Mark Rubinstein
Mark Rubinstein is the author of Assassin's Lullaby. Rubinstein, a novelist, physician, and psychiatrist, has written eight nonfiction books, including The Storytellers. He has also written eight novels and novellas, including the Mad Dog trilogy and The Lovers’ Tango. He lives in Wilton, Connecticut.
Twitter: @MRubinsteinCT
What’s the oddest thing a reader has ever asked you?
At various author talks over the years, I’ve been asked all sorts of questions, usually about writing. Since my books are suspense-thrillers, I’ve often been asked about where my ideas come from; of course, that’s a fairly common question asked of many authors in various genres. On more than one occasion, I’ve been asked, “Have you ever killed someone?” The audience laughs because it’s both a serious question and an unusual one. I suppose it speaks to the authenticity of my scenes involving murder, and I take such a question as a compliment.
What is your favorite non-reading activity?
My favorite non-reading activity is going for long walks with my dog. Living in a fairly rural area, it’s not only a break from daily routines, but is also a way of letting my mind wander, bringing on a sense of restfulness and it also recharges the creative juices.
Not all books are for all readers… when you start a book and you just don’t like it, how long do you read until you bail?
Years ago, I would struggle and suffer my way through a novel until the bitter end. But as I’ve grown older and am more aware of the preciousness of time, I have less patience than I once had. If a book doesn’t capture me by virtue of the writing or the character, if it meanders aimlessly and doesn’t present come conflictual situation, I cast it aside after about 30 pages. The most precious thing a reader has is time and I appreciate that when it comes to having readers spend time reading my own writing, and it applies to devoting my time to reading any other author.
Is there another profession you would like to try?
I graduated from medical school and spent years as a practicing physician and psychiatrist. I became a writer of non-fiction and then, of fiction. I feel strongly that these professions have immersed me in many aspects of life (vicariously, for sure) I’d never have experienced in any other profession. As such, I don’t feel an attraction to any other profession.
What do you worry about?
Listening or reading about the news, or watching news programs, I often worry about the state of the world and where we are going in the future. On a more personal and mundane level, when I’ve completed a novel and feel the urge to begin another one, I worry that I won’t come up with another idea and won’t have the chops to write another one. Writing never gets easier and each time I begin a novel, it feels like I’m doing it for the first time. I know it’s not an uncommon worry among writers and yet, that knowledge doesn’t seem to make the problem any easier or less worrisome.
