland books by James Lee Burke are worth reading, if for no other reason than the brilliant use of descriptive language.
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
GA: I sold the manuscript of my first book to the first publisher I approached. Didn’t know it’s supposed to be hard. Never had a rejection. Borders Books asked me to write a how-to book on that subject. The result is BestSeller: Must-Read Authors’ Guide to Successfully Selling Your Book. I have conducted free 90-minute workshops, principally, in Barnes & Noble stores, to help writes get started in the right direction. Available to conduct workshops if anybody’s interested.
Thank you, George!
If you’re a Writers’ League member and you’d be interested in being interviewed for our Meet the Members feature, email us at member@writersleague.org for more information. It’s a great way for other members to get to know you and for you to share a bit about what you’re working on!
