Inside The Indie Author: A Conversation with Adam Dompierre

Diana Kathryn
Jul 11
5 min read

Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym, and why or why not?

I didn’t consider a pseudonym. I wanted to be connected to the books, both for the sake of identity and marketing.

What is your “go-to” method for working through or around writer’s block?

I take lots of breaks during the drafting process, sometimes for weeks. For the times I have forced myself to push through blocks, the quality usually suffers to the point that it would have been better to wait and come back recharged.

From your perspective, what are the most important elements of good writing?

For genre fiction, the most important element to me is having characters the reader will connect with. Then you’re into things like a compelling plot, settings and word choices that evoke atmosphere, and the prose itself.

What comes first – the location, the plot, or the characters – and why?

Characters, plot, and location in that order. I write mysteries, so I start with the detective and then figure out some problem to bring to his/her door. That gets me the plot, then I set it in a place that fits best.

What are your least favorite and most favorite things about publishing a book?

My favorite thing is reaching the end product–seeing the book on shelves, in libraries, and in bookstores. My least favorite thing is probably the non-writing behind-the-scenes work. Things like doing edits, formatting, etc.

What is a significant way your book changed from the first to the final draft?

I tend to figure out my story as I go rather than work off an outline, so with my first book I was about a third of way through it before I realized I needed to shift from first-person narration to multi-POV third-person. That required a significant time investment to go back and fix. I learned the lesson (the hard way) and never made that mistake again.

What was the inspiration for your most recent book?

I wanted to take the cynical, lone wolf private eye archetype and flip that on its head. So, while the setup is very much within that noir trope, this detective is inexperienced and slightly incompetent. We see him grow throughout the story, but there is a lot more humor than is typical of the genre.

What is a “darling” you’ve killed in a book that you’d like to resurrect in a future book?

I’ve kept my word counts right around 75,000 words for each of my books, but sometimes the idea of going 100,000+ words is intriguing. I’ve kept the idea as a “maybe someday” project.

Where are your most productive writing spaces, and what elements are important about that space to keep you focused on writing.

When the ideas come, I can work anywhere. The only thing I find limiting is silence; I’d much rather have music or some background noise on the TV.

If you were to give one of your side characters a novella of their own, who would it be, and why do you think they need their own story?

Tony from Paint an Inch Thick. He plays the sidekick role in the novel and much of his past (and even present) is rather enigmatic. It feels like there is probably a story to tell there.

What risks have you taken with your writing that made the book better?

I’ve jumped around genres a bit. All my book are detective stories, but I’ve shifted from a dark, paranormal mystery in Wild Bolts Electric to a lighter, almost parody of the genre with my Eddie London Mysteries series.

What’s the best monetary investment you’ve ever made with regard to your writing practice?

StoryOrigin was helpful in growing my author newsletter and finding new readers in my genre.

When you first began writing, what was a common procrastination trap you encountered, and how did you overcome it?

When I first started writing, I didn’t have any strong conviction of actually finishing the book. Writing was just something I enjoyed doing for its own sake. The best tip I have is to not abandon your story, keep coming back and adding to it, and you will eventually get to where you want to be.

What is your writing software of choice, and what is its best feature?

I draft in Google Docs because I can easily pull it up on any computer. That versatility makes it easy to add to the story when new ideas strike.

Do characters’ names come immediately to you? Do you add them in a final draft? Where do you find names, and how do you make a final decision about the names you’ll use?

Sometimes the character name is there from the beginning and just feels right. Other times, names change right up until the final draft is officially complete. Naming minor characters is usually more difficult because there is less to go off of personality-wise.

Tell us the title of one of your favorite novels, and why this book is a favorite.

The Curious Case of Sidd Finch by George Plimpton takes a rather ridiculous premise (a major league baseball pitcher who throws so fast he’s unhittable) and turns it into a story that is funny, sad, and thought-provoking.

Think of the title of a hugely popular novel. What is one major thing you would change about the book?

The Godfather is one of my favorite books, but I would cut out (almost) everything about Johnny Fontaine and Lucy Mancini.

What are you reading right now?

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

If you could take on the identity of a character in one of your favorite books for twenty-four hours and retain the memory of that experience, which character would you choose? Tell us the title, author, character name, and why you would want to be that character.

Spending a day as Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien sounds like a good time.

If you could save five books from being destroyed in the apocalypse, what books would you choose, and why?

East of Eden by John Steinbeck,
Hamlet by William Shakespeare,
The Princess Bride by William Goldman,
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson,
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. We’re going to need a mix of drama and comedy (and a good mystery novel).

Tell us a little something about your current WIP. When do you expect it to be released?

This Fell Sergeant is the second book in my Eddie London Mysteries series and the sequel to Paint an Inch Thick. This book sees Eddie investigating a young man’s suspicious (and fatal) fall from a hotel balcony. This Fell Sergeant will be out in early 2026.

What are the titles and genres of each book you’ve written?