Doug Tierney

Get to know Doug...

Birthday? 1/1/1970. My birthday parties are epoch.

When did you start writing? I wrote my first detective story in 5th grade to make writing vocabulary sentences less onerous.

When and what and where did you first get published? First paid publication was "The Portable Girlfriend" in the Circlet Press anthology Selling Venus in 1995. That story was reprinted in two anthologies, appeared on two web sites, and was turned into a short film by the Australian Film Institute. Beginner's luck.

What themes do you like to write about? My favorite themes are people and how they interact in unusual situations. The late Oliver Sachs was a master of describing ordinary people in life-altering circumstances.

What books and/or stories have most resonated with you as an author? Why? How do these stories and their characters find expression in your work?

My favorite authors are Gabriel Garcia-Marquez (obviously), Joe Haldeman, Roger Zelazny, Lee Child and Robert Crais.

The first three are all masters of short stories, and they have a particular style of opening which is very accessible and sets the momentum for the piece. It's like admiring a chess master because he has a killer gambit.

Child and Crais have both made careers telling stories about the same characters, and I have followed them for decades. I admire their ability to create such enduring characters and add depth to them over time.