H.A. Callum

This week: H.A. Callum!

This week The Writer's Pane is interviewing a local author - local to Bucks County, PA that is! Take a gander over H.A. Callum's answers to the questions below!

Name: H.A. Callum

Website: www.hacallum.com

Social Media: Facebook: facebook.com/theauthorcallum
Twitter: @HA_Callum
Instagram: @hacallum
Genre: Literary Fiction

Where do you find inspiration?
It’s all around me. You never know from where an idea will germinate. My daughters provide countless points of inspiration through their imagination. I often find inspiration in nature, and it’s a place I always turn to when the imaginative energy feels drained. But inspiration really is everywhere. I’ve had snippets of conversations turn into stories or poems. The writer just has to be listening.

Which character in literature do you associate yourself with the most?
There are so many to choose from, choosing one is a tough call. I played Atticus Finch in a stage production of To Kill A Mockingbird, and that was a great character study. But I’ll go with Robin Hood―he’s always been one of my favorites, and appeals to my being a rebel at heart.

Which piece of your writing was the most entertaining/enjoyable to write? Why?
While they all hold their own special place in my heart, some just have a certain emotional value to them. It would have to be Whispers in the Alders, mainly because I wrote most of that after our youngest was born prematurely. Many nights I cradled her in between feedings as I typed away. Those nights together will always be special to me.

Was the first novel you published the first you ever wrote? What was? 
Whispers in the Alders was the first novel I ever and had published. 

When I’m not writing I’m usually…
In the little free time I have, I’m reading. When I’m home, I’m spending time with family. Storytime at night is still a favorite, and one of the parts of the day I look forward to the most. Outside of that, I look forward to getting my running program back in order and qualifying for the Boston Marathon someday.

If you could tell or ask any character in literature or film anything, what would it be? (and where is the character from?)
Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), why didn’t you check Juliet for a pulse? Oh, Romeo … 

If you had lived a different life, made different choices, what would you be doing now? 
The best answer to that is I would have made the decision to follow my ambitions to write sooner. In the end, I would have ended up in the same place.

What are five things you couldn’t do without? 
Family, books, phone, good food, and wild places.

What do few people know about you? 
 I was a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve.

Are you working on any current projects?
Most definitely. I have some poetry out on submission. I have two new novels in the works. Both are literary, but bring in some aspects of genre fiction. One delves into psychological traumas in teens and the other has hints of a legal thriller with some dystopic events sprinkled in. I’ve also finished editing a manuscript for another writer, and I’m pretty certain that more editing assignments will be rolling in.

What work of fiction made you want to be a writer? 
That would have to be To Kill A Mockingbird. The story impacted me when I was a kid, and being cast as Atticus gave me a greater insight into this novel, and the writing process.

What tools do you use for writing, organization, marketing? 
I’m into the basics―most of my first drafts are on paper. I tried a few programs for getting manuscripts together, but in the end settled back with Word. My phone is invaluable in keeping up on social media. I never travel without a pen, pad, and my phone. 

Why do you write?
It’s how I found my voice. It’s the one medium where I can most clearly express myself and be heard. 

What are some profound experiences from your life you’ve worked into your fiction?
I have taken some personal experiences and weaved them into my fiction. They are not always my own, some are the experiences of others that I have witnessed. However, I have shared some significant personal experiences of my own in my nonfiction writing featured on my blog. And yes, some of those experiences have related back to some of the social topics that Whispers in the Alders addresses.

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Author Bio: H. A. CALLUM is a poet and writer from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His poetry and short fiction have appeared in local and national literary magazines.
Having crossed the United States many times over, and after calling the American West home, Mr. Callum’s understanding of America serves as his eyepiece to a constantly evolving culture. 
Mr. Callum holds a bachelor of arts in English from the Pennsylvania State University (summa cum laude) and is an active and visible member of his local writing community. When not writing, Mr. Callum treasures the time spent with his wife and daughters—his greatest sources of inspiration.