R.J. Leahy

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I am a retired physician with time on my hands. My interests are many and varied and include science, literature and design. Besides writing, my hobbies include painting and sculpture.

When and why did you start writing books?

When in college, I wrote a piece for my advanced writing class that drew the attention of my professor. As the year went on, she became more encouraging of my work and actually scolded me for going into medicine, saying I was too good a writer not to continue. :) As the years went on, I would occasionally ponder her words and eventually decided to give it a try.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

I wanted to see if I could do it. That, and I had stories I wanted to tell.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

Oh, too hard a question by far. I love them all. Samson, the Tigra from my first novel for sure, but also the wise-cracking Sean McDermott from Fat Chance and Samantha, the lost girl from Neverworld.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

Angel of the City. It is a dystopian novel in a very claustrophobic setting. I deliberately wrote it in first person present to better express that feeling of oppression.

Who is your favourite author and book?

No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy

What book are you reading right now?

Exordia, Seth Dickinson

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

Honestly, I don't know. Many times, it seems that it starts with a random question, what if... and I take it from there. Then again I've had inspiration while in the middle of a glass of Bordeaux.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Painting, sculpture, wood working.

Do you have any new books in the works?

The Sequel to Fat Chance