Category Archives: Author
BILL WARD: THERE ARE MANY GREAT INDIE AUTHORS
Bill Ward published his second book Encryption in February. It’s a fast paced thriller. The reviewers find a lot of common things between Bill Ward and Michael Crichton. In the following interview another talented indie author speaks about how he transformed from IT specialist to a successful writer.
– Bill, What is your last book Encryption about?
– In a small software engineering company in England, a game changing algorithm for encrypting data has been invented, which will have far reaching consequences for the fight against terrorism. The Security Services of the UK, USA and China all want to control the new software.
The Financial Director has been murdered and his widow turns to her brother-in-law to help discover the truth. But he soon finds himself framed for his brother’s murder.
When the full force of government is brought to bear on one family, they seem to face impossible odds. Is it an abuse of power or does the end justify the means?
Only one man can find the answers but he is being hunted by the same people he once called friends and colleagues.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– My new thriller Encryption tackles very topical issues. The leaks by Snowden reveal how everything we write is being read by the world’s security services. Encryption will make readers think about our respective governments and the things they do in our name.
While the story is fundamentally a murder mystery it raises important questions about our privacy, the role of the NSA and GCHQ in our daily lives, and what sort of world we want to inhabit.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– I had to explain the technical side of Encryption in such a way that non-technical readers would understand.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Well the main character is Peter Hammond and he works for MI6 so in truth there are few similarities. I guess I did give him my beliefs with regard to values.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– It took me 6 months from start to finish.
– What may you say about your first book Revenge?
– It’s an action packed crime thriller dealing with terrorism and a number of people seeking revenge for different reasons. It’s fast paced and has a number of twists you won’t see coming.
– Who are you?
– I have spent my life working in IT and lived and worked around the world. At the beginning of 2013 I decided to retire from the corporate world and write thrillers. I had always written bits and pieces but finally had the opportunity to complete a full novel, which was Revenge.
– What are your writing habits?
– I am sat at my compute a large part of the day but my partner runs a business from home and I have a house full of kids so I have a flexible timetable.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
I am very happy with the sales numbers but I invest a great deal of time in promoting my books.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I have tried to immerse myself in the writing community and support my fellow authors. I contribute to many forums including Facebook, Goodreads, RaveReviewBookClub and many more.
– You’ve got very wise sentence: “Wherever you go you will find good and bad people”. How many years you need to form it?
– I travelled all over the world for my job from my late twenties to my forties and after a few years of being exposed to many different cultures I had formed this opinion.
– Did you ask yourself why you start to write so late?
– I had a very successful but demanding IT career and kids from a young age so I never really found the time to focus on my writing.
– How the English football fans are so much in love for their clubs? Even if they play in Division 5, they will still coming to the stadiums to cheer for them.
– I am a massive football fan and travel 4 hours each way to watch West brom every other week. My Dad took me when I was a kid and I take my children so I guess it’s in our blood from a young age.
– You’ve got seven daughters, how many rifles did you have when they were growing up?
– I have never had any significant problems with any of my children. I have been extremely lucky they are all beautiful, happy and healthy.
– If you may ask yourself one question in the interview what it will be? (Don’t forget to answer)
– Do you think we should take Indie authors seriously? Absolutely. I have read great books by traditionlly published authors and by Indie authors. Many famous authors such as JK Rowling, Stephen King, John Grisham were rejected by publishers multiple times. Today an author in a similar situation is likely to turn to self publishing. There are many great Indie authors!
Check out more about Bill Ward at his Twitter
Look out his books
Encryption
Revenge
C. S. BURROUGH: I SPENT TWO YEARS PAINSTAKINGLY RESEARCHING
C. S. Burrough is our next guest author, who agreed to share his thoughts in Q&A for the blog. Colin wrote a history novel Or Forever Be Damned. His experience in theater adds another exotic flavor to the writing. Let’s enjoy the interview.
– What is your book Or Forever Be Damned about?
– It is an historical saga spanning eight decades, following the lives and families of two very different women who escape the slums of northern England’s ‘Cottonopolis’ in the 1930′s Slump.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– I was always fascinated with historical detail and love reading fiction classics, including family sagas. I also grew up around, and then worked in, the theatre for many years, so have a thorough working knowledge of that industry, its people, background and traditions. This peculiar mix of ideas has whirled around in my head, like a spectre which I wanted to exorcise, work out of my system by expressing it in my own unique fictional form. After writing various other genres I wanted, for a long time, to create my own dramatic saga, using my combined knowledge of history and theatre, and incorporating my own literary style and character creations.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– My own need for historical precision. I spent two years painstakingly researching the novel’s historical timeframe and geography, so as to accurately position each fictional character: geographically, circumstantially, socially, professionally, emotionally and stylistically. The more fine detail my historical research uncovered, the more fascinated I became and the more compelled I was to delve even further. It became challenging imposing my own limits onto this exercise, tempting to continue indefinitely.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– There is no orthodox protagonist verses antagonist. Instead I have two main female characters, each sympathetic yet flawed. Mona, who we meet first, is a poor but respectable Protestant teenaged factory girl, tormented by sibling rivalry over her favoured artistic younger brother, Ambrose. Untrained and against parental orders, stagestruck Mona resolves to outshine Ambrose, furtively pursuing a theatrical career. Into her journey, Mona unearths her younger bête noire, Kat, a Catholic rough-diamond, a child-veteran entertainer who, conversely, yearns to escape theatre life. So begins their lifelong enmity. The reader decides who is the more sympathetic, but is unpressured into siding. Neither woman is based on anyone from my personal life. Their various relatives, too, are entirely fictional, an exercise in human drama, explorations of the human psyche.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– This story took two years and is published. That timeframe is normal for anything I write.
– What about your other novels, short stories and novellas?
– I’ve written and published various stories and novellas over 25 years, some are listed on AusLit http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A18776?mainTabTemplate=agentWorksBy
– Who are you?
– I’m a Sydneysider who writes. I love cats, sunshine and beaches, ride a scooter and read a lot. My name is Colin.
– What are your writing habits?
– When tied to a project, I write at all times of the day and night. I also go for long periods without writing, to ‘recharge’ my creative motor.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– It is too soon to say about this book’s sales, but I am delighted with its critical reception.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I mostly share information about it on social media.
– Which is tougher to write, a theater production script or a novel?
– I wrote scripts and produced theatre as a full time drama student. I find novel writing the hardest most demanding as that requires so much more narrative than mere dialogue and staging. Narrative style and rhythm is the essence of good literature, for me, not just plots and characters.
– Your version on who was hiding behind Shakespeare’s works?
– I believe he wrote his own material, borrowing from ancient Greco-Roman classics. I believe he also at times wrote under instruction from powerful political propagandists. I am unconvinced that his actual penmanship needs calling into question. He learnt on the job, in theatre, becoming resourceful and erudite via his educated patrons.
– As a book reviewer, what are the most common mistakes that new authors are doing in their first novels?
– Not investing in having material professionally proof read. I’ve read and reviewed some really clumsily thrown together work. As a reviewer I’m far more forgiving than most readers I know who, once confronted with enough typos and errors, will just never consider another book by such and such a writer.
Making writing choices based on what’s popular. ‘Impersonations’ in attempts to cash in. Whether they’re aspirants of the fantasy, supernatural or erotica varieties, there’s this sense of ‘if he/she can write this, so can I.’ But fluke alone, not talent or skill, had much to do with those ‘he/she’ successes. The result is one great generic mass. Popular trends are creative comfort zones where operators gather for the safety in numbers, then struggle to compete with each other. It’s a mistake getting lured anywhere just because multitudes are already there and seemingly doing OK. The downside of following fashion is becoming invisible, indistinguishable, unmemorable.
Check out Colin’s Blog
or follow him on Twitter
Take a look at Or Forever Be Damned
JONATHAN MARTIN DIXIT: MY WIFE SUGGESTED THAT I WRITE SOMETHING
Jonathan Martin Dixit’s Baby World is something very different from a typical sci-fi. This is his first published book. Check out more about him and his novel in the following interview.
– What is your book BabyWorld about?
– At its heart, BabyWorld explores the psychological dysfunction occurring in families suffering from suppressed trauma. Ideologically, it’s a sci-fi fairy tale satirizing the adulteration of children by modern society—the economic role they are now forced to play. Personally, I’m looking for readers to tell me what it’s about.
– How you decide to write the story?
– While working on a treatment for a screenplay about the 70’s Canadian snooker player Cliff Thorburn, I grew tired of representing other peoples’ work. My wife suggested that I write something I could call my own. She was in her internship at the Hinks-Delcrest Centre, doing psychodynamic therapy with children. So, inspired by her work, on the day after St. Patrick’s Day 2007, I hammered out the first four pages, using an old manual typewriter that an at-the-time old Scotsman, Willie Miller, now deceased, years before traded me for a $100 bar tab. BabyWorld was outlined in 24 hours, though it took a wee bit longer to write.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– Letting go of those lines so old, so precious—
Lines for so long I held dear…
After losing arguments with my tenacious editor Julie McArthur (http://www.juliemcarthur.com) in the final stages before uploading, cutting some of my favorite parts out was the hardest thing.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Well, Sinika Reichman is a nine-and-a-half year old lawyer, who is having problems understanding whether she is a child or an adult, living in Toronto fifty years from now. I thought that by disclosing to the world what I think about myself in my first novel, I would be entitled to tell the world what I think of it in my second. There are also three Jonathans, a Jack, a Jo, and a Nathan in my story.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– I completed the first draft in a little over a year. Over the next five years, I wrote four drafts of it, two to four sets of revisions within these versions. (At one point, Sinika’s cat talked—homage to Raul in Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg—and there were robots. I swear: there were robots!) After a negative but encouraging manuscript assessment by Jeniffer Glossip, a well-known Canadian editor, I revised it two more times. I thought it was then perfect. But then, after Julie McArthur was finished showing me it was not, I completely rewrote it. Seven years after its inception, it’s now a lot like the first draft.
– Because my wife has super powers, she and I self-published BabyWorld (cover, formatting, uploading, marketing) over this past summer through her publishing company, the Affentheater (http://affentheaterinc.com founded 2012).
– Who are you?
No one answers that question honestly; nor can they. However…
A must hear is Thomas King’s Massey lectures (2003 http://fw.to/CBC10dY) His conjecture: “The truth about stories is that that’s all we are.” It goes beyond the metaphor in BabyWorld that we are in charge of writing our own stories; stories are the essence and substance of who we are. They are the basis of our reality.
– What are your writing habits?
– Riding myself from the fear of confronting my unconscious (by any means necessary) followed by revisions after revisions until the music inherent within the writing emerges. It doesn’t always work; it doesn’t always sound pretty; but it’s got a good rhythm and I can dance to it.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– In the saturated-yet-growing and ever-changing market of self-publishing, if one is interested in sales meaning money, one should not be taking more than a couple of months to write and distribute their novels to their well cultivated audience. The Amazon/Kindle free promos are great ways to get new work out to a vast audience, and I certainly appreciate those people for the hundreds of free downloads and both e-books and print editions that have been purchased; however, there is a deep sadness above the mere devaluation of a downloaded book that will never be read… Maybe, someday, someone will find the old file and look at it, not delete it; maybe they’ll read BabyWorld. Maybe… I should write another book… and call it… Kannibalism In Kanata.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– Twitter (https://twitter.com/DixitAuthor), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Jonathanmartindixitauthor), Goodreads, Website (http://jonathanmartindixitauthor.com), TO bookstores (She Said Boom and Bakka-Phoenix), courting book clubs, street/bar/coffee shop posters, billboards, book launch party, newspaper articles (http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2014/08/29/futuristic-crime-mystery-explores-dysfunction-caused-by-suppressed-trauma), reviews, bloggers, word of mouth: all these and more.
– It was your first book. What kind of mistakes you made during the entire process from writing to publishing?
– Not engaging in peer review earlier. Not writing the manuscript in publishing-ready format—this would have saved a great deal of time.
– You were owner of the bar The Duke of Gloucester. Can you tell us some interesting story about your customers that worth to be part of a book?
– As Sinika’s bar-owning grandfather tells her in Chapter 15: “[That kind of information] would be—what do you people call it—privileged?” Read the book; it’s full of stories from my days at the Duke.
– As a movie producer, how do you value a script and what are you searching in the story?
– A concise presentation of multidimensional characters interacting in ways naturally born from the narrative, resulting in spectra of possible meanings and interpretations: a short story always works better for translation into film; most novels shouldn’t be adapted into films. Many early readers of BabyWorld told me they saw it as potentially being a great film—but we all know how such stories are received by the film industry. Just ask Terry Gilliam about his experience in producing his brilliant film Tideland (2005).
Check out more about Jonathan at his
web page
Take a look at his book
BabyWorld
GEAROID O’NEARY: THE ASTOUNDING TRUE STORY JUST HAD TO BE SHARED
Gearoid O’Neary debuted as an author with his book “Where’s Merrill”. It’s a genealogical mystery thriller. The novel is based on a real life events. Let’s learn something more about the book and the author.
– What is your book Where’s Merrill about?
– This novel is based closely upon a real-life ancestry research case, and written in the style of a mystery thriller. In essence there are two stories in one novel; one set in the present and the other in past times. The genealogist in the present gradually unravels many secrets about the family of an ancestor called Merrill. This man disappeared from the planet in his middle age over 75 years ago. No death record. No burial. Nothing.
– Why did you decide to write the story?
– I am a professional genealogist, and I discovered the mysterious facts about Merrill and his ancestors. The astounding true story just had to be shared.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– Trying to write a logical story which does not follow traditional chronology, at the same time as dropping in many clues without giving the end-game away. Then, upon completion, I had to disguise all the real-life character names in order to protect the descendants’ privacy.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– As advised, Merrill was a 100% real person. He was a very complex and secretive man, so researching his life took many unexpected turns. At one time, Merrill was a very wealthy and successful businessman. How could he just “disappear” from his loved ones and work associates?
– How much time did you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– The research took about one year. The writing of the novel took a further 3 months, and then another 3 months was needed for the editing and “privacy” amendments. I initially self-published on Amazon and Smashwords, and these processes only took a week or two to perfect.
– Who are you?
– I am a qualified Civil Engineer and former leader of a large geotechnical business, cast aside by the worldwide economic recession 5 years ago, aged 50, to fend for myself. I reinvented myself as a genealogist and writer. I was born in England but my ancestors were Irish. I have returned to my Irish roots and I now live in the wild west of Ireland, miles away from the trappings of modern urban civilization.
– What are your writing habits?
– I write my best stuff when I get up just before dawn, and scribble away watching the sun come up. I often write for four hours non-stop, with just coffee and tobacco for company.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– As a virgin novel author, I am amazed by the sales of my debut book. I never expected a readership in the 1000’s. On some days, I have appeared on Amazon’s best-seller listings alongside the likes of Stephen King and Jeffrey Archer when 40 or 50 copies of Where’s Merrill were bought within a few hours, after a promotion. This is quite a thrill. Then my work disappears from the best-sellers, but Stephen & Jeffrey remain there permanently! A follow-up 2nd novel is in progress, but I only write for 3 months of each year.
– What are you doing to promote your book by the best possible way?
– I use social media, particularly Twitter, just to publicize my novel to as many account-holders as possible. Re-tweets in the literary field can lead to exposure to 1000’s of potential readers. Whether anyone ever reads their Tweets is a different question! I find that getting book reviews published in popular newsletters or on blog sites is the best way of gaining new readers.
– How do you find the passion of genealogy? I was always very interested in how tough it is to find the roots of a family, a few centuries back.
– I like your description of my occupation, i.e. the “Passion” of genealogy. It does become a passion. It’s like a drug or religion, trying to find out more about deceased members of nondescript families, regardless of whether you are paid for the research or not. The main thing is to help out the client. When you fully understand your ancestry and background, then you understand yourself and some of the reasons for your existence. It is tough work trying to break down brick walls, but one breakthrough in a hundred makes it all worthwhile.
– What is the story of your name Gearoid and what it means?
– My true baptismal name is Gerard Neary. When I wanted to publish my novel I was surprised to learn that a different Gerard Neary was already an established screenwriter. Like actors, each media artiste needs a unique name, so I created my pen name of Gearoid O’Neary. Gearoid is the old Gaelic Irish language version of the forename Gerard.
– Your opinion or Ireland/England never ending disputes?
It would take 50,000 words to answer this question properly. Like anywhere else in the world, past political decisions caused unrest for decades. The modern-day Republic of Ireland (not Northern Ireland) is different. Irish citizens are extremely forgiving and forward-thinking. Whilst Scotland is considering independence from England, there are groups in Ireland who support the idea of Ireland having closer political ties to Britain (rather than the EU), for financial reasons. When Ireland went bankrupt in 2008, English financiers were the first to offer assistance. Times change, and memories of historical conflicts fade.
Find out more about Gearoid in his blog
Or follow him on twitter
Take a look at his book
PAMELA NICOLE: MY GOAL IS TO REACH PEOPLE AND TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES
Pamela Nicole is the next young writer, who will be our guest. Her first published book in Amazon is 18-page essay Fit in or Fit out: That is the question. Let me introduce to you Pamela Nicole:
– Pamela, What is your last book Fit in or Fit out: That is the question about?
– The essay is about how, in the highschool years, most people lose themselves. I’d like to think we’re smarter than that. But we aren’t, so at least, we should be aware of what’s happening. Essentially, I talk about three things there: Self-Esteem, Labels, and The Lost of Identity. Those are the things I noticed the most around me when I was writing the work. More than informative, I think it’s a call to action for everyone, both teenagers, and adults.
– How you decide to write the story?
– Since this one is my first work of non fiction, it had a different approach than the one I’m used to. But I had to do it. It was a project for school. During that time, I was a bit resentful to my friends, because some, were letting the lure of popularity, get to their heads. I just didn’t get it. I felt weird. I did understand the attractive, but… I knew if I tried, it’d be ridiculous. So, I had all these words in my head. All those things I wanted to yell and make them understand they were awesome just the way they were.
Then, the opportunity presented, and I thought, “Yeah, why not? I’m already working on a novel, but this might be fun too.” I told my teacher the topic I’d chosen and he gave me that look of “As long as it isn’t about Global Warming.” That’s how this essay was born.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– I think that mainly, it was organizing all what I wanted to say. Like I said before, it was for school, so I had to follow certain guidelines. It had to have that Outline page. So, I was forced from the beginning to plan what I was going to write. I consider myself a pantser, so you can guess it wasn’t easy. I had to cram everything in my head into a simplified structure of three main arguments and two supporting ones for each. That was all.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– For this one, it took like six months from finishing, to publishing it. The first version of it took me two weeks, but then, when I decided I’d release it into the world, I added some things, and edited others.
– What about your previous book Foul Fairness?
– Oh, that one. Yikes. Foul Fairness is a novel, originally titled ‘Opal’. It was about a girl, Sam, whose sister, had committed a crime a long, long time ago. Because of that, her life was now in danger. Sam and her friends’ task was to dig into the past and prove Sam’s sister’s innocence.
I started writing the first draft in 2009, and finished it 2012. Currently, it’s retreated to a corner of my desk, waiting patiently until I recycle its ideas. It does have an interesting plotline, but I felt the characters just weren’t engaging enough. I don’t think Foul Fairness will be on sale again, but you will find the same plot line (Really excited about it), in the novel I’m working on now, called ‘Phoenix’, which is the prequel of ‘Wonderland in Flames’.
– Who are you?
– I’m a full time roleplayer. I cannot stop replying even for a day. I’m an International Business student, a daughter, a sister and a friend. My most important goal is to through what I write, be it non fiction or my beloved genre YA, reach people and that change their lives for the better – even if it’s just a little bit – like books from other authors have done for me.
– What are your writing habits?
– I try to write everyday. Seriously, I try. But I must admit I’m lacking two things: A solid schedule, and the will to let go of the internet. I write whenever I have the time, and the will to. A headache usually warns me when if I write, I’ll just spew a lot of nonsense. I also write in notebooks, since I can’t have the computer all the time. Notebooks help me get ideas, and just keep me creative. Then, when I get to the computer, I know more or less what I’m expecting. I listen to music very rarely while writing; only when it’s something very action-packed, or very sad, or very happy. Mostly, I listen to music to inspire myself, when I’m in the car, shopping or eating. It helps me visualize scenes.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– Well, I have to say I’m happy anyone at all is reading it. I’m technically a newbie, so I didn’t expect a super high traffic and readers falling over themselves to buy the book. So, I am happy. It means it’s not only me (or my family) that are interested in this topic. And as for another one… I don’t think I’ll be writing another essay soon. But I am planning on finishing a memoir next year, and also my fiction series: Wonderland in Flames.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– Mostly, using Twitter, and connecting with other writers. It’s a fun way to network, and market at the same time. I also have recently created a blog. And, I plan on popping out on other blogs as well. 🙂 I’m considering Fit In or Fit Out as my little guinea pig. I’m experimenting with what works and what doesn’t when it comes to promoting a product. Hopefully, I’ll learn from this and start getting familiarized with the ways of the publishing industry.
– Which are the Top 3 most interesting things to see in Ecuador?
– Oh, my small, lovely corner of the world. For anyone who is planning to visit, I’d point them directly to the Galapagos. Those are a must see, definitely. Second, probably it’d be the city of Cuenca. There are a lot of hand-made products there and the people is really warm and happy to receive tourists. And lastly, I’d say the beaches. I’d recommend, Salinas, Atacames, and if you like to party, Montañita. Of course, those are where the hotels and restaurants are, but there are plenty of deserted ones where you own the place.
– You are young author, what are the things that you need to learn in order to improve as an writer?
– I need to learn to ignore distractions. I know I’d be more productive and would have finished at least two novels by now if I let the tv series and the internet alone for a while.
– If you may ask yourself one question in the interview what it will be? (Don’t forget to answer)
– Huh, that’d be: Have you ever considered giving up or think it may happen in the future?
And the answer is yes, and no. I’ve considered closing the book file, closing the windows, and then shutting off the computer to go watch TV or something. But, I can’t. I just can’t picture myself doing anything else. If I’m not successful now, well, shoot! But, I certainly won’t get anywhere if I quit now. I mean, I want to see my stubborn, opinionated Blaze in the big screen someday. I want to hear someone say. “Yeah, who cares about what the rest thinks? I’m gonna be myself, screw the rest.” *coughs* Hey, one can dream. I know this is the ultimate writer’s dream. But, it’s true. It gives me something to hold on to. So I’ll keep trying. I’ll be here, learning.
Check out more about Pamela at her web page
Take a look at her book
DOMINO FINN: I DON’T NEED TO NOURISH MY MUSE
Do you love Ghostbusters movie? Well, our next author Domino Finn reminds us about the funny guys, who were in hunt for ghosts. His book Shade City: The Dead Side Blues is something fresh in the contemporary fantasy genre. Check it more about it in the following interview.
– What is your book Shade City: The Dead Side Blues about?
– It’s about a ghost hunter, named Dante Butcher, in LA. He’s an irreverent urban fantasy misfit who gives readers an outsider’s inside-perspective of a shadowy Los Angeles. He’s a party guy who goes out to clubs on the weekends, but he can feel things that no one else can. He knows when people are possessed. He kind of doesn’t have any goals in life, but he has strong feelings about right and wrong, and he decides to do something about it. That’s what Shade City is about: a guy hunting shades in the city.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– The idea of being in a bar or a club, this location where everybody is being reckless and having fun, yet having something important to do, really appealed to me. And personally, I have a lot of experience going out in Los Angeles and have a real affinity for the nightlife. I heavily feature real locations and history snippets in the novel. You could say that Shade City is my homage to LA.
– What was the biggest challenge during the writing process?
– I wanted Dante to be a real guy, not just a standard character archetype that everybody loves. He’s not a knight in shining armor. He has his faults. He’s a dick sometimes. But at the end of the day, when it’s time to pick sides, he’s someone you want on your team. It was challenging making sure that Dante was sympathetic enough to engage readers and convince them to hang on with him.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– It’s funny, because Shade City isn’t my first novel, but it rings very true for me because, in a lot of ways, Dante’s experiences are based on mine. We were both born in Miami and moved to Los Angeles. He’s an exaggerated extension of my character and imagination. I think any great urban fantasy needs to have a larger-than-life character to balance the mystery of the city.
– How much time did you need to finish the story and publish it?
– I’m writing full time, and I really got into the swing of things with Shade City. Besides working through the idea and some of the scenes for more than a year, the actual writing process before I sent it to my editor was 6 months.
– What about your first book The Seventh Sons of Sycamore?
– The Seventh Sons was more difficult to write in a lot of ways. It’s third person, has multiple POV characters, and focuses on subjects that required a lot of research: homicide detective work, biker clubs, various branches of the federal government, and serial killers. I’m currently editing the sequel, The Blood of Brothers, and it’s almost twice as long. Anyone who likes detective mysteries, werewolves, and general spookiness should check them out.
– Who are you?
– A rebel. A writer. A malcontent. I’m an author who grew up in a generation of entertainment. TV, movies, video games, tabletop games- pop culture has really led me down my path. I worked as a programmer in the video game industry for 10 years, but to be honest, creating worlds on my terms is much more fulfilling. Through my stories, I think it’s obvious that I want to burn down overused ideas. Story structure, character arcs, ideas about romance and morality- I think there’s a desire for fresh takes on all of them.
– What are your writing habits?
– Simply put, it’s a routine. I don’t need to nourish my muse or find inspiration. Motivation is completely removed from the equation. I know that I have a block of a few hours here or there, every weekday, to write. So I sit down and do it.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– Is anyone ever satisfied? As of my writing this, I haven’t even been self-publishing for 6 months, so I’m still the new author on the block. My sales aren’t bringing in bags of cash yet, but initial success is about establishing yourself as a brand and getting readers to trust you. Part of that is building a backlist. Besides the sequel that will be released in the fall, I have two more books planned ahead.
– What are you doing to best promote your book?
– I’ve used some of the smaller ad services for book launches, along with sale prices, but nothing too involved yet. My biggest priority is to create a professional brand and backlist. Then, when I can prove that I have a lot to offer my fans, I’ll look into Bookbub.
– If you may ask yourself one question in the interview what it will be? (Don’t forget to answer)
– I guess I would ask, as an author, what am I trying to do different? And I would say that I write grown-up fantasy. Not just because it’s gritty and edgy. Not just because of the alcohol and drug use. It has more to do with respecting the reader and not leaning on tired tropes like saving the world. It’s okay to deal with mature issues in a ghost story. It’s okay to take fantasy seriously. That’s my main message.
– Tell us about your work in the video game industry?
– It was great. Programming can be a very creative endeavor. In a game studio, you are surrounded by so much talent: artists, designers, audio engineers. It’s fast-paced and you always need to be learning something or you’re falling behind. I programmed a lot of the main heroes, weapons, and game mechanics. I took part in design meetings and story discussions. I ended up managing a team of programmers and designers. I loved it, but I needed to stretch my wings a little and get out of the office.
– You mentioned that trouble is your inspiration. May you give some examples?
– Heh, certainly. Trouble is, by its very nature, a provoking business. It’s scary. It’s exciting. It’s fun after the fact, but maybe not so much while it’s happening. When I was younger, roaming the streets of Miami, me and my friends were pretty brash and ended up in fights a lot. I never started them, but I would inevitably be sucker-punched or drawn into an argument because of a careless friend or lucky pool shot. So there’s some of that mentality in Dante Butcher.
– Why is fantasy so popular for readers?
– The contemporary fantasy I write, I think, has very obvious appeal. It’s the real world that we live in, with all its dreariness, but there’s a spark of something magical and different. Just the idea of raising the stakes of normal situations and unlocking completely new experiences stirs something in the soul. Like my old days in Miami, it’s trouble, only in the pages of a book.
– What is the story behind your name Domino?
– It’s funny, because Domino is more than just a brand. It means a lot to me. As tired as the line goes, I’ve always worked hard and played harder. Writing code for hours on end and then going out drinking until dawn sticks with a person. I’ve always appreciated the symbolism of a domino. Their dual nature. Black and white. Two numbers. Two sides: exposed and hidden. It says a lot about me as a person. And http://DominoFinn.com wasn’t taken yet.
Check out more about Domino at his web page
Take a look at his books
The Seventh Sons Of Sycamore: A Paranormal Mystery
Shade City: The Dead Side Blues
EDEN BUTLER: I HAVE TO HAVE A DEADLINE TO KEEP ME DISCIPLINED
Eden Butler is a rugby fan, pirate’s successor and a very good writer. Recently she published her book Thin Love. Let’s hear from the author everything about the romance novel.
– What is your last book Thin Love about?
– THIN LOVE is about two young college students, Keira and Kona who are from very different worlds. It’s a story about first loves, betrayal and that one true love that doesn’t ever die. It’s about violence and toxic love and tries to explore the concept of this types of relationships and if they can ever be healthy.
– How you decide to write the story?
– The “reunion” scene, where Keira and Kona see each other again after sixteen years has been playing like a loop in my mind for a few years. I wanted to know these characters and their histories and what gave them pause to stare at each other across a crowd.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– I’m horrible about turning off my “self editor” rather than simply sitting down to write. I’m constantly going back and rewriting, which, with this novel, made it difficult to hit my deadline.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– There are a lot of similarities to people I’ve known and situations/conversations I’ve been in as a kid. It’s definitely not true to life, but there is a similarity to my past persona experience.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– Usually, depending on the story, at least a few months. I go through several drafts before it’s ready for my editor and then there is another three weeks or so after that before I’m ready to hit publish.
– What about your other works from Seeking Serenity series?
– CHASING SERENITY, BEHIND THE PITCH and FINDING SERENITY. In October/November, I’m hoping to release the third Serenity novel, CLAIMING SERENITY. There will be one more after that and then a novella.
– Who are you?
– Writer, mother, wife, goofball, Geek, hopeless romantic, unabashed dreamer.
– What are your writing habits?
– I procrastinate for a while, then I read a lot, then I finally sit down and write. I have to have a deadline to keep me disciplined enough to write.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– Yes, absolutely. I’ve been very, very blessed.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I have a street team and am very active of social media. I also participate in blog tours and promote my work and other books that I love as much as possible.
– You are working as an editor. What are the most common mistakes that the authors are doing?
– Telling, not showing. Most folks think that writing isn’t all that difficult. It’s very difficult. It’s the most difficult job I’ve ever had. There are also a lot of people who like the idea of being an author and doing promotion, marketing for their work, going to cons and signings that do not put a lot of effort into the craft of writing. For me, the story comes first and if you don’t believe that, if you don’t do whatever you can to strengthen your writing chops, then you aren’t a writer…you’re a PR person.
– How much an editor may influence on the final quality of a book?
– My editor? Well, I couldn’t publish a thing without her help. She’s amazing and invaluable.
– You are a granddaughter of English pirate. How do you understand that fact and what you know about your grand…grand…grandfather?
– I know very little about him but I’d love to learn more. What I have learned comes from geneology research. I do know he was born in the colonies in 1604, the year after his eighteen year old father landed here from England. I know that he was a pirate for a long while then retired and married a woman 38 years his junior.
– Do you remember the first time when you watched rugby match and how you became fan of the sport?
– Yes. Graduate school. We had a small rugby team and before my classes in the afternoon, I sit in my car and watch them practice. It was fabulous.
Find more about Eden Butler on her:
BLOG
Twitter
Check out her books
Thin Love
Chasing Serenity (Seeking Serenity Book 1)
Finding Serenity (Seeking Serenity Book 2)
Behind the Pitch, a novella: Seeking Serenity 1.5
STEPHEN TEMPLIN: I DUG DEEP INSIDE MYSELF
Our next guest Stephen Templin is a New York Times bestselling author with his SEAL Team Six series. The action packed books were written in a team with Howard E. Wasdin. Now Stephen is publishing his first self authored book Trident’s First Gleaming: A Special Operations Group Thriller. The novel will be officially released on September 9. I’ve got a great honor to present to you Mr. Templin:
– What is your last book Trident’s First Gleaming: A Special Operations Group Thriller about?
– Chris Paladin leaves SEAL Team Six to become a pastor, but CIA spook Hannah Andrade pulls him back into Special Operations Group, the ultra-secret unit that SEALs and others served under to eliminate bin Laden. Chris and Hannah are joined by Delta Force’s Sonny Cohen to stop a new terrorist threat from launching a deadly cyber-attack against the United States.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– Writing is a passion for me, almost a need. I wanted something different from what I’ve done before—better. So I dug deep inside myself to find out what that was.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– The main character, Chris, was the most challenging part to write. The conflict between doing a pastor’s duties and a SEAL’s duties was difficult to capture on the page—but in the end, extremely rewarding.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Yes and no. Parts of him are close to me, but parts of him were inspired by Aramis, in The Three Musketeers. And subconsciously, I’m sure there is other inspiration for him. Finally, once I put him on the page, he took on a life of his own, and he’s no longer “mine.”
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– I try to write 1,000 words/a day, so for a 75,000-word novel, that’s 75 working days. Then the same amount of time to edit, so 150 working days. But I also do interviews like this, talk with fans, and manage-lead the business side of writing (cover art, marketing, research, and so on). When working with a traditional publisher, that can add on another year or more to the process. When publishing independently, that process is much quicker. Trident’s First Gleaming comes out September 9th, and the sequel is planned for Spring 2015: From Russia Without Love. Also, I want to make sure that each book is better than the previous one.
– What are you doing to promote your book?
– I hang out on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads for fun, but when I’m putting out a new book, I let everyone know about it. My literary agency, Trident Media Group, has been a great promotional boost: cover reveal event, publication countdown event, blog tour, giveaways, advice and etcetera. Even so, the most important promotion is writing the next book.
– Tell us what are your most interesting memories from the Navy?
– So many, and some I’ve repeated, so this time I’d like to say the food. I first ate lobster, yakisoba, and lumpia while serving in the Navy. On occasion, we even had steak. Maybe others had a different experience, but I thought I was fed well.
– How an indie writer may become a bestselling author like you? Give us your personal Top 3 pieces of advice.
– Strongly believe you can finish writing your book. I meet a lot of “writers” who haven’t even finished a book. Create a social media presence for the primary purpose of fun. I’ve found Twitter to be a great way to meet new people. But I have more lengthy discussions on Facebook. Goodreads is nice because many of the people there are readers. Figure out who your audience is and what they want, and then match some of your passions with theirs in the next book. Find an excellent editor (they are not cheap, but they are necessary). When you launch your book, let your friends and fans know through social media.
If your first book is horror, understand that if you write science fiction in your second book, you’ll lose much of your horror audience and need to build your audience again from zero. Also, writing a compelling series seems to be an excellent strategy in today’s world. We’re seeing Hollywood shift towards series, too, for example, Breaking Bad.
Live well, and hope that some of your good karma will come back to you. Or just be lucky. Hang on to your regular job until it becomes clear that you can consistently support yourself through writing. I think all of the above is important for both traditionally published authors and indie authors.
Oops, that was more than 3 pieces of advice.
– I read in your interview that Vin Diesel bought the movie rights of Seal Team Six. When we will see the movie?
– Not sure. Vin Diesel has a lot on his plate already, and Hollywood can be unpredictable at times.
Check out more about Stephen in his web page
Look out the book of Mr. Templin
SEAL Team Six Outcasts
Seal Team Six: The incredible story of an elite sniper – and the special operations unit that killed Osama Bin Laden
Easy Day for the Dead: A SEAL Team Six Outcasts Novel
I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior: Memoirs of an American Soldier
Outcasts: A SEAL Team Six Novel (Pocket Books Fiction)
Trident’s First Gleaming: A Special Operations Group Thriller
PATRICIA STEFFY: I LIKE LISTENING TO RAIN SOUNDS AS I WRITE
Patricia L. Steffy published her first book My Letter to Fear: Essays on Life, Love and the Search for Prince Charming. She is another debuting author, who has experience as a screenwriter. Currently Patricia is developing a web movie series that may become a huge hit one day. You may find more info, a trailer and many interesting answers in the interview below! Enjoy our next guest 🙂
– What is your last book My Letter to Fear: Essays on Life, Love and the Search for Prince Charming about?
– “My Letter to Fear: Essays on Life, Love and the Search for Prince Charming” is a collection of essays on a wide variety of topics, including aging, abuse, life expectations, addiction, relationships, body image and beauty myths. Much like life, some of the pieces are funny, some of them are sad and some of them are ridiculous. Hopefully, all of them are relatable in some way to readers.
– How you decide to write the story?
– I was going through a period of real change in my life. I had just quit my job of nearly 17 years, and I was really taking stock of my life. That included looking at the differences between the expectations I had for my life when I was a teenager versus what my adult reality turned out to be. Those ponderings became the first set of essays that I wrote. Then I began interviewing women — friends, friends of friends (and so on) about the issues they were facing (career, romance, relationships generally, aging, etc). Those interviews and my own perspective on them drove the writing process.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– I wanted every piece, whether it was a funny one about anal bleaching or a serious one about someone’s breakdown, to be emotionally honest. That meant getting to a place mentally each day that would allow me to express what I needed to without the usual filters we put on ourselves. That was difficult for me.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Each of the stories is about a specific experience one of the interviewee’s (or I) had. In that respect, there is a different character in each piece, even though every story is reflected through me. Every story is true, although some of the names have been changed.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– That’s a little complicated to work out. I wrote the first 20 or so pieces over the course of a couple of months, and then it was workshopped during a charity benefit for the East Los Angeles Women’s Center. The work got great feedback from the actors and the audience, and that spurred me on to really consider turning it into something real, but that didn’t happen right away. I was a bit entangled in other commitments, but once I was free of those, I sat down and wrote another 35 or 40 pieces in a very short time—less than two months, I think. So, from start to publishing, it probably took two years, but the actual time spent writing it was less than four months.
– What about yours previous works?
– This is my first book. I’ve been writing a blog called “Dating in LA and Other Urban Myths” since 2006, and I’m a screenwriter. In fact, we’ve just shot a pilot for a web series that is based on the early writings of the blog. It stars Lesley Fera (Pretty Little Liars), Jen Lilley (Days of Our Lives), Kristoffer Polaha (Life Unexpected) and Tamara Taylor (Bones). We’re pursuing funding right now to film the entire first season. You can see a trailer for it here: https://vimeo.com/77469627
– Who are you?
– How long do you have? Kidding! I’m a writer, producer and wanderer. I attended Kenyon College and American University, and I’m a refuge from the corporate world. On any given day you’ll find me writing about traveling in California, the trouble with relationships in Los Angeles and fictional business intrigue—and I love it all!
– What are your writing habits?
– I try to write every day, although I don’t always have the freedom to write creatively each day, and I’m trying to change that. I’m best in a quiet, dark room because I’m easily distracted. I like listening to classical/instrumental music or rain sounds as I write because I find that those pieces can get me focused and in a particular mood that is conducive to writing.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– I’m glad people are finding the book, but I will always want more people to read it. I find that once someone has read it, the conversations that flow from their reactions are fascinating. I like being the cause of that spark of debate, and I hope that the book finds a wider audience in order to keep those conversations growing.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I’m reaching out to bloggers in hopes that they will want to read the book, and share it with their readers, and sending it out for reviews to media. But the biggest thing we are doing to promote the book is actually coming up on September 20th in Los Angeles. We are doing a showcase reading of excerpts of the book. I’m so blessed because an incredible group of actresses has agreed to do the readings, and more are joining the show every day. Right now Nikki DeLoach (Awkward.), Lesley Fera (Pretty Little Liars), Jen Lilley (Days of Our Lives) and Julie McNiven (Supernatural) are set to join the fun, and we’ll be announcing additional cast members soon. Tickets are free, so if you know anyone who is interested and in Los Angeles, they can go here to get all the information and reserve seats: http://datingandothermyths.com/showcase/
– You worked in a law company. What was the most pleasant and the most awful parts of your work?
– I made great friends at the firm, and it provided a stability that I needed. The most difficult thing about working for a law firm—hmmm I probably shouldn’t say.
– Why you decide to escape from the corporate world?
– I needed to feel connected to the work I was doing. When you work crazy long hours, and you don’t feel connected to the work, and you don’t feel valued, life isn’t going to be very enjoyable. I decided that if I was going to work all day and night, I wanted it to be on something that had meaning to me.
– What are the key points to be successful movie producer?
– Organization! It is the single most useful skill I have. Also, if you have the ability to see the potential in a project, even if it is not quite on the page yet, you can help develop a good idea into a great one. I think the ability to network and bring in funding is also critical, but I’m still learning those skills.
Find out more about Patricia at her
Twitter
Don’t wait a minute, go and check
My Letter to Fear: Essays on Life, Love and the Search for Prince Charming
BAIBIN NIGHTHAWK: READERS ARE WARY WHEN UNKNOWN AUTHOR PUBLISHES THEIR FIRST BOOK
Baibin Nighthawk is just like me, a new author, who published his first novel. It was a common effort with another writer Dominick Fencer. Their novel Black Hawk Day Rewind reminds me with its title to the of one of my favorite movies Black Hawk Down. So I was very curious to know more about the book!
– What is your book Black Hawk Day Rewind about?
– Black Hawk Day Rewind is a techno spy thriller, the first episode of a trilogy.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– We are both fans of the spy-fi and thriller genres and, being business consultants, we spend many hours travelling from one client to another, and during these trips we began creating many characters and plots. I was already a writer, so one day we decided to write a spy thriller.
– You teamed up with Dominick Fencer to co-write the story. How did that work out?
– We complement each other quite well both as business partners and writers. I have a broad knowledge of history and Dominick has a strong science background.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– We spend many, many hours gathering information because our stories are inspired by contemporary events.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Mark Savannah is the lead character who has outgrown his uses as a special agent. Mark lost his dad in this field of work and began to wrestle with his demons, his need for answers and revenge. He is a spy, lover and psychiatrist…an interesting fictional character who tries to confront his past and at the same time find happiness in life. So, no, he isn’t really close to any one person.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– About 12 months.
– You have won several poetry awards. Tell us more about your experience in the genre?
– Poetry is a literary genre not widely read or appreciated. Poetry depicts inner landscapes; simply you do not create it yourself, a poem comes like a flooded river and has to be short otherwise it bores even me. Unlike novels or short stories, I do not plan a poem and sometimes I do not perceive it clearly for months.
– Who are you?
– I am a writer, a Business Consultant, and a member of Art of Ink in America Society. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Certificate in Art (Teaching).
– What are your writing habits?
– I write at night in my studio.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– Readers are generally wary when an unknown author publishes their first book, and does not have a popular publisher behind that drives them, and this is understandable. The market offering is wide, there are many literary genres and many people attempt to act as an author without preparation, proposing works poorly written to the market. In our case, we have started to see the first good results; and since our editor likes the second episode of the trilogy, we are confident that the readers will love it, too. In fact, in addition to the last episode of the trilogy, we have a sci-fi project which we’re already working on.
– What are you doing to promote your book in the best way?
– Social Networks are very important for us. We are active on social media networks, forums, platforms such as GoodReads and Wattpad.
– How did you start to practice calligraphy and what kind of emotion does this demanding art give you?
– I started 12 years ago. Calligraphy was the first art of the literati and has been recognized as an art since the Eastern Han epoch (25-220). Calligraphy, which is monochrome painting, using black ink and various dilutions of water, transfers vital energy on to paper, the qi of what I intend to represent and write and also my inner energy, so the emotions of the moment are transferred onto the sheet in the characters and in the spaces, and if you make a mistake you can not correct the work. An emotion from a fleeting moment in time.
– What is the story of your pen name and what is your real one?
– My co-author and I have a passion for flying and we chose to use the names of two fighter aircraft. The pen name of Dominick, ‘Fencer’, is the nickname of a supersonic aircraft (the Sukhoi Su-24). Nighthawk is the name of a twin-engine stealth aircraft. I am a Swiss citizen, but we do not want to use our real names for reasons of confidentiality; we prefer to keep our passion for writing and our every day working lives separate.
You may add Nighthawk and Fencer’s twitter
Or browse their web page
Check out more about the book here
Land Of Books 