I’ve had the great fortune of interviewing many acclaimed authors. They always 
have much to say about the craft of writing. One of the questions I’ve asked often has been What has surprised you about the writing life? Here is what some of those widely read authors said:
Sue Grafton: I’m an introvert. I love that about my life, but it’s part of my job to get out in the marketplace and promote my books. It surprised me to learn it was expected of me; and it surprised me even more that I’ve become quite good at it.
T.J. English is a noted journalist, screenwriter, and author of the New York Times bestsellers Havana Nocturne and Paddy Whacked, as well as The Westies, a national bestseller. His true-crime book, Born to Kill, was nominated for an Edgar Award. His screenwriting credits include episodes for the television crime dramas NYPD Blue and Homicide. He has written about the New England Irish mob, and covered the July 2013 trial of Whitey Bulger, Boston’s most notorious native son and iconic Irish American gangster.
Peter May is a Scottish television screenwriter and novelist. He has received writing awards in Europe and America. The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award Crime Novel of the Year, as well as the 
Hester Young received a Master’s degree in English with a Creative Writing emphasis from the University of Hawaii. Her short stories have been published in various literary magazines. Before becoming a full-time writer, she was a teacher in Arizona and New Hampshire.
nswer questions with refreshing candor. Here are some of the most successful writers telling it like it is.
Sue Grafton is best known for her alphabet mystery series (A is for Alibi, etc.), with her feisty protagonist Kinsey Millhone. NPR’s Maureen Corrigan said the forthcoming conclusion of the alphabet series “makes me wish there were more than twenty-six letters at her disposal.”
f the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. She’s considered America’s foremost legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence.
Linwood Barclay’s thrillers have been international bestsellers. Trust Your Eyes, an intriguing novel with a unique premise, has been optioned for film. The Associated Press said, “Linwood Barclay has established himself alongside the masters of suburban fiction.”