Author interview no.636 with editor and writer Dorothy Davies (part 2)

Welcome to the six hundred and thirty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today I welcome back editor and fiction author Dorothy Davies to talk about her editing (you can read our chat about her writing here). A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Dorothy. Please tell us how you came to be an editor.

Dorothy: When I began writing seriously over 30 years ago, there was no one to help me with story planning, article planning or anything else. I learned as I went along, mostly by rejection, working out how to make it better so it sold next time out. From there I progressed to teaching creative writing by post for two long distance learning colleges and from there, it seemed a natural progression to take a copy editing course and move into editing, which I did by contacting the company I wrote for at the time. I ended up with a full time editing job which I still do.  I also edit for Static Movement, who specialise in dark/horror anthologies. I have a great many anthologies to my name now and more to come.

Morgen: Is there a format (novels, non-fiction…) / genre that you generally edit?

Dorothy: I prefer short stories; they are the challenge to get right! I edit books at work, so really, anything that comes along.

Morgen: A rather global question, but are there common mistakes an author can make?

Dorothy: Punctuation. Biggest problem of all. Many authors fall down with their lack of punctuation and I am not only talking of amateur writers here. I recently read a published book where the punctuation was diabolical!

Morgen: Do editors generally charge by the word or the hour?

Dorothy: I have a set rate for the paid editing, but for Static Movement it is free.

Morgen: I’ve heard numerous authors say they can self-publish without an editor – what would you say to that?

Dorothy: They can’t. No matter how many times you read something, you become word blind. I must have read the cover for my self published book Captain Of The Wight more times than I can recall and still it went out with the date 1442 on the back instead of 1482…

Morgen: Ouch. How do you edit – on screen or on paper?

Dorothy: On screen. I get bored working with paper. On screen I can make the alterations immediately and do search and replace if an author is consistently making an error. One book I had the author had site for sight throughout, so I did search and replace.

Morgen: You’re a writer too, does being a writer as well influence your editing at all?

Dorothy: I am a full time writer as well as a full time editor. I write extensively, short stories, novels, articles, all sorts. The editing influences the writing, I am aware of errors and try to avoid them and the writing influences the editing as I can see how it should be done and what flows.

Morgen: These days an editor and agent are the key people in a writer’s life, do you think agents are vital to an author’s success?

 

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast – short stories episode no.19

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast ‘short stories’ episode number 19 went live today and contained three flash fiction pieces that have appeared on my blog as Flash Fiction Fridays. Do email me should you like to submit your own. This episode contained:

• The Moon (410 words) by comic fantasy (“and a little horror”) author Will Macmillan-Jones;
• Gabriele (831 words) by non-fiction author Marlene Caroselli; and
• Homespun Cryonics (133 words) by erotica and horror author Angie Sargenti.

See the links above to read the stories… or hear my dulcet tones on the podcast which is available via iTunes, Google’s Feedburner, Podbean (when it catches up), Podcasters (which takes even longer) or Podcast Alley (which doesn’t list the episodes but will let you subscribe).

Will is a fifty-something lover of blues, rock and jazz. He presently lives in South Wales, and has just fulfilled a lifetime ambition by extending his bookcases to fill one entire wall of his home office. Working as a professional tax consultant, he writes to escape the stultifying boredom of his job. He has an irregular blog, www.willmacmillanjones.wordpress.com where he “rambles incoherently about writing”. His publisher’s website is www.safkhetpublishing.com.

***

Dr. Marlene Caroselli (www.saatchionline.com/LainaCelano), is an author, keynoter, and corporate trainer.

She has published over 60 books, including Jesus, Jonas, and Janus: The Leadership Triumvirate, and Principled Persuasion, named a Director’s Choice by Doubleday Book Club.

***

Angela is the author of the zombie blog, After Old Joe, and is hard at work on her latest novel.

She has penned dozens of erotica stories for sites such as For The Girls, Oysters & Chocolate, and Every Night Erotica, and has recently served as guest-editor for a month-long issue of Leo DeGraunce.

Her main focus is on erotica, but she also admits to a fondness for horror—especially the zombie genre, as evidenced by her recent story, “Man Meat”, which was featured on Thrillers, Killers and Chillers.

Her story “My Special Day” appears in the recently-published anthology, My First Threesome. 

Her two sexy e-books, Working Out the Kinks and Start Me Up: A Collection of Erotic Love Stories are now available at Amazon.

Be sure to check out her zombie blog After Old Joe and her erotica blog Friday I’m In Love.

You can find out more about Angela and her writing at http://www.angiesargenti.blogspot.com, http://www.amazon.com/author/angelasargenti, http://pinterest.com/angiesargenti, and @angiesargenti on Twitter.

***

Thank you for downloading / listening to this short story episode – I hope you enjoyed it. The next episode will be a hints & tips episode in a fortnight, then short stories return a fortnight thereafter.

All the details of these episodes are listed on this blog’s Podcast Short Stories page and my email address to submit a short story for critique (or review for the Short Story Saturdays) is morgen@morgenbailey.com.

The podcast is available via iTunes, Google’s Feedburner, Podbean (when it catches up), Podcasters (which takes even longer) or Podcast Alley (which doesn’t list the episodes but will let you subscribe).

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do, and a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words (and post stories of up to 3,000 words). Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me posting it online in my new Red Pen Critique Sunday night posts, then do email me. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Flash Fiction Friday 067: Time to Change by Jessica Grace Coleman

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the sixty-seventh piece in this series. This week’s is a 998-worder by horror novelist and short story author Jessica Grace Coleman.

Time to Change

Vincent looked up at the bare beams of the attic ceiling and shook his head in amazement. He was still holding his great-grandfather’s watch, a shiny gold disc in the darkness, the ticking of the timepiece matching the palpitations of his heart. If he’d looked in the elegant silver mirror at the other end of the long, narrow room, he would have seen his shocked face staring back at him, blank and white and round.

He’d come up into the attic to dump his old typewriter, something which until recently had been the bane of his life. Writer’s block had enveloped him a few months ago, and he’d never quite got his mojo back. The book had been left unfinished, and like everything else in his life, Vincent had completely given up on the thought of being a writer. It was just easier to quit.

The watch had been hiding in the corner of the attic, in a tiny brass jewellery box that Vincent hadn’t seen for a good twenty years or so. He’d opened the delicate clasp with trembling fingers and had let out a cry of surprise when his hand closed around the ornate pocket watch.

It was amazing. Not only was its gold chain still completely intact, but the watch looked brand new. It contained no chips, held no scrapes, it didn’t even have a single fleck of dust on it. But the most amazing thing? It still worked. He had held the ticking disc up to his ear, listening to its steady beat; a sound that must have been going on up here for almost a hundred years. It was an incredible thought.

Seconds passed as he gazed at the face of the timepiece, watching the hands tick slowly round and round. He’d noted that the clock was an hour out (it had showed the time as a little before one in the morning), but now it suddenly occurred to him that it would have been the right time up until a few days ago. British Summer Time had recently ended and Vincent had spent quite a while changing all of the clocks in the old house.

Grasping the timepiece lightly, Vincent had gently wound it back one hour, taking care not to damage any of its delicate parts. He’d watched as the hour hand glided smoothly over the watch’s surface, and frowned when it seemed to get slower and slower as it headed nearer to the number 12. It was as if the watch didn’t want to be touched, didn’t want to be handled, didn’t want to be changed.

The hand had eventually reached the number 12 at the exact minute that his modern, digital watch had announced it was midnight, and a second later, Vincent had blacked out.

It felt like a lot of time had passed when he finally came to, hours at least, but one glance at the pocket watch, which was still in his hand, told him that less than a minute had gone by. Alarm bells started going off in Vincent’s head. The attic had changed. Oh, it was still the same room, still the same dimensions, but that was about the extent of the similarity between this attic and the attic he’d blacked out in, seemingly less than a minute ago.

None of his stuff was here. His childhood toys, his school reports, the empty boxes that inevitably accumulated over the years… it was all gone. The ceiling, which Vincent had plastered with hundreds of rock band posters, was back to its bare wooden beams. All the rubbish was gone. Instead, the room was filled with ornate wooden furniture, stylish mirrors, exotic rugs. He vaguely recognised the items as things in his own attic, things that had now been covered in decades of dust and grime. It was clear that someone used this room, and not just for dumping junk.

Vincent’s gaze flickered to the pocket watch as his thoughts jumped back to a conversation he’d had with his grandfather, years and years ago. He’d told Vincent all about the house, and how his father, Vincent’s great-grandfather, had commandeered the attic as his own private study. He’d pretty much lived in there as he’d written the many classic novels he was now famous for.

He stared around the room again, this time taking in the writing desk, the paper, the quill. It couldn’t be, could it?

As soon as he had that thought, a creaking sound reached his ears: someone was ascending the small wooden ladder, someone who was going to find him up here, hiding in the corner like a burglar who’d been caught in the act.

Step, step, step. Tick, tick, tick.

 

Author interview no.550 with science fiction & fantasy writer Sarah Ettritch

Welcome to the five hundred and fiftieth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with science fiction & fantasy author Sarah Ettritch. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Sarah. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Sarah: I live in Toronto with my partner and our cats. Becoming a writer wasn’t a conscious decision. When I was in my thirties, I wrote a story based on a recurring daydream, and then went on to produce two novels that will never see the light of day. Writing didn’t grab me at that time. I went back to it when I was in my early forties and have continued to write since then.

Morgen: I was about the same; late thirties, and it took me a little while to get going (‘life’ kept getting in the way) but then it grabbed me and hasn’t (thankfully) let go since. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Sarah: I usually write science fiction and fantasy. I often (but not always) include romantic elements, and my main characters are often (but not always) lesbian, so some of my work has also been classified as romance and lesbian fiction. When I’m thinking about what to write next, I don’t consider genre, so I’m open to anything (except erotica). But I seem to favour science fiction and fantasy stories and suspect that most of my work will fall under those categories.

Morgen: And your comfort zone presumably. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Sarah: I’m the author of the Rymellan series (science fiction), The Salbine Sisters (fantasy), and Threaded Through Time (fantasy). I don’t write under a pseudonym. I would have chosen something easier to spell!

Morgen: The thing about writing names is that they have to be Googleable. If you were John Smith (sorry any John Smiths reading this), put your name in Google and you’d probably be search result no.100,000. As far as I know there are three Morgen Baileys in existence (certainly online) and because I’m so busy I get most of the front page. Are your books available as eBooks? How involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Sarah: All of my books are available as eBooks. Since I often publish my own work, I’m usually very involved in the process. When producing a book (print or eBook), the only steps I don’t do myself are the cover design and editing. Of course, I do my own rounds of editing, but then I work with an editor to polish the story.

I read eBooks, but I prefer print for fiction and some non-fiction. I’ve worked out that when I’m reading for recreation, I want a print book. When I’m reading to learn something, I’m okay with an eBook.

Morgen: Every author should have back-up eyes as we’re always too close. One author said on a LinkedIn discussion that he didn’t need anyone else but was, needless to say, shot down in flames. I can’t remember who he was now or I’d have checked out his work. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Sarah: I’m working on the first book in a new contemporary fantasy series. By the time this interview is published, it will probably be available, but I haven’t settled on a title yet.

Morgen: Oh, great. Do let me know and I’ll add in a link. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Sarah: I don’t write every day, nor do I try to. I haven’t suffered from writer’s block yet. I’ve run into challenging story problems that take time to work out, but I’ve always been able to write when I sit down to write.

Morgen: Me too. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Sarah: I’m very much a write by the seat of my pants writer, to the point that I often don’t know about key characters and important plot points when I start a new story. When I’m partway through a story, I’ll sometimes write a rough outline of what’s left, so my brain doesn’t explode.

Morgen: <laughs> I should do that with my current NaNoWriMo novel as it feels like it’s flitting all over the place but I’m sure it’ll all come together in the end (she types with fingers crossed). Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Sarah: I don’t have a method. To me, it’s magic. It really is. My characters are believable because they’re flawed, and they behave and talk like real people.

Morgen: They should be flawed. How dull is the perfect hero? Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Sarah: I do less nitty-gritty editing, in the sense of tightening the language and such. I do the same amount in terms of story structure. Every story is new with a unique set of problems to work out.

Morgen: But doesn’t it feel great when they get worked out. Do you have to do much research?

Sarah: It depends on the story. For example, Threaded Through Time is a time travel story that takes place in the present time and 1910. I researched those areas the book references (politics, status of women around 1910, etc.). I was fortunate to have access to a woman’s 1911 daily journal, which helped me immensely.

Morgen: What point of view do you find most to your liking?

Sarah: I definitely prefer third person, for both reading and writing. All of my stories are written in third person, often with multiple narrators.

Morgen: Most readers (and therefore agents) prefer third, and it’s easier to get into others’ heads that way. Do you write any poetry, non-fiction or short stories?

Sarah: I write short stories. The Rymellan series is actually a collection of stories. Some are short story length; others are novellas.

Morgen: My favourite format. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Sarah: I’m the web maven for Broad Universe (http://www.broaduniverse.org), an organization that celebrates women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I also sat on its board for two years. In addition, I belong to EPIC—the electronic publishing industry coalition (http://www.epicorg.com).

Morgen: What do you do when you’re not writing?

Sarah: I’ve been an avid computer gamer since I was a teenager. When I’m not creating my own worlds, I play in those created by others.

Morgen: Ah ha, hence your writing of them. I used to love the Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson adventure books when I was younger, then turned to Stephen King. I’ve ‘mellowed’ these days (to crime and humour). Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Sarah: Oh, gosh, tons. I’ll mention a few. For book promotion, check out The Savvy Book Marketer (http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com) and The Creative Penn (http://www.thecreativepenn.com). For books, I recommend The Synonym Finder (http://www.amazon.com/ dp/0446370290).

Morgen: Joanna Penn’s Creative Penn site has been recommended before. Joanna was my Easter Sunday interviewee this year. Where can we find out about you and your writing?

Sarah: You can find out more about me and my work at http://www.sarahettritch.com.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Sarah:  Thank you so much for interviewing me. I’ve enjoyed sitting down and “chatting” with you.

Morgen: You’re very welcome. Thank you for joining me. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Sarah: Yes. Where do you find the time to do all that you do for writers, and what drives you to do it?

Morgen: <laughs> Finding the time is hard (even since giving up my day job in March) but I enjoy it so it’s worth the early mornings / late nights. Like most independent (and otherwise) authors, I was looking for a way to promote my (Morgen Bailey) brand. I didn’t know it was going to evolve so expansively but I’m so glad it has. Thank you, Sarah.

I then invited Sarah to include a synopsis of her book and this is from Threaded Through Time, a romantic time travel fantasy:

For those who were born before or after their time…”

That described Pam. She’d always felt that she’d been born too late—there was no chivalry in the world anymore.

She’d only wanted to commune with the universe while reading a “moon rhyme” in the antique book she’d purchased from the local New Age shop. She had not expected guests—especially not Jasper and Margaret, summoned one hundred years into the future by the rhyme just as Jasper was proposing to Margaret.

Now the displaced visitors insist that they be returned to 1910, and Pam and her roommate Robin agree—an Internet check confirms that Margaret and Jasper were married by year end, 1910. But the rhyme won’t work until the next moon cycle, and in the intervening month, forbidden love blooms between Pam and Jasper, and Robin and Margaret.

They all know they can’t fight the inevitability of history. At the appointed hour, Pam re-enacts the recital of the rhyme that brought the time-crossed couples together…but it doesn’t work exactly as planned.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.530 with murder mystery, historical, horror and how-to writer Prudy Board

Welcome to the five hundred and thirtieth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with murder mystery, historical, horror and how-to author Prudy Taylor Board. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Prudy. Let’s jump in and ask you what genre you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Prudy: I’ve had 2 mystery novels and 3 horror novels published in addition to 17 or 18 regional histories and 1 how-to (101 Tips On Writing and Selling Your First Novel). I don’t “consider”—if a genre intrigues me, I try it! So far, I’ve written 5 novels and they’ve all been published.

Morgen: That’s a great track record and I’m the same, although most of my stories are quite dark and have a ‘body’ in them somewhere. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Prudy: I write the murder mysteries, the histories and the how-to under Prudy Taylor Board. I write the horror novels under Prudence Foster, my maiden name. I do that because I believe a mystery reader might not like horror novels and might feel cheated if he or she bought a book with my byline and it isn’t a mystery.

Morgen: Have you ever self-published?

Prudy: No, I’ve never self published. However, having said that, I have received the rights back to my vampire novel, Blood Legacy, that Pocketbooks published some years ago and I’m going to update it and self publish it as an ebook.

Morgen: Kathryn Meyer-Griffith did a guest post for me recently on revising her 30-year-old novel, that was horror too. Are your books available as eBooks?

Prudy: My books are available both as paper and ebooks.

Morgen: Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Prudy: I’d have to say my favorite is A Grave Injustice. It’s the story of a GI ghost who’s murdered while in training to become an aerial gunnery at Buckingham Gunnery Training School in Fort Myers, Florida. He pesters a woman police reporter with the local paper until she investigates his death which was labelled a suicide (allegedly because he was a saboteur trying to steal the operating manual for the Norden bombsight), and despite finding herself in great jeopardy finds and uncovers the murderer, and clears the G.I.’s name.

Morgen: Wow, that sounds intriguing. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Prudy: My first one which I titled Rendezvous With Evil was changed to The Vow by the publisher, Leisure Books. They also said no one would buy a horror novel from Prudence Foster so they changed my name to P. T. Foster. None of the other publishers has changed either my titles or my name.

Morgen: That’s what they said about a book about a boy wizard. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Prudy: I am currently working on The Deadly Cleaver, which is the second in my Recipes For Murder series.

Morgen: I know series are so popular. We just grow to like the characters in a standalone and they’re off. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Prudy: No, alas, I can’t. I have a full-time job as a project editor with a publisher of science, math, and technical books. I’m president of a writer’s organization, Writers Network of South Florida, and I host 2 critique groups—the Mensa Scribes (I’m on the board of the Palm Beach Mensa Area). And I had never suffered from writer’s block until very, very recently. I signed a contract to write the history of a very, very wealthy and exclusive development in south Florida. The problem was that the two people who contracted really wanted a ghost writer or a secretary-I’m not sure which. They didn’t want a real writer, even though I’d have 20+ books published. Between the two of them, they so second judged everything I wrote, changed everything without justification, that I walked out on the contract—something I have never, ever done! That sort of experience makes you doubt yourself to a very destructive degree. But I learned a lot.

Morgen: That sounds awful, but as you say, a learning curve. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Prudy: Absolutely believe in plotting and outlining. If you do that, you have an opportunity to make the best choices. If you have a character standing on the bank of a wild, rushing river, you can decide whether your character being true to himself as you’ve developed him is going to jump in and commit suicide, rush back to town to report the possibility of a flood, accidentally fall in and either strive bravely against all odds and save himself, or be rescued by a person he thought was an enemy. My late husband, the children’s father, was a U. S. Marine. His favourite slogan was, “Prior Planning Prevents ___-Poor Performance.”  I omitted his adjective, but it began with a p so I’m sure your readers can fill in the blank.

Morgen: I’m sure we can. I love that about fiction, especially as most of my stories have ‘bodies’ in them. I say it’s the only way I can kill off someone legally (not that I’d want to illegally, of course!). Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Prudy: I have created a job application (I used it in 101 Tips) which I complete for each main character. It’s not the standard form, it goes into great detail into that character’s background—family structure, place s/he grew up, but also psychology, how does the character—physically, emotionally, viscerally—express the major emotions, pets, nicknames, school experiences—the traumas and experiences that have shaped the character. In addition, I do a complete breakdown of that character’s contemporary life. I’ll take a week and do an hour-by-hour breakdown so I know his or her habits. That way when the character enters a scene I know what’s really on her mind, or what he’s worried about. I studied acting for a while and I learned that when a character walks on stage, she comes from somewhere—even if it’s only another room. But what room? What was going on there? What did he or she bring into the moment? These tools help me understand and create believable characters.

Morgen: Wow, that’s attention to detail, and probably makes your first draft all the stronger for it. I have a sheet that we sometimes use in our Monday night writing workshops but only has a few details (name, nickname, nationality, age, job, hair colour, height, weight, favourite music, favourite food, regular saying, relationship, children, siblings, religion, aspirations, quirks). Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Prudy: I do my editing as I write. When I finish a chapter or a scene, it’s as good as I can make it. And my books seldom require much editing by the publishers. This is mainly because I know who I am as a writer and as a person. I know I don’t like to go over and over the same material. I get bored. I want to get this book written and move on to the next.

Morgen: With 20+ books you’ve had lots of practice. Do you have to do much research?

Prudy: I didn’t in the beginning because I wrote about the places I knew well. This new book takes place in Nassau and does require a lot of research. I’ve been to Nassau a number of times and have been fortunate to be able to interview cops on the best, a homicide detective, visit the morgue, the courthouse. Plus I’ve been to a number of restaurants and attractions and spoken to the owners or managers.

Morgen: The fun side of research. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Prudy: I tried second person and found it too limiting and also not believable. I like first person sometimes—certainly readers can identify more easily with I than he or she. However, there are also times when multiple points of view enables you to tell the story more efficiently. For those books, I tend to stick to third person although some writers can successfully switch from first person to third within the same book. From what I can tell, they do this by using first person for the main character and third for all the others.

Morgen: Second person is my favourite pov but I’d not recommend it for longer than a few thousand words (a few hundred even). It can be wearing on the writer and reader. Do you write any poetry, non-fiction or short stories?

Prudy: I’ve sold a few poems and short stories, a lot of nonfiction. Again, knowing myself as a writer, the hardest part for me is sitting down to get started. Once started, I’m in my own happy world. Short stories don’t sell particularly well and it’s as hard for me to start a short story as it is a novel. With a novel, I have more to show for my angst.

Morgen: You do, although I’ve found in my earlier novels (as if I’ve written that many; four and a bit to-date, plus one for NaNoWriMo this year) that I waffled because I had the room but soon realised when I was starting to waffle so reign myself in now. Every word still has to count. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Prudy: Yes, my very first novel, written when I was 22 and knew everything about men and women and the world. When my then-agent wanted to get me out of my contract with my first ever publisher who had rights to consider the second, we sent them my first novel and got it back almost by return mail! I hope it NEVER sees the light of day.

Morgen: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Prudy: My first novel was rejected 30+ times. None since then. My second husband taught me a very valuable lesson about rejection. As I returned from the mailbox on the verge of tears, he said to me (he came from a background in retail sales), “Prudence, when you go into a dress shop and try on 10 or 15 or 20 dresses and walk out without buying any of them, the clerk has not failed. The dress designer, the dress manufacturer, the advertising agency—they did not fail! They simply did not have what you wanted. It’s the same thing with a rejection. You and your book did not fail. Your book simply wasn’t what the publisher wanted. From this lesson, I also learned another valuable one: Do your market research. Know not only what you’re selling, but who’s buying it—agent or editor.

Morgen: What a wise man. And it’s true it’s just the right thing for the wrong person. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Prudy: Mostly I’ve sold the books myself and then gotten the agent. I do think an agent can make a writer’s career—unless the author’s like James Patterson who’s an advertising and marketing genius.

Morgen: Because he writes (or rather his co-author writes) so many books. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Prudy: I do the most I can, given my full-time job. I do give quite a few talks where I can sell my books.
And I have recently launched a blog — http://prudy-taylor-board.blogspot.com.

Morgen: Blogging’s great (but then I’m a little biased on that score). What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Prudy: I am disappointed by the fact that talent is seldom enough, that luck plays an inordinately large role in any writer’s success.

Morgen: Sadly true, yes, but if you keep going… What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Prudy: Learn your craft. Get involved in a critique group—but make sure at least one member is a working / selling writer and that you will get honest criticism. Accept the fact that you’ve got to be tough because you’ll have to deal not only with rejections, but also with honest (yet constructive) criticism, and hurtful comments from both readers and reviewers.

Morgen: Yes, some people can be cruel. It’s like just because it’s on a screen it’s not going to sting. Constructive is far better. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Prudy: First, I’d make reservations at a favourite restaurant. I would like these people too well to cook for them! I’d invite E. L. Doctorow, Charles Dickens, and Abraham Lincoln.

Morgen: I’d probably do the same, go somewhere like a buffet so there’s plenty of choice. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Prudy: I think it’s my own: It’s not enough to DO your best, you must BE the best.

Morgen: Winston S. Churchill – “Sometimes doing your best is not good enough. Sometimes you must do what is required.” But I like yours. What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

Prudy: NO, although I love to party.

Morgen: Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Prudy: Just got a new one that I’m over the moon about. James W. Hall’s Hit Lit: Breaking the Code of Twentieth Century Best Sellers.

Morgen: Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Prudy: The published authors network section of LinkedIn is about the only one. I have very little free time.

Morgen: That’s probably how we met. I put a shout-out for interviewees in February because I was running low and thanks, primarily, to the PAN group I’m now booking nine months ahead, which really is too far so I’ve deleted the shout-out but will know what to do when I start running low again. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Prudy: The same as it’s always been. The prizes go to the good, the determined, and the persistent. As for the publishing industry, I think it’s too early to say. And while, hundreds of thousands are self-publishing online, I think the good books will succeed and the chaff will be left by the wayside.

Morgen: It’s certainly an interesting time. Where can we find out about you and your writing?

Prudy: At my blog http://prudy-taylor-board.blogspot.com. That’s about the only place at the moment. I’m in the process of rebuilding a website.

Morgen: Thank you, Prudy.

I then invited Prudy to include an extract of her writing and this is from ‘Devil eyes’ – Chapter One…

Wednesday – August 6

Isla de las Martyres off Florida in the Gulf of Mexico

Hap Forrester reached out to help, but it was futile. Quicker than the flutter of a hummingbird’s wing, Marisa fell. One second she was perched confidently on the sturdy pine ladder hanging the moss green draperies in the Tarpon Inn’s dining room. The next second the ladder tilted and the interior designer was clutching empty air.

Marisa cried out as she struck the corner of a table and slid to the floor as the ladder fell on top of her. The sound broke Hap’s spell. He knelt beside her. From the leg’s contorted position, he could tell it was broken.

Hap lifted the ladder and yelled to the black man standing just inside the door, “Marns, bring a pillow and a blanket and tell Alejandro to call Dr. Morse.”

Within minutes Marns returned, followed by Anne Hunt, the woman who ran the boutique off the lobby.

“Got the doctor comin’,” Marns said, handing him a pillow and a blanket. Anne sat on the floor next to him and brushed the hair back from Marisa’s forehead. “I was in the lobby.”

Marisa tried to shove the blanket away, but Hap shoved her protesting hands away. “Just a precaution. We don’t want you going into shock.”

“Marisa,” Anne said in a calm voice, “don’t move. You don’t want to make this worse.” Anne was wearing a décolleté black chiffon cocktail dress. He tried unsuccessfully to draw his eyes from the tanned breasts barely contained by the ruffled vee of the neckline.

The draperies Marisa had been hanging drooped, reminding Hap of a shroud.  And the rain banging against the windows sounded like a funeral dirge. Florida’s high season didn’t begin until late October or even November, so he’d scheduled a soft opening as a dress rehearsal for the Tarpon Inn’s formal reopening. The rain wasn’t helping. Anxiety slammed Hap’s gut. This hotel had to make it or he was washed up.

Marisa groaned with pain as she tried to shift her weight. Anne took her hand. “Marisa,” she instructed, “when it hurts, squeeze my hand. And hang in there, Doc’ll be here any second.”

Dragging a ring of keys out of his pocket, he said, “Marns, get a bottle of brandy out of the liquor locker in the bar and some glasses.”

“Glad you’re here,” he said to Anne. In contrast to the reassuring smiles she gave Marisa, she looked at him her lips compressed and her eyes narrowed. If Marisa weren’t lying there, she would tell him what an SOB he was for forcing her to move her boutique to the Inn.

a synopsis of the same book…

On an elegant resort on a remote tropical island off Florida’s Gulf coast, the lives of the people who work there are jeopardized by the spirit of a deranged French au pair and a Seminole curse… brought into focus through the eyes of a child and an antique toy — a stereopticon.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

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As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Flash Fiction Friday 056: The Main Course by Christopher Farley

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the fifty-sixth piece of flash fiction in this series. This week’s welcomes back Christopher Farley with his 661-worder.

The Main Course

He made everyone look up from their meals, both female and male.  He wasn’t good looking; far from it, but he had a certain something.  He was dressed in a blue shark-skin suit, and, strangely, a claret shirt.  It wasn’t this sartorial stew that drew attention though.

His face was fairly pointed and his mouth, unsmiling, seemed a little deformed, as if it had little in common with the rest of his face.  Whatever it was, it had an effect.  People stopped eating to watch him walk by; although his walk also was a little unnatural.  He seemed to glide instead of taking steps.  He was sat at a table toward the dimly lit rear of the restaurant.  He scanned the restaurant, his eyes like black marble holding the gaze of the other people till, one by one, they dropped theirs.

The Maître d’ availed himself immediately.  He arrived at the table; flicking a quick hand across the tablecloth and removing two almost invisible specks of something in one go.

“I feel carnivorous this evening,” said the man.  “I think a plate of bresaola will do me for starters.  I’ll make my mind up on the main course as I chew.”

The Maître d’ nodded.

“A bottle of sparkling water also,” the man said. “I like the way those bubbles go to my head.”

Once again the Maître d’ nodded and, avoiding the seated man’s eyes, made his way to the kitchen.  He sent a waiter with the bottle of water.

The restaurant noise resumed its previous level.  Couples enjoying a romantic for two, a rose placed between them.  Business associates enjoying heated debates over targets hit and missed.  Ernest salesmen continuing their sales pitch between forkfuls of tagliatelle.

The order arrived.  Placing the plate of cured meat in front of the man, the waiter, no doubt briefed by the Maître d’, asked if he’d considered his main course.

“Still thinking,” said the man.  He hinted at a smile, allowing a glimpse of that strange mouth.  The waiter felt a small shiver run down his back but couldn’t put his finger on why it should be.  Returning a professional smile, honed during 25 years’ service, he made his way from the table.

The discussion at a table of hard-nosed marketing execs started getting heated; a little too much wine or possibly after-dinner cognac getting the better of two of them and the argument promised to get out of hand.

The man polished off the starter in less than a minute, all the while keeping his eye on events in the restaurant.  The Maître d’ was standing at the table, imploring calm with his hands held outwards but to little avail.  The shouting reached a crescendo, one of the men, with a fat sweating face and cheeks flush from the booze, was now on his feet and waving his arms around, occasionally pointing a shaking hand at one of his colleagues; a crew-cut kid with the face and neck of a bulldog.

“You’re just an overblown tele-salesman,” shouted the sweating man. “You’ve seen nothing!  We’ve been through the mill, busting our ass, studying what we do.  You arrive, make 50 phone calls and hit a lucky.  What do you know about market analytics or product lifecycle?  You just kiss the right ass in the right place and think you’re God’s gift.”

Crew-cut raised himself out of his seat and leant over the table. Then there came the sound of breaking glass.

“Shit!”

Mr. Waving Arms held his hand to his cheek, blood seeping through his fingers.  Grabbing a serviette to hold against the man’s face, the Maître d’ led him by the arm, pointing to the men’s service area.  As he quickly returned to the table of still-arguing marketing execs, the man in the shark-skin suit, alone in the semi-dark, smiled to himself, revealing a huge set of triangular teeth. He breathed in the smell of blood, and glided from his chair.

Another dark piece… just how I like them. Thank you, Chris.

Christopher Farley.  He lived a sheltered life in the wilds of Kent from where he was saved by the written word.  So much so that he still corresponds with certain people with A PEN AND PAPER!!  Upon moving to London, a bit like Dick Whittington, searching for streets of gold, he happened upon a beautiful Italian lady who later decided to take him to the sunny realm of southern Switzerland, where he can still be found, smiling inanely, continuously in search of Weissbier.  When he is not working or drinking he sits in front of the computer, searching for fictional inspiration. You can find Chris via his blog http://talkingtosh.wordpress.com.

***

If you’d like to submit your 1,000-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here.

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with children’s author C Lee McKenzie – the five hundred and nineteenth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me. I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.518 with fantasy / SF writer Terry Ervin

Welcome to the five hundred and eighteenth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with fantasy / SF author Terry Ervin. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Terry. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Terry: Hello, Morgen, thank you for inviting me to be interviewed.

Morgen: You’re very welcome. Thank you for joining me.

Terry: I am a husband, father of two daughters, an English teacher and author living in the Midwest of the USA (Ohio). How did I become a writer? Well, some years back I followed up on a promise I made to myself in college that some day I’d write a novel. I figured I’d better get on it, so I did.

Morgen: “I figured I’d better get on it” I love it. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Terry: I write mainly fantasy and SF although I’ve had mystery, horror and inspirational short stories published. My main focus is the First Civilization’s Legacy series released by Gryphonwood Press. Currently there are two novels in it, Flank Hawk and Blood Sword. I’m busy working on the third.

Morgen: So novels and short stories, what have you had published to-date?

Terry: In addition to Flank Hawk and Blood Sword, I’ve had about a dozen short stories published in ezines, magazines and anthologies. I have a science fiction novel that has made it through the slush pile gauntlet and is now on the managing editor’s desk at a major publisher, but I still consider it a long shot. I’ve also written about a dozen articles on writing.

Morgen: How exciting, do let me know how that goes. Are your books available as eBooks? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Terry: My novels are available in print, ebook and audiobook. While I’ve read a few ebooks (I don’t have a dedicated reader—Kindle / Nook—yet), I mainly read print, but also listen to audiobooks, especially while driving. I know this may be sacrilege to some, but I’m not a big music fan and talk radio can get old pretty quickly. A good story never gets old quickly.

Morgen: I love to know more about how your audiobook came about (it’s my favourite format as I can be doing something else while listening) – perhaps you do write me a guest blog post. Do you have a favourite character in any of your works? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Terry: I personally don’t have a favourite character, although some prove more interesting to write than others. Sometimes the secondary characters are pretty neat to create and write dialogue for as they participate in the storyline. There is a short quiz on my website that folks can take to determine which character in Flank Hawk they are most like.

A number of readers have commented on how my works would make excellent movies. The trick is getting the attention of a Hollywood producer. What actors would best play different characters cropped up as a discussion at Flankers (an unofficial fan page for the First Civilization’s Legacy series started by a reader).

The odds of any of my novels making it to film are slim, but nothing wrong with dreaming—while keeping eyes and ears open for opportunities.

Morgen: Science-fiction / fantasy seems to be as popular as ever at the movies so never say never. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Terry: Yes, I had input with both the titles and the covers. Maybe this is because my publisher isn’t one of the large ones, but we discussed the titles and the name of the series. The suggestions came from me, and we eliminated and revised until we thought we had what was the best.

I had input in the cover art as well. Working with artist Christine Griffin has proven to be a great experience for me. I learned a lot as she developed the covers for both Flank Hawk and Blood Sword. She had a list of questions for me that guided her in the initial stages. Then she provided sketches and I gave feedback. Next, she did her thing. Her talent, I believe, shines in the covers.

I think both cover and title are important. Let’s face it, humans are visual creatures. A cover is the first thing that catches a potential reader’s attention (unless the book is spine out on a shelf—then it’s mainly title/font and author’s name, and sometimes the publisher/imprint logo).

Just as an interesting cover can be of benefit, a poor cover (art) and a weak title can easily discourage a potential reader, with them moving on to the next book. I’ve witnessed it at book fairs and conventions.

Morgen: I’d love to draw as well as Christine. As you say, she’s so talented. And I agree, we are visual creatures. If I said to you ‘President Obama’ you wouldn’t (unless reading this interview) think of the words but a picture of his face (or a related image perhaps). Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Terry: No, I don’t write every day, although I do manage to think about my current project every day and try to do something related to writing such as research or answering emails, or blogging. Summers, when I am not teaching and grading essays, I tend to have more time to write.

I don’t suffer from writer’s block. The reason why? See the next question.

Morgen: Which is… do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Terry: I get an idea for a story or novel and then plan it out. For example, with Flank Hawk, the initial thought that sparked the novel occurred while I was driving home from work. I was thinking about a few of the books I’d recently re-read, Zelazny’s Guns of Avalon and Harry Turtledove’s World War: In the Balance. One of the main turning points in Guns of Avalon occurs when Prince Corwin discovers a way to get gunpowder to function in the magical city of Amber. In the Balance is about an alien invasion during the height of World War II. The disparity in technology between the invaders and humanity is a major element in the novel’s conflict. Then I began to ponder, what would happen if a dragon encountered a World War II aircraft? Okay, maybe one can see how the line of thought formed. From there I began to devise a world where such an encounter could take place.

Next came the people and creatures that would inhabit the world, how it came to be, and the long-running, multi-layered power struggle that would come to influence events in the plot that I was devising. Finally, came Krish and Lilly, Roos and Road Toad—the main characters in the novel.

I generally know where the story will start and end. I list the main plot events I anticipate happening along the way, usually in a spiral notebook. It’s kind of like mapping out a vacation—the routes one will take and places to stop and visit. Just like in a vacation, some places are visited longer than anticipated, with a few surprises and additions along the way. Detours occur and places anticipated for a visit get bypassed. But, in the end, the destination is reached.

Because I know where the story is generally going, I have a place to write toward and don’t suffer writer’s block. My bane is the lack of time.

Morgen: I know very little about science-fiction / fantasy as I don’t read it (sorry sff lovers reading this) but I love it when it encompasses what we know, the world as we know it, but then go off at tangents. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Terry: I’ve yet to write a piece that didn’t need revision and editing. Actually, I enjoy the editing process more than hammering out that first draft. Again, like the music comment above, some folks will be scratching, if not shaking, their heads. I also edit for a small ezine, MindFlights, but there I don’t do much editing or copyediting. I mainly read submissions from the slush pile.

Morgen: I enjoy editing other authors’ writing more than my own but a first draft is definitely my favourite aspect but then I don’t plan much, I wonder if that’s why. I have a submissions page and have added Mindflights to it (and a note saying the magazine usually welcomes submissions of science-fiction / fantasy fiction, reviews, essays, other non-fiction stories, poetry and artwork but is currently closed for submissions until 1st January 2013). It sounds like you’re a prolific reader, which authors most influenced your writing?
Terry:  Mainly it would have to be a combination of reading and studying the works of Roger Zelazny, Steven Brust and Stephen R. Donaldson. I could go into pages of detail and specific examples, but mainly from Zelazny’s works I learned about description, pacing and revealing plot details. From Brust I learned about dialogue and action, and from Donaldson, about epic-scale and world building. From all three I learned about characterization and overall storytelling. They, and others, including Fred Saberhagen, Michael Moorcock, Elizabeth Boyer, and C. Dean Andersson provided solid written and literary examples to recognize, study and learn, and for me to modify and implement in my own stories and writing style. To this day continue to study and learn.

As an aside, if you try and enjoy any of my works, you should consider trying works by the authors mentioned above and visa versa—if you already haven’t enjoyed some of their works.

Morgen: Unfortunately I’m a ‘dark and light’ writer / reader (crime and comedy) but that’s great advice for anyone reading your genre. Thank you. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Terry: Finish that piece you’re working on. Revise and edit and polish, and get it the best you can make it. Then, send it out there to find a home. There are so many writers that talk about writing, or start but never actually finish—and a lot of them have talent and real potential.

I once ran across an aspiring author at a writers’ conference who had spent almost three years working on the first three chapters of her romance novel, and couldn’t get further. She insisted that they had to be the absolute best they could be because the first three chapters are normally what agents and/or editors ask for in a submission package. She was planning another rewrite after the conference, then let it sit awhile and review them again before possibly going on—if she was satisfied with the novel’s beginning.

I suggested that she go ahead and finish the novel’s first draft and then go back to the first chapters. If nothing else, she might have a better perspective on where the novel went and a better understanding of the characters. She forced a smile and nodded at the suggestion, then changed topics (what panel I was attending after lunch). We’d exchanged business cards and I got an email from her about six months later, asking a question. I responded and asked if she’d gotten past the first three chapters. Never heard back.

So, finish that novel (or short story), get it out there. And, while waiting for an acceptance, start a new project. If it gets rejected, send it to another market.

Morgen: I’m terrible at submitting. Most of my current work goes on the blog or as eBooks but the latter earns me very little (because I’ve not been promoting them until my novels are ready, imminently I’m pleased to say) and the former even less (zero, because I don’t charge anyone) so I’m starting to send short stories out to paying markets. Apart from anything else, I want to see more of them in print. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook?

Terry: I’d invite G. Gordon Liddy, C.S. Lewis and Winston Churchill. Why? I used to listen to G. Gordon Liddy on the radio and also attended an event where he spoke. He’s a very interesting individual, knowledgeable in a number of areas beyond politics. C.S. Lewis because I’ve read many of his works, and even ‘taught’ a couple of his works to the Adult Sunday School Class at my church. His insight, logic and storytelling ability have always managed to keep my attention. Winston Churchill, because of his ability emerge and lead during such a pivotal time in history, and ability to use words to convey so much while motivating during desperate times.

I selected three that, although not absolute contemporaries of each other, they would have a time period in common / close enough. How much could I learn just from listening to their conversation with each other?

I’d cook French toast and bacon. I prefer Spam, but I know that’s not a favourite—and who doesn’t like bacon?

Morgen: French toast and bacon sounds great (I love bacon), although I have three vegetarian / vegan friends – avid writers or readers) who would disagree. I like your choice of guests – I think they’d make lively conversation. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Terry: Here’s one by (you guessed it), Winston Churchill: “If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” Actually, the quote was the inspiration for my short story “Seconds of Eternity”.

For a more fun quote: “Good. Bad. I’m the guy with the gun.” –Ash from Army of Darkness. Who doesn’t like Bruce Campbell? If you don’t know who he is, you’re missing out.

Morgen: I am missing out (sorry, Bruce). Winston Churchill came out with some cracking quotes, as did Mark Twain. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Terry: I moderate a crit group, Elysian Fields, and (mentioned above) reading slush for MindFlights.

Morgen: Elysian Fields was a great movie. What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

Terry: I keep busy. In addition to being a husband and father of two daughters, I teach high school English at a career technical school. I also teach e-courses for high school students trying to catch up for failed coursework or working to graduate early. This year I ran for and was elected to the village council where I live, and tutor neighbourhood kids on occasion. My wife jokes about my family that any Ervin who doesn’t have at least three jobs is a slacker.

Morgen: Wow. You like to keep busy.

Terry: For a hobby I raise turtles in my basement (eastern box turtles, red-eared and yellow-bellied sliders).

Morgen: How sweet. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Terry: The main place would be my website: www.ervin-author.com. I also have a blog, Up Around The Corner.

Morgen: Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Terry: What are you working on these days, Morgen, and, based on your experience, do you believe it’s more difficult to find a publisher in the UK than it is in the USA?

Morgen: It could be, but perhaps because we’re smaller. I did the usual thing whereby I went through the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook and picked a dozen (emailable) agencies to send my novels off to (I sent two at once which may not have been wise, although one was a 100K chick lit, the other a 50K mystery so at least they had a choice). All but one declined (very gracefully), the other didn’t reply (and had warned they may well not, which is a shame, especially via email. I know they’re all so busy but just a simple, “thanks but not quite right for us” isn’t hard to do). Anyway, I’ve since been approached by a London-based self-publishing company who has offered to pay to have one of my novels published (paperback only) so we’re hoping that’ll all happen this side of Christmas. Watch this space. In the meantime, I have another (the mystery) back from one of my first readers so I’m going to go through that and hopefully get both books online as eBooks as soon as possible. I have two and a bit others written and am doing my fifth NaNoWriMo this November so another to add to the editing pile. I also plan to get another Writer’s block workbook and at least one more short story collection online by Christmas so I have my work cut out. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Terry: First, thank you once again for the interview!

Morgen: You’re very welcome. Thank you for joining me, and thank you for all your comments on my forum.

Terry: Second, although there are authors out there with far more experience than me, if readers of Morgen Bailey’s Writing Blog ever have any questions they think I might be able to assist with, or comments, don’t hesitate to contact me through my website. Who doesn’t like to get email? Just make sure the subject line doesn’t resemble spam (you know what I mean, not the good-eating canned meat stuff).

Morgen: I’ve not had any (of the canned meat) for months but only remember enjoying it in small doses, like Marmite (Vegemite). I set up an Ask Me page recently and have had a couple of enquiries, maybe if I get any on SFF I can send them in your direction. Thank you again, Terry.

Terry W. Ervin II is an English and science teacher who enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy. He is an editor for the speculative fiction magazine MindFlights and a guest contributor to Fiction Factor, an ezine for writers.

While Fiction Factor has published the majority of Terry’s articles on writing, his short stories have appeared in over a dozen anthologies, magazines and ezines. The genres of his stories have ranged from science fiction and fantasy to horror and inspirational.
In late 2009 Gryphonwood Press published Terry’s debut fantasy novel FLANK HAWK and recently released the second in the First Civilization’s Legacy series, BLOOD SWORD.

To contact Terry or learn more about his writing endeavours, visit his website at www.ervin-author.com and his blog, Up Around the Corner, at uparoundthecorner.blogspot.com.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Flash Fiction Friday 055: Homespun Cryonics by Angela Sargenti

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the fifty-fifth piece in this series. This week’s is a 133-worder by erotica and horror author Angie Sargenti. This story will be podcasted in episode 19 (Sunday 30th December).

Homespun Cryonics

Good old auntie.

She always wanted to live in a snowy kind of place, so I did the best I could.  I gave her a nice, pretty scarf and a puffy down jacket and a new pair of skis, and she was on her way.

“Get what you can out of the bastards,” she told me, just before she left.  “How else can you afford a place like this?  The taxes alone’ll kill you.”

Hell, some people live past ninety and still get paid.

Why not auntie?

Besides, she’s happy as a clam now.  Every time I see her, she’s got a big smile on her face.

Homespun cryonics is what I call.

They’ll call it sticking my dead aunt in the freezer so I can cash her Social Security checks.

***

I asked Angela what prompted this piece and she said…

One time I had writer’s block so I was goofing around on the web and found a site with one word prompts.  I pasted the ones I liked into a document in two columns, and homespun and cryonics just happened to be next to each other at the tops of the columns.  Seeing them together like that just sparked the story for me and I wrote it down right away.

I love it when that happens (every other Monday in my writing workshop ). Thank you, Angela.

Angela is the author of the zombie blog, After Old Joe, and is hard at work on her latest novel.

She has penned dozens of erotica stories for sites such as For The Girls, Oysters & Chocolate, and Every Night Erotica, and has recently served as guest-editor for a month-long issue of Leo DeGraunce.

Her main focus is on erotica, but she also admits to a fondness for horror—especially the zombie genre, as evidenced by her recent story, “Man Meat”, which was featured on Thrillers, Killers and Chillers.

Her story “My Special Day” appears in the recently-published anthology, My First Threesome. 

Her two sexy e-books, Working Out the Kinks and Start Me Up: A Collection of Erotic Love Stories are now available at Amazon.

Be sure to check out her zombie blog After Old Joe and her erotica blog Friday I’m In Love.

You can find out more about Angela and her writing at http://www.angiesargenti.blogspot.com, http://www.amazon.com/author/angelasargenti, http://pinterest.com/angiesargenti, and @angiesargenti on Twitter.

***

If you’d like to submit your 1,000-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here.

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with novelist, short story author, poet and illustrator Sophie E Tallis – the five hundred and twelfth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me. I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.507 with multi-genre writer Ken La Salle

Welcome to the five hundred and seventh of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with multi-genre author Ken La Salle. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Ken. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Ken: My name is Ken La Salle. I’m an author and playwright out of Southern California. I come from Santa Ana, which is a very blue-collar town, nothing like the way Orange County is portrayed on TV. I grew up in a single-parent home. My mother was a union member. I mention this because I have found that so much of this has become a huge part of my writing.

The first time I had an inkling that I might be interested in being a writer, I was young and foolish. A very good writer at my high school, Roy Johnson, was showing a story he wrote and I bragged, “I can do better than that.” I’m still working on living up to that boast.

Morgen: “I can do better” has spurred many a writer. My first piece (a poem) was pulled to pieces by my writing tutor (who I’m still good friends with) and it made me more determined. You write non-fiction, how do you decide what to write about?

Ken: Non-fiction writing came to me very much by accident. I have always, okay almost always, written fiction or plays but there are some things that just require writing. My philosophical memoir, Climbing Maya, for instance began when I decided to find the answer to the question: “What is success?”

It actually came down to something like the flip of a coin. I was out of work and felt I should try and make some money by writing something I considered marketable, a zombie horror novel. At the same time, though, I felt this incredible pull to learn about and talk about success. My wife, Vicky, did me an incredible favour by suggesting I write what I wanted to write and I wanted to write about success.

Morgen: Every author should be able to write what they want to write. I do. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Ken: My non-fiction titles to date have included my first memoir about depression and attempted suicide, called A Grand Canyon, and my philosophical memoir about success, Climbing Maya.

Of course, I’ve also self-published quite a bit of my fiction and am hoping that more of it becomes available through more traditional routes.

I do write under the pseudonym of Ken La Salle. I’ve been playing around with various forms of it over the years, so you may see the name Kenneth La Salle out there, too. But everyone seems to agree that Ken La Salle has stuck.

Morgen: The thing about names is that it takes a lot of work to be known by one name so it’s best to stick to one (or a variation of it). You’re self-published, what lead to you going your own way?

Ken: In the case of A Grand Canyon, it was almost by accident. A friend was starting her own ebook business and needed content. I was in the process of getting remarried and wanted to purge all the bad vibes from my previous marriage in the way I knew best: through a book. When my friend’s ebook business went under, I took it on myself to publish it digitally. After that, I decided to take the plunge with my fiction. I mean, after all, why not share the work I’ve enjoyed so much?

Morgen: Absolutely, and writing is so therapeutic. Are your books available as eBooks? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Ken: I have a number of novels and works of short fiction available digitally in all ebook formats. Climbing Maya (published May 1st) is available in both ebook format and in paperback. While I read almost everything digitally – news, blogs, magazines, etc. – I still like to read books on paper.

Morgen: Most people do, myself included (although my new iPad is a novelty and I love that it displays both pages). I’d say only a handful of people I’ve interviewed say they prefer eBooks over paper completely. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Ken: In the case of Climbing Maya, we kept my original title and I was happy about that because I couldn’t bear to think what else anyone would call it. When we developed the cover, I worked with this great artist at Solstice named Kelly. We didn’t quite get the cover in our first few passes. I said I wanted a stylized mountain but couldn’t give her any good examples. Finally, I said, “I want a mountain from the video of A-Ha’s Take On Me, although I know there’s no mountain in the video.” Kelly watched the video and turned the band name A-Ha into a kind of “Ah ha!” moment with her next pass at the cover and it was perfect. I don’t know how we got there but I’m so glad we did; I think it evokes so much.

Morgen: What a challenge. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Ken: I just finished what could easily be the most important book of my life. I’ve been working on it for the better part of two decades. It’s a book on ethics and, though I am hesitant to say too much, I will tell you that it has the potential to change the way we consider ethics.

I am always looking down the road and thinking about what’s coming up next. For me, that’s a huge part of the process. Next on my plate, I’m going to write another novel. Then, I plan to write a book about my father’s memorial service. I’ve finally reached enough distance to see the story through the memories and I’m going to call it “The Day We Said Goodbye.”

Morgen: That’s really sad… poignant is perhaps a better word. I lost my father the same week as 9/11 so our family had mixed feelings at the time, grateful that we could say “goodbye” where so many people hadn’t been able to. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Ken: I do write every day – and I never thought I’d be the kind of writer to do so. I started as the kind of young writer who talked more about writing than actually doing it. Then, as I grew older and realized I was running out of time, I devoted more and more time and forced more and more discipline. Now, I’ve finally reached that point in my life where I work on my career 8-10 hours each day and love it. I’m either writing, editing, submitting, promoting, or planning what’s next.

Part of the benefit of all that discipline, and just plain being lucky enough to be in this place in my life, is that I haven’t experienced writer’s block in many years. That said, I have suffered some major burnouts from working too much. Last July, I had to stop all work for a month, which taught me a lot about the necessity for downtime.

Morgen: Not having time does make us focus. I always try to squeeze so much in my days and sometimes feel guilty if I have a snooze but if I feel tired, I clearly need it. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Ken: I do a lot of my writing in my head, long before anything goes down. I let the story “brew” (as I like to call it) until I think it is complete and I’m ready to go. As a result, my first pass tends to be about 90% there. Then, I go back a few times to bring it the rest of the way. I’ve known writers who write before letting their idea “brew” and it seems like a waste to me.

Morgen: I guess different methods work for different people. Do you have to do much research?

Ken: Having just finished my book on ethics, I can tell you that there’s no avoiding it sometimes. I spent 6-8 months writing the book and years on the research alone!

Occasionally, I’ll write a play that will require no research at all – not even a Google search. Those are always a ton of fun.

Morgen: It’s certainly simpler to write what you know but if there’s a risk that someone will pick you up on something (and there will always people willing to do so) then facts do need checking, and I just love having so much information to hand. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Ken: I’m sure that’s the case. There are some things of mine – early work – that are just too flat out awful to share. But digital distribution and self-publishing has helped me get out some of my favorite work that didn’t quite catch on, so I’m thankful for that.

Morgen: Me too (and it’s easy then to plan more). Do you pitch for submissions and / or are you commissioned to write?

Ken: I dream of being commissioned! No, I’m still at that point where I must submit, submit, submit. And I do it like nobody’s business. After you’d been working for a while, you develop your own systems. (I suppose it must be like this for everyone.) Now, I send out easily a hundred submissions for books and plays and the like every month.

Morgen: Wow. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Ken: Many submissions mean many rejections. Most of the time, you actually just never hear anything back, garden-variety apathy. That is most of my universe right there. Then, there are the “You suck” crowd. There’s never a shortage of those people. The most insidious group of rejections are the “We loved your work but…” rejections. They are ruthless at making you feel like you should change, like you’re almost good enough but not quite. I see these far too often.

How do I deal with them? I don’t feel as though I have any choice. I’m 46 years old, far too old to work in construction or find anything else I might be good at. I’m committed… so I have to be committed… or I’ll be committed… Sure, when I was younger those rejections hurt far more than they do now. You just have to accept it.

Morgen: It’s a shame when 46 is too old to do something (I’ve just turned 45), but that’s the joy of being a writer; anyone can do it. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Ken: Yes, Climbing Maya is represented by Jeanie Pantelakis at Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency. She has been absolutely vital and I’ll tell you why. Her belief in Climbing Maya came at a time when I’d just about given up. She was so enthusiastic; it was like switching on a light in a room that had long gone dark.

Morgen: An author should never give up. If you have the passion you just have to keep going. You have an agent, how much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Ken: This writing business is changing so rapidly and so often it’s hard to keep up on all the new ways to market your work and yourself. I have my blogs that I regularly update and my website, also regularly updated, and I’m always trying to network, network, network.

Seeing myself as a ‘brand,’ though, has been difficult because I’m not easy to peg. I write comedies, books on philosophy, novels, inspirational essays. My brand, I’m learning, isn’t what I create so much as how. I am my brand, and that’s been a tough thing to wrap my head around.

Morgen: You are, and that’s what I keep thinking. This blog is a ripple in a very big pond and it’s known only by my name, which I must admit I did on purpose. My determination hopefully reflects that (pardon the pun). What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Ken: I love where my life as a writer is taking me. I make people laugh. I make people think. I inspire them. I am so fortunate and I can’t imagine how wonderful it will be once I actually make some money at it as well. I guess that would make the list as my least favourite thing: Not making money at it just yet. Oh, I’ve brought it a bit of coin but it’s far from paying the bills. It always seems just over the horizon. Let’s hope I get there soon!

You know what has most surprised me? When I started out, I was surrounded by talented writers who I admired. I mean, these people could just blow you away. Me? Not so much. And yet, somehow, against all rhyme and reason, I am still working after so many others I knew gave up.

Morgen: They do say that a successful writer is one who didn’t give up and it is just a case of finding the right thing for the right person (or vice versa). I’m still working on the money-making too (I don’t charge for this blog and haven’t got my novels out yet, although two are imminent). What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Ken: My standard advice is “Don’t do it.” I always think people would be better off as accountants or something else boring like that. The problem, of course, is that we have very little choice in the matter. If you’re going to be a writer, you’re going to be a writer. With that in mind, I say: Accept what you are and who you are. Don’t fight it. This life is hard enough with enough people ready to knock you down so don’t do it to yourself. This is who you are. If you’re very lucky, you may make a little money at it. Work hard. Work hard. Work hard. And don’t give up.

Morgen: Absolutely. Everyone should do something we love, and one thing I’ve found is who much writers love being writers, regardless of how tortuous the process is. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Ken: I’ve never been very interested in folks from different eras, certainly not too distant in the past. I would certainly invite my wife, Vicky. She’s my best friend and I love experiencing things with her. Then, I’d invite Robert Pirsig and Joseph Campbell, both of whom I admire greatly. I’d order a mountain of take-out Chinese, just because I love some good take-out Chinese, and get ready for some long discussions.

Morgen: Can I bags a place at the table, I love Chinese. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Ken: Be Here Now.

Morgen: A great title for an album. You mentioned earlier that you write fiction, do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Ken: I’ve written several novels, some I’m trying to sell and others I’ve published online. How can I name a favourite? The weird thing, and this surely must apply to other writers as well, is that my favourite book is always the next one, the one I’m working on. For instance, my next novel is going to revolve around the life of a young painter and focus on the broken lives around him. He is saved, in the end, by all of these broken people. So many of us find ourselves damaged or broken in our lives that I am attracted by the universality of it. I’m looking forward to reading the story as I create it.

But just to keep things interesting, and maybe help sales a bit, let me turn you on to my Rynia series of fantasy novels. Those are my only fantasy novels to date and, therefore, would be my favorites in that genre. When I wrote them, I had a prequel series and a sequel series figured out but life and lack of sales had other plans. One of the main characters in the Rynia series is an earth giant named Ostrander and I always pictured him portrayed not by an actor but by the magicians at the Jim Henson Company.

Morgen: That sounds like fun. A lot of novelists I’ve asked that question to have said their latest project so I’m not surprised. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Ken: I used to take an idea and run with it. I wouldn’t plot anything out. The joy of writing, at a certain time in my life, was about discovery. Now, however, I like to plot things loosely in my head to the point where I know what happens. Then, the discovery comes in as I write it and learn how it happened. I never plot too much, though, I like to let the book be the book.

Morgen: It’s my favourite aspect of writing; the not knowing exactly what’s going to come out. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Ken: I usually start with a structure of some kind. If I have a specific character in mind, I’ll plug him / her into the structure. Then, I’ll begin cycling through possibilities in my head for who else belongs.

As a playwright, one tool I have utilized in the past is to give characters the voices of famous actors. A character in my play “Broken People”, named The Sad Man, was written for the voice of Peter O’Toole. In another play “Lost and Found”, Martin was written for the voice of Anthony Hopkins. I do this because each has a specific speech pattern and it’s easy to fit words into the patterns. The Sad Man’s lines, for instance, came across almost poetically, just as Peter O’Toole’s voice would sound if he read them. The words are still mine but this brings another dimension to my ear.

I think the thing that makes characters most believable is an understanding of their humanity. I think that’s a key trait in a skilled writer, a connection with the humanity in your characters.

Morgen: What a good idea, writing for specific voices. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

Ken: I sometimes think that I’m one of the few people who enjoys third-person omniscient. Ah, old school! Now, of course, that’s out of style and I’ve had to adapt. So, I’ve been toying around with things. I have been enjoying writing books in third person but focusing on just one character, to create a sense of mystery.

Morgen: Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Ken: I’m also a playwright with over 20 full-length plays. I can whip out a play in a week so it’s one of the most enjoyable things I do. I just sit down and hammer out a few thousand jokes and giggle as I type. (I mostly write comedies.)

The nice thing about writing plays is that it keeps me connected to my theatre roots. It allows me to play with actors and other theatre professionals, whereas writing books is so often such a solitary endeavour.

Morgen: I love that you said, “giggle as I type” because it’s so important to enjoy it. I’m frequently commenting, clapping etc. My dog is quite used to my eccentricities. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Ken: When I’m not writing, I sleep… oh wait. I don’t sleep that much, either. Seriously, though, I’m an avid cyclist. Getting out on the road, though, just lets me plot out my next story or work the bugs out of whatever I’m presently writing. I play World of Warcraft (not nearly enough) and I’ve found that helps turn my brain off quite well. Sometimes, it’s nice to just shut down for a while.

Morgen: It’s important to do something different, although WoW is bound to help with characters etc., even subconsciously. Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Ken: As crazy as this might sound: Google! Google! Google! Is there nothing Google cannot bring to a writer who is stuck? I just don’t think so!

Morgen: I think you’re right. Google and Wikipedia are my top two. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Ken: Oh, yes. You can find me on several blogs:

For thoughts on life and other issues of the day: http://twolivesonepath.blogspot.com.

On writing and being a writer: http://kenlasalle.blogspot.com.

And for insights on pursuing your dreams, check out my monthly blog at http://www.recoveringself.com/category/ken-la-salle.

You can find me on Twitter at @KenLaSalle.

Morgen: What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Ken: I don’t see things getting any easier, that’s for sure. I wish I had some pithy advice but I’m scrambling like everyone else.

Morgen: Where can we find out about you and your writing?

Ken: Glad you asked! www.kenlasalle.com! There’s also a trailer for Climbing Maya on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_QlRLNSRgA.

Morgen: A book trailer is on my list of things to do. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Ken: I’ve recently reached a point in my career where I could sit down and ask myself, “What do I do that other writers can’t provide in the same way?” “What do I bring to the table?” This only happened recently because, until then, I didn’t really know. I spent much of my life simply trying to find my way. I wrote on what I would call “feel.” If I felt like doing something, I would do it. And I think that’s often the only way you figure yourself out in something like this.

There are those writers who, say, only write mystery or excel at romance but I never understood that. Sometimes, I felt compelled to write poetry. Other times, I would need to make a political statement. I was never quite sure of who I was or how I was supposed to present myself to the world. It took many years before I could just allow myself to do what I wanted to do. I had to teach myself to let me be me.

This is how I went from being an actor to a playwright, how I went from writing fantasy to writing memoirs: Brutal self-discovery.

Now that I’m at the point where I can understand what my strengths are, it doesn’t seem so unusual to shift from writing a comedy for the stage to writing a book on ethics. I’ve learned that it’s not my topic that makes me unique but my voice. I should probably note at this point that this same discovery has yet to be made by the many agencies and publishers out there. I hear a lot of “You can’t do that” from a lot of different people.

But being an artist is about knowing what kind of artist you are. It’s about knowing that artist who lives inside of you well enough so that the two of you can work together as one. That may be why I use a pseudonym, to help concretize that in my mind. I doubt any artist just finds himself in the position of being an artist; it’s something you grow into. I have been fortunate to find myself here and recognize my own face.

Morgen: I agree. Writers are their (our) voices. Thank you, Ken.

I then invited Ken to include a synopsis of his latest book…

What is success? What do we strive for and why? What is it we chase after, day after day, and inevitably judge the value of our lives against? Do the old answers of career and money really hold up?

Faced with unemployment, the impending death of one friend, and self-destruction of another, Ken La Salle begins his search for the meaning of success. It’s a search that explores why we crave success that in the face of inevitable death could be nothing more than Maya, the illusion of life referenced in eastern myth. Through research, analysis, and epiphanies from some very unlikely sources, he helps us push through all of our preconceived notions to a concept so few really understand.

Those going through layoffs, career changes, lifestyle adjustments such as having children, health crisis, coming back from serving overseas, and persons forced into early retirement will relate to this memoir.

This is a book that will be shared, given, and pondered for lifetimes and beyond. Yes, it is all true. This is his story.

Novelist and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His plays have been seen in theaters across the country and you can find a growing number of books available online. Find out more about Ken on his website at www.kenlasalle.com.

Update January 2013: It’s amazing to see how much half a year makes. When we first conducted this interview, there was no way to see the big developments that were just around the corner.

First, I released my first audiobook! The Worth of Dreams The Value of Dreamers is available on iTunes, through Audible (http://www.amazon.com/The-Worth-Dreams-Value-Dreamers/dp/B009WSLYQ0) and on many other audiobook sites around the web. Self-produced and read by the author (me), it is a collection of my first year of articles from Recovering The Self (http://www.recoveringself.com), along with some bonus material just for the audiobook.

Next, I was fortunate to sign with the Corvisiero Literary Agency in 2012 (http://www.corvisieroagency.com/Ken_La_Salle.php). I know how much many writers hope to find representation, and along with my relationship with Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency, I consider myself very fortunate to have two terrific agents on my side.

Finally, as 2012 came to a close, I made the decision to host my own podcast. So Dream Something, is a bi-monthly interview show in which I speak to people from all walks of life and with all types of dreams about how their dreams fulfill them and enrich their lives, even when things don’t go exactly as planned. You can find So Dream Something on my website at http://www.kenlasalle.com/so-dream-something and coming soon to many places on the Internet.

The adventure continues and I’m looking forward to better things in 2013!

Morgen: Congratulations, Ken. That’s great news. I’ve been podcasting since August 2010 and although I’ve had to cut down from weekly to monthly, I enjoy it. I think 2013′s going to be good too. I set up four new online writing groups which are only a few days old but ticking along nicely.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.506 with horror, science-fiction and urban fantasy writer and poet Nikolas P Robinson

Welcome to the five hundred and sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with horror, science-fiction and urban fantasy author and poet Nikolas P Robinson. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Nikolas. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Nikolas: Well, I’m a single father living in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. I’ve always loved reading and I have been writing nearly as long as I’ve been doing that, as far back as I can remember.

Morgen: The Black Hills sound great, a suitably remote area for writing? In the introduction I have you listed as writing a variety of genres, what genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Nikolas: I typically write things that fall into the horror genre in one way or another but I have started a couple of hard science fiction pieces and some urban fantasy work here and there.

Morgen: Popular genres. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Nikolas: So far there’s only Unspoken and a digital-only collection of poetry that’s available from Amazon. I don’t see much sense in writing under a pseudonym for myself; none of the usual motivations apply.

Morgen: Not doing so does make life easier when getting paid. You’re self-published, what lead to you going your own way?

Nikolas: I didn’t have the patience to continue submitting queries and waiting for rejections any longer. I wanted to see the book in front of me, to be able to touch it and feel like I had actually accomplished something with the months of writing and additional months of editing and revising that led to it being something that I could consider complete. I would have loved to experience the whole process of being nudged along and prompted by an actual professional editor through either an agency or publisher, but I had to make do with my mother and her Masters in English and the suggestions of the beta readers that I am still so grateful for.

Morgen: It is the readers who are the ultimate ‘client’ after all. You mentioned having a book to touch and feel, are your books available as eBooks? How involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Nikolas: I did make both Unspoken and A Wreck In Progress (my poetry collection) available through the Kindle marketplace on Amazon. I prefer to hold physical copies of books in my hands, but I have read a good number of books and stories in digital formats as well.

Morgen: It’s great having the choice, isn’t it. Which author(s) would you compare your writing to?

Nikolas: I try to avoid comparing myself to other authors, but I have had other people do so. I’ve had comparisons that ranged from Stephen King to Cormac McCarthy…both are flattering, but neither is accurate as far as I’m concerned.

Morgen: But they must have something in them that readers of those authors see. I’d be flattered too. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Nikolas: The benefit of self-publishing is the ability to retain full creative control. I designed my own cover art and layouts and came up with the titles all on my own. I know how a book cover can make or break a book as far as impulse sales are concerned, or even how it can potentially impact regular sales…I’m even guilty of holding off on buying something because the cover art simply didn’t appeal to me, and I know how stupid it is to do that.

Morgen: Not necessarily. If care hasn’t been taken in the cover, it may well reflect in the content. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Nikolas: I have a few novels in progress and a handful of short stories as well. I’m hoping to have my next novel completed before the end of this year and there is a short story (Exorcising Demons) that I’m expanding a bit and hoping to have at novella length within the next couple of months.

Morgen: You sound prolific. Do you manage to write every day, or ever suffer from writer’s block?

Nikolas: I do try to write at least a little bit every day, but there are a lot of times when I either don’t find the time or simply can’t seem to get my creative juices flowing, so to speak.

Morgen: And you can’t force it. I write a short story a day for my blog’s 5pm fiction slot but there are days when I struggle. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Nikolas: I have some stories that work one way and some that work the other. The one I’m focusing on getting finished next is fairly well outlined and just waiting to be filled in, whereas Unspoken was pretty much unplanned in every conceivable sense.

Morgen: I’ve done both although I prefer the latter, especially for shorter pieces. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully formed?

Nikolas: I always do a decent amount of editing. I begin everything the old fashioned way, with pen and paper and rewrite it and revise it into something approximating a second draft while transcribing it onto the computer. My next step is to typically put two word documents side-by-side and rewrite it onto the new one, making changes, extending scenes, and the like until I have what feels like a third draft. That’s when I send it out to obtain feedback and red-lining from beta readers. My technical communications professor, when I was still majoring in physics and chemistry, hammered in the fact that there is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting.

Morgen: I can’t imagine that anyone can write a perfect manuscript first time round, even seasoned authors. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Nikolas: I prefer first-person but avoid it when I can and try to focus on third-person writing. I’ve never tried second, but there’s a good chance that I will, at some point.

Morgen: Oh yes, do. It’s great fun. You mentioned earlier that you write poetry…

Nikolas: I do write a great deal of poetry, a lot of lyrical work as well… but that stems from the number of years that I was a musician, and a lot of the time there is a basic rhythm or harmony assembling itself while I’m writing those things.

Morgen: How about non-fiction or short stories?

Nikolas: The only non-fiction I’ve written are autobiographical things; one that pertains to an interval of my life when drug use was frequent and I kept a journal that documented a lot of what was taking place. I don’t know it that will ever see the light of day.

I write (or at least begin writing) a lot of short stories, typically for one anthology or another; but I have a nasty habit of not being finished before the deadline is up and the work is never submitted.

Morgen: Oh dear. I can’t talk though, I’m rubbish at sending things off anywhere, although I’m good with deadlines if someone asks me to do something. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Nikolas: I worry that everything I write will never actually see the light of day. I’m neurotic and insecure when I’m not being insanely arrogant.

Morgen: <laughs> Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Nikolas: I’ve had numerous rejections for Unspoken; a lot of them come from aiming a little too high and trying to catch the interest of larger agencies and well-established literary agents. I tried not to let it get to me and even went so far as to send brief emails back to each of the agents who had rejected my manuscript (most without even seeing a fraction of it) in order to thank them for taking the time to consider my work. It helped to deal with the rejections when I received one rejection from the assistant to Lisa Gallagher (of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates), which included the following:

“Although there were several strong elements to the narrative (especially the overall concept and poetic voice), I’m afraid that on balance she was not sufficiently compelled by the book to feel that she would be able to market it as effectively as you’d like to publishers.”

That whole thing made me feel a great deal less insecure and snubbed with the rejections that I was receiving, hearing some small amount of praise included within the rejection definitely helped.

Morgen: Like you, I started at the top of the agent tree and had similar reactions. I do suspect it’s fairly normal. So you’ve not secured an agent, do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Nikolas: I lack an agent or any sort of representation at this time, but I do think that they can very much help the author by acting as a staunch advocate for their work.

Morgen: One would hope so. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Nikolas: In April, for National Library Week, here at the local library I will be taking part in a panel discussion and writing workshop that is being hosted. I entertain the thought of taking part in the Black Hills Writers Group which has been active in this region since 1956, but I’ve yet to become involved. I’ve always had some issues when it comes to socialization and interacting with other people.

Morgen: Writing groups are great; I run or belong to four. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Nikolas: I exercise for typically a couple of hours each day (though that fluctuates from half an hour to as much as three hours or more, depending on my motivation and energy level from day to day) incorporating both a decent amount of cardio and a good deal of weight training, I enjoy reading a great deal, I watch far too much television and way too many movies, I like to spend quality time with my significant other (including 3-7 mile walks that we try to squeeze in a couple of nights a week), and I spend a good bit of time with my children (often playing video games together with my son)…and, of course, there’s my actual occupation (technical support for DirecTV).

Morgen: Ah, the day job. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Nikolas: I’m a member of the Writers Coffeehouse Online hosted by the Liars Club, but I’m not terribly active, though I do frequently read the things that other people take the time to post. I’m also a mostly inactive member of Book Blogs.

I’d like to say that I find the groups valuable, but I’ve really never taken full advantage of them in any real sense.

The forums that I’m part of that actually matter to me are the relatively small groups based on Facebook that I participate in.

Morgen: Everything’s so time-consuming, that’s the trouble. Where can we find out about you and your writing?

Nikolas: I can be found in all of the usual places:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Necroambulant
• Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5315436.Nikolas_P_Robinson
• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nikolas-Robinson/e/B00588YNP2
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeltdownMessiah
• And, of course, I do keep a blog: http://meltdownmessiah.wordpress.com

Morgen: And a WordPress one at that. Thank you, Nikolas.

I then invited Nikolas to include an extract of his writing and this is a brief segment from a novel that he has in progress, as yet untitled:

The shotgun in Miles’ hands erupts with an almost deafening explosion and the hands are no longer there holding onto him. Something wet and visceral hits the ground a few feet from where he stands. Almost immediately he begins walking backward slowly towards the open doorway that he knows is there, and he can hear the hungry thing in the darkness shifting itself around, breath gurgling in its throat.

It drags itself across the floor, the gender that it might have been before disguised by the severity of its wounds. Still it moves inexorably forward, desperate to reach its prey even as the final traces of life begin to dissipate within it. There is no question though, that it should be dead already, that its momentum should have ceased some time before; but somehow it just keeps dragging itself along, leaving a trail of blood punctuated by viscera at irregular intervals.

Miles had seen some terrible things in combat, been party himself to some of the most monstrous actions that one human being can perform against another, but in the minute or so that he had spent watching this creature crawl its way towards him in the half light, he felt bile surging against his esophagus.

Worse than the appearance; the hoarse, guttural groan that issues from its ravaged throat forces Miles’ teeth to clench.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Guest post: Revising a 30-year-old novel by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Tonight’s guest blog post is brought to you by Kathryn Meyer Griffith.

Revising a 30-year-old novel… and the journey in between

Evil Stalks the Night-Revised Author’s Edition was my first published novel. 1984. As it comes out again from Damnation Books for the first time in thirty years, it’ll bring my forty-year writing career full circle and all fourteen of my old books will be out again for the first time in decades. A grueling, tedious three-year job rewriting these new versions but I’m thrilled. My babies are reborn; in the world again.

I’ll start at the beginning because, though Evil Stalks the Night was my first published novel, it wasn’t my first written one. That book was The Heart of the Rose. I began writing it after my only child, James, was born in late 1971. I was staying home with him, no longer going to college, not yet working full time, and bored out of my skin. I read a horrible historical romance one day and thought I can do better than that!  So I began writing. I’d tentatively called that book King’s Witch because it was about a 15th century healer falsely believed to be a witch but who was loved by a king. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I just wrote, emotions high believing I could create a whole book. So naïve. Reading that old version now (1985 Leisure paperback) I have to laugh. Ironically, like that 1971 historical novel I’d thought was so bad, it was awful. It took 12 years to get it published. I got sidetracked with a divorce, raising a son, getting a real job and finding and marrying the true love of my life. Life, as it always does, got in the way. The manuscript, in a drawer, was forgotten.

Years later I decided to rewrite it; try again. I bundled up the revised pile of printed pages, tucked it into an empty copy paper box and took it to the Post Office. Plastered it with stamps. Sent it everywhere The Writer’s Market said I could. And waited. Months. In those days it’d take a year or more, shipping it here and there to publishers, in between revising to please any editor’s suggestions on how it could be better. Snail mail took forever; was expensive. But eventually it sold.

Now to Evil Stalks the Night.

In the meantime I’d written another book. Kind of a fictionalized look back at my 1950’s and 60’s childhood in a large, poor but loving family. I sent it out as well. One day an editor suggested that since my writing had a spooky ambiance to it anyway, why didn’t I turn the story into a horror novel… like Stephen King was doing? Ordinary people. Supernatural circumstances. It’d sell easily, she said.

Hmmm. Well, it was worth a try, so I added something scary in the woods from the main character’s past that she had to return and face in her adult life, using some of my childhood and young adult life – my heartbreaking divorce, raising my young son alone, my new love – as hers. A romantic horror when I’d finished. I retitled it Evil Stalks the Night and sent it out. That editor was right, it sold quickly to a mass market paperback publisher called Towers Publishing.

But right in the middle of editing, Towers went bankrupt and was bought out by another publisher! What terrible luck, I remember brooding. The book was lost somewhere in the stacks of unedited slush in a company undergoing massive changes as the new publisher took over. I had a contract, didn’t know what to do and didn’t know how to break it. I couldn’t afford a lawyer. My life with a new husband, my son and minimum-wage billing job was one step above poverty. Those days I was clueless on how to deal with the publishing industry.

That was 1983, but luckily that take-over publisher was Leisure-or Dorchester. They became huge. Talk about karma. Fate stepped in and my editor, before she left, asked one of Leisure’s editors to give it a read. She believed in it.

1984. Out of the blue when I’d completely given up on Evil Stalks the Night, Leisure Books offered to buy it! Then my new editor asked if I had any other books she could look at. I sent her The Heart of the Rose and, liking it, she bought it in 1985; asking me to sex it up, make it an historical bodice-ripper (like those Rosemary Rogers and Kathleen Woodiwiss’s provocative novels).  It wasn’t much money. $1,000 advance each and 4% royalties. The publishers back then had a huge distribution and thousands of the paperbacks were printed, sent to bookstores and warehoused. So 4% over the next couple of years added up.

My career began. I slowly, like pulling teeth, sold ten more novels and various short stories over the next 25 years–as I was working full time, raising a family and living my hard-scramble life. Some did well, my Leisure and Zebra paperbacks, and some didn’t. Most of them eventually went out of print.

When Kim Richards Gilchrist of Damnation Books contracted my 13th and 14th novels 27 years later, A Time of Demons and The Woman in Crimson, she asked if I’d like to rerelease (new covers and rewritten–and in ebooks for the first time) my 7 out-of-print paperbacks, including Evil Stalks the Night. I said yes!

Of course, I rewrote it as well as my earlier novels, because my writing when I was twenty-something had been immature, unpolished; no computers or Internet had made the original writing so much harder. Writers saw the manuscript once to final proof it. There were many mistakes in those early books. Typos. Grammar. Lost plot and detail threads. In the rewrite I kept the time frame (1960-1984).  The book’s essence would have lost if I’d hadn’t.

As I finished the finally editing I reminisced about the life changes I’ve had since I’d first began writing it so many years ago. Though published in 1984, I’d started writing it years before. 1978 or 1979. I’m as old as my grandmother was back then. While I was first writing it, I’d been a young married woman holding down my first real job, with a child, and trying to do it all. Now… my grandmother and parents have passed away. Family and friends I’ve left behind, too. I miss them all, especially my mom and dad. It’s strange how revising my old books reminded me of certain times of my life. Some of the memories I hid from and some made me laugh or cry. This book is the most autobiographical of all my novels. It contains details of my childhood, my divorce, and what my life was like when I met my second husband, Russell, my true love. We’ve been happily married for 34 years. The years have clicked by too quickly. I want to reach out and stop time. I want more. I want to write more stories.

So Evil Stalks the Night-Revised Author’s Edition is out for the first time in decades and I hope it’s a better book than it was in 1984. It should be… I’ve had over thirty more years of life and experiences to help make it so.

Thank you, Kathryn!

Since childhood Kathryn has always been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before she quit to write full time. She began writing novels at 21, over forty years ago now, and has had fourteen (nine romantic horror, one historical romance, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel and two murder mysteries) previous novels and eight short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books and Eternal Press.

She has been married to Russell for thirty-three years; they have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and lives in a small quaint town in Illinois called Columbia, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. They have two quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and live cat Cleo, and the four of them live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though she’s been an artist, and a folk singer in her youth with her brother Jim, writing has always been her greatest passion, her butterfly stage, and she says she’ll probably write stories until the day she dies. I know that feeling.

You can find more about Kathryn and her writing via…

• http://www.myspace.com/kathrynmeyergriffith (where you can see all her book trailers with original music by her singer / songwriter brother JS Meyer)
• http://www.bebo.com/kathrynmeyerG
• http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1019954486
• http://www.authorsden.com/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://www.jacketflap.com/K.Griffith
• http://www.shoutlife.com/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://www.goodreads.com/profile/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/KathrynMeyerGriffith
• http://romancebookjunction.ning.com/profile/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://damnationbooks.com/people.php?author=79
• http://www.eternalpress.biz/people.php?author=422

and you can e-mail her at rdgriff@htc.net (she loves to hear from her readers).

***

If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. If it’s writing-related then it’s highly likely I’d email back and say “yes please”.

The blog interviews return as normal tomorrow morning with non-fiction author Anne O’Connell – the five hundred and fourth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me. I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.499 with multi-genre writer Michael Bowler

Welcome to the four hundred and ninety-ninth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with multi-genre author Michael J Bowler. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Michael. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Michael: I grew up in Northern California and have always made up stories from as far back as I can remember. Writing just seemed to be in my blood. I majored in English / Theatre at Santa Clara University and then attended graduate school at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where I earned a master’s degree in film / television production. I always loved movies, too, and wanted to write screenplays. After making several low-budget films that I wrote or co-wrote and / or directed, I began teaching English at a high school in the Los Angles area and continued doing that for over twenty years. I still wrote on the side, which is how A Matter of Time came into being.

Morgen: How lovely. It took me nearly 40 years to realise that I wanted to write fiction. I’d not even considered it as a career until I went to evening classes but then I had all that experience to write about. I’ve written a script (for the now-defunct Script Frenzy) but didn’t enjoy it; too ‘bitty’ for me but I admire those who do. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Michael: I write in all genres, I suppose, but I usually like stories that have an unusual twist, almost a fantasy element, but the genre could be horror or drama or action. I’ve written in all these genres. A Matter of Time is hard to pin down into any one genre because it has horror elements, time travel, history, and romance. The book is currently a finalist in the Reader’s Favorite Self-Published Book Awards contest in the “Romance / Suspense” category.

Morgen: Congratulations. Do let me know how you get on. What have you had published to-date?

Michael: My first book, A Boy and His Dragon, was published in 2011 through Createspace. I wrote that book many years ago and never got very far with publication. It’s a fantasy set in the real world and aimed at junior high age kids on up to adult. A Matter of Time came out in March of this year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s sinking.

Morgen: That’s the great thing about publishing these days is that you can do it yourself. What lead to you going your own way?

Michael: It’s difficult to get agents or publishers to take a chance on an unknown writer. Most won’t even look at your work. In addition, I’ve been reading about other successful authors who started out self-published.

Morgen: Absolutely: Amanda Hocking and Joe Konrath in the US and we have John Locke here in the UK. Are your books available as eBooks? How involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Michael: Both books are available as ebooks. A Boy and His Dragon is only available as a Kindle, but A Matter of Time is in both a Kindle and a Nook format. All I did was follow the directions to convert. Ha! Alas, I’m still not into ebooks – I don’t even own one of those devices. I’m still old school and like holding a book in my hands. Plus, I love good cover art and that usually doesn’t translate well into ebook formats.

Morgen: I’d say 99.9% of the authors I’ve spoken to (and publishers, editors, agents) have said they’d never stop reading paper books, and I’m the same. Besides, I think I have more books in my house than I can read in my lifetime. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Michael: I like both of my books that are out now, and love the third one I’ve just written. I think this new one, which hasn’t been published yet, is my best work so far. Of the two that are already published, they are very different. In A Matter of Time, I especially like the character of Dan, Jamie’s roommate. He’s funny and flip, but also very serious when he needs to be for Jamie’s sake. Plus, he takes a big leap of faith in following Jamie on his journey, and that takes some depth of character to do so. In a movie, Jamie could maybe be played by Ezra Miller – he’s the right age and is a phenomenal actor – he definitely has the ability to play the range of emotions required. In the part of Dan, maybe Liam Hemsworth. Dan is tall and good-looking and Liam has those qualities.

Morgen: I didn’t know either name so Wikipediad them. As a former Neighbours watcher I do recognise Liam but Ezra’s new to me (thank you). Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Michael: Since both of my books are self-published, I selected the titles and designed the covers. I’m pretty adept with Photoshop and love designing my own covers. I guess if a big publisher picks up one of my future books I’ll have to relinquish that job, but I’ll do so reluctantly. Ha!

Morgen: I’ve designed all mine and I’d be torn too but as long as I liked the finished result I’d be fine with that. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Michael: I have just finished a new novel called Children of the Knight. My book, A Matter of Time, is a finalist in the Reader’s Favorite Self-Published Book Competition and I’ll be going to the Miami Book Expo in November to promote it. At that time, I will bring Children of the Knight and try to generate interest from publishers and / or agents. If I can’t find anyone, I’ll self-publish. Unlike A Matter of Time, which is a romantic suspense thriller, Children of the Knight weaves my thirty years of experience working with marginalized and disenfranchised children in Los Angeles into a kind of populist fable that should generate some controversy with its themes and conclusions. It involves a man who may or may not be the legendary King Arthur, himself, who appears in Los Angeles to recruit cast-off, neglected, abused, and gang-affiliated children and teens. Using this new Round Table of knights, Arthur launches a crusade to return the city to the people, and to gain more rights for children, the most controversial of which is for children fourteen years or older to gain the right to vote.

Morgen: It sounds great, I hope it gets picked up. Do you manage to write every day, or ever suffer from writer’s block?

Michael: I have no trouble writing every day. I still have four more books in very detailed outlines to work on, not to mention sequels to the ones I’ve already written.

Morgen: Ah, sequels, music to an agent’s / publisher’s ears. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Michael: Usually there’s an idea and from that idea the necessary characters and situations come to me that will realize that idea.

Morgen: That’s what I love about fiction, it just develops as it goes along. You’ve mentioned a couple of your characters, do you have a method for creating them, and what do you think makes them believable?

Michael: I think, as with most writers, I pick bits and pieces of people I’ve known over the years and attribute those characteristics or incidents to my characters. Since the details and / or incidents were real, I feel that adds more verisimilitude to my fictional people.

Morgen: They do say to write what you know. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Michael: I do TONS of editing. I always find a zillion typos, but I guess that’s normal.

Morgen: I’d say so, yes.

Michael: But I also tweak specific sentences, lines of dialogue, descriptions over and over again. After a while, the book runs through my head like a movie and I can picture specific sentences in my mind and hear specific lines of dialogue, especially if I’m running or working out at the gym. Often I’ll see a better way to phrase something while lifting weights and quickly type it into my phone so I won’t forget. Ha!

Morgen: Good idea. I have notebooks in every dog-walking jacket and bag, and have my BlackBerry, dictaphone and camera, all of which have dictation facility. Do you have to do much research?

Michael: When it’s needed. A Matter of Time required a lot of research on 1912 clothing styles, as well as a refresher course on the final night of Titanic’s short life. Having set the main story in 1986, when I was in college, I had to brush up on clothes and music that was popular at the time. I also had to study up on Newfoundland and fishing trawlers.

Morgen: I’m not a huge fan of history (or research) but that sounds like fun. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Michael: I usually like third person omniscient because I like to enter the minds of all my characters and I feel that makes each one more real for the reader. Since most of my stories involve danger – i.e. characters could die – I never use 1st person. I hate suspense or thriller books written in the first person because I know there is no possible way the narrator could die.

Morgen: I’d not thought of it like that, because they do in some stories, don’t they.

Michael: With third person, I could literally shock the readers and kill off the main character, if I so chose. I feel third offers more potential for generating suspense.

Morgen: It is the most popular, and flexible, viewpoint. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Michael: With self-publishing, they can all come out. Ha!

Morgen: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Michael: Oh yes, many rejections. I take them in my stride. I recognize the reality of the market place. Publishers like going with known commodities, authors who already have a following. It’s expensive for them to market an unknown, so I understand their reluctance. I believe in my stories, however, that readers will embrace them. So far, all the reviews of my two books have been very positive.

Morgen: You say you’ve struggled to find an agent, do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Michael: I had one for A Matter of Time and I liked her, but she wasn’t able to get anything going with the book. I suspect an agent is essential for dealing with bigger publishers and I will perhaps try to find one for my next book.

Morgen: Quite a number of the authors I’ve spoken to have dealt with publishers directly, although (from memory) all those with larger publishers do have agents. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Michael: I do as much as I can. I have a webpage: http://michaeljbowler.webs.com and a Facebook page (Author, Michael Bowler), but I’m pretty new to the whole Internet marketing thing and even social networking. It’s an area about which I need to gain much more knowledge.

Morgen: It’s just practice really. I’ve been on Facebook and Twitter for a couple of years and I’m still learning but I do feel all authors need them these days to get the word out. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Michael: My favorite is getting into the minds and hearts of characters and having them suddenly say or do something I didn’t consciously come up with – the character came up with it. Sitting in front of the computer is my least favorite part – I get neck strain when I’m there too long. Ha!

Morgen: I’m terrible. I could (and sometimes do) sit here for hours but my dog reminds me every now and then to take a break (a squeaky toy is as distracting as an email ‘ping’). What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Michael: You how you want to end your story before you begin it. That way all the plot points and the character decisions are moving in the same direction. Too many movies these days, and a lot more books I’ve read, don’t seem to know where they’re going and thus have plot holes or dropped / unresolved plot points. I suspect the writers did not know how their stories would end and that’s why the stories fizzle out.

Morgen: I do think it helps although I found with my first novel that I plotted far further than it ended but having written it, it wouldn’t have been right to keep going. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Michael: I would invite Thomas Andrews, builder of Titanic, so I could ask him why he didn’t try to flood the rear compartments so Titanic could’ve stayed afloat longer, and maybe gotten everyone off. I would invite Abraham Lincoln because his life and the whole Civil War era fascinate me. And lastly I’d invite William Shakespeare just to get a sense of the man behind that amazing writing ability. As to food, I’m not much of a cook so I’d probably make pizza or spaghetti.

Morgen: I’m sure they’d like either. If you had to choose a single day from your past to re-live over and over, what day would it be and why?

Michael: Alas, I can’t think of one. I’m more of a forward-thinking person.

Morgen: Probably wise. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Michael: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” — Mark Twain

Morgen: I love that. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Michael: I work out daily at the YMCA and help train some teens over there. I like going to the movies. I enjoy reading – I’m always reading two or three books at the same time.

Morgen: I’m a big movie fan and have a season ticket for the local multiplex. I usually hammer it but have been particularly busy recently. Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Michael: Writer’s Digest sometimes has some useful tips. I don’t subscribe to the magazine, but I get email updates from them that are occasionally helpful.

Morgen: I think we do have the Writer’s Digest in the UK but an imported version. I subscribe to so many already (Writing, Writers’ News, Mslexia, New Writer) that I struggle to keep up with what I have.

Morgen: What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Michael: Obviously, ebooks are the future. Much as I love holding actual books in my hand, I suspect in the not-too-distant future we’ll all be reading from Kindles and iPads. Oh, well . . .

Morgen: I think we’ll have both, less paperbacks, and the hardback may disappear, but I do know of people who have loved an eBook so much that they’ve then bought the paperback. Where can we find out about you and your writing?

Michael: My website is: http://michaeljbowler.webs.com.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Michael: Keep an eye out for Children of the Knight. My hope is that book will spark some debate about how we treat children in this country.

Morgen: It’s a problem everywhere, there’s almost always something in the news (there was today) about children being treated badly. It’s amazing how many people have children and yet don’t seem to really want them. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Michael: What made you decide to start this blog and how much time does it take you each day to maintain it?

Morgen: <laughs> It takes pretty much all my time but that’s the associated emails. I started it as I’d heard it was a good things to do and it took off from there. I love it and the feedback has been fantastic, I think because there’s so much to read and so many options to be involved in… the downside is that I get 100+ emails a day but better that than twiddling my thumbs. Thank you, Michael.

I then invited Michael to include an extract of his writing…

Jamie gently retrieved A Night To Remember from his bed and traced one finger along the outline of the sinking ship gracing its cover. “How can I expect you to understand when I don’t even understand. I just know, deep down, that I have to do this.” He turned to face them, clutching the book to his chest and fighting back his fear. “If I don’t, I’ll be dead in two days.”

Not knowing what other approach to take, Maggie tried reasoning with him. “But the Titanic is at the bottom of the Atlantic . . . “

Jamie nodded. “That’s true. But there is a theory that time is like a continuous river. Assuming one could move to any place along that river, he could experience whatever historical events were happening.” Jamie glanced down at the book he was clutching before continuing. “In other words, all events in history are concurrently happening along that river.

Since I’m obviously a part of what went on, and is currently going on, aboard the Titanic, hopefully there will be enough overlap for me to enter that time period.”

His theory was greeted with a stony silence from both. Sighing angrily, he turned and slammed the book into his travel bag, yanking the zipper shut.

Dan stood and placed one remarkably gentle hand on Jamie’s shoulder. Jamie turned to face his roommate with thinly disguised annoyance. “What?”

Dan’s sober expression darkened his usually handsome features. “Jamie, all kidding aside, let’s get you some help. Whatever this virus is, it’s obviously got your brain all tied up and –“

Jamie flung Dan’s hand from his shoulder as though it was a venomous snake, eyes blazing. “I knew you wouldn’t understand, either one of you! But I’m not crazy and I intend to prove it! Do you realize something? If I’m right, and I am able to go back to Titanic, I could not only save myself, but I could also save that ship! I could save 1500 lives!”

And a synopsis…

What is your destiny?

This question haunts 20-year-old Jamie Collins. A junior at Santa Clara University in 1986, Jamie has friends, a professor who mentors him, and a promising future as a writer.

Then the dreams begin – nightmarish visions that transport him back to a time and place fifty years before he was born: Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912!  Less than a week before the 74th anniversary of its sinking, Jamie discovers that his fate is inexplicably linked to that of the famous vessel. Somehow, the two timelines are overlapping, and when Titanic dies this time, Jamie will die along with it.

The dreams reveal something evil stalking the ill-fated ship, something that expedites the collision which sinks her. Jamie realizes that the only way to stop this evil and prevent his own death may be to prevent Titanic from sinking in the first place.

But how? How can he stop that ship from sinking in 1912 when he hadn’t even been born yet? And even if he can stop it – should he? What will be the effect on history if he succeeds? Jamie’s quest to fulfill his destiny ties friendsand  family together  in ways he could never have  imagined.

A Matter of Time is an emotionally charged voyage into the value of friendship, the power of love, the impact of evil, and the vagaries of Fate.

***

Michael Bowler grew up in San Rafael, California. He attended St. Raphael’s School and Marin Catholic High School before attending Santa Clara University. Titanic and her tragic fate fascinated him for as far back as he can remember. He has a vast collection of artwork, memorabilia and virtually every book ever written about the disaster.

He majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara and got a master’s in film production from Loyola Marymount University. He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several films, most notably “Fatal Images,” “Dead Girls,” “Hell Spa” (later re-edited and titled “Club Dead”), “Things” and “Things II.”

He has written a number of unproduced screenplays and is currently working on other novels he has outlined. He’s been teaching high school in Hawthorne, California for over twenty years.

He has also been a volunteer Big Brother to seven different boys over 28 years with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles for 27 years.  He is a passionate advocate for the fair treatment of children and teens in California, something that is sorely lacking in this state.

His first novel, A Boy and His Dragon, was originally written in the 1980’s before fantasy stories enjoyed a major renaissance, and has remained unpublished to this day. It is intended as the first of a trilogy.

A Matter of Time, his second novel, was originally written in the 1980’s and completed in the mid-1990’s as time permitted.

You can visit Michael on the web at www.michaeljbowler.webs.com.

• Follow Michael Bowler on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BradleyWallaceM
• Friend Michael Bowler at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1377702356
• Pick up a paperback copy of Michael Bowler’s A MATTER OF TIME at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A-Matter-Time-Michael-Bowler/dp/143278711X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344430749&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+bowler
• Download your electronic copy of Michael Bowler’s A MATTER OF TIME at Amazon Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/A-Matter-of-Time-ebook/dp/B007GOAC9C/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1344430749&sr=8-1
• Purchase your paperback copy of Michael Bowler’s A MATTER OF TIME at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-matter-of-time-michael-bowler/1109296752
• Pick up a copy of Michael Bowler’s A MATTER OF TIME at Outskirts Press: http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?ISBN=9781432787110
• http://www.amazon.com/A-Matter-Time-Michael-Bowler/dp/143278711X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333825240&sr=8-1
• http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-matter-of-time-michael-bowler/1109296752?ean=9781432787110&itm=1&usri=michael+bowler+a+matter+of+time

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

5a.m. Flash 210812 – Submission info. (sci-fi, fantasy, horror)

Every now and then at 5a.m. (probably posted by my clone) I will be bringing you a newsflash, update on what I’m doing, invited guest piece, or whatever takes my fancy. Today is the sixth in a mini-series of submission information (previously children’s & YA / flash fiction / non-fiction / novels / poetry)…

Sci-fi / fantasy / horror specific

• Clarksworld Magazine, a monthly online sci-fi / fantasy / horror mag. Each issue (currently no. 57) contains work from established authors and at least two pieces of original fiction, and annually printed in an anthology entitled ‘Realms’. Word count is 1,000-4,000 max. Payment is $0.10 per word. Response time c. 50 days. E-mail enquiries / submissions to clarkesfiction@gmail.com either within the body of the e-mail or as an .rtf file attachment. Include cover letter with contact details, publishing history and relevant personal info.
• Crossed Genre take science-fiction and fantasy.
• Daily Science Fiction welcomes original science fiction and fantasy which is posted / emailed every weekday with shorter pieces Monday to Thursday then a longer piece on Fridays.
• Escape Pod is “the premier science fiction podcast magazine. Every week we bring you short stories from some of today’s best science fiction stories, in convenient audio format for your computer or MP3 player. We pay our authors, but we will always be 100% free.” (they rely on donations and sponsorship). Their submission guidelines are on http://escapepod.org/guidelines.
• Kasma Magazine invites original and intelligent science fiction of 500-4,000 words.
• The Leading Edge is a semi-professional speculative fiction magazine produced at Brigham Young University, (Utah, USA). You can submit <10,000 words, payment is 1 cent per word ($10 min) + 2 mag copies. They also accept sci-fi/fantasy poetry. Payment is $10 for the first 4 pages, $1.50 for each subsequent page of published poetry. Two contributor copies are also provided. They also buy illustrations.
• A brilliant resource is My Perfect Pitch.com which has a page of publishers currently accepting book submissions.
• http://www.newpages.com/classifieds/calls lists a variety of opportunities in varying genres.
• Salt Publishing imprint Proxima is dedicated to science-fiction, fantasy and horror.
• Rune Wright welcomes SF, fantasy, horror and paranormal.
• Salon Futura is an online and eBook magazine dedicated to speculative fiction.
• Static Movement specialises in dark / horror anthologies and welcome submissions.
• Theurgy Magazine is a journal specialising in speculative fiction, fantasy, and science fiction.
• The Tiny Globule seeks short stories for a new series of sci-fi, horror and fantasy anthologies. 3,000 words max.
• Other sci-fi, fantasy and / or horror opportunities include Darwin’s Evolution, Dragon Dreamz, SFX, Trembles Magazine.

If you do have any more information that could go on this page or find any broken links, old information etc., please email me.

And I’ve added a new sub-page (opportunities on this blog) which details the opportunities on my blog, you just need the questionnaire for your genre.

***

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author Spotlight no.112 – Steve Emmett

Complementing my daily blog interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the one hundred and twelfth, is of horror, suspense and supernatural novelist Steve Emmett.

Steve Emmett is a British author with a keen interest in horror, suspense and the supernatural, and he is proud to be a member of the Society of Authors.  He has reviewed for the New York Journal of Books, Suspense Magazine and FEARDex but now concentrates more on his own writing and professional editing. As a writer he considers himself a late starter, having decided to put pen to paper just four years ago at the age of fifty.

Steve studied at the Architectural Association in the late 1970s after which he got involved with designing and building a few luxury houses. But he went off the rails and pursued further his love of Italy which had started during his student days.

After many years running his own London-based agency selling Italian country homes and estates, he moved to the Tuscan-Umbrian border in 2000, not only setting up home but founding a local branch of his UK agency. No surprise, then, that his highly acclaimed debut novel, Diavolino, is set in the very area Steve lived and knows so well. He retired from real work in 2009 to concentrate on writing. He is an opera fan and admits to being pro-Wagner, enjoys films by Peter Greenaway and music by Nyman and Glass.

And  now from the author himself…

I may be a horror fan but personally I’m not inclined towards violence of any kind. I have wondered, were I young enough to be called to arms should HM Government find it necessary, if I would be a conscientious objector. I think I might. Not because I’m a coward – I think anyone who knows me would testify that I’m quite willing and able to fight for what I believe in – but because I don’t think killing can ever be justified. And there are always two sides to a story – conflict, if you prefer – and both sides will claim quite earnestly that God is with them. Plainly, they can’t both be right.

Well, why do I start with such a subject on a writerly website? If you are a writer who hasn’t made the A list yet, you will know what I mean when I say that, despite my stance against violence, I really want to swipe my hand across the faces of people who give you that look (you know the one I mean – lips tight across the face, slightly turned down at the corners, eyes pooling with pity, head tilted to one side) when you tell them you’re a writer, or you want to be writer. Why do they do that? It’s because they believe you won’t make it, that it’s all just a dream. Poor little misled you. You need to go back to the 9-5 day job and be content. SMACK!

Of course you can do it. But you have to really, really want it. Not want it like you wanted that fortnight in Venice or the new car or the conservatory. Getting those was easy. Becoming a writer is the hardest thing you will ever do. When I decided in 2008 that I wanted to bring an end to my previous career and become an author, I had no idea how to write fiction. I’d written plenty of factual articles over the years and had some published, but ‘journalism’ is quite different from good story telling. At least I realised that, I suppose. The first thing I did was to sign up for a writing course. Now that’s a minefield, so be wary. There are lots of ways you can be parted from your money and I feel fortunate that I chose well. I came across a course run by the London School of Journalists. I took the novel writing course and had a wonderful tutor – the novelist Margaret James. After that it was just hard slog and determination. And sacrifice. Yes, learning to live on a fraction of what you’ve been used to isn’t easy – but nothing was going to stop me from making this change.

My first novel, Diavolino, got picked up by US publisher Etopia Press and is available as an e-book and paperback. I self-published a short story, Kid, just to see what the process was like and, really, to serve as a kind of loss leader for Diavolino. I still believe in publishers rather than self-publishing, and that’s why my second novel will soon be sent off to… Ah, you’ll have to wait and see!

So where am I after a bit less than four years? Not on the A list, for sure, so I still get those damned looks.  But I’m published and I earn money from my writing and from editing/tutoring. Onwards and upwards.

Now, did I mention luck? Luck plays a big part and I am not naturally lucky, I have to graft for everything. That’s OK, I’m used to it, I’ve worked it out by now. But you know those very rich people who smile and say ‘There’s no such thing as luck’? Don’t you just want to go… Smack!

Morgen: I do. I’m often just in the right place at the right time but yes, I graft too. Thank you, Steve.

You can find more about Steve and his writing via… http://steve-emmett.com and http://thewritingcouch.com. His books are widely available including Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, and Steve will also be one of the authors appearing at Northampton’s first ever Gay Literature Festival (14th-16th September), here in my home town (and where I’ll be talking about eBooking and writing groups!).

***

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with non-fiction author Jasha Levi – the four hundred and sixty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.454 with sci-fi fantasy and horror writer Mathew Bridle

Welcome to the four hundred and fifty-fourth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with sci-fi fantasy and horror author Mathew Bridle. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Mathew. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Mathew: Hello Morgen. I herald from Horsham in West Sussex, though I now live a full six miles away in Crawley. I suppose, I began to write any of length while at Primary school when I filled an entire exercise book with the exploits of Katie the Kitten.

Morgen: How sweet. (and I’ve only moved 55 miles in my life). What genre(s) do you write?

Mathew: At present I am writing a fantasy saga, with all of the trolls, orcs, dragons, and stuff like that. My first novel was an 80’s style horror called Rising. I then wrote a first person sci-fi called 3 Phaze, followed by an X-file inspired sci-fi / horror entitled Lagoon. I wrote a few others which I lost the manuscripts of. I have written a few short stories, though I must admit that I find them difficult to stop.

Morgen: That’s no bad thing, they just have longer legs. What have you had published to-date?

Mathew: I had one novel, Emun of Mor, published by indie press Vamplit Publishing. The others I’ve thrown out there on Smashwords as badly-written freebies, which in the last year have had over 13,000 downloads. My latest is self-published.

Morgen: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Mathew: Over the 20 or years that I’ve been writing novels I’ve had plenty of rejection letters. You get used to them after a while. It is only recently that I discovered the primary reason for most of them. I had no idea what a publisher or agent is looking for in the query letter and synopsis. I, like many, fall at the first hurdle.

Morgen: There are more sites out there with advice but the publishers and agents I’ve spoken to have often said that many authors don’t simply read their guidelines which, as you say, is most certainly falling at the first hurdle. Have you won or been shortlisted in any competitions?

Mathew: I’ve not entered any. Until now, I never thought that I could win or even get noticed. I have a distinct lack of self-belief.

Morgen: That’s a real shame although I don’t know of many authors who don’t, even to a small extent. I would recommend not putting anything ‘badly-written’ online but take your earlier comment with a pinch of proverbial salt as your reviews have been good. Do you have an agent?

Mathew: I had one, back at the start. He was someone that I knew, and like me he was new to the game.

Morgen: I know from looking at your Smashwords link that your books available as eBooks, do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Mathew: Ebooks are my primary focus. They can easily be kept up to date every time I find another error. Though there is nothing like holding your work in your hands.

Morgen: That’s very true. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Mathew: I do it all. Utterly clueless at it. I am thinking of blogging my activities to help / warn others of the pitfalls and successes, but I would need someone to nag me to keep it up to date.

Morgen: Having regular guest pieces might do the trick although be warned, it could take over your life. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Mathew: My first novel is a favourite. My latest is my best, bit ambitious. As for actors, I actually have them in mind all the time so that I can write dialogue ‘in voice’. As an example, I have a dwarf priest, Arrborn, who is voiced by two actors. One, Morgan Freeman for when he is being kind and nurturing and the other is Brian Blessed for when he is being more… outgoing. I also have Stephen Fry as a gnome.

Morgen: Wonderful choices, and I’d love to see 6ft+ Stephen Fry as a gnome. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Mathew: I designed all them except one, Emun of Mor which was done by the publisher. I like the drawing on it but the title is painful on the eyes.

Morgen: At least you can see it; some are so near to the colour of the background, or the text so small that you have to squint or enlarge it and any stumbling block for a potential buyer is best avoided. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Mathew: I’m working on the saga, I have over 350k words already down as outline, so I’m putting the flesh on the bones.

Morgen: Wow. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Mathew: I try to write every day, but I have to work and have three children. As for writer’s block, no, I have the opposite, too many ideas and not enough time. I would also like to try and collaborate on something that is out of my field.

Morgen: I’m the same; too many ideas for (probably) my lifetime but better that way than struggle. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Mathew: I used to just jump in the saddle and see where it ran, but now I put down some notes. Then I hack away at the story and get it done then I go back and fill it in. I have even used a desk calendar to plot out a chapter to make sure that it all worked out to the right number of days.

Morgen: When I was writing my first novel I had events happening all over the place and had to date the chapters so I could keep track, a calendar is a sensible idea. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Mathew: Sometimes names change, anything will do for a start.

Morgen: Do you write any poetry? If so, why do you think it’s such a difficult market to break into? Are there any tips you could give to someone wishing to write poetry?

Mathew: I have written poetry but it’s not very good. Natural poets are something to admire. I have a friend that is exceptional, double acrostics are no bother to him at all. He once wrote a poem about being by the sea. You could feel the motion of the waves in the rhythm of the words, just beautiful.

Morgen: How lovely. I write very little (“only when I have to”, I say) but admire those who do. Do you write any non-fiction or short stories?

Mathew: Short stores, usually once a month for the writer’s group that I chair (www.horshamwriters.co.uk, you can take any of my stuff from there if you want it for your site or from theonesaga.com).

Morgen: Oh, thank you very much. One of your favourites for the Flash Fiction Fridays slot would be great (I also ask for a few words on your inspiration behind the piece). Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Mathew: If you get my first book, The Rising, it’s in need of an editor and probably a re-write. That’s where I began to learn. I used to run from editing, that’s a serious skill. I’m no academic, I tell stories. I have now learnt to slow down. Read as I type, and then re-read. I finish a chapter, print it, mark it, edit it before going on to the next one. When the book is done I go over each chapter again. When that is done I get a copy printed and create an ebook for beta testing.  Then it’s publish and be damned.

Morgen: I’ve heard many writers say that Dan Brown’s writing is fairly poor but he tells a good story. The same is said about the writing of Fifty Shades of Grey although I’ve heard more bad comments about the story than good ones. Do you have to do much research?

Mathew: I have done. For this saga I have researched armour, leather making, ancient tooling, foreign cultures and different religions. I’ve looked into climate systems.

Morgen: Yay for the internet. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Mathew: Third person. I’ve done one first person, but cheated a bit. Never tried a second person; at least not deliberately.

Morgen: <laughs> Wise for novels but you could try it for a short story. It’s an interesting pov. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Mathew: Possibly, I’ve got two on the backburner. Mark: future sci-fi apocalyptic thing where the public can play at real as a video game. Rain: a black comedy vampire noire.

Morgen: They sound really interesting. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Mathew: Not being full time. I’m always surprised by how fast time flies.

Morgen: I am full-time (although more blogging / emails than writing) and yes, although no longer surprised (more annoyed) at how quickly the time flies. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Mathew: Go for it. No matter how bad it turns out, just go for it.

Morgen: Absolutely – you can’t edit a blank page. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Mathew: Desmond Tutu, Jesus, and Steven Hawking. I’d probably cook roast beef with all the trimmings.

Morgen: Nice. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Mathew: Hair, just like everyone else. Homer (Simpson that is).

Morgen: Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Mathew: I like to help other people to get their writing into print (self published) so that they can enjoy that moment of holding their own book. I also review books for a couple of websites.

Morgen: Ah great, if you let me know what they are I’ll add you / them to my Reviews page. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Mathew: Working and family, playing video games with children or watching movies.

Morgen: Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Mathew: The most useful thing that I have found is www.grammarly.com anyone who struggles with punctuation and grammar and so forth it is a real boon.

Morgen: I was of the era that was taught grammar at school but can always do with a refresh. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Mathew: I’ve been on Twitter for a few years now, Facebook Goodreads, and a few forums. They can be as helpful as they can be destructive.

Morgen: Apart from being stupidly time-consuming there are a small number of people who are quite happy to bring others down – having a thick skin for rejections comes in handy. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Mathew: I think that today the opportunity to be read is vast. Because it is possible to write in the morning and be published by lunchtime everyone can have their say, but not all should.

Morgen: Where can we find out about you and your work?

Mathew: My website is best www.theonesaga.com.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Mathew: Nothing springs to mind. If anyone would like some help to get onto smashwords or kindle they can contact me through my site.

Morgen: Great. Thank you, Mathew.

I then invited Mathew to include a synopsis of one of his books…

As the youngest mage ever, to pass through the University of Elements, Dekor never expected to be hunted by them. He was warned about the lust of the flame, he believed that he would not succumb, he was wrong. Running for his life, he finds help in unexpected places as he follows the voice of The One. Torn between two masters, he struggles with his inner demons while avoiding the hunters that draw ever closer in a land on the brink of war.

The horde in Gnell is growing impatient, seeking to conquer the lands of men. Driven by their new King, the warlock Vargor, the goblins begin to test the mettle of men. Will anyone come to the aid of Mages or will the horde prevail?

Born in 1963, Mathew Bridle heralds from the south of England where he lives with his wife of 17 years and his three house monkeys (children). He never obtained a high academic level, scraping through with few ‘o’ levels.

He has had numerous forms of employment including: retail, warehousing, manufacturing, care work and even ran his own business in graphic design.

His main hobbies are video gaming, reading and writing, he also enjoys the occasional movie.

He can be contacted at his website, www.theonesaga.com, @mathewbridle on Twitter and also on Facebook at Fantasy Central.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.430 with editor and writer Dorothy Davies (part 1)

Welcome to the four hundred and thirtieth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with editor and fiction author Dorothy Davies. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Dorothy. Please tell us how you came to be involved in the writing industry.

Dorothy: When I began writing seriously over 30 years ago, there was no one to help me with story planning, article planning or anything else. I learned as I went along, mostly by rejection, working out how to make it better so it sold next time out. From there I progressed to teaching creative writing by post for two long distance learning colleges and from there, it seemed a natural progression to take a copy editing course and move into editing, which I did by contacting the company I wrote for at the time. I ended up with a full time editing job which I still do.  I also edit for Static Movement, who specialise in dark / horror anthologies. I have a great many anthologies to my name now and more to come.

Morgen: I have a horror section on my blog’s links and submission information pages so I’ve added them and mentioned it on Facebook and Twitter. Is there a format (novels, non-fiction…) / genre that you generally edit?

Dorothy: I prefer short stories; they are the challenge to get right! I edit books at work, so really, anything that comes along.

Morgen: I write more short stories than anything else and yes, they’re tricky, although whether writing or reading them I like to be able to do the whole story in one go. A rather global question, but are there common mistakes an author can make?

Dorothy: Punctuation. Biggest problem of all. Many authors fall down with their lack of punctuation and I am not only talking of amateur writers here. I recently read a published book where the punctuation was diabolical!

Morgen: It really annoys me when I see proper signs (shop windows etc) with terrible spelling or punctuation. You would hope being printers that they’d get it right but I guess… <coughs> it’s a sign of the times. Do editors generally charge by the word or the hour?

Dorothy: I have a set rate for the paid editing, but for Static Movement it is free.

Morgen: Because they don’t charge. That would be fun, I’d think, a labour of love for sure, like this blog. I’ve heard numerous authors say they can self-publish without an editor – what would you say to that?

Dorothy: They can’t. No matter how many times you read something, you become word blind. I must have read the cover for my self published book Captain Of The Wight more times than I can recall and still it went out with the date 1442 on the back instead of 1482…

Morgen: Oh no… at least it’s easy to change the eBook version. How do you edit – on screen or on paper?

Dorothy: On screen. I get bored working with paper. On screen I can make the alterations immediately and do search and replace if an author is consistently making an error. One book I had the author had site for sight throughout, so I did search and replace.

Morgen: I used to print these interviews out and go through them with a red pen (does the pen being red feel so much more powerful) but would then make mistakes typing up my notes so it’s all done on the screen now… as you say, it’s instant. Do you write? If so, please tell us about that and does being a writer as well influence your editing at all?

Dorothy: I am a full time writer as well as a full time editor. I write extensively, short stories, novels, articles, all sorts. The editing influences the writing, I am aware of errors and try to avoid them and the writing influences the editing as I can see how it should be done and what flows.

Morgen: Having 30 years’ worth of experience must really help. These days an editor and agent are the key people in a writer’s life, do you think agents are vital to an author’s success?

Dorothy: Absolutely not. It is one of my soap boxes, the fact you do not need an agent. I have worked with three, only one did anything for me, and then she retired from that job and became a teacher, what does that say??

Morgen: That many are finding other avenues. I’ve had interviewees say they are wonderful, did little to nothing or retired, changed jobs. It’s certainly a changing industry and I think (hope) more on the side of authors, especially where we can go it alone, either self-publishing paper copies or electronically. What do you think of eBooks? Do you read them or is it paper all the way?

Dorothy: I read e-books. Most of my historical books are coming out as e-books because of lack of orders from outlets which carry ‘real’ books. I have a Kindle and won’t go anywhere without it.

Morgen: Are you involved in any of the marketing for your clients?

Dorothy: As I don’t have clients, as such, I fortunately do not have to market anything.

Morgen: You’re lucky. When I ask an author what their least favourite aspect of writing, invariably they say marketing. How important do you think titles / covers are?

Dorothy: Titles are essential, even more than covers, as Amazon and others are picky about covers and you might have a perfect one and have to change it, or the retailers don’t like it. Titles say everything. I work long and hard at mine.

Morgen: Me too. Writing a story a day for my 5pm Fiction slot, I try to avoid generic ones such as ‘The Journey’ but often pick phrases from the story itself so the titles are often the last thing. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Dorothy: The life of Katherine of Aragon, the life of Antony Woodville, Earl Rivers, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots and half a dozen assorted compilations of memories and messages from spirit people. The work is never ending…

Morgen: I know that feeling… although mine is less creative (dealing with c. 100 emails a day). Do you work every day?

Dorothy: I never stop working.

Morgen: Me neither but I enjoy what I do, so it’s worth it. I mentioned marketing as authors’ least favourite aspect, what’s yours of your editing life?

Dorothy: The worst thing is being bored by the storyline.

Morgen: They say that if a writer is bored with their story the reader will be too – I wonder if they were with the ones you read. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Dorothy: Remember the maxim, SHOW DON’T TELL and if you don’t understand that, find out!

Morgen: Absolutely. I usually give the example of ‘Andy slammed his fist on the table’ rather than ‘Andy was angry’. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Dorothy: As a medium and channel for spirit, I regularly speak with people from all eras, ancient Britain to today’s modern people. When we have dinner, it is cooked by one of the finest cooks I could find – and there have been no complaints so far…

Morgen: Are you involved in anything else writing-related?

Dorothy: I publish my own quarterly magazine for spiritualists. It’s called Circle of Light and I do everything from laying out the pages to taking the photographs. A labour of love and I love it.

Morgen: What do you do when you’re not working?

Dorothy: I take photographs, tend my bonsai and read.

Morgen: I love photography (my father was a photographer and my uncle still is – my aunt / mum are artists and brother a web designer so it was inevitable I’d be involved in the arts somehow) and since I’ve been designing my own covers it’s made me look at how photographs are constructed (portrait with space for the title and name). Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Dorothy: The only books that are truly useful are Write Tight from Writers Digest, which shows you how to eliminate the rubbish that clutters up a book, and On Writing by Stephen King. I work – as in offer critiques – on two sites, Legend Fire and Bookrix. Otherwise I tend to avoid going on sites, they consume too much time that could be better used for writing.

Morgen: They do. Time and I are not best friends, falling out often. ‘On Writing’ is the most recommended book in these interviews. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Dorothy: I do not go on networking sites, apart from Linkedin, as I will not take part in data mining or allow anyone to target me through them. I have seen too many horror stories of cyber bullies to want to expose myself in that way. I have been on two forums and found that my beliefs attract a degree of criticism if not outright spite that I cannot tolerate. I will argue my beliefs with anyone but it always tips over into aggression for some reason. Hence my decision not to expose the work or myself on a networking site.  It isn’t worth it.

Morgen: I can’t understand why some people just love to inconvenience others. Because of the amount I blog (3+ posts a day), I delete hundreds of spam blog messages each day (fortunately 99% filtered for me… WordPress is great!) and whilst most are just random text, some can be downright rude. There’s no need for it… but then I’m English and we have standards. What do you think the future holds for editors?

Dorothy: There will always be room for editors, no one is perfect. Even the spirit authors, who have had hundreds of years in which to plan their life stories, end up having it altered by my editor.

Morgen: Where can we find out about you and your work? Do you take enquiries from authors directly?

Dorothy: I don’t take on outside work, as such, I am commissioned by one site to edit for him, I sometimes bring work home, other than that I spend my evenings writing. I am elderly and if I don’t stay on top of the work spirit have asked me to do, I will eventually go home with the task incomplete and that will not do!

Morgen: I work from home with many tasks incomplete – it drives me nuts. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Dorothy: If you like horror / dark stories, check out Static Movement, they have an amazing range of anthologies, from vampire to legends. They and I are always looking for stories. For love only but believe me, there is good exposure.

Morgen: Thank you, Dorothy, lovely to chat to you. Dorothy will return in February 2013 to talk more about her writing.

Dorothy Davies is a writer, editor and medium who lives on the haunted beautiful Isle of Wight where she writes her dark stories and historical books direct from spirit, where she speaks with spirit and lives a full and satisfying life. She can be found at www.notes-from-a-smaller-island.com, www.circle-of-light.co.uk and www.oneinspecyal.com.

Update March 2013: “I am over 3/4 of the way through a horror novel and have a publisher interested in seeing the whole thing when it’s done. I am currently taking time out of writing to do a line by line edit and revision. It’s surprising how much needs changing!”

Morgen: Good luck, Dorothy!

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.429 with horror, humour, steampunk, erotica writer Tonia Brown

Welcome to the four hundred and twenty-ninth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with horror, humour and steampunk, with just the occasional shot of erotica, writer Tonia Brown. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Tonia. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Tonia: My roots are southern, though I was raised in a military family all around the world, so it’s kind of hard to tell. I have an identical twin sister, have been married for fifteen years, and currently live in North Carolina. I live so far out in the country they have to pump sunlight out to us! I’ve always written something, be it poetry or services for my church, but I started writing fiction a few years back on a lark, and never seemed to stop.

Morgen: We’re having a really grotty summer here in the UK, if you have any sunlight spare could they pump some our way please. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Tonia: I tend to shift between horror, humour and steampunk, with just the occasional shot of erotica. If I had to pick one, I would want to say horror, but my funny bone might have something to say on that matter.

Morgen: What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Tonia: I’m up to five novels, seven novellas and many, many, many short stories. I have in the past written erotica under the name Regina Riley.

Morgen: Erotica’s always been popular but I’m sure even more so now because of the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Tonia: Do I have any rejections? Asking a writer that is like asking them if they have a toilet in their house. If they say no, the must be full of crap. I kid! I kid! Seriously though, yes I have my fair share of rejections. Dealing with them involves anything from bouts of self-pity to extended periods of weeping to killing zombies on the Wii. (I find killing zombies on the Wii to be the best form of therapy for most anger issues.)

Morgen: A handful of authors I’ve spoken to haven’t had any but usually because they’ve not written much and either not submitted or have had everything that has gone out accepted (are we the slightest bit green?). Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Tonia: I had an agent until a few weeks ago. To be honest, he didn’t really do anything for me. What little success I have had, I made for myself. The author / agent relationship these days is a strange one. You probably still need one to make it into the larger publishing houses, but only because an agent vets your work and makes it easier for a large house to find you. Otherwise, you’re a microscopic fish on an oceanic planet.

Morgen: I’ve had a few interviewees say the same; that they were as productive as their agents (if not more so). It’s harder now for them and I know some have become publishers because of the way the industry is at the moment, especially with many authors going it alone to self-publish / eBook. Are your books available as eBooks? How involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Tonia: Yes, all of my work is available in eformats. I self published my last three books and handful of novellas, and formatted them all myself. I read both paper and ebooks, though I find myself favouring ebooks as of late. It’s just more convenient for me.

Morgen: I still read more pBooks but only really because I’m at home more than out and my house is a library but I love having 400+ books with me at any one time when I do go away. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Tonia: I am horrible at marketing, though I do try. My brand is basically just me being my silly self. I don’t have as much money as I would like to sink into advertising, so most of my marketing is through social networking and relies on good old word of mouth.

Morgen: That’s the great thing about being an author today; we have potential readers ‘on tap’… it’s just so time-consuming finding them. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Tonia: If I had to pick a favourite, I would say that Badass Zombie Road Trip is my best book. This book makes me laugh, and I’m the one who wrote it! It would also make the best film because the feel of the novel was based on the old “Road to…” movies. I am not really sure who I would cast in the leads, but it’s a shame Bing and Bob couldn’t take it on.

Morgen: The authors should have a positive reaction to their books because if they don’t it’s likely the readers won’t either. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Tonia: I was really involved in almost all of the covers for my novels. I’ve only been disappointed with one, but that was years and years ago. As for the titles, I’ve only been asked to rethink one of them, which in the end worked out better thank my original title ever did.

Morgen: The two cover photos you’ve given me here are great. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Tonia: Currently I am writing a humorous fantasy novel with just a touch of horror. Think zombie gnomes. Oh yeah. I just said zombie gnomes.

Morgen: <laughs> Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Tonia: I try and write every day if I can manage it. And no, I don’t believe writer’s block is a real thing. I think there are slow days, that folks get burnt out or tired of a project, that sometimes a story won’t move in the direction you want to force it, but I don’t think there is a real “I just can’t write a single word” time a writer can blame for his inability to produce. My last novel, Sundowners, took me two years to finish. But that was two years of picking up when the ideas flowed and putting down when they dried up, while I worked on other stuff in between those dry spells.

Morgen: I write a short story a day for my 5pm Fiction slot and knowing it has to go up gets me writing. It’s like NaNoWriMo, knowing I have to produce 50,000 words by 30th November gets my bum in my chair… well, it’s rarely out of it but actually writing (although I do also write when I’m walking my dog). Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Tonia: I am a total on the fly writer. The only clear things I ever go into a project with are the beginning and the ending. Everything else is up to the characters.

Morgen: And they usually rise to the challenge don’t they – that’s my favourite aspect of writing fiction. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Tonia: I don’t have a set method for character creation. I find some come to me as complete entities, and some evolve as the storyline unfolds. Sure, you might have to change a character’s profession once or five times, but that’s all part of the writing process. As for names, that all depends on my mood. Sometimes I like to go out of the way to hide little things in character names, while other times I can’t be bothered. I think it’s the mood of the story that controls the importance of names. What makes characters believable to me is their dialogue. Characters that talk like normal folks are easier to read than those who are either too high brow or use far too much slang.

Morgen: Absolutely, that would drive anyone nuts… everyone has to be flawed somehow. Do you write any non-fiction, poetry or short stories?

Tonia: Oh yea, a bit of poetry and tons of shorts. I don’t like to spread my poetry around too much, but I do love to share my short stories. In fact, I put out the occasional collection of shorts every so often. The Triple Shot Series consist of three stories that share a theme, such as zombies or werewolves or steampunk.

Morgen: I’m more shorts than anything else and like you do a bit of poetry but it’s not where my heart lies. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Tonia: While I get better and better, I find it pays to pay someone to double-check your work. Luckily, I have a great editor in Stephanie Gianopoulos. No one is one hundred percent edit free. No one. In fact, I guarantee if she comes across this interview, I’ll probably get an email from Stephanie asking me why I didn’t run this by her before I turned it in.

Morgen: It looks OK to me. But yes, no writer should put their work out (although I do with my daily flash fiction) without running it past someone else. I’m hoping to get a 105K chick lit online soon but am waiting for my three first readers, one of whom I think is almost done so I’m now looking at covers, one of the fun parts. Do you have to do much research?

Tonia: I’m a research junkie. I love to spend hours prepping for a work. But it’s easy to get lost in research. There comes a time when you have to stop reading about something and start writing about it. Wikipedia has written many a novel for me.

Morgen: What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Tonia: I like the intimacy of first person, but the challenge of third. First allows you to tell so much more about a character, but there is a danger of long strings of narrative from inside the person’s head, which is never good. Third is harder to write, because you have to be careful of head hopping or quick pov changes, which are never good. I have never tried second and I don’t suspect I will.

Morgen: That’s a shame. I love it (and every Friday’s piece is in that pov) but it certainly isn’t to everyone’s taste, and invariable to few editors’. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Tonia: I firmly believe that with a little spit and polish, and in some cases a heck of a lot of elbow grease, every story has a home and an audience. Granted, that audience might be a select few or that home might be in a small venue, but every story has worth. I have tons of work just sitting around on my hard drive, not because I can’t find a home for it or I am unwilling to send it out, but because they aren’t ready just yet.

Morgen: I’m hoping the same is the case for 100+ shorts I have on my Mac. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Tonia: I hate marketing. I don’t mind the process of putting together a book as far as editing and stuff goes, but I hate selling it. Again, I’m just not very good at it. I’d have trouble selling ice water to folks in hell. What I’ve found surprising is the amount of folks who equate bombarding you with hourly reminders about their new book as clever marketing. Remember folks, Spam is only good on a sandwich, and even then it’s an acquired taste.

Morgen: Absolutely. I’d say 95% of my interviewees have had marketing as their ‘necessary evil’. I think I’m at the other end of the scale where I don’t tout myself enough (although I do feel sometimes that I talk about myself too much in these interviews) but I do think I’m building my ‘Morgen with an E’ brand by having the blog and doing so much with it. That said, I do plan to be more proactive on other sites when the novels come out. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Tonia: Write. Edit. Repeat.

Morgen: If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Tonia: I’d love to have dinner with Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe and Neil Gaiman. I’d make crockpot lasagne, because that’s always so good. I think I’d just spend most of the meal listening to them say clever things.

Morgen: I wouldn’t mind being a fly on the wall at that party. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Tonia: “I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying.” ~Woody Allen

Morgen: He’s doing pretty well so far. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Tonia: I occasionally write chants or dramas for my church, the NC Piedmont Church of Wicca. I’ve also written a song or two in the past. Oh and I run a weird western webserial that updates once a week on Mondays about a steampunk train and its strange crew.

Morgen: Maybe you’d like to come back and do a guest blog, talking about songwriting? What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

Tonia: I love to crochet and play games. (Video games, board games, role-playing games, I love them all!) As for party tricks, I can juggle, though not very well.

Morgen: Not a skill I have… flipping a dozen coins off the back of my right elbow is as good as I get. Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Tonia: Terrible Minds. Uncle Chuck always posts the best tongue in cheek and totally not safe for work lists on how to improve your craft. I repeat, totally not safe for work, or anywhere else for that matter. In fact, forget I even mentioned it.

Morgen: Aw, it sounded like fun. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Tonia: I am a Facebook whore, and am also on Goodreads and a few forums here and there. I find social networking is a valuable tool for the indie writer. It’s the best and cheapest way to get word about your work to the readers.

Morgen: It is, and there seem to be new sites appearing all the time – I get requests to join people on sites such as Netlog, Klout etc but just accept and do nothing more, I don’t have the time at the moment, although I do see the potential with Google+ so want to investigate that more. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Tonia: Editing. Lots and lots of editing.

Morgen: Where can we find out about you and your work?

Tonia: I have a little blog at http://www.thebackseatwriter.com and am on Facebook. You can find my webserial at http://steampunktrain.blogspot.com.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Tonia: I love feedback from readers. The best thing you can do for an author is give them feedback, be it a review on Amazon or Goodreads or just an email letting them know your impressions. Even if it’s bad, we want to know what you thought of it!

Morgen: Absolutely. I have some bad reviews on Goodreads (everywhere else seems to make up for it, fortunately). One lady had read April’s Fool and loved it but then read Feeding the Father and hated it so much that she vowed never to read anything else of mine. I found that quite amusing actually (and at least she’d read them) so I clicked the ‘like’ button. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Tonia: If you had to choose a single day from your past to re-live over and over, what day would it be and why?

Morgen: Ooh, good question. It would probably be a day with my father in it. I’d want a happy memory but the day that springs to mind is the last time we were together as a family. It was my 34th birthday, he was in hospital, drifting in and out of consciousness (he had dementia) but he just looked at us (my mum and brother were there too) and said “you are a lovely lot”. It’s a memory with mixed emotions as it was the last thing he ever said to me but I wouldn’t want to live it over and over. This is a tough one (I’m tempted to add it to my questionnaire!) – I loved my birthday last year, staying in a dog-friendly hotel in Norfolk and going to the beach with my Jack Russell-cross. The sun beating down and laughing at him biting at the surf is a tough one to beat. Thank you, Tonia.

Tonia Brown is a southern author with a penchant for Victorian dead things.

She lives in the hills of NC with her spouse of many years and an ever-changing number of cats.

When not writing, she raises unicorns and fights crime with her husband under the code names “Doctor Weird and his sexy sidekick Butternut”.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on the main blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have this blog, http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com, on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to the main blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.427 with YA, science-fiction, paranormal writer and poet Kenna McKinnon

Welcome to the four hundred and twenty-seventh of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with YA, science-fiction, paranormal author and poet Kenna McKinnon. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Kenna: My name is Kenna Mary McKinnon and I’m a freelance writer and self-employed medical transcriptionist who lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. My young adult SF book, Space Hive (working title Jive Hive), will be published by Imajin Books in summer / fall 2012. My articles have been published in numerous journals including WestWord, SZ Magazine, BP Magazine, Audience Magazine, Alberta Caregiver and Edmonton Senior, among others. Some of my poetry and a stage play I wrote was published by Audience Magazine. Two poems have been published by Ascent Aspirations. Although my degree is in Anthropology (with a minor in Psychology), I’ve spent my life writing. I enjoy exploring the psychology of the human condition, especially when the accompanying human is dropped into complex and unusual circumstances. I have lived successfully with schizophrenia for many years.

Morgen: Wow, that’s certainly a great variety. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Kenna: Space Hive, my only published novel so far, is a Middle Reader / Young Adult Science Fiction novel. I’ve recently completed three paranormal novellas in an anthology which I hope to submit to my publisher. I’ve also co-authored a children’s chapter book with a friend, and co-authored a nonfiction book about schizophrenia with Austin Mardon, an advocate for mental illness here in Edmonton. So I really write across genre. I also write poetry and wrote one play which was published by Audience Magazine a couple of years ago.

Morgen: What have you had published to-date?

Kenna: I’ll refer you to my publications page, Morgen, as I’ve had numerous articles, poetry, and a stage play published. The link is http://www.kennamckinnon.blogspot.ca/p/my-publications.html.

Morgen: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Kenna: I’ve had oodles of rejections. I file them under “rejections” in my filing cabinet so I know who not to send them to again.

Morgen: I have a spreadsheet and then the papers go in a display book. I couldn’t throw them away as some people do, it shows me how far I’ve come (in some cases). Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Kenna: I don’t have an agent and so far don’t think an agent is vital to an author’s success, although I understand the situation is different in the U.S. than it is in Canada. I think it’s easier to get published without an agent in Canada. I don’t know about the U.K.

Morgen: I’d say so with the smaller publishers and I’ve heard some agents are becoming publishers. More authors are taken up by small publishers or eBooking so things are changing. Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Kenna: My book, The Space Hive, is going to be available first as an eBook and then as a trade paperback. Yes, I’ll be involved in that process. I have a Kindle and read ebooks almost exclusively, but there are books on my shelves I haven’t read yet that are print, so I do read paper as well. I prefer ebooks.

Morgen: How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Kenna: I do a lot of marketing for myself. So far my book hasn’t been published but I’m busy right now on Twitter and Facebook creating a “brand” for myself and getting the word out there. I also have an author blog and try to keep up the readership before the book is actually out. I’ll be investing in copies of my books, bookmarks, book signings, blog tours and so on.

Morgen: It’s a hard slog but sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Kenna: Most of my favourite actors are dead. I’m that old. I have a favourite book so far, Circle of Devils, which is my latest and not published yet. My latest work is always my favourite. If one of my books were made into films, I’d have Rod Stewart play Drake, the antagonist in a paranormal novella from Circle of Devils. Or David Bowie. I loved him in Labyrinth.

Morgen: What wonderful choices. I’m not sure I’ve seen Rod in anything but I’d like to. Labyrinth is one of my favourite films. Did you have any say in the title / cover of your books? How important do you think they are?

Kenna: Yes, I titled my book and the publisher liked not the first title I came up with, but the second, and I do have some say in the cover of my book. I’m fortunate to have the publisher I do as I have quite a lot of say in the production and promotion of my work. I think the title and cover of a book is important as that’s the first thing the reader will see on a bookshelf or browsing Amazon.

Morgen: It is and having catchy titles / covers certainly draws a reader in. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Kenna: Circle of Devils, as I said, and I’m not sure what I’ll be doing next. Perhaps some short stories.

Morgen: Yay, short stories. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Kenna: No, I don’t manage to write every day. I’m not that disciplined, I guess, but I can’t sit down and write at a prearranged time until a certain time. I also have a day job, a home-based medical transcription business, and a life. I have to read quite a lot and experience life, get out for walks, socialize, in order to keep up the writing spirit. I can’t write in a vacuum so have to weave the fabric of my shower curtain sort of life into my writing life. I also get paid to write articles so that means interviews, and I do keep up my blog and social media. That could count as writing, I suppose. Life gets complicated but I try to keep it simple. I like austere and simple but you wouldn’t know it if you saw my studio suite, which is one quarter office space and three quarters recycled treasures.

I sometimes write for most of the night or part of the day. I don’t sleep much sometimes, or nap. I spend a lot of time editing, which I also enjoy. I have suffered from writer’s block, to my surprise, but not to a significant extent. I left the work for two or three days then sat down, wrote some nonsense to get started, and then wrote 4,000 words without much of a break.

Morgen: “weave the fabric of my shower curtain sort of life” I love that. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Kenna: Both. I plotted the nonfiction book about schizophrenia, and I plotted one of the paranormal novellas. Mostly I get an idea and run with it, but I’m thinking plotting out a story might be a smarter thing to do if I can stick with the plot and not run with that, too.

Morgen: Easier with non-fiction I’m sure. The characters do tend to take over with fiction. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Kenna: I like to write fantasy and paranormal because that gives me more liberty to write what I want to and what appeals to me, which might be quite fantastic. I look up names on an on-line site that gives popular names for that particular year the character was born, or I name characters after people I know, mixing up first and last names. I have a bit of fun with names and often change them several times as the story progresses. I don’t use names I dislike as a rule, even for villains. I don’t have a method for creating my characters. I’ve lived long enough so I’ve lived with and known many characters which I can draw upon. I don’t know what makes them believable. I don’t even know if they ARE believable. I hope so. That would be cool if someone said to me, I know someone like that. That is, unless it’s someone they think I know myself.

Morgen: Even if we don’t interact with loads of people, unless a character is too perfect, I’m sure we can all relate to them. Please tell us more about your other non-fiction, poetry and short stories.

Kenna: Yes, I get paid for articles and interviews on different topics, for example, seniors in Edmonton or church related topics, I’ve always written poetry since I was five years old and wrote a poem on a chalkboard for my cousin and rhymed “stars” with “Mars”. She was impressed. I’ve written a few short stories and entered a couple of short story contests but didn’t get mentioned. I’ve put some short stories and poems into an anthology and submitted it to a publisher. I haven’t heard back. Mostly I’m pretty eclectic in my writing as in life.

Morgen: That’s a shame but then there’s always self-publishing as eBooks. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Kenna: I do a lot of editing although my writing is more fully formed as time goes on. Still, I edit extensively and am never satisfied. I don’t like to read over what I’ve done after it goes to a publisher. I read once that certain movie stars don’t watch their own films. I can empathize with that. I don’t like to cringe thinking what I did that is in the public eye now, possible mistakes and all, or that I could have done better. I don’t plan to read my reviews.

Morgen: We can endlessly edit our work so I tend to agree with you about reading after the event; you’re bound to think (I would anyway) about what you’d want to change. Do you have to do much research?

Kenna: Yes, depending on what I write, I have to do extensive research. I did a lot of research before the World Wide Web, which involved weeks of time and searching through libraries and travel itineraries, books I bought and borrowed; I remember the first novel I wrote involved a lot of that. It was about Greece and I’d never been to Greece. I like to make the reader think I’ve been there, done that, even though I may not have. But I think the advice to write about what you know is pretty narrow-minded as that would bore me, however, I think I know what they mean. You write about what you know and experience even vicariously. And so I do that, but with much research.

Morgen: I tend to have a lot of bodies (actual or mentioned) in my writing so I certainly don’t write about what I know. When I came to writing I thought I’d be really limited as I had a really ordinary life but fortunately I used to watch a lot of TV so have a vivid imagination. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Kenna: I like third person best. I’ve written first person in my schizophrenia book (The Insanity Machine) for the reminiscences. I’ve never tried second person except in poetry.

Morgen: If you enjoy it, you might enjoy writing it in fiction. I do but then I have a dark brain. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Kenna: Oh, yes, lots of them. I had three novels which I finished many years ago that I cannibalized for two of the paranormal novellas I wrote. The three novels weren’t paranormal but I used some of the characters and situations. Those three novels will never see the light of day. Also much of my poetry and perhaps my short stories will probably remain in the publisher’s cellar under the stairs.

Morgen: What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Kenna: I’ve always loved to write. Nothing surprised me other than getting an acceptance after all these years of writing and many rejections for the three novels I had originally penned, beginning in the early 1980s. I guess what really surprised me was the fact that I could write and do what I loved to do and get paid for it, too. To get published. That surprised me. Then to get published and get paid for it. The least favourite aspect of my writing life is promotion. I’m a bit of an introvert and don’t relish getting out of my comfort cheese and crackers to the jalapeno peppers and mescal.

Morgen: What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Kenna: Hire or find yourself a professional or excellent editor after you’ve finished your work, not before, and listen to advice. Don’t think your work is so great that it can’t take any editing or criticism. And edit, edit, edit. Have patience and persevere. I’m a believer in traditional publishing but if you want to self-publish then be sure there aren’t any typos or grammatical errors in your work, that’s a sure sign of an amateur, and get a good proofreader and copy editor as well as a professional editor. Then promote and if you’re going to self-publish I think you can write anything you darn well please, so be avante garde or daring or something, get something out there that’s original and well done. Then edit and promote. I don’t know. I’m an aspiring writer myself, always will be.

Morgen: Absolutely get a second opinion. It’s not just for the errors (there will always be at least one) but my editor has come up with some wonderful suggestions or pointed out misunderstandings where something hadn’t occurred to me. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Kenna: Gertrude Stein, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Socrates. I’d cook a pork roast with baked yams, ambrosia salad, home made corn muffins with real corn niblets, grilled charred vegetables, green bean casserole, and a fruit parfait for dessert with appropriate wines, Brita water, and non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice. I don’t drink alcoholic beverages myself. I think with dinner companions like that we might have a food fight and I want to provide ample ammunition. Besides, I like to cook. That menu sounds a lot like what we might have for Easter dinner this year.

Morgen: That’s funny. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Kenna: “I might be getting older but I refuse to grow up.”

Morgen: Or “acting your shoe size” (I’m an 8-9). Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Kenna: I do interviews with subjects for articles, I have my own blog, and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn would probably count as writing related. I do a lot of listening and observing. I read a lot on my Kindle, especially. Love that Kindle. I’d like to travel a lot more than I do, but travel can be part of writing related research, as you know. I talk to people and get their stories. I like people.

Morgen: You can never have too much non-fiction / fiction fodder. What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

Kenna: I took some lessons in classic guitar many years ago and have a blue acoustic guitar which I’m learning to play (chords especially and flat top picking). I like to cook and entertain, walk, take karate classes, attend the gym, hike, take photographs (I’ve been paid for a few photos in newspapers / magazines but would like a better camera). I like to read. I draw, especially caricatures, and usually make my own cards. I’m creating a book of her memoirs for an elderly friend from interviews on tape with her. I’ve owned a home-based medical transcription company for 13 years and that’s how I pay my bills (http://www.kennamckinnon.com). I don’t have any party tricks. I knew a United Church young minister once who did card tricks at parties. I always admired that but a friend thought it was childish. I think that it was childlike not childish and I like childlike stuff. I like babies and children, dogs, cats, and plants. My youngest grandson will be 19 years old this year and I don’t own a pet anymore. I wish I had party tricks. I can’t remember jokes and hate charades and games. My children and I used to play board games and I especially remember Trivial Pursuit because I was good at the old movies and songs. That’s because I’m of that era. Only old people write cheques for groceries, have you noticed that? Not all old people write cheques for groceries but of those who do, they’re all old people.

Morgen: I can only remember two jokes and they’re fairly long ones (about a boy, a dog and Gone With the Wind / card-playing and beer-swilling tortoises). Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Kenna: Oh, sure, lots of them. I go to Amazon.com and get loads of books on writing and style and blog writing and stuff. Let’s see if I can tell you some of them. Also, my publisher Cheryl Tardif at Imajin Books can be found at www.imajinbooks.com and I belong to Children’s Book Insider at www.cbiclubhouse.com, there’s “500 Ways to Be a Better Writer”, “Grow Your Blog”, “1,000 Creative Writing Prompts”, “Doing the Impossible, the 25 Laws for Doing the Impossible”, and Tony Robbins books, motivational books like that. I’m quite the gourmand of delectable motivational books. I perhaps read too many. But I like them. I go to writers’ blogs, too, and find them useful. But everyone’s different what turns their crank.

Morgen: Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Kenna: Yes, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn as well as a forum put together when a weight loss site called Anne Collins announced they’re closing down the end of this month. I find them very valuable. My publisher insists on her authors being active on social media. Yes, for promoting, learning, networking, the forums and social media sites are invaluable.

Morgen: Aren’t they. We can reach so many more people without leaving our chairs… it’s great. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Kenna: It looks as though self-publishing and Ebooks are going to be the big cheese of the future. I’m excited about the future and I think perhaps the writer will have much more say in the production and creation of the finished product, indeed the work and creative process itself, than ever before. I think agents may be history at a certain point, and traditional publishers and bookstores will have to change or be ground into dust.

Morgen: They will, and they are. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Kenna: I have a website / blog http://www.kennamckinnon.blogspot.ca. You may also discover a bit of personal history on http://www.kenna-differentfolks.blogspot.com. My poetry anthology ‘Discovery’ has also just come out on Amazon.com.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Kenna: Yes, I’ve lived successfully with schizophrenia since I was diagnosed in 1978, but became ill three years prior to that in 1975. I graduated from the University of Alberta in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction. I majored in Anthropology, minor Psychology. It taught me to think, was of little use other than that. Except, of course, I met some incredible professors who had a lifelong influence on me, but the contact with them was broken many years ago. I think I still carry around the influence to this day, and I’m a senior now, 40 years later.

Morgen: You said “it taught me to think” and this isn’t quite the same thing but designing my own eBook covers has made me take photographs differently; I’m always looking at the composition and where I can put the text. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Kenna: Yes, I’d like to know the titles of your own published works and if I could read them on Amazon or perhaps a short story or poem? I’d be very interested.

Morgen: I have very little out at the moment… no poetry other than one on my blog’s My Writing page. There are four free short stories, a $1.49 31-short story collection / writing guide on Smashwords. They’re also on Amazon but are generally more expensive so I direct people to Smashwords – the details are on my blog’s books mine page. Thank you, Kenna, for asking.

Kenna: Also, why you spend your time and energy on promoting other authors? Do you have a spiritual dimension to your life that connects you with your fellow travellers on this earth? My book ‘Space Hive’ has an underlying theme of a “global village”, a term which the Canadian Marshall McLuhan coined in the 1960s. As Jason likes to say of his friend Aadab, “we are men of the world”.

Morgen: As you said earlier, I love meeting people (albeit virtually) and whilst I hope this blog develops my ‘brand’ (I did receive an email a few weeks ago from a contributor who’d met a ‘fan’ at a party, which was fantastic! ) I’m in the same boat as 99.9% of the writers who take part in this blog – we’re all striving to have our work read and to get our name out there. I like to appear on other writers’ blogs too (I have been on some and have some in hand) and it’s all about doing as much as you can to jump up and down saying ‘pick me’. Thank you, Kenna.

I then invited Kenna to include an extract of her writing…

Earth was in danger.

Jealous eyes gazed toward our Sun from a planet called Space Hive in another star system, black compound eyes that peered without compassion as though we were flies caught on sticky paper ready for the fire.

And the synopsis of her latest book…

Space Hive will appeal to Science Fiction readers of all ages, with a special nod to middle readers/young adults who like Pixar-like action and, more especially, the appeal of adventure and youth.

Massive intelligent Bees, under the direction of a dreadful Wasp General, migrate to Earth in a ship called Skyhive on a mission to kill humanity. An intrepid fourteen-year-old boy by the name of Jason Anderson is kidnapped by one of the aliens. The friendly Bee keeps him as her pet in the Skyhive.

Meanwhile, the nations of the world are losing the battle with the giant Bees. The military takes charge and bombs the Skyhive with nuclear weapons. The area is devastated and the Skyhive moves to India. Two of the worker aliens befriend Jason. Jason discovers that music fascinates the aliens. The Bees revolt and jail the Wasp General and Queen. The Bees frolic on the plains. Jason meets a fellow freedom fighter, Aadab Ali, on the plains of India. Together they bring the war to its exciting climax.

Kenna McKinnon is a freelance writer / photographer and self employed businesswoman, and has lived successfully with schizophrenia for many years.

Update November 2012: SpaceHive has been out in print paperback since September 1, 2012 as well as eBook, and is available on Amazon, CreateSpace and Chapters Westside, Edmonton. Also DISCOVERY-An Anthology of Poetry is now in print and eBook and can be bought through some bookstores and Amazon. A nonfiction book called SpaceHive, about my journey with schizophrenia and related research, is on Amazon. It will be in print paperback sometime before spring 2013. I also will be offering SpaceHive eBook free Dec. 26-28, 2012 on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Readers might like to download it FREE on those dates. It won’t happen again for some time.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.426 with children’s faery tale, fantasy and horror writer Ian S Rutter

Welcome to the four hundred and twenty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with children’s faery tale, fantasy and horror author Ian S Rutter. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Ian. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Ian: Hello Morgen. Thank you for this interview. Well, I’m a 40-year-old husband and father to three awesome kids, Solomon (6), Annalisa and Samantha, both 20 months old. My own SAS team!

I live in two places, Southport, England and Shin Ying, Taiwan R.O.C

As a kid I was always reading; classics from John Wyndham, H.G. Wells, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, James Herbert and Enid Blyton. I would write my own stories, which were in the genres of the authors mentioned. Then my interests changed to technology. As I was growing up, I focused on and studied Computer Hardware and Network systems. Years later, after I was married and living in Taiwan, I decided to get my head down and write again.

In 2005, my wife was six months pregnant with Solomon, and I looked at her and thought ‘What could I give as a gift to my son, when he’s old enough?’ Well, immediately I thought of what I use to do as a kid. I use to live in a village called Burbage, Derbyshire. At the top of the street was a wood, Grin Low Woods, and it was there I would go nearly every day and play with friends. If they couldn’t come out I would play with my imaginary friends. It’s those imaginary friends I have written about in my story. It’s that story I wrote for my son.

Morgen: How lovely. I remember reading avidly as a youth but only writing for school… I’ve been making up for it these past few years though. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Ian: I love lots of genres such as, science fiction, faery tale fantasy, horror, historical and action and adventure. I have personally focused on writing in the children’s faery tale fantasy and horror genres. If there is another genre I would like to write for, it would be the historical genre. I have for a number of years, slowly been piecing together a novel based on a relative who fought in WWI. I think reading Catherine Cookson’s novels got me motivated to do that.

Morgen: Historical is incredibly popular and agents have told me they want more of it (when I presented them with a chick lit). What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Ian: I write under my own name, Ian S. Rutter and on the 14th March of this year, I published my first e-book. It is the one I wrote for my son, called The Faeries of Birchover Wood – Book 1 – The Bad. It’s taken some time. In-between writing that and publishing it, I have written 4 other books, all at various stages of editing and final draft, but then again, I don’t think any story is truly finished.

Morgen: Absolutely. We could edit and edit but we just have to let them go into the big wide world and see how they get on. That’s the joy of eBooks, you can tweak forever after… maybe not a joy if you can’t let them go. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Ian: Yes! And plenty of them, but that’s the name of the game. It was funny actually, as when I had finished my first draft of the faery book, I thought it was the bees knees, and so, like one who experiences first love (I think) I rushed off, running before walking and sent the copy off to an agent. (knowing of course that no-one would be foolish enough to reject it!) I think you can guess what I got! But you learn, and I did. After that, I read a book called ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King. Yes, the horror master. It’s brilliant. It gives you the run down on writing and what to expect. It’s part biography part ‘Teach you how to write’ book. It helped me to restructure my ‘Master plan’ to publishing.

Morgen: ‘On Writing’ is the mostly recommended book and every time it’s mentioned I say that I have it but haven’t read it and that I should (I really should). Have you won or been shortlisted in any competitions?

Ian: No. I have never entered any competitions to find out. It sounds terrible! Not really had the confidence to do that. Silly, I know, but I think I’ll start doing that. It can only help me as a writer to get better. I have however been awarded two blog awards 1. The Versatile Blog Award and 2. The Inspiring Blog Award. I’ve been getting terrific feedback from a series of blog and video tutorials on how to make an ebook. It strips away all the jargon and helps the writer create an ebook without using Amazon’s conversion system.

From that I have had two authors successfully publish on Amazon first time, no rejection of file or formatting errors.

Also, since releasing my first ebook it has been getting great reviews. On Amazon and Goodreads. On Amazon, two authors who write for children. Alison Pensy who has written a trilogy wrote “If I had children of my own this would have been a great story to read to them before bed.”

And Diane Mae Robinson 2012 winner of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award for Literary Arts wrote ”This is an incredible fantasy / adventure story. I was swept up into the adventure early in the story by the strong plot line and the strong characters of this other world. If you have never believed that magical creatures live in the forests, you will now.”

Morgen: It doesn’t sound terrible at all. I find themed ones useful as it gets me writing something new and I still have it if I don’t get anywhere. You could enter my writing group’s H.E. Bates short story competition. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Ian: No agent, but I definitely think they increase an author’s chance to get looked at. Publishers won’t really look at you unless you have an agent. Also, having an agent tells you that your work is good enough to be professionally represented by someone who believes in you and your work. In the digital world it has totally changed that.

Morgen: It certainly has. Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Ian: Yes, my books are only available as a download. It was a natural progression, as my story was first available as a weekly audio podcast, last year. I was completely surprised at the reception I got for my story. From the first week to the last week, it had totalled nearly 20,000 downloads. So from that, I thought I have to do an eBook version of it.

During last year and the beginning of this year, the original story had been professionally edited. I then started to convert it to an eBook, I was involved in the whole process from start to finish. I used HTML, CSS code for all the formatting and images, then Calibre to convert it to eBook standard.

Morgen: That’s fantastic. Scott Siegler did the same thing and it worked for him too. I have a podcast maybe I should try it with one of my novels. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Ian: I do everything. You have to when you are the author and publisher. It’s not easy, but I use Facebook (a lot), Twitter (a few times a day), Google Plus (just started), LinkedIn (for contacts), Goodreads, Amazon Shelfari and my own website and blog.

Branding is funny, as I use to associate it to an object, such as: Pepsi, Jaguar or Burger King, but as I have been marketing I came to realise that people don’t just buy a book for the story, they also buy the book because of the author. The author is the ‘Brand.’ That’s what I am trying to do now.

Morgen: They do, we are, which why it surprises me whenever I see an author with a website named after their book rather than their name (OK so Harry Potter might be an exception). What happens when they write another book – build another website? It’s hard enough keeping one going… Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actors?

Ian: LOL! That’s difficult, because there are two books. ‘The Faeries of Birchover Wood’ has to be my favourite children’s book, and for horror, it has to be ‘Solomon’s Temple’ (no connection to my son)

The faeries is very visual and Solomon’s Temple scares the heck out of me when I read it. That’s based on my experiences of living in a haunted house for a few years, with a few imaginative scares thrown in.

Everyday I imagine the faery story being made into a film. One lead character of the faeries is an elder called Elder Perennial Swallowtail, and I have had only one person in-mind to play him from the moment I started to write it, that would be Liam Neeson. (everything he does I love)

For Solomon’s Temple that’s tricky but would like Christian Bale. He can bring tension to a character, and that story is no American high school ghost story.

Morgen: Great choices. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Ian: Yes, as I do everything. If you had seen the original cover for the faeries story, you would of thought how terrible and amateurish it was. It was actually what I used at the beginning for the podcast downloads. Halfway through, I changed it and the owner or host of the website, Evo Terra said it was a lot better. When the eBook came along, I needed a better, more visually striking image. I came up with a few ideas, pasted them together and sent it to my sister who knows a few artists. They kindly gave me their professional advice, and what I have now is the result. (I hope you like it)

The importance cannot be overstated. As a reader, it’s the first thing you will see, and some just won’t read the blurb unless they like the cover. I believe the cover should be able to tell you a portion of the story without you having to open up the book or read the blurb.

Morgen: It should absolutely. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Ian: A ton of stuff!! The sequel to the faery book. Re-editing Solomon’s Temple. Getting the faery book 1 ready, for Smashwords so it can be distributed through the other digital channels.

I didn’t do that first, as I am signed up for Amazon KDP programme. I did that as an experiment and the results are interesting. On my blog I have the results that have even surprised some authors that have seen my figures. They are very good. (I’ve been told) Now it makes me wish I didn’t sign up for KDP. You have greater control over the price when you are not in the KDP programme. (that’s life!) But, after the 90-day contract has finished I will not be signing again (interesting!)

Morgen: Three months goes so quickly that I don’t think signing up with KDP does any harm (some people may disagree with me). I’ll probably do it with my first novel (my third novel but the one that’s almost ready). Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Ian: At the moment yes. I first try and write up an article for my blog. I have set it up so that as soon as a new article I have written is finished, it gets posted to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus, then I write something for Goodreads or Shelfari, such as a review of a book, that again automatically gets posted to Facebook and Twitter. After a thousand cups of tea, I get down to writing or editing one of my stories and after that, if I have time, some reading. (phew!!)

Morgen: Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Ian: Both. I usually write the end of the story first so I have a path or a conclusion to get to. It also motivates me to finish the story. I have been playing with a story map, or mind map. I have notes and sheets of paper stuck together. It looks like a treasure map with a twisty path flowing through it.

If I get an idea, I will always run with it. It’s just too dangerous not to, in-case it turns into something that ends up being your next book. I think if you could look inside my head, you would see a huge messy playground of adventures!

Morgen: I think most writers’ brains would be scary… mine would be really dark. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Ian: Good question. For the boy in the faery book is my son, so that was easy! For the names of the faeries, it was more difficult, but wonderfully challenging. I thought, ‘What do they represent?’ The answer to me was simply nature. The characters in my story help and heal, so for me they had to have names of flowers and herbs, or a mixture of both. As an example, Cowl Monkshood is a faery that has no love for anyone and has been poisoned by his own jealousy of others. Cowl Monkshood is also a poisonous herb that has been used on the tips of arrow heads.  It”s also known as Wolfsbane. Another is Zeal White Oak, courageous, physically fit and helpful, the actual herb helps with internal problems, provides B12 and is the strongest natural astringent herb available. Yes, I had some names when I was a kid, but not as many as I have now. All the names have followed that principle. Find a flower or herb, look at its properties and try and make a character from that name. Not easy! (Why can’t I make life easy for once)

Morgen: Because you want to do a good job. Do you write any non-fiction, poetry or short stories?

Ian: The only non-fiction I have written would be the WW1 novel (still in the creation process) You could say also, a paper I wrote at college about Joseph Mallord William Turner, the English romantic landscape painter. I love his work. My favourite piece is ‘The Fighting Tameraire’ in which I have a large print. (just love it!) But that is probably as far as I go with non-fiction.

I have been working on some short stories. It presents a set of skills that help you to hone in on story telling. You are forced to create a scene quicker than in a 50,000 plus word novel. Helps you get to the guts of the story.

I really admire short story writers. In-fact, as I spend my time between England and Taiwan, recently there has been a new pop singer called Anthony Neely. He’s half American and half Taiwanese. He released a single called ‘Awakening’, or translated from Chinese, ‘Wake up’. It’s a beautiful song, and I found it quite sad when I first listened to it. He sings it in Chinese but the video inspired me to write a short story about a man living on this planet, alone. It’s called ‘Noah’s Ark’

Poetry – (Don’t go there!!) Sorry, I leave that to my dad. I’m terrible at it.

Again, I admire anyone who can write poetry, even if it’s a silly few words that rhyme together. I had to get my dad to write the poem that is at the beginning of the faery book.

Morgen: I write more short stories than anything else but I’m with you on the poetry… I say I don’t ‘get it’ and write as little of it as possible, but then I don’t read or study it so no motivation. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Ian: At first, I was editing and editing everything all the time. I started to think that my work was rubbish! (you never know, it might be!) On the faery book, I was on my 6th edit!! Then I read an interview of Ernest Hemingway (please, I’m no way in his league) it’s what he said that inspired me. He said, ‘I rewrote the ending of Farewell to Arms, the last page of it, 39 times before I was satisfied.’ Now, I don’t care how many times I re-write!

I am finding the more I write the more it seems to be what I want, but I can say that, usually I’ll leave a finished manuscript for about six weeks. Do something completely different. Come back to the story and I can see what needs improving. (probably the lot!)

Morgen: It’s all about practice and second opinions. Once someone else has been through it and you’ve made the changes you agree on, it must be nearly there (I’m hoping so anyway). Do you have to do much research?

Ian: A lot, probably too much. I love travelling, so writing gives me a chance to go out and find things out. For book 2 of the faeries, I need to go to a few places, I know I can Google it but what an excuse to go for a drive! I’ve always been into research.

Morgen: Online will always only be 2D, seeing something in the flesh will get you the atmosphere, smells etc. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Ian: Solomon’s Temple is first person, and it was incredibly natural to write it that way. I wrote it without thinking what POV I should use. My wife wants me to re-write it as third-person, but I’m not sure. The faery books are all third-person. I have never thought about second-person. I don’t think I’m that skilful. But, I can see most of my stories being third-person.

Morgen: Third person is more flexible but it depends on what story you want to tell – having a mostly singular character person will have the reader there with them in a more intimate way in first person. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Ian: Loads! Especially when I was fourteen. It is terrible! Makes me cringe. Mind you, people might think that when they read the faery book or the horror book, I’m finishing off. Again, when I was fourteen, I wrote a story about an Alien coming to Earth and hunted people. If you read it now, well I wouldn’t let you, but a couple of years later, Predator the film came out. I kicked myself, but I think the script is still better than my story.

Morgen: It probably had dozens of people working on it who’d been professionals for years. There have been plenty of stories in a similar vein so no reason why you can buff yours and do something with it. Romeo & Juliet = West Side Story. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Ian: That’s a tough one. Favourite is having the opportunity to get what’s inside my head down on paper. I would probably scream if I had to use the old typewriter, because the amount of mistakes I make typing, I would probably have had to invest in my own paper making company if I did it the old way.

I love my imagination. My wife says I never stop talking and it’s great that my son is like that.

Least favourite, the time it takes to write a story. I know that’s stupid, but I have tried voice software to speed it up, forget it. Just type. Also, if I am on a roll and I see it’s 1 a.m or so, I kick myself as I have to go to bed. I like things done now or before, and writing you can’t do that, you can only go as fast as your fingers let you.

Surprising thing is that I like writing, as I was completely rubbish at English at school. I think it’s because I marvel at watching my dad string words together and create a poem.

Morgen: I’m with you on those – the creation process vs lack of time. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Ian: Don’t think you are no good, as I use to think that. A self-defeating attitude can only destroy one thing, your soul. Turn ‘I can’t’ into ‘I can’ The difference may only be one letter, but that change, that difference makes an even greater change in your conscious and subconscious mind. It can motivate you or degrade you.

Brian Tracy put it so well, ‘Quitting is an insidious habit. It grows so slowly that one is unaware of it’s enticements until it’s deeply ingrained and it cuts off all hope of success and great achievements.’

Don’t let that happen. First, believe in yourself, then keep at it. Keep writing, reading, tell yourself stories (people will look at you.) just don’t stop. And one thing I am big on, keep dreaming. It was the one thing that got me into more trouble at school than anything else, I was one BIG day dreamer!

Morgen: If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Ian: That’s an awesome question.

Morgen: Thank you, it’s a relatively recent addition.

Ian: One – (This is probably corny but here goes) Clive Staples Lewis.  I adore his Narnia stories. I read them at least once every year.

Two –  Alan Turing. What a genius. I love computers. I wish there was more that this country would do to show appreciation for what he had done in the battle of WWII.

Three – Robert Donat. Can’t get enough of his portray of Richard Hannay in 1935 Thirty Nine Steps. That’s so awesome!

They would get Lasagne because everyone says I’m really good at making it. (unless they are all good liars!)

Morgen: Yum. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Ian: Fall down seven times, get up eight times. – Japanese proverb.

Morgen: I love that. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Ian: Not really. I have a cousin who is doing his Ph.D in marketing, so every so often, he will send me a paper to read and correct. As he is Taiwanese and his papers need to be in English, occasionally he needs help. Also, a friend wrote a book and had it printed, now he wants that as an eBook, so I’m helping him with that.

Morgen: That’s very generous of you considering how you battle for time already. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Ian: Daydreaming, photography, reading (a lot), walking, drawing and painting. I love listening to music, audio books, and spending as much time with my kids.

Morgen: Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Ian: Yes, I am on Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com Books – Stephen Kings ‘On Writing’. And if you get stuck on how to improve your English (I’m always). Then I always have at the side of me ‘Write Every Time (Or Is That ‘RIGHT’?) Cool ways to Improve Your English’ by Lottie Stride. Excellent and funny book on English.

Morgen: Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Ian: Yes, I am on Kindleboards, but I haven’t used it as mush as some have, but it is very good. LinkedIn is amazing for contacts. Facebook.com/isrutter for social networking. I even run a small group called Authors. Anyone is happy to join. I’m on Twitter.com but I still can’t work out if that really works. And Google Plus.

Value, erm, I think Facebook has been tremendous value as people have been either ‘Liking’ my links related to my faery book, or commenting on it. Looking at what others are doing, I think it’s also to do with the numbers. How many FB friends you have. The more you have, the more will join an event, etc. But, Facebook is no1 in my book so far. I’m just starting on Google Plus.

Morgen: I’m only starting with G+ too. I add friends and accept friendships but need to do more (some!) announcements. It’s a time thing again but it’s still going to be hitting a different audience to everywhere else. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Ian: More coffee! (sorry) I think if done right, the doors of opportunities will open wider due to the sudden popularity of the eBook reader. It’s amazing that the first idea of the eBook was in 1947! Anyway, the traditional publishers are still using a draconian system, from my point of view. You look at physical books and their counterparts. Some eBooks from the big six are much greater in price. The indie publisher really has the advantage here, but not the marketing clout of the big six. I think that as an indie publisher you are in a much better position. You can act quicker, market faster, design, format and publish far faster than the traditional publishers. With those tools you have the advantage and should take every opportunity that’s given to you to use them.

I use to whinge every time I saw a celebrity book come out. Now, I just don’t bother. Focus that energy on yourself. The future looks good, but you need to find that ledge so you can stand out a bit more than the other writers.

Morgen: I think publishers are cottoning on to new ways of thinking and how important eBooks are. I’d heard there are less celebrity books being published because people are getting fed up with them. 60-year old eBooks… wow. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Ian: Okay, you can pop over to http://www.iansrutter.co.uk/blog. There you will see the results I got from Amazon on a three-day free download. Articles and soon some tutorials on eBook creation and formatting.

I created two facebook fan pages. One just keeps readers up to date with what has been happening that is at https://www.facebook.com/LetsGetEPublished and the Faery fanpage is https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Faeries-of-Birchover-Wood/397556786944411. That’s got some images on to show the reader what to expect for book 2. I am writing the sequel and a short story. It’s all fun!

You can find my book on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk as well as my Facebook page mentioned before. If you like audio then you go over to Podiobooks.com and listen to my story that I gave away. (I still cringe when I hear my own voice!)

Morgen: Oh dear. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Ian: (I won’t give you my Oscar speech) To anyone who has gotten this far, please don’t give up. My story is out there. It’s been a long time coming (not again) but I did it, and I am doing it again with two more. YOU can do it also. Just one step at a time. (I’m a freak because I think I’m a human octopus) I try and do lots of things at the same time, but that’s how I work.

It’s true that everyone has a story. See it through.

If anyone is not sure on the eBook formatting or how to get started, just send me an email to ian@iansrutter.co.uk or i_rutter@yahoo.co.uk I’ll be happy to help. I have done in the past, and I’ll always do it, I enjoy doing it.

Morgen: Thank you, Ian. I think like most things, it’s the fear of the unknown. I kept putting off creating eBooks because of the daunting 70+ page Smashwords style guide but it’s only so long because it’s so in depth / user friendly. And then there were a few weeks between going with Smashwords and Amazon which was unnecessary as they’re so similar. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Ian: Oh yes! What motivates you? And, if you had to start over again, what would you do first to get noticed?

Morgen: I live and breathe writing (and left my job in March to do more of it) so it doesn’t take much to motivate me (although having 100 emails a day motivates me to keep on top of them). I’d probably have started this blog earlier, left my job earlier, got lodgers in earlier. My mantra at the moment is that I should have done ‘x’ earlier (because I’m usually posting everything on my blog as it’s due to go up rather than getting ahead but that’s due in the main to the email swamp) but I’m just glad I’m here doing it. I’m sure so many people put off writing the book that’s inside them until they retire then are under pressure to write as much as they can as quickly as they can… once they get hooked anyway. Thank you, Ian.

I then invited Ian to include an extract of his writing…

Cowl Monkshood fluttered down close to Solomon and looked at him carefully. With inspecting eyes he said to Solomon, “Er, yes. You will do nicely,” he then fluttered to one side of Solomon and said to all three of them.
“Follow me. We must go past the tree and deeper into the wood. Follow me, follow me.”

Solomon, Dave and Sarah turned and walked closer to the tree, doing exactly what Cowl Monkshood told them to do. Solomon was in front, with Sarah in the middle and then Dave behind. Solomon was fiddling with his little stone that was in his pocket. It felt a little warmer than normal and seemed to be glowing. Glowing so much, that some of the light started to briefly shine through the tightly woven strands that made up his pocket of his pants.

Sarah saw it first, “What’s that?” pointing at the beams of red and yellow light that were just about penetrating Solomon’s pants and coat.

Dave saw it as well and moved forward. 

As he did, Cowl Monkshood fluttered over to Solomon and in between Sarah and Dave. “It’s nothing. It’s nothing!” Cowl Monkshood said in a hissing tone, while trying to keep Solomon separated from his parents. He was now slowing edging Solomon closer to the tree.

Just then, another light came through the wood. It was Caitlin!

She saw what was happening and flew as fast as she could to Dave and Sarah.
Seeing Caitlin got Cowl Monkshood worried.

I then invited Ian to include a synopsis and this is from ‘New Family – New Life – Ancient Evil’…

When eight year old Solomon and his family move to Birchover village, they never realised that the move would change their whole world forever!

After befriending the faeries of Birchover Wood, and being told of a terrible evil monster that’s imprisoned under the oldest tree in the wood, Solomon wants to show his parents his new friends.

A few days after a terrible storm that damages the old tree, all the faery elders are worried of the great danger that faces them.

Solomon convinces his parents to go into the wood.

As they venture into the woodland, a faery appears and takes hold of Solomon. Using magic, he transports the two of them to the monster, imprisoned under the tree.

Immediately, the monster takes possession of Solomon and with magic, it leaves its prison.

Taken over by the evil, Solomon destroys the tree. He rises out through the hole and in to the fresh air of the wood.

Facing an army of dragons, boggarts, faeries and other mythical creatures that have been summoned to fight.
They must destroy the evil inside Solomon, but also save him before it is to late.

***

Born in Stockport but had a smashing childhood in the village of Burbage, Buxton, England, daydreaming was Ian’s no.1 pastime. Still daydreaming as he was growing up, he thought it was a dream when he met his wife. But, it was no daydream. She slapped him out of it and they got married, and have three fantastical kids!

Now they all live in Taiwan, occasionally flying over by faery class to England, where Ian can take his kids to meet his childhood friends.

Inspired by the birth of his son, Ian decided to write stories based on his childhood faery friends, and the fist book, The Faeries of Birchover Wood was released as an eBook on the 14th March 2012, by the weekend it reach no 18 in the top 100 charts. Ian loves his family, travelling and is now working on the sequel.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

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For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.423 with thriller writer David McGowan

Welcome to the four hundred and twenty-third of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with multi-elemented thriller novelist David McGowan. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, David. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

David: Hi! My name is David McGowan, I’m based in Liverpool in the UK. I came to be a writer because I started to write a short story one night when I couldn’t sleep. I’d always been a voracious reader (big Stephen King and Dean Koontz fan, even at 14!). Over a number of years later and with several jobs and a degree in English language and literature gained, it became The Hunter Inside, my debut novel.

Morgen: I blame Stephen King for me wearing glasses (book and torch under duvet in my teens). What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

David: I think my preference is thriller, but in my own inimitable style! The Hunter Inside is a serial killer thriller, packed with suspense and psychological horror and a huge twist of the supernatural, so as you can tell I don’t like to be pigeon-holed! The feedback I have received is that I have managed to cross over the genres successfully!

Morgen: I’m the same. I’ve written four novels and they’re all different. I say I write ‘dark and light’ but it’s usually the darker side of light. Writing a story a day (for story a day may then 5pm fiction) lets me write whatever genre I want. I eBook my work anyway so it’s far more flexible. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

David: Just The Hunter Inside at the moment, but I’m just over 23,000 words into my second novel and it’s flying from my fingers! I would only write under a pseudonym if I tried a totally different genre. For example, I’ve written 6000 words of a children’s novel that I think is really good, and I might think about pursuing that in the future, but it would be under a pseudonym, as I wouldn’t want a ten-year-old buying The Hunter Inside for their Kindle thinking it was a children’s book – it will scare most adults half to death, so god only knows what it would do to a child!

Morgen: That’s a good idea. Many established authors do the same (Barbara Vine = Ruth Rendell, Caroline Harvey = Joanna Trollope etc.). If you’re self-published, what lead to you going your own way?

David: I tried to go down the traditional route at first and prospected several agents. The waiting time is ridiculous, the costs are prohibitive, and the rejections are highly likely due to the amount of unsolicited manuscripts agents receive. I understand it perfectly and I sympathise, but self-publishing for me means that I have total control over my work, pricing, editing, marketing etc etc. It just means working 16-hour days and never leaving the house at weekends!

Morgen: I know that feeling. You’ve self-published so presumably your book is also available as an eBook? How involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

David: The Hunter Inside is only available as an eBook. Currently just on Kindle or Kindle App. I have done everything, including the formatting for Kindle, which isn’t as simple as you would imagine! For anyone writing a novel who intends to format it themselves for Kindle, one tip – do not EVER use the tab key for an indent! Use the ruler at the top of your Word page – it’ll save you a LOT of hassle!

Morgen: I did a talk on creating eBooks on the Kindle and Smashwords to one of my writing groups recently and even the technophobic realised it’s not that hard. I’m thinking of eBooking the handout I wrote (probably expanding it and probably for free). I went with Smashwords first because of their daunting 70+ page guide (which was just that long because it was so thorough) but they gave me an ISBN and submitted to Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo etc. Then I went with Amazon and it’s so similar I wondered why I’d left a 5-month gap in the middle. Do you have a favourite of your stories or characters? If any of your pieces were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

David: My, and I think most people who have read The Hunter Inside, favourite character is Sandy Myers. Sandy is in her early thirties, struggling to run a home, raise twin seven-year-old boys, and is living with the huge shadow of a tragic past that has been touched by evil. Now she is being hunted by someone, or something, that is intent on killing her. But the only thing she cares about is her family. She will move heaven and earth for them.

I’m not sure who I would have play her in the movie. Probably Uma Thurman!

Morgen: She is good. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

David: Yes! I commissioned a professional graphic designer to design my cover and gave him a brief. He is a friend of a friend, so he did it at a very reasonable rate, and he did an absolutely wonderful job, I’m sure everyone will agree. If you would like him to design a cover for you then let me know and I’ll see if he’s available. Mine was the first book cover he’d done – can you believe it?

Morgen: It’s a great cover. What are you working on at the moment / next?

David: I am currently working on my second novel. As I write this I am just over 23 thousand words into it, and I’m delighted with it. It is called From the Sky, and is about how a small town in Northern California, in the shadows of the giant redwoods, is affected by the arrival of visitors from the sky, and the pilgrimage 6 men, 1 woman, a 12 year old boy called Tucker Turner and a dog called Samuel must go on across land, over mountains and over horizons. Are they running away from, or towards, their destiny? You can read the first 10,000 words here.

Morgen: You mentioned your 16-hour days, do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

David: There’s no such thing as writer’s block! It should be called ‘commitment block’, and yes I do suffer from it sometimes. I work full-time as well as write, so I leave home at 7.30am and arrive back at 6.15pm. Then I have to cook, clean, and all the other things that come with running a house. My secret is to prepare a meal that can be frozen to last a couple of nights, or cook something that goes in the oven for an hour like baked potato or casserole, and that gives me an hour after work to write before I eat. If you sit on the sofa after dinner, I can guarantee you won’t do any writing! When I am on annual leave from work, my day is filled, and normally twice as long as a work day. I get up at 6am and write until noon, then I do all my social networking, blogging, emailing, interview requesting, and others like Goodreads etc until about 6pm. Then I will have dinner and try to switch off in front of the TV, but I invariably grab my iPad and catch up with other people’s blogs, find some new blogs I like, tweet, and then I’m working again!

Morgen: That sounds like my day minus the day job (having two lodgers pay the bills) but I still struggle for time. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

David: I plot, but not the classic A to B where A = Once upon a time and B = And they all lived happily ever after. I might have an idea of big scenes that I know will happen at a certain point, and then I’ll plan how the character(s) reach that point in their journey. I planned the first 20,000 words of my work in progress that way, and it will likely reach 30,000 by the time I get to the end of those notes. Plus I’ve been visited by my muse today who has helped me write my plot notes for the next 20/30,000 words, so I’m feeling very happy!

Morgen: I love that. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

David: One of the hardest things is finding names for characters! It must be something with the human brain that makes it want the characters names to all begin with the same letter! Out of the six men who are all main characters in my work in progress, two of them are called Jim! I might have to change that! I like to know them aswell – their backgrounds, morals, habits, values and how they were raised – in my own head before I commit them to paper (or MS Word!). It gives them depth and makes them believable. They also have to be consistent in their outlooks and actions, unless influenced by a higher force (wink).

Morgen: I have an A-Z strip blue tacked to the based of my monitor so if I have a character called Charlie, I can pick another name from further down the alphabet. I went through a phase of wanting to call them Elliot (first or last name) but I’ve not done that for a while (I’ve not yet written today’s 5pm fiction piece so I might now I’ve mentioned it ). Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

David: From my first novel to my second, I have found that my writing is a lot more developed, but I think editing your work well is as important as writing a good story. I also find that editing the last couple of scenes I have written when I sit down to write pulls me back into the story and helps me to focus and feel part of the world I have created.

Morgen: That’s a good idea. Do you have to do much research?

David: Totally. I don’t see much glamour about where I live, so I set my work elsewhere. From the Sky is set in Northern California, so I have to research EVERYTHING! It’s a fun and very educational experience though. I’m now planning a hiking trip there in the summer (if everyone buys The Hunter Inside that is!).

Morgen: I hope this helps. We are very lucky being writers today as the internet gives us such wealth of information. I love it. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

David: Third person is the way for me. I find first person too limiting. I don’t think a little use of second person as anything too bad. It’s not popular and that’s probably because it’s very difficult to do, but I think in short-ish narrative sections it can be really useful for pulling the reader even further into the story. I’m gearing myself up to slip into second person for the end of section one of From the Sky.

Morgen: Oh yay. Do you write any poetry, non-fiction or short stories?

David: I wrote a lot of poetry in my teenage years and am lucky enough to have been published in the UK and USA, but I don’t currently write any short stories or non-fiction, as I don’t have enough hours in my day!

Morgen: That’s probably why I write short stories more than anything else (it’s what I read too – short attention span, not reading regularly and wanting to read the whole story in one go). Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

David: I have three or four novels that I started and abandoned. They’re all pretty good actually, but I don’t want to get pigeon-holed into one strict genre like crime novels. I’m more like Stephen King, who writes a broad range of work. People think King writes horror, but he really doesn’t. When you read a book like 11.22.63, The Stand, or Under the Dome, you really see that King is a master storyteller who pretty much has his own genre! As a big fan, my work has been influenced by King, and I think he will be studied at universities in fifty years time.

Morgen: I read some months ago that Stephen King hates being called a horror writer but sees himself more as science-fiction… if my memory serves me right. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

David: Yes. I tried to get an agent for The Hunter Inside and got about half a dozen rejections. By the sixth one I just cried and gave up for several years. Then someone told me I could self-publish on Amazon, and I’ve never looked back. Why torture myself with rejection when I can have full control, higher percentage of royalties and connect directly with my readers?

Morgen: That’s why I do it (I tried the agent route too, a dozen by email and four in person). Do you enter competitions? Are there any you could recommend?

David: Again, time restraints prevent me from doing the fun things I would like to do with writing!

Morgen: One day, maybe. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

David: All of it! Facebook, twitter, blogging, website design, author interviews, guest blogs, review requests, publicity finding, QR codes – the list is endless and growing all the time, which is why I have no time to write short stories or enter competitions!

Morgen: QR codes… that’s a new one on me (she says turning to Google)… oh yes, those square squiggly bar codes (thank you Wikipedia). What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

David: I hate that moment when you feel your focus waver and you know you’ll get nothing else that’s decent written for that day. That’s why I like to start writing at 6am when I can, so I can get 4 or 5 hours in before that dreaded moment arrives. It takes such concentration and effort that even doing 4 or 5 hours is punishing on the old grey matter!

Morgen: That’s pretty good going. I’m more of a morning person and usually write my short story on the first dog walk. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

David: Don’t give up. Keep pushing. If you think you’re working too hard, work harder. When you have a success, don’t relax. Step it up. Also, if you want to write well, you need to be educated. I can stand reading a novel where the author shifts tense between scenes, but not one where they shift tense during a sentence, or don’t punctuate the commonest of things. It stands out, and puts me off reading. So take an English class if you need to – you’ll enjoy it and it will improve your writing. None of us are ever too old to learn (me included!).

Morgen: My Deputy Chair at one of my writing groups is a retired English teacher so we have some really interesting conversations when we’re critiquing each others’ work… ooh we’ve just launched our H.E. Bates short story competition with crime writer Stephen Booth as judge, that could be something for you to write a short story for! We have a theme for the first time: ‘A walk at midnight’… perfect for a ‘dark’ writer such as yourself). If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

David: My famous chilli would be the dish. I would invite Johnny Cash and June Carter. Then I’d spend all night being in awe of them! If I invited anyone else they would only get annoyed, because I’d be wrapped up in Johnny and June – they’re my heroes!

Morgen: Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

David: Only you can stop you.

Morgen: Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

David: I host a blog at http://davidmcgowanauthor.com/blog with tips for writers and motivational pieces to help people hone their skills and get the words down on paper!

Morgen: Oh great! What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

David: I normally just about have time to cram 6 hours sleep in! But I am partial to a night in the pub and a pint (or 6) of cider!

Morgen: I used to love sweet cider (Woodpecker), and still do but never really think of drinking it, but it goes to my head really quickly. Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

David: There are thousands of great blogs for writers written by writers out there. Here are some of my favourites:

http://rachelabbottwriter.wordpress.com – Rachel is the bestselling author of Only the Innocent, and has some great tips on her site for writers self-publishing their first novel.

http://poetaofficium.wordpress.com – Vee is always exploring her own attitudes to writing and hosts a very inclusive blog. She has a little community going.

http://msfowle.wordpress.com – Mel is a very talented writer and is also someone who has a very inclusive approach to writing. Why struggle alone when there is someone out there who you can share your journey and experiences with?

http://jaylt.wordpress.com – Jay is committed to helping people become better writers, and her blog is full of useful tips, author interviews and exercises to help people develop their writing.

That’s four, but I could name forty! Apologies to those I haven’t named. Other people could name four hundred!

Morgen: I interviewed Rachel back in April. I haven’t interviewed the others… yet. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

David: Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter are the main ones I use. You can’t be too focussed on making yourself into a brand if you want to get the most out of these sites. You have to connect with people, have fun and reach your audience by befriending them!

Morgen: I think even for that reason alone it’s a great time to be a writer. What do you think the future holds?

David: The future is bright for good writers who market themselves correctly. Things have changed around in the 21st century, and while I think there will always be a need for traditional booksellers and the publishing industry, writers now have better opportunities than ever to get their work out there without the approval of agents or the big six publishers and without having to print 500 copies and then wonder how to sell them!

Morgen: With two lodgers I wouldn’t have the room. Where can we find out about you and your writing?

David: Please visit my website at http://davidmcgowanauthor.com.

Follow me on Twitter @dmcgowanauthor

You can also visit The Hunter Inside’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/thehunterinside.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

David: I would just like to thank you for the opportunity to take part in this interview Morgen (with an ‘e’!). Yours are the best and most in-depth questions I have been asked in an interview!

Morgen: You’re very welcome. Thank you very much. :*) You didn’t have to answer them all but most interviewees do and am delighted you enjoyed it.

Update November 2012: With a lot of hard work and inspiration, and a LOT of research, From the Sky (on November 28th 2012) is now almost at 76,000 words. I’m so excited about this novel – it’s the 21st century version of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the moment Spielberg reads it, he’ll want the movie rights! There’s a lot going on in California, and my little band of characters are right in the middle of it all. It’s a long trek filled with extraordinary experiences that are quite literally out of this world, and a voyage of discovery for the characters involved. The ending is going to be explosive, and I can’t wait to hear the feedback of readers. I am currently recruiting some beta readers (mainly Americans, as that’s where it’s set and I’m English!), and currently have two on board. I have also contacted the fabulous CL Smith about designing my coverart (check out his amazing work at goonwrite.com). The Christmas release date has been pushed back until probably closer to spring now, but you’ll be hearing a lot about this novel, I guarantee it!

Morgen: How exciting… perhaps an author spotlight or guest blog when it does come out?

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• http://nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Guest post: Writing the Small Town by Lea Ryan

Tonight’s guest blog post, on the topic of story locations is brought to you by fantasy and horror author Lea Ryan.

Writing the Small Town

The setting in a story is almost as important as the characters in the story. In fact, when written correctly, the setting can almost be a character in and of itself. Some people think of small towns as being boring. I beg to differ. I think small towns can be just as interesting as big cities when they have enough flavor.

The town I live in now is pretty small, so I had some inspiration for the one I used for the town of Fosters Branch in ‘Destined for Darkness’ and the sequel, ‘Devil in the Branch’ (coming July 2012).

Small Midwestern towns in the US usually look pretty similar to mine. Main Street (or whatever the locals dub it) is a line of non-chain establishments. They’re antique shops, boutiques, maybe a winery, an old-fashioned hardware store, a restaurant or two, perhaps a bank or a salon, usually in buildings constructed circa early to mid 1900s.

Another aspect of a town’s physical appearance is the type of housing available to the residents. Is it a run of dilapidated trailers or neatly landscaped subdivision housing? Fosters Branch has two classifications of homes – the five mansions and the cottages. Some of the mansions in Destined for Darkness are home to Fates (witches who influence the course of life in Fosters Branch), so they are very important places.  That brings us to the next aspect of writing the small town.

More important than the physical surroundings is the cultural dynamic. Small towns have a tendency to be gossipy. This is where the local celebrities come in. I don’t mean like newscasters or professional athletes like in larger cities.

I’m talking the town floozy, the alcoholic schoolteacher that stumbles home from the bar every other night, the mayor if they have one, the busybodies who run the church, the bake sales, the school PTO. There are always people who stand out for one reason or another, even in smaller communities. And a lot of them know each other, either firsthand or they know someone who knows the people they don’t know.

While a small town can be similar to the next town over and maybe the town after that, cultural quirks can add spice – maybe a fanatical obsession with high school sports or strange cultural expectations for the kids coming into adulthood. Maybe there’s a local Thanksgiving tradition in which the kids gather in the street and throw Styrofoam snowballs at each other. Local legends and other historical events can add some flair too.

The more personality a small town has, the easier getting lost in it becomes.

 

Check out Fosters Branch in all its quirky glory in Book 1 of the Fate Binds Series – Destined for Darkness (out now). Book 2 – Devil in the Branch comes out in July! http://lea-ryan.blogspot.com for updates.

AnnaBeth has spent most of her young adult life alone in her father’s house just outside the border of the small town of Fosters Branch.

When her grandmother dies and leaves her the family mansion, she suddenly finds herself immersed in a world she never knew existed. She discovers her family’s mysterious past, powers she never knew she had, and romance with the town golden boy.

But there are consequences when you meddle in fate. AnnaBeth will risk everything to protect the people she loves.

I love it when inanimate objects become characters, as you said settings can, thank you, Lea!

Lea Ryan dwells at the edge of a farm in Indiana with her husband, two kids, two cats and a dog. The author of three books, a novella and several short stories, her genres of choice are urban fantasy and horror. She also draws things and is pretty handy with a Playstation controller. Her website is http://www.LeaRyan.com. Destined for Darkness is available from Amazon and Barnesandnoble and you can add it to your shelf on Goodreads.

If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. If it’s writing-related then it’s highly likely I’d email back and say “yes please”.

The blog interviews return as normal tomorrow morning with poet, essayist, short story author and novelist Garden Urthark – the four hundred and eighth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Flash Fiction Friday 39: The Picture by Will Macmillan-Jones

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the thirty-ninth piece of flash fiction in this series. This week’s is a 418-worder by comic fantasy (“and a little horror”) author and interviewee Will Macmillan-Jones.

The Picture

The Picture hung in the window of an art gallery in the arcade.  Every day, on my way to and from the office, I walked through the arcade with its myriad of tiny exotic shops on my way to and back from the station.  As the arcade was narrow, and roofed with curved glass for natural light, the images of the passers by merged with the reflections of the goods on sale in the various windows.  Sometimes I had fun with the curved glass, making silly faces that bounced backwards and forwards across the street, from shop window to shop window.  Other shoppers would snigger at me, but I sometimes caught them doing the same.

But whenever I reached the art gallery, I would stop, and peer at the portrait of a young girl.  She was pictured in the first flush of her beauty, a sweet smile on her lips, her head lowered slightly so that she seemed almost to peer upwards through her auburn hair.  Her dress swelled and flowed, and when the light twisted, to me, she seemed almost to move.

The label below the frame said, simply, ‘Portrait of a girl’, with no artist listed.  I did go into the shop to enquire, but the price – well let’s just say it would take me a long time to earn that much, let alone spend it on a painting by an unknown artist, however captivating.  For it was captivating, at least to me.  I found after a week or so that I couldn’t walk back to the station without passing the gallery.  If I tried, I felt uneasy, insecure, and when I got home I had no appetite and slept indifferently, and with disturbing dreams.

At last, I decided that I must break this spell, and stayed away from the arcade for a week.  A whole week, it felt like a lifetime.  Then, following a very long day in the office, I was hurrying to catch the last train home.  A violent storm raged the heavens, rain and wind battered the glass of the arcade, as I followed the damp footsteps of the last hurrying commuter.  Rounding the corner, I glimpsed a figure that moved against the glass of the arcade, and seemed to shimmer.  Panting, I followed the foot prints that led towards the glass – and stopped.  The footprints led through the glass, and I shook to see the girl gaze adoringly into the eyes of a lover.  ‘Portrait of a couple’ read the label.

I asked Will what prompted this piece and he said…

In the summer of 2011 I was lucky enough to join a weekly flash fiction competition on the Authonomy authors’ website.  The judging panel was the other writers who entered the competition, and the only prize the experience of writing a completely new short story every week for three months.  But what a prize that was… this was one of them.  Some of the other writers liked it.  I hope that you do.

I did (it’s really sad). Thank you, Will. I’ve been writing a short story a day since May 1st (for Story a Day May then 5pm Fiction) and I’m loving it.

Will is a fifty-something lover of blues, rock and jazz.

He presently lives in South Wales, and has just fulfilled a lifetime ambition by extending his bookcases to fill one entire wall of his home office.

Working as a professional tax consultant, he writes to escape the stultifying boredom of his job.

He has an irregular blog, www.willmacmillanjones.wordpress.com where he “rambles incoherently about writing” and he can also be found at www.thebannedunderground.weebly.com.

His publisher’s website is www.safkhetpublishing.com. You can read my interview with Will here and with Safkhet publishers Kim & Will Sutton and their authors Sheryl Browne and Bruce Moore.

If you’d like to submit your 1,000-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here.

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with publisher Ilaria Meliconi – the four hundred and second of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author Spotlight no.93 – Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Complementing my daily blog interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the ninety-third, is of Kathryn Meyer Griffith.

Since childhood Kathryn has always been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before she quit to write full time. She began writing novels at 21, over forty years ago now, and has had fourteen (nine romantic horror, one historical romance, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel and two murder mysteries) previous novels and eight short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books and Eternal Press.

She has been married to Russell for thirty-three years; they have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and lives in a small quaint town in Illinois called Columbia, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. They have two quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and live cat Cleo, and the four of them live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though she’s been an artist, and a folk singer in her youth with her brother Jim, writing has always been her greatest passion, her butterfly stage, and she says she’ll probably write stories until the day she dies. I know that feeling.

And now from the author herself:

1985. I’d just published my second paperback novel, The Heart of the Rose, an historical bodice ripper (remember those?) about a suspected witch in 15th century England amidst the War of the Roses political intrigues, with Leisure Books of Dorchester Publishing and my editor there asked me if I had another novel to show them yet.

It just so happened that, yes, I’d been working on a third novel; another romantic horror similar to my first book with them, Evil Stalks the Night (which will for the first time in 29 years also be out again, revised and updated, on July 1, 2012 from Damnation Books) I was tentatively calling With This Gun. The story centered around a scandalous love triangle/murder between police officers that had taken place in our small town years before and that I had firsthand knowledge of. Some of them had been my friends, as my first husband had been a police officer in town as well. The police force, their wives and families, had been a tight knit group, but the murder still came as a great shock to most of us. One of my husband’s coworkers had been seeing another coworker’s wife and the two were thinking of splitting up their respective marriages, both with children, to be with each other. The problem was, the cop being left didn’t like it and shot the other cop dead in his house one day after being told what had been going on.  It was terrible situation.

Well, I’d let the whole matter age for over a decade and was finally writing about it, sort of, as a way to free me of all the bad memories.

Now to the horror aspect. I’d use a possessed gun as a device to explain the killings the gun would be responsible for. Now I wasn’t exactly a lover of guns, but I was married to a cop. Guns were part of our lives. Always in the back of my mind was what I’d say to people who didn’t like the idea of me writing about a gun or hated guns: It isn’t a gun that kills people…it’s the person using the gun.

In this book, I gave an even better motivation. The gun made people kill because it was evil. This theme was what made it a supernatural story. A Colt Python would be possessed by an ancient demon; that the weapon had been forged from tainted iron or metal from the bowels of the earth centuries ago connected to that ancient demon-god. So the title Leisure eventually came up with was: Blood Forge (though I begged the editor to call it With This Gun or at least, Blood Forged, which made more sense, but no the publisher was determined to call it Blood Forge and in those days the author didn’t any say so on that or the cover).

Anyway, in the book I’d follow that gun after its creation from unfortunate human to human as it made people crazy and murderous; created havoc in everyone’s lives it touched. Until two people deeply in love have faith that they can defeat it…with the help of a mysterious priest (who may or may not be a priest at all). There are ways to get rid of a demon, no matter how strong it is.

That plot about following a gun on its deadly rampage has been used many times since in television shows and stories, but I’d began thinking about the book as early as 1983, so, perhaps, I was the first. Who knows?

Which brings me now to what happened after I turned the book in to the publisher. My editor for my first two books, Jane Thornton, read it and refused to editor it. Turned it down flat, saying she despised guns. They killed people. Guns bad. They scared her. She wouldn’t edit such a story, sorry.

I don’t remember exactly what happened after that. It was a long time ago. I think either Jane Thornton left Leisure or she gave the book to another editor, a man called John Littel.

Anyway, he liked the book, gun or no gun, and they offered me a contract on it anyway. I was thrilled. Wasn’t thrilled with the title, as I said, though, and I wasn’t impressed with the cover, embossed or not. Too dark. A snake coiling around the barrel of a menacing gun on a black background. Along with the title, I felt it didn’t portray what the book was entirely about. The novel was a love story, a survival against great odds, a parable of faith, tale. A story of a man’s fight with alcoholism and how his wife’s love helps him beat the insidious influence of the alcohol as well as the gun. It was about cops, their lives and their families. But, as with the title, I had no choice on the cover and had to take what they gave me. That’s just the way it was back then. I still feel that’s part of the reason the book never did well in its first incarnation. I was still an unknown writer and when that’s the case I’ve found that the cover and title–how compelling they are–makes a difference in the sales.

At this point, I must admit, after having just finished rewriting it…it was a very dark book written at a very dark time of my life.  The darkest, I think, of all my books. I had gone through a divorce, remarriage and was juggling a full time job and a family. Trying to write at night. It was actually difficult for me to relive most of it. I was still in that early part of my career, still young without enough life experience, where I’d embed what I’d lived through and saw around me into my stories. I didn’t have the maturity yet to write anything too layered.

Anyway, the book came out in 1989 and didn’t do as well as my first two books. I noticed that the publisher turned cool towards me after that and, seeing the way the wind was blowing, I went on to get an agent and she helped me jump up another rung of the ladder when she sold my next four books to a bigger publisher, Zebra Books (Kensington Publishing). And I left Leisure behind; and my three books there went out of print long ago.

But now, 23 years later Blood Forge-Revised Author’s Edition (wish I could change that title but it wouldn’t be fair to people that already read the original book) is coming out again in print, and in eBooks for the first time ever, from Damnation Books/Eternal Press in March 2012. I love the cover this time. My fantastic cover artist, Dawne Dominique, who did eleven of my other new covers, did this one, too. It’s stunning.

So that’s the story of Blood Forge. My second published novel. It, along with my older novels (12, plus a novella and a short story) will all soon be out again. And when the last old book from 1984, Evil Stalks the Night-Revised Author’s Edition comes out in July 2012, my forty year writing career will have come full circle. It’s amazing. I guess a book never dies, huh? I guess not.

You can find more about Kathryn and her writing via…

• http://www.myspace.com/kathrynmeyergriffith (where you can see all her book trailers with original music by her singer / songwriter brother JS Meyer)
• http://www.bebo.com/kathrynmeyerG
• http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1019954486
• http://www.authorsden.com/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://www.jacketflap.com/K.Griffith
• http://www.shoutlife.com/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://www.goodreads.com/profile/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/KathrynMeyerGriffith
• http://romancebookjunction.ning.com/profile/kathrynmeyergriffith
• http://damnationbooks.com/people.php?author=79
• http://www.eternalpress.biz/people.php?author=422

and you can e-mail her at rdgriff@htc.net (she loves to hear from her readers).

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with freelance journalist, book reviewer, blogger and novelist Emma Lee-Potter – the four hundredth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Free eBook on Kindle: AJ Kirby’s ‘Bully’

Regular contributor to this blog is horror writer (and author of other genres) and interviewee AJ Kirby, and I’m delighted to say that one of his Kindle novels is currently available to download for free.

AJ Kirby is the award-winning author of five novels (Paint this town Red, 2012; Perfect World, 2011; Bully, 2009; The Magpie Trap, 2008; When Elephants Walk through the Gorbals, 2007), two novellas (The Black Book, 2011; and Call of the Sea, 2010), one novelette (Bed Peace, 2011) and over forty published short stories (some of which have appeared on this blog’s Flash Fiction Fridays). He is also a sportswriter for the Professional Footballers’ Association and a reviewer for The Short Review and The New York Journal of Books.

It’s is the aforementioned ‘Bully’ that is available as a free eBook and here are a few words to entice you further…

They say you should never go back. But sometimes you don’t have a choice.
After Gary Bull’s miraculous survival from an explosion in Afghanistan, he is compelled to return to the small town where he grew up, a place that he thought he would never set his eyes upon again. Memories of a past long buried come back to him and he finds himself forced to face the horror of what he did when he was young. It started with the bullying…

Newton Mills appears normal enough on the surface, but scratch the surface and there is something far more sinister.

It has more than its fair share of graveyards and the skeletons are liable to walk right out of the closet.

Newton Mills is the scene of a despicable crime.

No one gets out alive. 

The reviews received for ‘Bully’ so far have been 5*, with one comparing AJ to Harris (Thomas, presumably) and King (I’d say Stephen).

It is available for a limited time only on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

I’ve downloaded it and look forward to reading it. If you do download it and read it, please do leave AJ a review – reviews mean the world to us authors. :)

 

Author interview no.356 with multi-genre writer Tim Girard

Welcome to the three hundred and fifty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with multi-genre author Tim Girard. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Tim. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Tim: Hi Morgen. It’s a pleasure to be here with you. A little something about myself.  It’s funny. I have been on the other side of the interview, asking questions, and I never gave much thought to how awkward it is to tell something about myself! My name is Tim Girard and I am a creative writer. There, the AA meeting can commence! I have been writing for some 25-30 years. Doing the math yeah, I started writing when I was very young and I never really stopped. I always dabbled a little here and there, y’know, just kind of blowing with the wind. I grew up, travelled the world, grew up again, started a family, and tried to join corporate America in the Cubicle Farms. With a young family my writing had to take something of a backseat. I managed the occasional poem here and there and I created a fun comic strip to keep the grey matter firing. As it turns out being planted in the cubicle farm wasn’t my calling. I endured chronic migraines and eventually moved on. I wandered into law enforcement and suffered a horrendous training accident very early on. I had to resign my position and wait two years for supposed healing. While sitting still and gnashing my teeth I decided to embrace my writing! Full on! Damn the torpedoes, that kind of thing. Around this time I delved into kid’s books and wrote some silly stuff that got the attention of a writing website. Weird how life meanders! This website was looking for horror writers. I am not a horror fan. I find the genre to be overwhelmed by lazy regurgitations and clones of the great thing at the moment. But I figured I could at least lend some perspective. Boy did I! I quickly became a horror expert (weird considering my borderline disdain for the genre) and I began covering fun events like Universal Studio’s Hollywood Horror Red Carpet Event and Knott’s Scary Farm (both attractions around Halloween, transforming the respective parks into scare zones complete with ghoulies and grossies) and have been covering them for a couple of years now. In that same time I decided to share my own take on a horror story. It took some time but I turned out my first horror story, The Song in the Chamber.

Oh! I got distracted. I am based out of California. I suppose that is relevant!

Morgen: It lets the reader imagine your accent. What genre do you generally write (horror? children’s?) and have you considered other genres?

Tim: This is kind of an awkward question! In text this will sound horrible and holier-than-thou but the truth is I try to defy genre. I like writing stories. I am not scared to write a Western (working on one), historical fiction (one of those in the works too!) or a good old-fashioned fiction story. A story is a story. Genre is merely the setting. (I hope that doesn’t sound too arrogant!)

Morgen: Absolutely not. I don’t write to any genre either so you’re in good company. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Tim: So far I have two “published” short stories on Kindle (The Song in the Chamber and The Sad Day). I have published more articles than I care to count (most of them silly and sarcastic. I reviewed a t-shirt once. Go figure.) and I have a list of projects that are finally coming to fruition.

Morgen: Oh yes, I have a LONG list like that. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Tim: I don’t have an agent. I stuck my finger in the water to see the response. I didn’t hear anything back. I didn’t pursue an agent too hard. In today’s day and age it seems having an agent is one more person I have to split my money with. Not to say I wouldn’t take one on. I would under the right circumstances but for now I am going solo!

Morgen: I tried a few but decided to publish eBooks myself and it a was a great experience (I love having control, via an editor of course). So your stories are available as eBooks, how involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Tim: Right now my stories are exclusively e-books. I am not a conventional writer. I don’t stick to word count so my stories tend to be short and to the point. E-books are dynamite for my kind of writing. I worked with Amazon for The Song in the Chamber, managing the formatting and such myself. It was a little experimental, particularly since The Song in the Chamber relies heavily on the formatting to tell the story but I was pleased it was not the agonizing experience I had anticipated. For me I prefer physical books. (Gads! I hope I am not shooting my marketing in the face!!) I appreciate the value of an e-reader, particularly as my writing is taking new directions everyday. In the coming months I will likely be embracing the Tablet and the opportunities that accompany it.

Morgen: I’m torn between the two formats but I don’t feel I have to choose one over the other. I have a library of books at home, enough to last me a lifetime, but I have my Kindle out and about with me. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Tim: I do all my own marketing. I am a little bit (and I mean that in the literal sense of the word!) of a control freak so I would rather take it on myself. That being said there is so much I don’t know and I am more than willing to explore and listen and learn. I am a control freak (a little!) but I am not so horribly full of myself that I can’t listen to other people and learn from their experiences.

Morgen: Me too. How important do you think the titles / covers of books are?

Tim: I love this question. Are book covers important? Yeah. They are. Unfailingly so. If your book cover is miserable you’ll have a tough time out there. I think you have to find the right image for your book. Wobble too far in either direction and you lose your opportunity. That being said for The Song in the Chamber I chose a black background with a basic script title. And it is selling! Weird! With so many things, though, you have to be able to encapsulate your story as a whole. Many book covers zero in on an event in the story. I think that does a disservice to the story as well as to the audience.

Morgen: Perhaps some covers try too hard and people like simple. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Tim: Actually a lot. Probably too much. I am deep in the writing of an animation feature called the 7. I have a character project I will be launching soon called Friends of Stem the Brain. I am working on a Western called Child of the Herd, a historical fiction called Shiloh, and reworking an old story called Broken Mirrors. My Grandfather left me his War memoirs so I will likely be cleaning those up. I have a comic strip called Pinhead and Zipper that will see the light of day soon and I am always, always thinking of new ideas. It can be a little frizzy in my head but thank the Lord, trees are willing to die to give me paper!

Morgen: Wow, this probably makes my next questions redundant but… do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Tim: I won’t say everyday but almost. Writing an animation feature is a lot of fun and with so many characters I find I am giving more and more detail and history (which is very similar to writing short stories) to each character and the overall world at hand. It is amazing stuff and I am anxious to share it.

Writer’s block is kind of a scary thing. I don’t really find myself agonizing too much over writer’s block. I don’t suffer as the German poet Rilke did. Every once and again my mind will seize and I will struggle to get something onto the page. Writing animation scripts is a little different though. My artist has done an amazing job translating my descriptions into images. I find when constructing history (or writing) is not flowing it is better to get into character editing. It helps and I find I am able to concentrate again.

Writing the Song in the Chamber was kind of a hazardous event. The story is graphic and dark and follows a narrative that was very difficult to slip into. I was afraid the narrative would start becoming forced and ultimately stale which was something I obviously sought to avoid. I suppose in a way it was kind of a self-inflicted writer’s block.

Morgen: But you write so many different formats that you’re brain is bound not to get bored. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Tim: Plot my stories. I have learned to be flexible with my writing. Everything is fair game on paper and can always be reworked, edited, or recycled somewhere else. Do I plot them? Yes and no. I have a general idea where things are going. Writing animation I typically know the overall start stop and middle of the story.

Morgen: That would make sense as it’s more time-consuming (I guess). Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Tim: Creating characters is a little tricky. I try not to think too much about them and let them evolve on their own. I suppose it depends on your medium. Writing animation obviously you have visual references. You aren’t bound necessarily to the visual but you have to be a little more careful with the character. In prose you have more freedom since so much is interpreted individually by the reader. I tend to describe a character emotionally rather than physically. In the Song in the Chamber one of the main characters is a girl. All you know is she is recently bald and tattooed. Nothing else really matters physically.

The Sad Day is about a war, two small boys, and a man by the name of Cowboy. It is a short story and should, hopefully in my fashion, clobber you right between the eyes!

What makes them believable? That’s a tough one. I suppose it is the respect and care you put into them. One of my bigger criticisms of Hollywood writers is their lack of concern for their characters (TV and film). The audience is introduced to characters with little substance and told this is interesting (whether it is or isn’t) and we are given a teaspoon of depth to work with. I think that is a shame and one of the greatest storytelling devices has become stale and crude. Characters need to be accessible. They need to have something deep inside we can latch onto else why bother investing a part of your life into them?

Morgen: Your girl sound like fun. Do you write any non-fiction, poetry or short stories?

Tim: I adore writing short stories. Simple, to the point, and straight to the jaw with a closed fist! In every way! I think short stories are powerful and effective, resonating long after reading. I have written my share of poetry. I think almost every writer has. I love haikus because of their rigidity (something I instantly rebel at!) and I love free verse (because I instantly rebel!). I have written songs, shorts, articles (non-fiction, not my favourite but I can do it with some skill) but my heart is short stories.

Morgen: I’ve not done much poetry (not enough to fill an 80-side display book they’re sitting in) but do enjoy haiku (whether I’m doing it right, other than the syllables remains to be seen) although I prefer the format of Fibonacci poems.  Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Tim: I’ll be honest. I hate editing. I love editing. It’s my secret nightmare, editing, because I don’t seem to be happy with the final product and I reach an “oh screw it” point and rush to get something out. Working on the Song in the Chamber I reached that “If I have to read this passage one more time I’ll set myself on fire” stage a couple of times! In a small way I appreciate George Lucas constantly changing Star Wars. As time advances you find yourself saying that could have been better.

Is my writing fully formed? No. I wish. Not to say it comes out rubbish and I have to polish a tird. Far from it. I prefer short, to the point text and narratives so I find myself cutting out or re-working some of the wordier sections.

Morgen: I think with editing you just have to let your story go once it comes down to changing a word or two here and there (unless it’s spelling or grammar) and as long as you have an editor or second reader (which every writer should) they’ll hack it around anyway. Do you have to do much research?

Tim: It depends. I lived in Europe for a couple of years so I have a decent grasp on people, culture, and history. I lived in Egypt, near Israel also so I have an understanding of the Desert and heat. I live in California and spent some time in the Sierras where the railroad was blasted into the granite. I’ll research for specifics, like when Israel became a country and significant events that would shape a story tied to a location or timeline. I write in broad strokes though. History has its place but it is rarely used. I like the vague idea this story could be happening almost anywhere at anytime. Bradbury is good at that and I try to emulate the same style of timelessness.

Morgen: What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Tim: Point of view is a strange thing. I am steeped in animation writing right now so everything is current. This is happening right now, present tense. Generally I prefer third person but I am an experimenter. The Song in the Chamber is second person narrative and I loved it.

Morgen: Oh wow. It’s unusual to find someone else who loves it, let alone writes and publishes in it (it’s my favourite point of view, as readers of my Tuesday Tales ditties will know. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Tim: My favourite aspect of writing. That’s a little tricky. I love creating and I love sharing. I love the idea of writing something that makes kids laugh. I love the idea of creating a character that kids want to play with and imagine adventures with. I love the idea of creating a character that makes you mad, makes you sad, makes you fall in love. Not in an Edward is so great kind of way (the Twilight Edward for clarity) but in a real I can feel it sort of way. I love making something that makes sense. If I say this guy grafts mechanical devices into his skin to be a stronger, more efficient villain and he uses magic as an interface I want the audience to say yeah, I can see that. Totally! Or the little Brain character with big eyes and feet is really a zombie ambassador spreading good zombie cheer to the world I want people to say yeah, and he’s adorable too! To me that is the best part of writing.

My least favourite? Wow. I don’t know! I suppose the time constraints. I still have to have a grown up job so my time is restricted. I have a youngish family so my time is even more chewed up. And I have entirely too many thoughts at any one given minute. That is frustrating too. I suppose the business as a whole. This idea everything has to have commercial success is borderline nauseating. I don’t like writing to and for the market. I suppose technology restrictions too. I don’t know all the goofy programs out there so I rely on the expertise of others.

Morgen: Snap: creating vs time – as you can imagine, with all the work I have to do for this blog it leaves little for anything else. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Tim: My best advice to aspiring writers? Learn your craft. Learn the marrow of it. Read, read, and read some more. When you are done doing that run out into the world and get your heart broken. Tear your knees up. Storm beaches. Let the ocean knock you down hard. I’m not kidding! Get into the thick of it. Keep your mouth shut, your eyes open and take in everything. Then, at night, think and think and think some more. Get deep inside yourself, into the minutiae of who and what you are. Do the same with everyone around you. Read the Bible. Don’t be afraid of anything. (Except sharks. They’re darn scary! They should be feared!) After doing this until you are a bloody mess, heal and let it sit and simmer for a couple of years. Then, and only then, are you ready to write. But for the love of God be genuine. Don’t regurgitate. Share something new and wonderful with the world. We’ve all seen enough zombie / werewolf / vampire / possessed by the devil hybrids to last a lifetime.

Morgen: Absolutely. Write what you want to write, not what you think is expected or popular (unless you enjoy the popular). With the ability to eBook, the world is your clichéd oyster. Speaking of food, if you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Tim: I’ll be honest I was going to skip over this question.

Morgen: Sure, no problem. You’re doing pretty well so far.

Tim: I’d rather spend a year exclusively with folks rather than a dinner. I’m a huge fan of getting into the nuts and bolts of a person and one meal just didn’t seem nearly enough time. I’d love to sit with Homer and ask him some questions! I’d love to talk tactics with Hannibal. I’d love to get into the mind of Lincoln. Or talk with Pharaoh. I’d give my teeth to ride with Steinbeck and Charlie as they travelled America. I’d like to go walkabout with an aboriginal storyteller and hunt for water with bushmen in Africa.

Sorry. That was more than three.

What would I serve? Probably something exotic like tortilla soup or gumbo! I dunno, something silly and strange. Maybe a nice stirfry? Cheeseburgers with nice milkshakes?

Morgen: Either works for me. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Tim: I have a great project I am unleashing (ahem, unveiling) soon called the Travels of Stem the Brain. I’ll be unveiling a website and releasing more information soon. Basically, the project involves taking pictures of Stem the Brain in your community then sending the pics my way to be posted on the Stem the Brain website. As the project gains speed I am planning on switching gears and inviting people to write their own short stories about Stem and sending those in as well. I figure give it about a year or so then I will stitch the stories together to create the Travels of Stem and His Many Adventures! It should be fun and I am very excitedly looking forward to it!

Aside from that I am taking Stem into brain health. Suffering with chronic migraines is disastrous and I have come to have a heart for people that endure neurological issues. Add to that there is not nearly enough emphasis on brain health. I’m not a health food nut but I try to be conscious of what I eat and how I treat my grey matter. I think Stem can help shed some light on this issue as well. We as Americans don’t spend nearly enough time maximizing our brains and I think we are and will continue to suffer as a nation for it.

Morgen: I love short stories (and am starting Story A Day today) and love anything quirky. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Tim: I have a lot that keeps me occupied. Most of it is centred on my writing. Writers need to experience, to live, to grow. I enjoy good movies, good television (not that there is much of either out there). I love to travel and will willingly do more when I have the money. I have two kids that keep me very occupied.

Morgen: I’m lucky I don’t have children to distract me although for all the time I spend on them my dog and blog could be (the former certainly thinks he is). Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Tim: Writing related books. It’s funny, a couple of years ago I would have balked at the idea of a book helping writers write. As I grow I realize that is the arrogance of youth. I think just about anything story related, the mechanics of story that is, is worthwhile. Joseph Campbell is almost required reading as is Illusion of Life written by two fantastic Disney animators. I mention Illusion of Life since so much of the book is devoted to storytelling. Yeah there is a heavy emphasis on animation. As a writer, though, animation is my stock and trade only I animate on the canvas of your mind and soul with the broad picture words I use and the images you create with them. Of course there are classics as well. The Iliad, Gilgamesh. The Book of Five Rings. Letters to a Young Poet. East of Eden. All are tremendous works not only of writing but about writing. I think serious writers should be able to jump into a book, a good book, and tear it apart until they are left holding the pulp of the story, whatever the story is. Want to have some fun? Dissect the Art of War then come back and tell me how it is not related to stories. If you can do that you are a better writer than I ever will be. I think almost any good book is helpful and useful for storytelling.

Morgen: I’m clearly not well read as out of all those I’ve only heard of ‘The Iliad’ (Homer, wasn’t it… and The Odyssey) but then history was my worst subject at school (I’m good with figures, just not years other than 1066 and 1665 / 1666) so I prefer more contemporary writing. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Tim: Part of me wants to be excited for the future but part of me is somewhat pessimistic. The great sweeping advances of technology have given us fertile ground as writers and an audience unlike any other in history. I can download my story and it is accessible around the world in seconds! That is fantastic! But, and here’s the rub, if I can do it anyone can. That means there is a lot of unfortunate clutter out there. It makes good stories hard to find and that is my biggest fear. With waves of mediocre stories I fear good legitimate stories will be lost in the ocean of so, so many.

Morgen: There is sadly. It’s very easy for a writer to think they can edit themselves and just put their story up. Even if they don’t hire an editor (someone like me ) they need a second reader… even if they’re not another writer, a reader will spot errors and know whether a story works or not (if they read enough). Where can we find out about you and your work?

Tim: I have been kicking around the idea of launching my own website. It seems almost a little pretentious to me but I may have to, since I have such a diverse collection of work. For now I am out and about, working hard to solidify my name is something other than one more guy out there.

Morgen: An uphill journey but I’m sure a website would help. I have a website (http://morgenbailey.com) but it’s just home and contact pages as I find blogs SO much easier (and actually more interactive) and would recommend WordPress. I’ve actually just launched a I Can Build Your Writing Blog service this week – comprehensive set-up especially designed for writers (so they can get on with their writing while I create it!), just £50 / €60 / $75. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Tim: Morgen I want to thank you for giving me the microphone for a few minutes! I appreciate the time! I suppose the only thing I would like to mention is don’t be a stranger! It’s not too hard to find me! I am always open to meeting folks and talking and sharing. I may not always remember names but I am great at circumstances and events! Thanks again Morgen!

Morgen: Oh, you’re very welcome. Thank you for taking part and do feel free to come back and do something else, especially when your second eBook comes out.

Tim’s two short stories are available now from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk:

• The Song in the Chamber: currently $3.06 and £1.95
• The Sad Day: currently $1.22 and £0.77

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

• Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group (http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189)
• Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group (http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934)
• Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group (http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017)
• Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group (http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445)

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.350 with fantasy and horror writer Lea Ryan

Welcome to the three hundred and fiftieth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with fantasy and horror author Lea Ryan. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Lea. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Lea: Hi, Morgen! My home base is located on the outskirts of the Indianapolis, Indiana area, which is in the US. I started writing my first novel about ten years ago. I didn’t really know what I was doing. I hadn’t written creatively since I was a kid. It was just a creative outlet, I guess.

I spent the following years improving my skills. I read books about writing, author blogs and practiced endlessly, and I loved every minute. I reached the point where I decided that I wanted to get serious about writing. It’s my dream to some day be able to quit the day job and write full-time.

Morgen: I had that dream too so I did it. Probably mad, as I’m still on the bottom rung of the literary ladder (second rung if you include this blog, perhaps) but it’s a wonderful (if not scary) feeling. Let me know when you do and we’ll celebrate. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Lea: I have two genres of choice: fantasy and horror. Generally, I like to write stories in which anything could happen, so those are good genres for my wild imagination. I’ve considered heading into the romance genre. Most of what I write has some romantic element, so I could see myself farther into that territory at some point.

Morgen: All popular genres and I think these days (unless with a top publisher) there’s more flexibility for an author with genre… especially if you do what I do and write almost everything (first novel = lad lit, second = light suspense, third = pure chick lit, fourth = crime, fourth & a half (not finished yet) = lad lit). Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Lea: I’m pretty meticulous about plotting out novels. I use outlines and character worksheets before I start writing. Then, while I’m writing, I carry around a notebook in which I plot scenes in greater detail as I move along. It’s like starting out with a far-off view of what the story is and gradually zooming in on the details. This approach seems to work pretty well.

Morgen: Other than the first one I didn’t do much plotting but I’m going back to edit them all now and I think I might do a timeline… something I picked up from novelists Jill Mansell and Helen Black at last weekend’s Chipping Norton Literature Festival (Jill: several A4 sheets taped / folded to A5, smothered in post it notes and Helen: A4 sheets with scene summaries laid out in her dining room!) and  :) Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Lea: I obsess over editing. My work may not be 100% flawless all of the time, but it’s not for lack of effort. By the time one of my books hits the shelves, I’ve read it around ten times and my editor has been through it. I also recently started using beta readers. They’re helpful if you can find someone who has the time.

Morgen: With the exception of spelling mistakes there will always be two people who see a novel differently. Of all the feedback I’ve had for my free eShort April’s Fool (thankfully mostly very positive) one reader said there was too much detail, he just wanted to know what happened but another (my first review on Smashwords) said it was “a bit skimpy on the details but we get the idea”. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Lea: I’ve never tried second person. I’ve used first and third person. My second book, Destined for Darkness, is written in the first person. I think I prefer writing from that point of view because more of the protagonist’s personality filters through. The connection between the writer and the character and the reader and the character is more intimate.

Morgen: Second person isn’t to everyone’s taste but I’d urge every writer to have a go – I’ve just put up a page on it on my blog. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Lea: Never give up on writing, and never stop striving to be better.

Morgen: Absolutely. A successful writer is one who didn’t give up. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Lea: Most of my non-writing time is spent with my husband and my kids. I have an 8 year old and a 14 year old. They’re crazy and awesome little people. I love video games too. We just got an Xbox Kinect, which is very cool. I’m mostly a Playstation girl, though. My game of the moment is Prince of Persia, Forgotten Sands.

Morgen: I love ‘Word Drop’ but don’t play it very often (I sneak a go on Facebook occasionally). Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Lea: Yes! On Writing, by Stephen King. There is also one called Book in a Month (by Victoria Lynn Schmidt), which is almost a writing class in itself. There’s some good information on plot architecture and character development that I wish I had when I first started writing books. If I taught a writing class, I would use that as the textbook.

Morgen: I don’t know Victoria’s (although I have something similar ‘First draft in 30 days’ by Karen S Wiesner) but Stephen’s is the most recommended here, and rightly so. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Lea: I think writers have a very bright future. The internet holds limitless possibilities. Writers can spend more time writing books instead of knocking on closed doors with agents and publishers. I don’t have anything against traditional publishing, of course, but the freedom of independent publishing is a beautiful thing.

Morgen: Isn’t it, I think it’s terribly exciting. Where can we find out about you and your work, Lea?

Lea: My website http://www.LeaRyan.com has information about my books (including links to a couple of freebies) and multimedia stuff like trailers and illustrations, extra content for the books.

I usually post on my blog a few times a week – http://Lea-Ryan.blogspot.com

I do movie reviews and sometimes post excerpts of whatever I’m working on.

Morgen: Thank you, Lea.

I then invited Lea to include a synopsis of one of her books and this is ‘Lair of the White Wyrm’: a modern horror inspired by Bram Stoker’s final novel.

Sometimes when you run from your problems, they follow you.

Eric Duncan wants nothing more than to be an ordinary, sane guy. He believes he can escape his troubled past by leaving home. However, the voice in his head, that of his dead friend Benjamin, fights him every step of the way.

Eric finds his new home is a place filled with secrets far darker than his own. A monster prowls the grounds, and it wants to keep him close.

He will discover that his inner demons aren’t the only things he should fear. In order to confront the wyrm and survive, he must also face the worst parts of himself.

Available from Amazon, Smashwords.com and Limited Time Print Edition on Lulu.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

• Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group (http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189)
• Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group (http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934)
• Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group (http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017)
• Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group (http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445)

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.346 with comic fantasy / horror writer Will MacMillan-Jones

Welcome to the three hundred and forty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with comic fantasy (and a little horror) author Will Macmillan-Jones. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Will. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Will: Hi, I live in South Wales, a beautiful and myth-haunted area of the UK. Perhaps it’s one reason I’ve started writing. The inspiration seeps upwards from the very soil, and even manages to infiltrate my 50 something mind… when it can find room amongst the clutter, of course. The real reason I started writing? I love to entertain, but I can’t sing, can’t dance, and when I pick up my beloved guitar my dogs run howling for cover.

Morgen: My singing has the same effect on my dog. I’m not too bad on a keyboard (the beginnings of a few things anyway) but never tried the guitar. What genre do you generally write?

Will: Principally, I write comic fantasy. I grew up listening to the great radio comedy shows like The Goon Show, and Round The Horn, and love the wild, irrepressible anarchic spirit that runs through those scripts. I also write some children’s fantasy, and a little horror.

Morgen: I say I write dark and light so I guess we have a balance between humour and the creepy. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Will: So far, Safkhet Publishing have been kind enough to take my comic fantasy series, The Banned Underground. The first volume is already out, with the second released 15th April. I’m just moving towards the end of the third manuscript now. In fact, I’ve had to stop being silly for a bit to do this interview, and am struggling to be serious for you. Actually, I have enough trouble remembering my own name most days, so I daren’t use a pseudonym. Unless it was “Oi, You! Baldy!”

Morgen: A new book out this week, how exciting. “Oi, You! Baldy!” would certainly be an easy pen name to remember. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Will: Any writer who has finally got a contract will have had a lot of rejections. I’ve been under contract for a year now, and have just received a rejection for a submission I sent out 16 months ago. I could afford to laugh at that one. But, they always hurt a little. Most of us writers are just big babies who want to be loved by everyone. But that’s not going to happen. So actually, getting used to the rejections is great practice for when you launch your book, and then discover, inevitably, that there are some people who don’t like it.

Morgen: If you’re determined enough rejections do make you stronger and it’s clearly done you no harm. Have you won or been shortlisted in any competitions?

Will: I used to participate regularly in a weekly Flash Fiction competition on the Authonomy website. The only prize for winning was to know that you had won, that week. It was great practice, and taught me a lot, and yes, occasionally, I did win. When the really good authors didn’t bother. Or the judging panel was drunk, or successfully bribed. Allegedly.

Morgen: Or both? It’s catching the right thing with the right person and they clearly liked what they saw. You’re published with Safkhet Publishing, do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Will: No, I don’t have an agent. The only rejection that truly threw me was one well-respected literary agency who told me that there was no market for comic fantasy in the UK. I’m going to prove them wrong… An agent is really good if the author has no trust in his / her business relationship with the publisher, or the author isn’t confident enough to get out into the market place to sell their own book to a publisher.

Morgen: But many now are going their own way, with eBooks for example. Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Will: Yes, everything will come out as an eBook. It’s a big and growing part of the market. But, they are not to my taste, and I don’t own a Kindle. Probably never will. I’m in love with books, you see. The touch, the aroma, the visual impact. Like lovely women, they are all different, all special. A Kindle is a flat piece of plastic. Where’s the romance in that? Even the covers are just fleeting electronic images on a screen.

Morgen: I love books but recently bought a Kindle and it’s great having it out and about with me and knowing I have so much choice. I tend still to read paper at home so that’s not changed, just added actually. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Will: I do a lot. It’s part of the job now. Fifty years ago, a book was a rare event. Now it’s very easy to self-publish a book, so even authors with traditional contracts have to get out there and let people know about their book. Help to make it stand out a little in the crowd.

Morgen: Which is hard going. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Will: Sssshh!! They’ll be listening in, you know. They do that. Can’t trust the beggars an inch. I don’t really play favourites. As the author I’m supposed to stand above the fray, and let them get on with it. If you were to press me though, (you didn’t have to be that hard!) I’d love to see Grizelda the witch played by Dame Helena Bonham-Carter. I’ve admired her skills for years, ever since I saw her in a TV play with Martin Clunes about a stag do that went wrong. And maybe David Tennant as the junior Dark Lord. That would be fun.

Morgen: He would be great! I love the fact that you see your characters as real people. I’m very fond of mine too. Did you have any say in the title / covers of your book(s)? How important do you think they are?

Will: The titles are all mine, although naturally Safkhet and I discussed them. The covers are their work, and whilst I love the cover on The Amulet Of Kings, the cover Kim has designed for The Mystic Accountants simply blew me away. Covers are so important. They are the first thing an interested reader sees. The cover can make or break a book.

Morgen: That’s funny because I prefer The Amulet of Kings cover (sorry, Kim). I love cartoons and he’s cute (and probably very cheeky). What are you working on at the moment / next?

Will: I’ve got The Vampire Mechanic, the third book in The Banned Underground series in the final stages at the moment. I’m having fun with it, but at the same time I’m determined to make it the best one yet. I’ve also got three other projects bubbling away.

Morgen: There must be pressure (even if just on yourself) to make each book better, and I guess some readers will want (expect?) that. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Will: I do write something most days. If it isn’t on my series, I’ll try something on one of the other works, just as a change. Yes, I sometimes get a block. Then I’ll go and do a bit more Flash Fiction, or even try something totally different. For me, the trick is to write through the block. If what I write is total rubbish, I can always throw it away.

Morgen: Flash fiction does it for me. I hope you don’t throw it away because you never know… I’ve gone back to early work and thought it’s not actually that bad (although I’ve gone back to ‘good’ stuff and despaired ). Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Will: I’m a plotter. I don’t like to start writing a book properly until I have a strong idea of where it’s going to go, who will be in it, and what they are going to do, and when. I even draw out timelines. I usually play with a big cast of characters, so I need to keep track of who is where and when. Unfortunately, my bunch of characters like to wait until I’ve got everything tidy, and throw a spanner in the works by doing something odd.

Morgen: I love that. Do you have a method for creating your characters, what do you think makes them believable?

Will: Most of my characters are people I’ve met down the years. Changed a bit of course! But they are believable, because they are, somewhere, real people. Even the trolls.

Morgen: You’ve mentioned your novels and flash fiction, do you write any other format?

Will: I also have an album of song lyrics around, that might just get finished someday. Although what I could do with it, I’ve no idea.

Morgen: I’d love to write song lyrics. I have a book but never get round to reading it. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Will: I write a lot when I’m just in the right mood. And sometimes, I’m writing very fast. So, yes, I have to edit a lot. Because I’m a plotter I don’t usually have to worry too much about plot holes when I’m editing, so I’m normally looking for typing mistakes or poor grammar. I like to think that when I do deliver the text to the publisher, it’s pretty clean.

Morgen: Maybe Kim could tell me that… no, she wouldn’t, she’s too much of a lady. Do you have to do much research?

Will: No. Most of my rubbish is purely a work of my imagination, and I write about locations that I know quite well – or that I’ve invented.

Morgen: Me too. I’m not a fan of research (although the internet is wonderful) but all my (yet-to-be-edited) novels are located in or around Northampton, where I live. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

Will: Usually, it’s third person. Writing in the first person wouldn’t really fit the series. But I have used the first person quite a bit in the short stories.

Morgen: Third person does tend to be the most popular with readers (and therefore agents ). Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Will: I thought that The Amulet of Kings was one of those! It lay dormant on a shelf, or under the bed, for thirty years before a few ideas just sparked, and it took on a new life.

Morgen: Wow. I interviewed crime novelist Sheila Quigley last November and it took her 30 years for her first book to be published although I think it was actually out in the world that long. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Will: I adore sitting at my desk, writing the jokes, and imagining readers falling about laughing at them. I will admit to being surprised to find out that actually happens. The day someone tells me I’ve made them fall off a chair laughing, at my rubbish, I’ll be a happy man.

Morgen: They probably do but you don’t know about it. I love having reader feedback and had an email from one today saying how much they liked my second-person short story (The Dark Side), which was such a thrill. I put all my reviews and feedback on the relevant blog page, including the 1*s – it makes me feel good if no-one else. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Will: Don’t give up. You will be knocked back, rejected, ignored and dismissed. And that’s only by you bank manager if you tell him what’s going on. Keep going. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but all the knock backs are part of the dues you have to pay. Starve in your garret, and you’ll… at least not have a weight problem.

Morgen: I have that to look forward to. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Will: Ah, it would have to be the musicians: oh, Roy Orbison, Gary Moore, maybe Bird? And what else are you going to give them but curry and some beers?

Morgen: Sounds like a good plan. I’d come for the curry but bring my own drink (Southern Comfort being my favourite). Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Will: I’m sure Safkhet think that there’s one or two that I over-use. Better ask them.

Morgen: Kim, that’s your cue. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Will: Not really, to be honest. I haven’t the spare time.

Morgen: I know that feeling – I used to wake up every morning working out how many hours I had before I had to go somewhere. I’m not so bad now I don’t have a proper day job. I get up just as early (6.30ish) but keep on top of my emails better (54 at the moment which is good for me). What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

Will: Well, I have a treasured Les Paul that I play (badly) and I love walking on the high fells. When my daughter goes to university in a couple of years, I’m going to get another hang glider. That’s a risky sport, yes, but such a rush…

Morgen: My brother has a Les Paul – I think it’s his favourite (and probably went into mourning when Les died). I’d watch you hang glide and wave from terra firma. Are there any writing-related websites and / or books that you find useful?

Will: I’ve never really bought any books on how to write. I’ve got a couple of useful qualifications from when I was at school, that’s all. But I was unbelievably lucky. I found my way by accident to authonomy.com, and there I joined a writers group called The Alliance of Worldbuilders. What a fantastic bunch they are. Find us on Facebook, or even our own webpage now. Without the help and friendship I’ve had there, The Banned Underground would probably never have seen the light of day.

Morgen: I used to be on Authonomy but couldn’t give as good as I got time-wise so had to come off, likewise You Write On. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Will: Obviously, there’s the Alliance on Authonomy. And I use Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, all the usual suspects for marketing. But if I am stuck on anything and need help or advice, I’ll head for the Alliance and the friends I’ve made there.

Morgen: It sounds like a great resource. What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Will: Excitement! Fulfilment! Writing is just such fun, that I feel privileged to be able to do it.

Morgen: Oh me too. I love it when I create a line I like and sit there clapping – my dog thought I was mad but really he’s just as nuts as me so after 10 years together we’re like an old married couple (if only it were legal ). Where can we find out about you and your work?

Will: Well, the publisher has a website: www.safkhetpublishing.com, and I have an irregular blog, www.willmacmillanjones.wordpress.com where I ramble incoherently about writing.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Will: I’d just like to say how grateful I am to have found Safkhet Publishing, who manage to put up with my foibles, and occasionally laugh at my jokes. Seriously for a moment, we get on very well, and that is so important.

Morgen: I went to Sheryl Browne’s book signing a few weeks ago and she was full of praise for them (and I’m not just saying that because I’m interviewing Kim and Will Sutton, it’s obviously a happy (and very supportive) team. Thank you, Will.

I then invited Will to include an extract of his writing…

Much photographed and adored by the professional photographers, and hated in equal measure by those who had to carry the equipment, the mighty Lakeland Fell of Helvelyn stood tall against the storm, the delicate tracery of the attached Striding Edge laughing at the rain, whilst using the lashing water to make sure that the tracks became a nightmare for the next to assay the passage whilst burdened down with responsibility. (And four camera, two tripods, assorted lenses, and lunch.)

Down the slopes into the next valley of Borrowdale lay the ancient Bowder Stone, rumoured to be the trysting ground for various supernatural, mystic or uncanny beings, and in fact the Front Door to the Helvyndelve, the Ancient Dwarf Halls which lie beneath the frowning fells of Helvelyn. And quite a few other fells too, of course, the Mansion of the Dwarfs being frankly enormous (and difficult to heat). On a night such as this, who would have been surprised at the sight of a large group of eldritch beings, dwarfs, trolls, half-elves and so on swathed and huddled against the rain, gathered together there? Their conversation could have been, should have been, mystical, magical, occult or paranormal, or indeed all of them at once.

“I don’t care who you are, if you ain’t got a ticket, yer can’t come in,” said Security.

“But I’m with the Band!” said the first in the queue.

“They all say that,” replied Security, in the form of two dwarfs clad in full body armour and bad attitudes.

“I’ve got a T shirt on.”

“All it says is ‘Let me in ‘cos I’m with the Band’,” pointed out Security.

“See?” insisted the would be concert-goer.

“£9.99 at the supermarket. Everyone’s got one.” The dwarf opened his cloak and revealed a badly fitting t-shirt stretched over his armour.

“Come on. Some of us behind you are getting soaked, waiting out here!” came a complaint from further down the queue.

“Not my fault they didn’t put up any awnings,” replied the ticket-less one.

“Show us yer ticket, or go away,” insisted Security.

“Alright, I haven’t got a ticket.”

“Should have said so. Then you could just have bribed me straight off, instead of standing out there getting wet.”

There was a chink, as several coins passed hands. A derisive snort and several more joined the first set vanishing into Security’s secure pockets. The queue moved on.

Will is a fifty something lover of blues, rock and jazz. He presently lives in South Wales, and has just fulfilled a lifetime ambition by extending his bookcases to fill one entire wall of his home office. Working as a professional tax consultant, he writes to escape the stultifying boredom of his job.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

• Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group (http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189)
• Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group (http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934)
• Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group (http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017)
• Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group (http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445)

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Author interview no.342 with multi-genre writer Richard Godwin

Welcome to the three hundred and forty-second of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with multi-genre author and spotlightee Richard Godwin. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Welcome back, Richard. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Richard: I write crime and horror fiction, Bizarro and sci fi, poetry and literary fiction. I lectured in English and American literature at London University. I always wanted to write and my first break came with the production of my play ‘The Cure All’ on the London stage. It is a satire about a group of confidence tricksters using the New Age to rip off venal customers. I am best known for my crime fiction.

Morgen: My favourite genre. What have you had published to-date?

Richard: The list is exhaustive. Please go to my magazines page for a list of over 60 stories published.

In terms of novels I have two published, Apostle Rising and Mr Glamour, both with Black Jackal Books, both out in paperback now. Apostle Rising is about a serial killer crucifying politicians. It received excellent reviews and has sold foreign rights in Europe.

Morgen: Wow, congratulations. Mr Glamour sounds interesting…

Richard: Mr. Glamour is about a glamorous world of wealthy men and beautiful women with a predator in its midst. It is a novel with many twists and turns, and two cops who are most certainly not what you expect. DI Jackson Flare has a dark side and his partner DI Steele leads a double life. The killer seems to know a lot about his victims. And he seems to be watching everyone. Mr. Glamour is already receiving excellent reviews.

Morgen: That’s wonderful. With so much published you’ve obviously had plenty of practice. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Richard: Everyone gets rejections. You have to accept it.

Morgen: You do, just the right thing for the wrong person. Have you won or been shortlisted in any competitions?

Richard: I’ve been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and Apostle Rising was shortlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award.

Morgen: Wow, the Pushcart Prize especially is a real achievement. I’m not up on my prizes I’ve heard that being revered. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Richard: Of course. If they’re good, they are.

Morgen: Like any business, I guess. I have a simple theory – if you go into a shop and get good service it’s likely that they enjoy their job, and are therefore good at it. Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Richard: I have stories in E book anthologies. I haven’t been involved in the process. I was approached by magazines. Apostle Rising will be out as an E Book in a few months. I read both E Books and paperbacks.

Morgen: How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Richard: I do a lot. Unless you are a major name you have to.

Morgen: That is true. From memory only one author has said they leave it to the publisher although she’s active on Twitter so I’d say that counts as marketing. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Richard: The sequel to Apostle Rising. Many questions will be answered.

Morgen: I like the sound of that. Do you manage to write every day?

Richard: I write every day. I see it like practising my tennis serve.

Morgen: It is, isn’t it. If you don’t play the piano you won’t get better (ditto painting). Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Richard: It depends on the length. I let my stories occur, while I plan most of my novels.

Morgen: We’ve had this discussion in my forum and the replies have said pretty much the same as you. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Richard: I’ve tried them all. I like first but the publishers want third, which I also like.

Morgen: It does seem to be the most popular with readers. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Richard: At my website, richardgodwin.net, where you will find a full list of my works and online. Or simply Google me. I also conduct popular interviews with authors at my blog here.

Morgen: Ooh great – I love interviews. Well, thank you, Richard for taking time out today, all the best with Mr Glamour.

I then invited Richard to tell us more about his latest novel…

Designer goods, beautiful women, wealthy men, a lifestyle preyed on by a serial killer.

A killer who is watching everyone, including the police.

Latest headlines?

No, an outline of my second novel, Mr. Glamour. My debut novel Apostle Rising was published in paperback by Black Jackal Books last year. It was about a serial killer crucifying politicians, and sold extremely well, received excellent reviews, and sold foreign rights to the largest publisher in Hungary.

Settings are exotic, and the pages drip with wealth. The story’s told in my usual style, and my readers will know what that means. I have been told I write with a blend of lyricism and graphic description. I like to explore what motivates people and I certainly do so with the leading characters in Mr. Glamour.

The two central cops, DCI Jackson Flare and Inspector Steele, are unusual and strong in their own ways, as reviewers are already picking up. At the beginning of the novel Steele hates working with Flare for personal reasons. She doesn’t by the end, and the investigation takes them both on a journey which changes them and their opinions of one another.

Let me give you the setting if you are tempted to read Mr. Glamour…

Something dark is preying on the glitz of the glamour set. There is a lot about designer goods and lifestyles in Mr. Glamour. The killer knows all about design, he knows what brands mean to his victims. He is branding their skins. And he has the police stumped.

As Flare and Steele investigate the killings they enter an exclusive world with its own rules and quickly realise the man they are looking for is playing a game with them, a game they cannot interpret. The killer is targeting an exclusive group of people he seems to know a lot about.

The police investigation isn’t helped by the fact that Flare and Steele have troubled lives. Harlan White, a pimp who got on the wrong side of Flare, is planning to have him killed. And Steele has secrets. She leads a double life. She is an interesting woman who pushes her sexual boundaries in private. She travels a journey into her own past and rescues herself. And in a strange way she is helped by the killer she is looking for. And Flare has some revelations in store.

As they try to catch a predator who has climbed inside their heads, they find themselves up

against a wall of secrecy. The investigation drives Flare and Steele to acts of darkness. And the killer is watching everyone.

Then there is the sub plot.

Contrasting this lifestyle is the suburban existence of Gertrude Miller, who acts out strange rituals, trapped in a sterile marriage to husband Ben. She cleans compulsively and seems to be hiding something from him, obsessed that she is being followed. As she slips into a psychosis, characters from the glamorous set stray into Gertrude’s world, so the two plots dovetail neatly with one another.

And when Flare and Steele make an arrest they discover there is far more to this glamorous world than they realised. There is a series of shocks at the end of the novel as a set of fireworks go off. Watch out for the highly dramatic ending. It is already picking up some great reviews.

Advance praise for Mr. Glamour:

“Richard Godwin knows how his characters dress, what they drink and what they drive. He knows how they live –and how they die. Here’s hoping no one recognized themselves in Godwin’s cold canvas. Combines the fun of a good story with the joy of witty, vivid writing.” Heywood Gould, author of The Serial Killer’s Daughter.

“Smart, scary, suspenseful enough for me to keep the light on until 3AM on a Sunday night, Richard Godwin once more proves to fans of crime fiction the world over with Mr. Glamour, that he is not only one of the best contemporary writers of the procedural cop thriller around today, he is a master storyteller.”  Vincent Zandri, author of Scream Catcher.

“Richard Godwin’s top-of-the-line psychological police procedural driven by its heady pace, steely dialogue, and unsparing vision transfixes the reader from page one.”  Ed Lynskey, author of Skin In The Game.

“Mr. Glamour is a striking effort from one of the most daring crime writers in the business. It is the noirest of noir…and hellishly addictive.” Mike Stafford, BookGeeks Magazine.

“This first rate detective thriller will have you gripped from the start. Richard Godwin is an author not to be missed.” Sheila Quigley Author of Thorn In My Side.

“Mr Glamour is, in every sense of the word, the real McCoy: genuine hard boiled detective fiction.  Lean, gritty, and tough, it’s a journey into the heart of darkness … you won’t soon forget. Connoisseurs of Nouveau Noir will have to add Richard Godwin to the list of writers to watch!” C E Lawrence, author of Silent Kills.

“Involving and compellingly sinister, Richard Godwin’s Mr. Glamour portrays cops and criminals, the mad and the driven in a novel of psychological noir. Read it while snuggling with your stuffed teddy bear for comfort.” Gary Phillips, author of Treacherous: Grifters, Ruffians and Killers

“Read this outstanding dark novel and learn more about what happens when you enter the hall of mirrors and find a reflection that just might do more than frighten you. Outstanding, spell binding and keeps the reader guessing until the very end. This is one outstanding novel written by one amazing author.” Fran Lewis, Reviewer.

I think Mr. Glamour will appeal to mystery and crime aficionados, to readers interested in psychological profiling and designer lifestyles, to thriller and noir fans, and to anyone who enjoys a fast paced narrative with strong characters. Mr. Glamour can be bought now at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and at all good retailers online and in stores in April. If you Google it you should see a range of options come up. And you can find out more about me at my website and my stories here.

Richard Godwin is the author of Apostle Rising which has just sold foreign rights to the largest publisher in Hungary and has received excellent reviews worldwide. A widely-published crime and horror writer, his second novel Mr. Glamouris out now and is available online and at all good retailers. It is about a glamorous world with a predator in its midst and is already attracting great reviews.

An author with 14 distinct works to his name, his writing has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, not least recently the Tarrantino-based series of sketches Pulp Ink, and The Big Book of Bizarro.

His ‘Chin Wags At The Slaughterhouse’ are interviews he has conducted with writers and can be found at his blog on his website here where you can also find a full list of his works.

***

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the information. They do now (January 2013) carry a fee (£10 / €12.50 / $15) for the new interviews on this blog but everything else (see Opportunities on this blog) is free.

If you go for the interview, it’s very simple; I send you a questionnaire (I have them for novelists, short story authors, children’s authors, non-fiction authors, and poets). You complete the questions, and I let you know when it’s going to go live. Before it does so, I add in comments as if we’re chatting, and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

Alternatively, if you’d like a free Q&A-only interview, I now have http://morgensauthorinterviews.wordpress.com on which I’ve rerun the original interviews posted here then posted new interviews which I then reblog here. These interviews are Q&A only, so I don’t add in my comments but they do get exposure on both sites.

** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. I welcome critique for the four new writing groups listed below and / or flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays. For other opportunities see (see Opportunities on this blog).

The full details of the new online writing groups, and their associated Facebook groups, are:

• Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group (http://novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/508696639153189)
• Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group (http://poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/388850977875934)
• Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group (http://scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/319941328108017)
• Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group (http://shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com / http://www.facebook.com/groups/544072635605445)

We look forward to reading your comments.

 

Flash Fiction Friday 030: ‘Taken’ and ‘Mother of the Bride’ by AJ Kirby

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the thirtieth piece of flash fiction in this series. This week’s are two 99-worders by horror, crime, thriller author, interviewee and spotlightee AJ Kirby.

Taken

There are deep tyre-tracks scarring the front lawn where some vehicle has recently powered away. It is a poor approximation of a crop circle, or perhaps a rough ‘equal’ symbol from a computer keypad. The group of Hawaiian shirted guests gather on the porch, looking on, mouths open in ‘o’ shapes. A tall, thin man is lying prostrate on the drive. He could be an exclamation mark; someone or something has knocked him down, leaving his hat at his feet, like the dot.

The child’s paddling pool is empty; the other symbols rendered useless by its watery zero.

Mother of the Bride

At the edge of the wedding photograph, almost out of shot, you can see the pouting mother of the bride, her disappointment echoed by the drooping plastic flowers on her extravagant hat. She is shrouded in shadows, withdrawn.

A little to the right of her, walking away, is the father, wearing a frown of confusion. From his position, he cannot see his daughter and her new husband with the slightly too long hair. All he can see is the shimmering aura that surrounds the remainder of the wedding party, and the summery goodwill and hope for a better future.

Short is sweet, thank you AJ.

AJ Kirby is the award-winning author of five novels (Paint this town Red, 2012; Perfect World, 2011; Bully, 2009; The Magpie Trap, 2008; When Elephants Walk through the Gorbals, 2007), two novellas (The Black Book, 2011; and Call of the Sea, 2010), one novelette (Bed Peace, 2011) and over forty published short stories. He is also a sportswriter for the Professional Footballers’ Association and a reviewer for The Short Review and The New York Journal of Books. He will return with more flash fiction on 25th May. You can reach him via: Author website, Goodreads Author Page, Amazon Author Page, New York Journal of Books and Facebook Novel Home Page.

If you’d like to submit your 1,000-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here.

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with thriller novelist, non-fiction author and journalist Wilf Nussey – the three hundred and thirty-ninth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore and Kobo. My eBooks are also now on Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s ‘Contact me’ page or plain and simple, email me. I also have a quirky second-person viewpoint story in charity anthology Telling Tales.

 

Free Kindle eBooks

In this past week I’ve heard from three of my contributors about their eBooks being free for a limited time (dates being based on US timings) on Amazon.com so definitely worthy of a dedicated posting. In alphabetical order (the fairest way), we have…

***

Novelist, short story author, article writer, guest blogger,

spotlightee and 30-day challenger

Christopher Starr

with his sci-fi fantasy novel ‘Road to Hell’

being free for the Kindle on Friday 13th April on Amazon.com.

***

Thriller / suspense novelist and interviewee

S. Eric Wachtel

with his novel ‘The Essene Conspiracy’

being free for the Kindle

from April 12th to April 14th on Amazon.com.

***

and last but not least…

Science-fiction, thriller and non-fiction author, interviewee and spotlightee

Ian Miller

with his non-fiction book ‘Planetary Formation and Biogenesis’

free on Amazon.com from April 12th to April 16th inclusive.

***

Much as I would like my eShorts to be free on Amazon.com (they may twig when they realise they’re free elsewhere), I do have four freebies on Smashwords. Do help yourselves. I also have a 31-story collection and writer’s block workbook on there, not free, but just $1.49 (plus tax from Amazon) on both sites.

***

Next up is the author spotlight of ecturer, novelist and co-founder of Creative Writing the Artist’s Way Sarah Jane Dobbs then the blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with non-fiction author Ted Vestal – the three hundred and fortieth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

As I mentioned above, you can read / download my eBooks from Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo, and now also on Amazon.  I also have a quirky second-person viewpoint story in charity anthology Telling Tales.

I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s ‘Contact me’ page or plain and simple, email me.