Interview with Stephen Blackmoore

Hi everyone! Today we welcome Stephen Blackmoore to the blog today, to talk about writing, zombies, and his latest book, BROKEN SOULS. BROKEN SOULS, the sequel to one of my all time favorite books, DEAD THINGS, released to a store, virtual or brick, near you yesterday. Blackmoore's also written some other amazing books. You really can't go wrong. Check it out on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and other places of your choosing. 

Without further ado, I give you the interview!  

Describe yourself in one tweet:

I AM SPARTACUS! If Spartacus were a slightly doughy, over 40 writer who walks into walls a lot.

Where did you get the idea for DEAD THINGS, the first book in the series? 

It really came from a couple of things. I had a snippet of dialog I wrote years ago about a guy infested by ghosts. I sat on it for a long time and nothing came of it. Years later I was going through a folder on my hard drive and ran into it and I had just rewatched MEMENTO with Guy Pearce. The two of those came together in my head and that's where the character of Eric Carter came from. From there I re-read a piece from my novel CITY OF THE LOST, which is a stand-alone that takes place in the same world before DEAD THINGS occurs that cemented the whole thing for me and things sort of unfolded from there. 

On a scale of one to ten, with one being the sound of soft rain on your windshield, and ten being cage match with an angry grizzly bear covered in bees, how difficult was it for you to write the sequel?

Mmm. Six-ish? I knew pretty much what I wanted to do with it after I wrote DEAD THINGS. The trick for me was figuring out how much to call back to DEAD THINGS in BROKEN SOULS. It drives me nuts when I accidentally pick up a book later in a series and realize too late that I haven't read the first one and then I'm lost. If there's enough detail in it to let me move forward it's fine, but if there isn't and I can't figure out what's going on it drive me nuts.  

So I wanted to make sure I had enough to let a reader get into the story quickly without having to depend too much on having read DEAD THINGS. No idea if I pulled it off, of course. Guess we'll see.

For anyone out there about to write a sequel, do you have any advice?

Reread your previous book. I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but it can really help a lot.

There were quite a few times while writing BROKEN SOULS where I got stuck and found the solution was something I had already laid the groundwork for in DEAD THINGS. In fact there are some things I found that I set up in CITY OF THE LOST. Going through those can not only help solve problems but it can also help you keep from screwing yourself. I had a scene in BROKEN SOULS at one point that I got quite a ways through and realized almost too late that if I kept going it would contradict something I had said in DEAD THINGS. 

I know some people who swear by a series bible, and I think that's useful, but it won't help solve all of those problems. 

This is actually a brilliant idea. A series bible helps, but there's lots of little things you throw out into a novel that can sometimes trip you up. 

What is your favorite paragraph in BROKEN SOULS? 

That's a tough one. I don't know that there's a single paragraph, but I do have a favorite scene. I don't want to spoil things, but there's a scene at the La Brea Tar Pits where Eric finally gets the truth of what's going on and it really screws with his head. I particularly enjoyed writing that one.

One of my favorite things about the series is the wonderful gritty L.A. vibe. I started reading DEAD THINGS expecting the neutral urban fantasy setting, but was quickly blown away at how you mashed up horror and noir. Was this intentional at all? Did you go into the book wanting to write something different, or did it come out organically as you were writing the story?

It was intentional.  Noir and horror are pretty closely related, I think and I wanted to write something that really brought in Los Angeles as a setting. I really didn't want this to be a generic UF, but still wanted to play with the tropes. As much as I knew how I tried to tilt them all to one side to, hopefully, keep them interesting and put a different spin on them.

It makes me really happy, for some reason, to hear it was intentional. I love urban fantasy as a genre, but the settings can be generic, and setting to me is very important. DEAD THINGS really did take the standard tropes and twist them on the head, so the stuff I love about the genre is there, but still felt fresh and new.

Your main character, Eric Carter, is a necromancer. I’ve read tons of books about death magic that gloss over what someone with those sorts of powers would actually experience. Which is why when I read DEAD THINGS, and saw how you focused on Eric’s grief and isolation, I was pumping my fist into the air shouting, “Yessss!”. Was it hard to write from this perspective? 

It was easy in that I think I understand the character well enough to be able to express how he's feeling, which isn't always a straightforward thing, but hard in that, well, writing about grief is always hard. We don't like to look at it and it's certainly brought up some things for me that I wasn't expecting.

I think as a character Carter's not done grieving, particularly because so much of what's gone wrong for him is his own fault. That's something I hope to explore more in the next book. I see him as having a perspective on death that actually makes it harder for him to grieve. He's constantly surrounded by reminders of what's on the other side and it isn't pretty. Every day he sees tragedy after tragedy and he never gets a break from it. It wears on him. 

One of the things about grief, and we've all run into this at some point in our lives, is that it requires a certain amount of stillness. You have to be able to think about it and face it. And Carter doesn't get that chance. 

That is a wonderful point, and one that I hadn't considered yet. *makes notes* And there is something wonderfully awful reading about a character making bad decisions and then trying to climb out of that mess by making worse decisions.

What does your typical writing schedule look like?

Weekends and evenings.  I have a full time day job and so I have to wedge writing in wherever I can. It's easy to get overextended and I'm running into that right now, actually.

While writing, what do you struggle with the most? 

Time more than anything. Even full time writers struggle with this, so I'm nobody special. And I don't know that having more time would necessarily help. I'd probably just piss it away on videogames. 

Is there any one book or author you feel inspires you the most?

I think there's a group of writers who really do that for me. Chuck Wendig, Kevin Hearne, Jaye Wells, Karina Cooper, Richard Kadrey, Tobias Buckell, Kat Richardson, and that's just who I can think of right off the top of my head. For some of them it's their prose, some of them it's their plotting, all of them it's their work ethic. I feel like a slacker next to these people.

If someone asked me to make a list of my favorite authors, that would be a good start to that list.

Is there a third book in the series planned? Please say yes. 

There is! I'm working on it now, actually. I'm playing with about half a dozen different titles at the moment, so I'm not sure which one's going to stick. After that, who knows? Hopefully my publisher will want more books. I have at least two more planned and would love to keep writing them.

You hear that? Everyone go out and buy ten copies each so he gets a contract for more books. 

You’re rather hilarious on Twitter with your fake horoscopes. How do you divine such wisdom? Pig’s blood? Aeromancy?

I dance naked in the moonlight and am showered by divine wisdom. That may actually just be the sprinklers in the backyard.

And most importantly, during the inevitable zombie apocalypse, what is your survival plan?

Who says I'm going to survive? If we're being swarmed by the undead I'm switching sides.

Or Plan B, since I plan on learning the ancient art of necromancy, is I'll keep you as a pet zombie writer. Mwhahaha!

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Interview with Delilah S. Dawson

Hi everyone! I'm really excited to welcome Delilah to my website to talk about her newest release, SERVANTS OF THE STORM. Ever since I read the blurb and saw the cover for this book, I've been excited to get my hands on this book. I'm already halfway through it, and it's so so so so so so good.

You can buy it at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and other book stores of your choosing.
Without further ado, here's Delilah.

*Edited to add: I am so sorry this didn't post first thing this morning like I had it scheduled. I have no idea what went wrong, and I didn't get to my computer until just now because basically everything from leaky faucets to toddlers refusing to nap happened today.

Describe yourself in one tweet: 

Author, geek, centaur. Takes writing srsly. Does not take self srsly. Likes cake & boots. Corybantic, fierce, introverted. Butt= won't quit.

What is your favorite paragraph in SERVANTS OF THE STORM? 

Honestly? I have no idea. I gave away my last ARC and am waiting for my author copies to be delivered. ;) I really love the creepy dream scene, which was the first scene I wrote in the book.

Where did the idea for SERVANTS OF THE STORM come from? 

This: http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/05/creepy-crusty-crumbling-illegal-tour-of-abandoned-six-flags-new-orleans-75-pics/ I saw these pics of Six Flags New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and had to write about it. Dovey herself came from an ad flier from Ulta. Add in my husband's stories about growing up in Savannah plus demons, and you've got it.

SERVANTS OF THE STORM has a dark tone to it—demons, dead best friends, hurricanes—than even your Blud series, which has an occasional satisfying dark bent to it. Was it difficult to separate yourself from the grief and loss (I assume) Dovey feels? How did you juggle writing an emotionally heavy book with real life? 

Experience. ;) I had an emotionally rough childhood and learned to lock those memories up and focus on the good parts. I also have a very dark playlist that I used every time I was writing or editing Servants, and I conditioned myself to be in that world when I heard the music. Once the music was off, the darkness lifted. Of course, now, when I hear Saturnalia by The Gutter Twins, I immediately feel precarious and vulnerable and bleak.

I have since listening to this entire album and guys, it's moody dark goodness.
Did you do anything different to prepare for writing a YA Southern Gothic (read certain books, watch certain movies) since your other books are romance/steampunk? 

I write whatever idea obsesses me and completely immerse myself in that world. I did take a few research trips, including visits to Savannah cemeteries and some great horse-drawn carriage tours with my brother-in-law, The Dread Pirate Robert. I don't actually use movies to help me get into book worlds, although I do watch Pride and Prejudice a lot when writing Blud and Firefly when trying to make characters more complex.

Do you have any tips for people writing Southern Gothic/Gothic horror? 

If you're not intimately familiar with the setting, go there and *feel* it. I originally wanted to write about New Orleans and Katrina, but I'd never been to New Orleans and didn't want to dishonor anyone who'd lived through a real hurricane. So I moved the story to Savannah, where my husband is from, and mined him (and our visits there) for setting details. The alley where Dovey takes her trash is the alley behind the house where he grew up. Paper Moon Cafe was a real coffee shop that my husband took me to in the 90s. The smell and feel of Savannah, the way the heat sits on you and the trees go skeletal with moss like a scarf-- that's very real, and you can't write those details unless you've experienced them. Picking a dark place like Savannah helps. :)

Did you find it difficult to get into that creepy, atmospheric mind set while writing or did it come naturally? 

Very naturally. I'm a creepy girl, and Savannah is a creepy place. I feel quite at home in cemeteries.

I’ve read that you enjoy reading horror, one of my favorite genres. Any horror recommendations? 

I need to read current horror books more widely, but I started reading Stephen King when I was 11 or so, and it influenced me heavily. I did blurb ASK ME by Kimberly Pauley, which is a fun YA that has forever scared me away from Florida forests. And I recently bought ROT AND RUIN by Jonathan Maberry, so I need to get on that.

I know you occasionally post your Spotify playlist for your novels. Are there any specific bands or songs that you feel encompasses SERVANTS best? 

There is a playlist for SERVANTS, but the core of it is the Saturnalia album by The Gutter Twins. I have never listened to music so bleak and dark and powerful. It feels like walls crumbling, to me.

(Whenever I hear Florence and the Machine’s What the Water Gave Me, I get the same sort of feels the cover for SERVANTS OF THE STORM gives me: drowning, watery graves, swampy isolation, unquiet spirits.) 

Aw, yay! That's so cool! I need to listen...

You are extremely good at world building, both in creating worlds and rendering them without going too short or too long. Did you read books on world building, or was it all trial and error? If you were to give aspiring writers three pieces of advice for efficient world building, what would it be? 

I've always been an avid reader, and world building came relatively naturally to me. My first books were actually flawed in that the worlds were rich and specific, while the characters were flat and almost cardboard cut-outs. I teach a class on world building for LitReactor (http://litreactor.com/classes/become-a-god-with-delilah-s-dawson) that includes lots of tips and a first chapter critique. But if I had to choose only three pieces of advice, I would say:
1. Your world must be internally consistent, which means environment must gel with religion, science, society. It has to make sense.
2. Your world must challenge your characters; it can't be too easy.
3. Maximize details to draw your world in text instead of purple prose. When I see a big paragraph that starts with, "The hills were…" I tune out. If you're bored writing or reading it, your readers will be bored. 
 
(Delilah also teaches a kick-ass class on world building here, if you want to find out more) 

Ha! Thanks!

When you have a new idea, is there a certain process you use to tease the idea into a novel, or do you just let it simmer until you feel like you have enough to start writing?

I don't start writing until I know the world and main character, the beginning of the story, the instigating factor that changes things, the climax, and the ending. So when I have an idea, I write it down in my notebook and cogitate on it. If it obsesses me, I start building a playlist. Once I have all those things and can't wait a single second longer, that's when I start writing.

I think most beginners start writing before they know enough about their character and world, and that's how you end up with a first chapter that's a solid info dump, where the character wakes up, looks in a mirror to describe their physicality, meditates on what's wrong with their life, stares out the window and describes what they see, etc. Your story should have plot from page one, and that plot should raise questions that draw the reader along.

What does your typical writing schedule look like? 

First draft = manic, sleepless, write as fast as possible, straight through. Edits = driven, grouchy, eats trash, stays up late. Line edits = studious, thoughtful, measured. Basically, when I'm obsessed, I'm obsessed. I have two small children and a husband who works at home, so I write whenever I can.

While writing, what do you struggle with the most? 

Honestly, I struggle more with promo than writing. Writing is my escape, and I tend to ignore real life in favor of immersing myself in the next shiny.

Is there any one book or author you feel inspires you the most? 

Stephen King's ON WRITING was the book that took me from "I'd like to write a book" to I CAN DO THIS. The way that he tears down his own first and second draft to smooth out the prose is fascinating. It was my game changer.

I was super-duper over the moon excited to see you announce a fourth Blud book. Can you give us any details about that or would you have to kill us?

Look at the last paragraph of Wicked as They Come and extrapolate. ;) Loooooots of Criminy. And thanks! I can't wait to write it!

More Criminy! I am over the moon with joy!

And most importantly, during the inevitable zombie apocalypse, what is your survival plan?

Find the nearest drugstore and stockpile all the Synthroid. I have thyroid disease and am more worried about that than hordes of undead.

Thanks so much for having me!

Thanks for coming and chatting with us, Delilah! I'm going back to reading SERVANTS OF THE STORM.

Author Interview: Lena Hoppe

Good morning people!

First of all, I would like to apologize for my epic failure yesterday when I misspelled Mia’s last name. True, it was that way in her email, but I should have checked her blog to be sure. AND the link to her blog didn’t show up the way I wanted it to. I have now fixed everything, and apologize for the mistakes.

If you would like me to interview you about your writing career or job, please email me at writer (dot) elizabethpoole (at) gmail (dot) com.

In the meantime, we have another great interview! Lena has been my friend since NaNo two years back, and she’s been invaluable to my growth as a writer. She writes wonderful stuff, too. Go check out her blog!

She posts helpful advice and writing prompts! So, after you’re done with the interview, go check her out!

Writer Interview: Lena Hoppe

First, introduce yourself. Tell us who you are, what genre you write in, and what stage of the writer journey you’re currently mucking about in.

I'm a bilingual writer living in Germany. I write character-driven fantasy, sometimes YA and sometimes not. I am unpublished but I plan to start querying agents soon. Right now I'm in the middle of editing my NaNoWriMo novel from 2009.

You can find me at The Writing Desk.


1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I didn't decide to become a writer. In a way I have always been one. I have been making stories up all my life, and I started writing them down in my early teens. I did decide to pursue writing as a profession and the reason for that is very simple: I'm not much use at most other things. Writing is the only thing I *want* to do, so I think I should try as hard as I can to make it my profession.


2. What is your writing environment like now?

I share an apartment with my boyfriend, and I have a desk in a corner of our bedroom. A picture of my writing space can be found on my blog!


3. What is your ideal writing environment like?

When, instead of actually writing, I sit at my desk and daydream, I envision a kind of cross between an office, a library and an art studio. I'd need at least two desks, one for the computer and another one large enough to draw huge maps on. I'd love to have all my non-fiction and reference books in my writing space with me, instead of spread throughout the apartment as they are now. I have a collection of dictionaries that just *belongs* in a proper office/study/library. My ideal writing environment would also be quiet (which my current one is) and have a nice view (which it doesn't).


4. Do you write with music? Why or why not?

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I love writing with music, but it has to be exactly the right music for whatever I'm writing. And sometimes I don't know what that is, so I write without. But when I have the right music, it helps me drive the plot and character emotions and focus on the story.


5. How do you find time to write in between the other demands on your time—kids, family, job, etc?

Right now I am lucky enough to be able to spend most of my time writing.


6. What are your comfort books? Those books you can read again and again, that foster and rekindle your desire to write?

The Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce - I read those books as a kid and they still give me that cosy, coming-home feeling every time I open one. Various children's books - for the same reason. And, if I'm in the right mood, any of several Richard Jury mysteries by Martha Grimes - for the delightful characters that never really change.


7. What authors do you find influential?

I think I've been influenced in some way by every author I've ever read. But some that stick out, for various reasons, are Astrid Lindgren, Tamora Pierce, J.D. Salinger, Tom Robbins, Tonke Dragt, Madeleine L'Engle, Philip Pullman, Douglas Adams, and Federica de Cesco.


8. Do you belong to a critique group? Writing organization? Why or why not?

I don't belong to a critique group because there are none where I live (at least not English-speaking ones). I do have a number of writer friends, though, that I discuss all kinds of writing issues with.


9. Have you ever been to a writing conference? Why or why not? If so, what was your experience like?

I haven't. Wrong continent again. But I would be too shy to talk to anyone anyway.


10. Are you querying? If so, what’s keeping you sane?

I have not started querying but plan to do so as soon as I have polished my current WiP. No idea what the process will do to my sanity, but I guess that my support network of extraordinarily lovely people will help to keep me sane.


11. What are your favorite kinds of characters to write about?

I have a soft spot for insecure characters and slightly sarcastic or dry voices, though I make sure that my narrators don't whine too much. I also like writing three-dimensional, realistic characters with physical disabilities - because there are too few of those out there.


12. What are you favorite kinds of characters to read about?
Same as above, but I can enjoy any well-written character as long as I can relate to them on some level.


13. Are you an outliner or a seat of the pants writer? Why?

I am a bit of both. I do need an outline, but my outlines are never extremely detailed. As I progress through a first draft, I often outline the next few scenes in more detail, but I could never write with an outline that tells me everything that will be in the book. I'd be bored to death. I need the story to still surprise me a little as I'm writing it - but a bit of structure and planning ahead is also necessary. I need to know what I'm writing about and where I'm going with it.


14. Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

Of course I would like to be successful and make some money with my books. But since I am shy, hate being the center of attention and am generally scared of strangers, I think I would be much happier with a smaller, friendly following than anything resembling literary rockstardom.


15. Do you have a writing "process?" What is it, if so?

First, I have an idea (Hah! I bet you didn't see that one coming!). Ideas usually come to me in the shape of characters. I develop the characters, setting and plot for a while. I put most work into the characters. I need to see them as clearly as if they were real people. I may jot down lines, but I don't write entire scenes until I actually start writing. When I write, I write linearly. Jumping around in a book doesn't work for me.


16. What is the single best writing advice you have ever received/come across?

To not hold back. I used to feel that what interested me most about a story would be dull for others, so I restrained myself and compromised and wrote half-heartedly. BAD idea. None other than the host of this lovely interview encouraged me to not only write what I cared about but to not hold back one little bit while I was doing so. And I have been writing so much better since than. (Thanks, Elizabeth!)


17. Any fears about becoming published?

Plenty. But that's just who I am. I worry too much about everything. I manage to be equally terrified of rejection and success. But I just keep going anyway.


18. Where do you get your ideas from? (*grin* sorry guys, I had to include that)

From everywhere. Books, movies, music, sunsets, sunrises, snow, rain, carpet patterns, castles, exhibitions, friends, walks, meals, overheard conversations, people's online status messages, paintings, photographs, dreams, anything.


19. What is your biggest pet peeve in your genre?

In fantasy, it's poorly developed characters and settings receiving more attention than the plot. Also, magic as a deus ex machina. In YA, I don't have any particular pet peeves that are specific to the genre. I guess I have been lucky in the YA I've read.


20. What is your biggest pet peeve in books in general?

Unrealistic or flat characters who don't act believably. Also, disabled characters who are either bitter villains or helpless victims. Or die.


21. Do you like books about writing? If so, which books would you recommend and why?

I enjoy books about writing if they are well-written, entertaining and not too preachy. But I don't always follow their advice.


22. And lastly, if you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?

It's tempting to go for something with a high page-count, but I guess if it's just the one book for, hopefully, decades to come, even a 1000-page monster of a book might become boring. So I'd pick something that I love for the beauty of its words and could read over and over again. Still not an easy choice, but I'd probably go for "The Waves" by Virginia Woolf, "Island Magic" by Elizabeth Goudge, or "Franny and Zooey" by J.D. Salinger.

Author Interview: Mia Hayson

First I would like to say: HIIII!!! to all of my new followers. Second, I do author and job interviews on my blog where I interview authors via email about their writing career. The lovely Mia Hayes agreed to do one such interview, so here it is. You should go check her out; her blog is like a daily party of awesome and interesting.

Mia's Awesome blog


First, introduce yourself. Tell us who you are, what genre you write in, and what stage of the writer journey you’re currently mucking about in.

I'm a nineteen year old student living in Scotland and writing my way through the dark nights. I'm just in the writing stage of the journey currently, but that's sometimes the best one right? I'm unpublished, I think, although recently I remembered that one of my short stories from when I was 14 was put in a REAL book. So maybe I am? No, I don't think that counts. And I'm not telling you the name of the book because it makes me cringe when I read it. It was a story about a door, a queen and Scotland… and that workshop guy made me do it.

So, I mainly write Young Adult and Paranormal Fiction because I love the bizarre and being able to defy the laws of gravity. Having said that, when an idea hits I tend to ignore genre and just go for it. My WiP is a YA Paranormal Fiction piece and I love it… kind of…. I mean, we have a turbulent relationship…

Now, some questions. You may keep your answers as short or as long as you want.

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I guess there was no one point I decided suddenly that I was going to become a writer. I started writing this WiP one day, got to about 20 000 words and realised I wanted to finish it. And then somebody suggested jokingly maybe I should publish it and I thought why not? Then I did a little research online, discovered blogging, joined in and here we are. Suddenly my computer is full to bursting with words and I appear to write in my sleep.

2. What is your writing environment like now?

My room in my flat is mainly where I write. I have this great view of the street so I often people watch whilst I'm typing. It helps with dialogue sometimes too, although some things you just can't write down no matter how funny they are. I can write almost anywhere though; travelling is a fun way to write because there's great inspiration to be had.

3. What is your ideal writing environment like?

Oooh, um, there would be an open fire because I like to be warm, a good view and endless quantities of tea.

4. Do you write with music? Why or why not?

I think music is my second biggest love aside from literature so it feels natural to write to it. I'm on the student newspaper so I often have new promo CDs to listen to that I end up writing to as well, I don't mention that in my articles though. I use music to get me in a particular frame of mind.

5. How do you find time to write in between the other demands on your time—kids, family, job, etc?

I write in-between studying, socialising and working ---> I mostly write when everyone else is asleep. It's actually a brilliant strategy because most of the USA is still awake on Twitter and whatnot, so if I need help there are people to consult. At the moment it's very much about using all my free minutes to type a little here and there. It helps that I rarely sleep.

6. What are your comfort books? Those books you can read again and again, that foster and rekindle your desire to write?

I have so many but the main ones worn out from my reading are The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

7. What authors do you find influential?

Terry Pratchett

Douglas Adams


8. Do you belong to a critique group? Writing organization? Why or why not?

I haven't found the guts to really join one yet! Actually, I think I am a member of #YAlitchat.com and they have groups that critique there but I haven't worked up the courage to join in any.

Seriously, I've been speaking with a few people over the net about maybe starting something but I'm shy I guess. My work isn't nearly finished yet so I worry it'll be torn to shreds and I'll never be able to do so. Also, you've got to have the right people you know? Ideally, I'd like people who I feel I know well enough to trust them with my work but whom I also know won't hold back when push comes to shove.

So if you know of any…

9. Have you ever been to a writing conference? Why or why not? If so, what was your experience like?

I want to, haven't been a writer long enough to check them out. Also there's an issue with travel and funds. I'm a student so unless there happens to be a practically free local one I'm unlikely to be able to join.

10. Are you querying? If so, what’s keeping you sane?

11. What are your favourite kinds of characters to write about?

The weird and disturbing ones I think. I mean, I do write an awful lot of characters that you shouldn't sympathise with but you do. I guess they're more fun than normal people.

12. What are you favourite kinds of characters to read about?

Oh the quirky ones. The ones that surprise you and take you along with them as they discover who they are.

13. Are you an outliner or a seat of the pants writer? Why?

I'm seat of the pants writer. I try to outline overall the things I still need to add in at some point, choose a scene "area" and then unleash the MC but it just doesn’t work for me. The way I write I need to freedom to be able to surprise myself so the planning actually happens after everything has been written.

14. Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

I don't mind. It's more about making a difference than who enjoys the writing. I want my writing to have a positive effect because it is books that helped me through difficult times in my life and no doubt will as the hard times roll on by. So I'd like a following of people who feel the book made a difference. That's probably even more ambitious than requesting an uber-bestseller, isn't it?

15. Do you have a writing "process?" What is it, if so?

Make a cup of tea, choose an area that needs work/finishing and then let the MC take me where she will. There's no other way to roll with her. I write until the words run out, then realise that the tea has gone cold and repeat.

16. What is the single best writing advice you have ever received/come across?

17. Any fears about becoming published?

Not having the time to write.

18. Where do you get your ideas from? (*grin* sorry guys, I had to include that)

As any writer will probably say, I get them from anywhere and everywhere. Songs, scenes you watch play out in front of your window, er dreams. Yes, I know that's very cliché but I do write my dreams sometimes. Well, once actually. My current WiP is the result of a very disturbing dream I had and just had to write down. I'm more ashamed of this than anything else, my subconscious just had to go and be all "cool" and find something in a dream.

19. What is your biggest pet peeve in your genre?

VAMPIRES, which is ironic because I actually love stories about them. Let me amend that statement, stories that have been recently published and are incredibly similar to that best seller about vampires. That's my pet peeve. I love that best seller but let's all branch out a little ya? Also, vampires are allowed to be evil people they don't have to always sparkle from now on.

But then again I do end up falling in love with Vampire stories *sighs* so it's a love-hate thing.

20. What is your biggest pet peeve in books in general?

Confusing stage directions, I'm sure I do this in my writing but I try my best to whittle it out. I hate reading a paragraph of action and then having to re-read it because I just don't understand where and what everyone was.

21. What is the biggest writing issue you’ve had to date, and how did you fix it? (writer’s block, crappy first draft, realized the main character sucks, etc)

22. Do you like books about writing? If so, which books would you recommend and why?

I want to read more books on writing but find non-fiction difficult to trawl through. That may have something to do with the fact I already have to read about 20 different textbooks for my course anyway. Reading textbooks can be difficult; I associate it with exams and LOTS of stress.

Something far more helpful is just reading the blogs and advice of other writers. Books often won't agree on certain points and that can be confusing. Talk to a bunch writers on a forum and you'll discover why there's a miss-match in opinions and can make your own mind up about things. I've discovered that writing involves a lot of learning rules that must be absolutely obeyed AT ALL TIMES and then breaking them, books can't really tell you that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are some FAB writing books out there, it's just they'll rarely tell you the truth about writing like people can. Writing is subjective, you can obey all the rules ever thought of and still not have a good book. It's the story that really counts.

Oh and p.s. I LOVE adverbs. Deal with it. :P

23. And lastly, if you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?

Alice in Wonderland. FOREVER.

Writer Interview: Michael Emeritz

Okay Ladies and Gentlemen! It’s time for another writer interview! Yaaaay! Let’s welcome Michael Emeritz to the stage!

*the crowd goes wild*

Before we begin, I would like to remind you all again I am interviewing authors about their day jobs and/or their writing habits. You don’t have to be published to qualify, and you can use a pseudonym for your day job if you want to. So if you would like to participate, just email me at: writer (dot) elizabethpoole (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know.

Today I am interviewing Mr. Emeritz, an up and coming new author who has an amazing sense of humor. I laugh at almost every one of his posts, and they manage to be vastly informative as well. Mr. Emeritz commented that his responses to my interview questions were long, and I say that’s fine in my book! (pay no attention to the behemoth I posted yesterday. I am not biased, I swear) Seriously, I love reading about other author’s habits and preferences. Michael was brave enough to answer my interview questions, so let’s all give him a round of applause…

*audience claps wildly*

You can find him at: http://michaelemeritz.blogspot.com
Let me again apologize for the terrible linkage, I shall have to fire my tech boy.

Let's begin:


1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I didn't really decide, it just sort of happened. When I was very young my mom would always make me do these English worksheets during the summer, and I couldn't go out or watch cartoons until I finished them. Eventually, as a plot to undermine her scheme, I started finishing entire books of them in one long go so that I could be done with it and move on to fun Summer shenanigans. Still, that laid the foundation for me to have a means to express myself clearly through writing, and I eventually adopted journal writing as a means to sort out the thoughts in my little head. It wasn't long thereafter when I made the distinction between fact and fiction, and the idea of making shit up without getting in trouble for it appealed to me.


2.What is your writing environment like now?

I share a two bedroom apartment with my girlfriend and a roommate. My "office"takes up a good half of the living room which also serves as our dinning room and entertainment area. Because of this I tend to write at night when everyone else is asleep, or early morning before everyone begins their day. My roommate is an amateur game designer who works from home, but he's kind enough to keep his bloops and blips in his own room so I can concentrate while I'm working. My desk is cluttered with sticky-notes,reference material, pens, pencils, dictionaries, writing journals, books,coffee mugs, notepads, and little what-nots to fiddle with while I'm thinking.


3.What is your ideal writing environment like?

An isolated vault similar to the lab Rick Moranis' character uses in Honey I Shrunk the Kids. That would be nice. Sound proofing all around so even the deafening boom of a jet breaking light speed fifty-yards above my property would be merely a soft poom... Like that of a bagel falling on a down pillow, the entire metaphor also encased in an airtight plastic chamber. All along the walls of my vault, bookcases of varying heights; some as high as the ceiling, others to eye level with artsy knick-knacks displayed atop, and still more of many different shapes and sizes.Against one wall, a large drafting table and a shelf next to it filled with note-cards, paper, and other needed supplies. Opposite this table one would find a large desk, computer on top, more shelving, and more supplies. On either wall to the side, yet another desk, a clean wall behind it where a gigantic chalkboard is mounted, magnets holding note-cards scattered all over the surface of the board in rows. In some corner of this vault would be a lounge of sorts, a place to sit back comfortably on a long couch, or in an armchair with my feet up on a coffee table, and a stiff drink within arms reach. The smell of wood, the sound of music. Oh!, it would be beautiful.


4. Do you write with music? Why or why not?
I am distracted by the most minuscule of repetitive ambient sounds, so I like to keep a play-list of music on to drown out any potential outside distractions.I'm very finicky with music though. It takes me a long time to sort through my library to construct a play-list I can work to. I don't usually like anything with vocals, but I do make some exceptions if the singer isn't too distracting.The piano and violin have an incredibly emotional effect on me, so I try to fill my play-lists with music incorporating those instruments. I can write easily without music, but the reason I choose not to is it helps me find a rhythm, it even "inspires" me to think deeper into the subject I'm writing about.


5. How do you find time to write in between the other demands on your time—kids, family, job, etc?

I don't have kids, I'm not very involved with my family, and I work from home...Writing is my passion; the thing I want most out of my life is to be a successful writer, so if ever there is a free moment to spare I'll spend it writing. I've made some hard sacrifices in my life to allow myself the freedom I need to pursue my dream. There was a time when I considered myself to be a reporter on life, and I felt I knew more about some strangers than I did about my own family. I never look back on those times with regret though. Sadness, yes, but never regret. I've made my decisions,and, having come this far, I can see it's a much longer road back home than it is toward the dream. I think I'll keep on walking.


6.What are your comfort books? Those books you can read again and again, that foster and rekindle your desire to write?

Oddly enough, the books that do this for me are style manuals or books about writing.Reading The Elements of Grammar makes me want to brush up on my grammar, The Elements of Style makes me want to construct elegant and well-formed sentences, Your Screenplay Sucks inspires me to be honest with myself and to create a story that follows the books 100 rules. Fiction serves as a strange muse to me.If I'm not completely immersed in the story I'm reading, a work of fiction will make me want to put the book down and go write my own. I guess in that respect bad books compel me to write more than anything else. It's like an--"If they can get away with THIS,then surely I can write something worthy of publication"--sort of attitude.


7.What authors do you find influential?

Tolkien:I don't care for fantasy, but I love how thorough he is in describing every last detail, and his command over the English language is inspiring... Clive Barker: Straight to the point. Very imaginative. Captures emotion well.Brilliantly talented story-teller... Hunter S. Thompson: He lived a life worth telling through fiction. I love the complexity of the subject matter in his books. There is so much subtext in his work that it's worth reading every book again and again... Anne Rice: Her characters are so deep they're nearly four-dimensional... Steve Martin: Yes, he's also an author and a columnist.Very smart even when the content is incredibly silly. His writing flows very naturally. The way he constructs sentences and uses punctuation ensures the humor in his writing is delivered with whimsical rhythm and perfect timing...Poe: I adore his ability to convey emotion. The pace and rhythm of his poems and stories are captivating... H.G. Wells: His imagination is boundless... Mary Shelly: A true master of prose... John August: A screenwriter, but a writer nonetheless. His stories are all so unique and well balanced... Stanley Kubrick: A screenwriter/director. This guy knows how to tell a compelling story that will take you on an emotional roller-coaster... Oh, there's so many. I should really stop now.


8. Do you belong to a critique group? Writing organization? Why or why not?

Stephen King writes, "It is, after all, the dab of grit that seeps into an oyster's shell that makes the pearl, not pearl-making seminars with other oysters." I wholeheartedly agree. I've never been a part of a critique group, and never will. I have a few individuals whose opinions I take into serious consideration, but outside of them I don't put stock into the opinions of others unless they are miles ahead of me in the field. The "why"is where I'm probably going to offend a lot of people, but this is just how I feel. In my opinion, time spent in a critique group is time wasted that could be better spent working through the project yourself. In the end, it is the author who writes the story so why trust anyone else to tell you what's right or wrong with it? A person can say that something doesn't sound right, a better word can be used, a bit of dialogue is weak, but if the author is worth their salt then they should be able to see that for themselves. Now, there is one exception; if the critique group consists of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Anne Rand, Mary Shelly, Tolkien, Thoreau,and the most renowned agents in the industry... Order me a tall, double latte,and I'll be there as soon as I finish printing my manuscript.

I have along-term goal to become a member of the Writers Guild, but that's for accreditation, and to ensure royalty payments and credit aren't overlooked when a film goes into production that is based on one of my screenplays... If I'm ever that lucky!

* * *

Here is a dramatization of how Michael likes to edit. He assures me no manuscripts were hurt in the making of this dramatization:

I marvel at how similar my manuscripts look after I am through editing them. Especially the “REDRUM” and the fire breathing dragon part.
* * *


9.Have you ever been to a writing conference? Why or why not? If so, what was your experience like?

No. For the same reason above.


10.Are you querying? If so, what’s keeping you sane?

Yes. I've sent out four queries in the last two-months, and have been sent a rejection letter from three out of the four. What's keeping me sane is that each rejection stated that the agent wasn't a good match for my book, and that I should try elsewhere. This tells me that they're either very polite, or they actually believe that someone else will pick it up. The genre of my book teeters between transgressive-lit and contemporary fiction, so my choices for agents are slim. I absolutely love writing, so I've already started two other novels and three screenplays to keep me busy while I patiently wait for that magic moment when someone finally requests a partial or full manuscript.


11.What are your favorite kinds of characters to write about?

Flawed, awkward, anti-social, pathetically alienated losers. They have the most potential for change, and it's incredibly fun to put them in situations they would dread. I also like characters with some grit and grime to them. I thoroughly enjoy writing about the kind of characters that most people would never take the time to get to know in real life. I would, and do, so I have a unique perspective in this area. I'll converse with anyone who is at least friendly enough not to try and harm or rob me.


12. What are your favorite kinds of characters to read about?

Same as above, but there is really no limit to the types of characters I will follow in a story. There only a few requirements to keep me interested in a character: flawed--I can't stand perfect characters; human--I have trouble relating to aliens or fantasy creatures; unique--I want to read about a needle in the haystack of people around us; searching--I enjoy characters who seek change.All in all, as long as the character isn't some boring, whiny, self-centered,two-dimensional little peon, then I'll be interested enough to keep reading about them.


13.Are you an outliner or a seat of the pants writer? Why?

Outlines are my friend and worst enemy. I have more elaborate outlines than I have finished books, but thank the stars for that. If I had written half of those stories without creating the outlines first, by the time I would have realized they all sucked, it would have been too late to get my life back. Not to mention that after writing an entire horrible book I may have actually tricked myself into believing it was good just because I'd put so much effort into it. A story is like a piece of music in that it has to have rhythm, and I honestly don't see any other way to achieve that rhythm without a very distinct plan in mind.


14.Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

I'm happy just writing for my own amusement, but, to be perfectly honest, I want to be a rock-star of modern lit. That's the only way I could ever achieve the sort of dreams I have. I write stories that are meant to change people's lives, move them, make them think in a whole different way. I also write to entertain, but if my story doesn't have a strong theme I scrap it. This attitude extends into my personal goals and aspirations as well. If I'm ever fortunate enough to become ridiculously wealthy from writing, I would ensure my family is taken care of, I would pioneer a creative arts school geared toward educating miscreant kids like me when I was growing up, and I would start an entertainment company to produce freaking amazing shows, movies, and events that will rock this world upside-down. So, yeah, I want to be a bestseller and then some. Why not? Shoot for the stars, but plan to land on solid ground.


15. Do you have a writing "process?" What is it, if so?

I carry a notebook with me everywhere, so whenever I get an idea I jot it down.Eventually an idea will hit me like a brick and I'll know that's the one I need to start writing about. From that point on I'll dedicate any spare moment of thought to elaborating on the ideas that I've already come up with. If a scene comes to mind, a bit of dialogue, or a concise stream of exposition, I find a quiet place and write my brains out until I can't think anymore. Over time I'll start to write the best ideas on note cards, and tack them up on my wall where I think they'll fit in the general time line of the story. I repeat this process for as long as it takes to fill the wall, then I try switching cards around to find the best rhythm. When I can read the wall without questioning whether something is going to work or not, I'll type up an outline based on what I've written on the cards. By then I've decided on the title, and I start thinking of chapter titles as well. Then I create a file for each chapter, setup the formatting, and type the titles into each file. This is where the real fun begins. I write a one-paragraph summary for each chapter, then a page, then two, three, and so on... I only add to the length of a chapter if it absolutely needs more information, otherwise--why drone on for no reason? After each revision, (paragraph, page, etc...) I print what I've written and add it to a binder. I take that binder with me everywhere, and any chance I get I make edits, write in new lines, suggest changes. I'll make a copy of the chapter file with a new version number, and rewrite it with the new edits from the binder. I'll do this for as long as it takes. Somewhere along the way, (usually when I feel that I will jump out of a twenty-story window if I make one more edit), I'll call it finished, leave it alone for a month or so, then go back to edit it again. Wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.


16.What is the single best writing advice you have ever received/come across?

"I asked for a ten-page short story, not a fifty-page novella! I'm not reading this, and you're not getting credit unless you cut it down. Just because you wrote something this long doesn't make it any better." ~College Scriptwriting Professor

Less is more, and never give anyone more than what they ask for. If the industry standard for a screenplay is between 110-120 pages, don't submit a 300page epic. If the standard for a novel is between 50,000 - 110,000 words, don't submit a 6,000 word short story and call it a novel. If a contract calls for a500 word article, don't write a 1,000 word essay; don't even write a 512 word article! More so than being conscious of standards, writing within a set limitation forces you to consider the importance of every single word.


17.Any fears about becoming published?

Nope. I really want it to happen, and being afraid isn't going to help me get any closer to that goal.


18.Where do you get your ideas from? (*grin* sorry guys, I had to include that)

My life experiences and wild imagination. Simple as that. If there's ever a time when I run out of life experiences to draw inspiration from, I'll take a walk outside where I'll always find something interesting. If I still can't think of anything real to base a story off of, I'll make something up. If there ever comes a time when I am unable to make something up, I'll buy a boat and a barrel of whiskey.


19.What is your biggest pet peeve in your genre?
Haha! There aren't enough agents representing it. Aside from Irvine Welsh and Chuck Palahniuk, who have a stranglehold on the genre, how many other trans-lit authors do you know? I think the bigger issue is that trans-lit encompasses an extremely broad range of subject-matter. It's essentially the avant garde of literature, which doesn't classify the story content very well. My books are basically romantic comedies, but because of the characters' life-styles, the settings, and the overall presentation I'm pegged for trans-lit.


20.What is your biggest pet peeve about books in general?

The binding. I hate breaking it, but it drives me nuts trying to read and drink coffee at the same time.


21.What is the biggest writing issue you’ve had to date, and how did you fix it?(writer’s block, crappy first draft, realized the main character sucks, etc)

The most difficult issue I've ever had was writing about a transvestite character in away that the reader would except her, empathize with her, and still find the situation of having her as a love interest funny. This also presented the challenge of conveying love without sex or any other intimate interactions. If this character had sex with the main character then my book would be pegged in the GLBT genre, which I didn't want. The book wasn't about gay relationships, it was about self-acceptance. I made it work by revealing the character as a transvestite in a humorous way, and then explained her perspective on this lifestyle in a very emotional conversation with the main character, and I left it alone after that. I let the character exist as a regular person, and only brought attention to her lifestyle through the concerns of the main character who thinks he's falling in love with her, when in actuality he's just happy to finally have a good friend. Despite my initial concerns while writing it, no one who's read the story has felt there was any other relationship between the two characters other than friendship in the end. Even the most prejudice of readers has accepted the transvestite character, and was not put off by any interactions between her and the main character.


22. Do you like books about writing? If so, which books would you recommend and why?

I do. The Elements of Grammar, The Elements of Style, The Elements of Editing, and Your Screenplay Sucks are some that I mentioned above. Stephen King's On Writing is a great book for any writer. Aristotle's Poetics should be in every aspiring writer's bookshelf. Georges Polti's The 36 Dramatic Situations is a great resource for basic plot foundations. 70 Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes by Bob Mayer is a great general reference for editing, and avoiding, well, common mistakes. Save The Cat by Blake Snyder is a must have for screenwriters, but novelists can learn a lot from this book as well. Blake was one of the most successful screenwriters in Hollywood, and a screenwriter is still a story-teller. There's a lot to learn from any successful writer.


23.And lastly, if you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?

What a tough question. If I had to pick one it would be Mission Earth by L. Ron Hubbard, only because it's the longest book ever written in the English language, and if I'm going to read one book for the rest of my life I want it to remain interesting for as long as possible. However, if my choices include fictional books, and I wanted to be clever, then I would read The Never-ending Story.

Author Interview: Joseph L. Selby

Okay Ladies and Gentlemen! It’s time for the first writer interview! Let’s welcome Joseph L. Selby to the stage!

*the crowd goes wild*

Before we begin, I would like to tell those of you who don’t know, I am interviewing authors about their day jobs or their writing habits. You don’t have to be published to qualify, and you can use a pseudonym for your day job if you want to. So if you would like to participate, just email me at: writer (dot) elizabethpoole (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know.

Today I am interviewing a talented writer with great taste in TV series. I found him through his user pic, of all things, that proclaimed himself to be a “Browncoat” a Firefly reference. Since Firefly is awesome, I looked up his website, which was clean and efficient. I also follow his live journal. If you would like to follow his livejournal and you don’t have an LJ account, you can just create an account. I did! I am lucky enough to be beta reading his novel WANTED: CHOSEN ONE, NOW HIRING and I am enjoying the book immensely.

Here is his website: http://www.josephlselby.com/

And here is his livejournal: http://bccreations.livejournal.com

Welcome Joseph, please tell us a little about yourself:


My name is Joseph L. Selby, I write primarily fantasy (contemporary, classic, and epic), but have a few other out-of-genre projects as well. I have degrees in English (creative writing) and theatre (playwriting) and wrote a 10-minute play that got some attention at the college level. I then went on to do freelance work for Wizards of the Coast and Kenzer & Co. writing D&D adventures, and have finally come to mass-market fiction. I am soliciting representation for my first two novels (unrelated to one another), but am otherwise unpublished.


1. Why did you decide to become a writer?


I was writing long before I made the decision to do so. That moment where I thought about life and said, "This is what I want to do" came in grade school when my religion teacher, Brother Stephen, wrote a book (EAGLES AND ANGELS, DRAGONS AND DEVILS) of religious parables. I wanted to do that. I wanted to take the worlds I was creating and put them in a book and have people read them and they would be excited and love me. Of course, there were plenty of other things I also wanted to do, as is typical for that age. But here I am regardless.


2. What is your writing environment like now?


I've tried writing at places like Borders and Barnes & Noble and I just don't get anything done. I most certainly don't get anything at home. Wife, cats, movies, video games, high-speed internet, there's just too many distractions. So I go out in public where the distractions become a type of white noise. I either write at a diner or on the commuter train to/from work. This allows me a minimum of two hours of writing time five days a week. I clock in many more than that.


3. What is your ideal writing environment like?


If I were writing full time, I would buy a commuter rail pass, get on the train, ride somewhere, get on a different train, ride somewhere else, eat lunch, and make my way home. I'd get to explore a new suburb of Boston (all the way down to Providence, RI) and get a good four hours of dedicated writing time every day.


4. Do you write with music? Why or why not?

5. How do you find time to write in between the other demands on your time—kids, family, job, etc?


See commuter rail above. :) Before I started working in Boston, and I still drove to work, it was a constant give and take between me and my wife to find time for writing while keeping time for us. I tried setting boundaries, but they always eroded and it was a huge source of friction. Now the train fixes all that. The train doesn't get any faster than it is and I can't afford to drive down to the city. So bam, two hours of time for writing.


6. What are your comfort books? Those books you can read again and again, that foster and rekindle your desire to write?

Anything by Lois McMaster Bujold. I have read CORDELIA'S HONOR a ridiculous number of times since I bought it. She's a fantastically written strong female character. Put that and Memory together and you have the best stories of the Vorkosigan series.


7. What authors do you find influential?


Lois McMaster Bujold, Tad Williams, Kurt Vonnegut, and Louis Carroll.


8. Do you belong to a critique group? Writing organization? Why or why not?


I belonged to a critique group but it fell apart shortly after I joined. It was a small group. It had four other members. One, Tim, is a good guy but he had too many family commitments. He just couldn't keep up. Another, Peggy, is a forty-something mother who just started writing. She has BOATLOADS of talent. It's ridiculous how much potential there is there. She just needs the self-confidence to risk long-form fiction. Those one-sentence fiction exercises on Twitter have given her a safe place to hide, and I hate it. The third person was an older woman whose name I no longer remember. She was awful. She was the exact opposite of Peggy. There was no unrealized potential there. I never said that two her. I never said anything negative to her. I offered constructive feedback because that's what crit groups do. But she was intimidated by the disparity in writing quality and quit shortly after I joined. Then there was Chuck. Chuck is the guy who formed the group. Chuck is a mini-L Ron Hubbard. He didn't form the group to create a cooperative writing community that could help and support and encourage one another. He wanted fans. And Chuck was published! ...except that it was a Publish America publishing. I was the only one in the group that knew how worthless that claim of publication was. Unfortunately, when Chuck and I disagreed (often), Chuck's opinion was seen as more valuable because he was published. You can imagine how that sat with me. Chuck disbanded the group when he was working on a new project and it was particularly dreadful. Chuck can't write women. He can make dependent damsels in distress who fall in love with the heor as soon as she sees him. That's all he can write. Chuck was also a marine, so he tells us. And that new fact proved the downfall of the group. In his new work where the female character was preposterously bad, the remainder of the group (me and Peggy) just couldn't stomach it any more and we both tried to explain to him just how horrible it was. He didn't like this, so he pushed on. And that's when it happened. There was some disparity in military ranking he was referencing. I had presumed the entire time that he had been writing about a guy in the army. Why? Because he kept calling them solders. Over and over, chapter after chapter, he called them soldiers. For those of you who don't know, Airforce = Airmen, Army = Soliders, Navy = Sailors/Seamen, Marines = Marines. He had been writing about a Marine the entire time but calling them soldiers. Now, this is an excusable mistake for a novice author...unless he was actually in the Marines. A Marine will never, EVER, call himself a soldier. He calls himself a Marine. And the fact that Chuck, who claimed to be a marine himself, made this mistake was telling. I pointed this out to him and the group was disbanded. He started a new group with new members so that I could not expose him for the fraud he is. Last I heard, they caught on as well and that group eventually disbanded.

As for whether I want to be part of a new one, I actually would like to, but there are problems. I write fantasy, which the average person doesn't read some I'm unlikely to get people who understand the genre. More importantly, I live in a town of 82,000 people and the availablilty of professional-level (or even professional-possible) writers is hard to come buy. The return isn't really worth the investment. That's too bad. (I still keep up with Peggy and offer encouragement when I can. She could write a publishable book if she'd just try.)


9. Have you ever been to a writing conference? Why or why not? If so, what was your experience like?


I went to ReaderCon a few years ago. It was interesting at times. One panel was so sycophantic that I actually had to leave, but most of them were fun if not informative. It was more for fans of books than prospective writers, so I have not been back (mostly because my current job is very busy that time of year). I keep an eye out for sf/f conferences to see if they're worth the expense.


10. Are you querying? If so, what’s keeping you sane?


I am querying, and getting rejected. Getting ignored is the one I hate the most. You said you'd respond in 6-8 weeks. It has now been 16 weeks. I no longer expect you to respond. Why are you telling me 6-8 if you can't manage 16? Why are you even saying you're going to respond? At least for those people who say they don't respond with rejections, I know my time limit has passed and that opportunity is closed. I keep wondering what's up with these people. Did they get the query? Did it get lost in the shuffle? Come on people, I followed all your rules. You follow them too.


11. What are your favorite kinds of characters to write about?


Strong women. I'm not sure why that is. Most of my main characters end up being men and the majority of my characters are men, but the strong women are always my favorites. Most likely because so few people actually write good strong women. They usually write women that act like men, which is not the same.


12. What are you favorite kinds of characters to read about?

13. Are you an outliner or a seat of the pants writer? Why?


No outlines. I can only see a maximum of seven chatpers ahead except for the actual end (which I will know from the beginning to some degree). If I try to outline, once I get past seven chapters I get bogged down by a lack of data. I have not begun entire projects because I couldn't finish the outline, and that's not acceptable. Not that I ever get to the end the way I had planned (and that's if the end is even what I planned at the beginning, it has been known to change when the story takes an unexpected turn). I outline when I see the next few chapters and all I do there is add a new page with the chapter number and write down my idea. I flesh it out when I get to that chapter.


14. Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?


Best seller. :) Not just best seller. I want my name referenced by media who don't actually know the genre and just use the name they hear all the time even if it's not the best example for the subject on which they're speaking (*cough* Gaiman *cough).


15. Do you have a writing "process?" What is it, if so?


Don't suck. ;) I have a story idea. This might be a beginning and an end. It may just be the end. It may be an interesting premise of something that gets overdone that I have turned on the ear. I then come up with a title. I can't write without a title. I then begin writing.


16. What is the single best writing advice you have ever received/come across?


Baring psychological or physical reasons preventing you from writing, there's no such thing as writer's block. If you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to continue forward, it means you've made a mistake. Your subconscious is refusing to let your conscious continue until the error is fixed. Work backword and find where you messed up. Fix it, and you'll find you're able to continue writing. (I believe that came from Vonnegut, but I can't remember for certain.)


17. Any fears about becoming published?


Performing so badly that I'm not published a second time.


18. Where do you get your ideas from? (*grin* sorry guys, I had to include that)


All over. My most recent manuscript I finished, a friend was visiting and we were driving around New England. We were trying to hit all the states in one day (which we could have done, but we got tired in Connecticut and skipped Rhode Island and Maine). He was telling me about the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and the changes they made to divination to make it less of a game breaker. Specifically, prophecies weren't working any more. My first thought was, "Huh, must suck for the prophets." And that's when the idea sparked. Imagine a world where prophecy was so readily accessable and commonly accepte that you had proffesional prophets. Now imagine what would happen if all of them lost the ability to prophesy. And hence, WANTED: CHOSEN ONE, NOW HRIING was born.


19. What is your biggest pet peeve in your genre?


Wizards. Wizards have become the instrument in which nerds who couldn't get the girls and were picked last for games at recess make themselves feel good about themselves. They live vicariously through their wizards and allow their wizards to do the most ridicusulous things in the world so they can feel just as powerful. I've grown to hate wizards. I'm not against magic in stories, but I so rarely use it because it's just reached an epic level of lameness. I'm also tired of dragons, vampires, and werewolves, as they've all been overdone.


20. What is your biggest pet peeve in books in general?


Stop trying to make ebooks conform to a printed book model. It won't save you. Adapt to your environment or go out of business.


21. What is the biggest writing issue you’ve had to date, and how did you fix it? (writer’s block, crappy first draft, realized the main character sucks, etc)


Finishing my stories. This happened a lot. I had trouble finding writing time and when I did, I wasn't finishing my work. So at the beginning of 2009, I said I was going to write a novel. If I did not finish by the end of the year, I was done. I would give up trying to write for publication forever. I finished my 110,000-word manuscript in September.


22. Do you like books about writing? If so, which books would you recommend and why?


Nope. There are some blogs I like that I find education, but books tend to be wrong, repetitive, or condescending. Blogs let me hunt for the information I need while skipping the stuff I already know.


23. And lastly, if you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?


The complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer, anotated, with his works in the original middle English.

Well, that’s all we have time for today folks! Stay tune for more interviews and helpful stuff from your host, Elizabeth Poole.