WriteWriteWrite

On Writing Author Interview: Stephen Hise

2012-03-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

Stephen Hise livesbetween two dumpsters behind a seven-eleven, or his “mountain enclave,” as hecalls it. He largely passes his time trying out various cough and cold remediesand chasing wildlife through the park.

The incomparableStephen Hise’s titles include: UPGRADE – Bodice-ripper with aTwilight-Zone twist; and Creepier by theDozen – short story anthology written with two of his three children.

You can purchase his books at Smashwords, Amazon.com and at Wordclay.

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
A laser death ray. Early results are notencouraging.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
Expenses and blame.

Where can people learn more about you?

I’m pretty suremost law enforcement agencies have some further information.

If you're interested in some quick wit, reviews, interviews and interesting guest posts, check out Stephen's blog at http://www.indiesunlimited.com/

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On Writing Author Interview: Coral Moore

2012-02-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

Coral Moore has always been thekind of girl who makes up stories. Fortunately, she never quite grew out ofthat. She writes because she loves to invent characters and the desire to findout what happens to her creations drives the tales she tells.

Prompted by ageneral interest in how life works, her undergraduate schooling was in biology.She follows science news and enjoys conversations about genetics andmicrobiology as much as those about vampires and werewolves. Coral writesspeculative fiction and is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Writing at Albertus Magnus College.

Currently she livesin Connecticutwith the love of her life, who offers both encouragement and kicks in the tailwhen necessary. Also in residence are two mammals of the families Canidae andFelidae.

Author Coral Moore’snew Urban Fantasy titled Broods ofFenrir – is available for purchase on Amazon.com

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
I have another novel completed that should be out inthe spring of 2012 called Elements ofRebellion which is a traditional fantasy.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
I love being a writer and I encourage anyone thatthinks they have stories to tell to try it out.

Where can people learn more about you?

My website: http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/coralm

Is there anythingelse you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added tofuture interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Laurie Boris

2012-02-20T00:30:00.000-08:00

To avoid pre-conceived notionswhich can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of bookspublished and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will berevealed until the bottom of the interview.   So pour a cup ofcoffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or howlittle, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite partof being a writer?
I love disappearing into a universeof characters and following them around. Everything else—pain, injuries,rejection—falls away and I’m in bliss.

What is your least favoritepart?
Walking away from it to take care of the otherthings in my life. When I worked full-time out of the house, I would get so sadwhen my writing time was over, and I had to put on my pantyhose and heels andget in the car. I felt like I was being wrenched away. Also, I’m not too wildabout writing the synopsis. It’s like trying to make a stone lactate.

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome.
I have occasional hand pain…occupational hazard. SoI now dictate much of my writing. The program doesn’t always understand me,which has led to some amusing misinterpretations.

Is there a specific part ofyour writing you’re working on to improve?
I’m working to bring place in more as a character. Ilove novels that are so lush with setting you can practically smell thebougainvillea. Pat Conroy and Joyce Carol Oates do this so well.

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud?
I’ve been told my dialogue isspot-on and snappy. I think that comes from listening to the way people talk. Whynot - I’ve been eavesdropping for years!

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you?
We are both snarky, with crazy hair and littletolerance for authority.

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
A little of both. I let my subconscious and thecharacters tell the story, and I research after the first draft to fill in andexpand. Oddly, I’ve found that I’m about 80% spot-on the first time. Guess I’veabsorbed more than I know!

How do you use the internetfor your writing?
I go to “Mama Google” to researchfacts. I’m involved with several online writing groups, and I ask forsuggestions when I’m stuck. I also go to Grammar Girl when I have a brainfreeze and can’t remember when to use “lay” or “lie.”

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had?
They’ve spurred me on to write more and better.Nothing like positive reinforcement!

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?
Social media (especially Facebook and Twitter) havebeen kind. They’re great places to build a community, get the word out when Ihave an event or new release, or to tease interest with a quote or link to asample.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
Daily practice, even if it’s just afew minutes. Do something consistently. Be fierce about protecting your writingtime and “train” the people in your life to respect it.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
The flip side of my great marketing tools…spendingtoo much time on social media! I adore my online friends, but Facebook andTwitter can be addictive. Really eats up the writing time if I’m notdisciplined.

Do you have any strangewriting habits?
I simply cannot start writing untilI’ve made an animal sacrifice to my muse and my blood caffeine/sugar level isat an optimal balance. Just kidding. I have a few quirks. I need total silenceto write. My husband works at home, with the TV on, and if he’s making too muchnoise, I’ll use earplugs. Also, I don’t like too much clutter behind mycomputer. My whole room is a ridiculous mess, but the area just behind thecomputer is nearly bare. Pink walls. And a plush penguin. I collect them.

When you’re not writing, doyou read, and if so, what?
I am addicted to reading, so I’malways reading something. My favorites are historical fiction, literaryfiction, and comic romances.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing?
It’s the only activity that Iseriously, truly, completely love doing. Even the sucky parts. I can’t imaginenot having this outlet in my life. I think I was put here to tell otherpeople’s stories. Story is the glue that binds us and helps us understand eachother. I also love to entertain and make people laugh.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers?
Try not to be too hard on yourself. We all have tostart somewhere, and you might have to write a lot of crap before you find yourown voice. If you are serious about writing, find a writing group. Not onlywill this help you improve your writing, it will help you learn how to takecriticism gracefully and productively. You’ll also learn how to help otherwriters with their work. It’s really great to have support, and to learn how toreciprocate when another writer helps you.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published?
Don’t give up. The rejections will get easier totake. But don’t start the publication process until your manuscript is as goodand as polished as you can make it. If you can’t afford a professional editoror proofreader, find a writer with good grammar and/or editing chops (remember,you’ve been supporting those other writers in your critique groups?) and offerto trade. It can really hurt your credibility send your baby out into the worldwith poor grammar, misspellings, and factual errors.

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? Two.

Do you have an agent?   No.

Are you self-published? One of my books is.

How many differentcompanies have you published with? One.

How long have you beenwriting?   About25 years.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?
I work part-time as a freelance writer, and part-timeon my own writing. Finding a balance has been difficult. Since I write bestfirst thing in the morning, that’s when I do the fiction, whether it’s mine orfor a client. I divide up my other tasks by day parts that suit my energy. Ihave fibromyalgia, which is very well controlled, but I still need to pacemyself. I don’t have kids or pets, and for the most part, my husband isself-perpetuating (and very supportive) so I can pretty easily make time towrite and ignore the housework.

So,any thoughts? Here's the full scoop:

In Author Laurie Boris’ own words: I'vealways been fascinated with words. As a toddler, I scrawled them on my sheetswith crayon. As a young child, I nabbed encyclopedia volumes off the shelvesand taught myself how to read. I wrote for my high school literary magazine andnewspaper, and while I embarked on a career as a graphic designer aftercollege, I still kept a journal and grabbed any opportunity to write on thejob. On a break between assignments, I renewed my love for fiction, and wrote abunch of horribly bad short stories. Eventually, I got better, got published,won a couple of awards, and started to write a novel on a dare from my husband.I showed him–I completed that one and wrote eight more. When I'm not writing, Ilike to cook, read, and watch baseball—not necessarily in that order, and invarying combinations.

Laurie’s titlesinclude: The Joke’s on Me: contemporary novel with romantic subplot; and Drawing Breath: literary novel in serialinstallments

You can find AuthorLaurie Boris’ books available for order from your favorite flesh-and-bloodbookstore or at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or the 4RV Publishing web site.

THE FUTUREWhat are you working on now?
The continuing story of Drawing Breath, and The CWord, a novel that began as a NaNoWriMo project. That’s all I can say fornow. According to my lawyers.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
Writing can be maddening.You’ll get characters who won’t behave, plot threads that won’t tie, suddenbrain freezes, and loads of rejection and criticism. It’s all part of theprocess, though, and I LOVE it. A thick hide and a sense of humor help.

You can learn moreabout Author Laurie Boris on her website: http://laurieboris.com

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On Writing Author Interview: Kender MacGowan

2012-02-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

ON WRITING:

What is your favorite partof being a writer? My favorite part? Touching someone withsomething I have written is my “favorite” part, although I do like just beingable to SAY “I’m a writer” when asked what I do. Words are harmless collections of letters ina dictionary, but in the hands of someone who knows how to wield them theybecome potent weapons and can bring emotions welling, build hope, tear downanger and bridge or widen the gulf between us all. That’s what I like most about writing, havingthat power at my command.

What is your least favoritepart? My least favorite part of writing is the paperwork. Seriously my least favorite thing isrereading and rewriting what I have read and written. Someone once said (I believe it was Michener)“I’m not a very good writer, but I’m a great rewriter” and going back oversomething and having to tweak it is something I hate while I am doing it. I love when it’s done though, except all thesecond guessing I end up going through.

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome. Taking myself seriously as a writer. My family didn’t look on a self published,free lance writer as a “job” at first. That changed after I got a royalty check.

Is there a specific part ofyour writing you’re working on to improve? I tend to over use comma’s,but in my defense it’s only because they’re cheap and I bought a truckload oneBay, so, as you can imagine, I am learning to use them less but, between youand I, I don’t think it’s working.

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud? I’ve had people tear up with what I havewritten. I am very proud of my words when they touch someone on a level thatcauses such an emotional response.

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you? I don’t really have a favorite main character. Who I most identify with depends on my mood,really.

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know? WhenI write what I know it just flows. Mosteverything I read would be considered research for me since I usually use thatknowledge in my writing. When I don’tknow the subject I am writing about I do research as I am writing. Finding out things like Texas cattle driving routes in the late1860’s is not something I would have researched before hand, because I had noidea I was writing about it until I started.

How do you use the internetfor your writing? I use the net for research and for music. I sometimes write to music and having theworlds musical library pretty much at my fingertips makes finding music for themood easy, fast and cheap, three words which have been used to describe me too.

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had? I’ve won no awards for my writing, and I’mnot sure that will ever happen.

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with? Wordof mouth is the best tool so far for me, followed by internet radio. I’ve never taken out an ad and I am horrid atself promoting, so perhaps if I tried one of those avenues I would have moresuccess.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out? I have no good writing habits. I write when the muse strikes me (usually at4 A.M.), I am loathe to have my work edited, I start projects and let them sitfor months sometimes. The only goodhabit I have when writing is I save, a lot....losing an hours worth of workbecause something crashes hurts, so save your work, a lot. Better yet write in as an email draft ingmail....it saves automatically every so often....I’ve written a lot of mystuff as email drafts.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid? The aforementionedcomma. That’s my worst writing habit. Isometimes write as I speak, with tangents, so the comma becomes an enemy toclear writing as opposed to a very helpful tool. Although I have noticed somewriters I admire very much who also use comma’s to create paragraphs composedof one sentence, so perhaps I needlessly beat myself up for it, either waythat’s what editors are for so find a great one and use them.

Do you have any strangewriting habits? I don’t have any realhabits when it comes to writing, a habit being defined as a regular tendency orpractice, but I have been known to pull over to the side of the road and pullout a notebook and write when inspiration strikes me.

When you’re not writing, doyou read, and if so, what? I read a lot of news and opinion sites. Ioccasionally will read for pleasure these days but it’s rare. Most of what Iread would be considered research.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing? It depends on what I am writing about. If I amwriting for fun I want to entertain. IfI am writing to make a point I am trying to sway people to see, and agree with,my view of things.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS

What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers? Punctuation, grammar and spelling are yourfriends. Learn them. Specifically idiomsof language, such as phrases you may hear a lot, should be spelled out in yourhead and question what that saying means. An example is “seize the day” as opposed to “cease the day”, the firstone is correct, the second is not, and the difference in the words and theirmeaning is light years apart. When youhear words spell them in your head. As people speak to you visualize the words.When you do this long enough it becomes second nature. As a secondary note on this subject, synonymsand antonyms are exceedingly important. In the end I would say get a dictionary and a thesaurus and read themboth, several times all the way through. A good writer loves words.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published? You have to decide what’s more important toyou. The alleged credibility that comes with being traditionally published orthe freewheeling world of self publishing. I have found many traditionally published authors to be elitist, smugand condescending to the self published crowd, and sometimes with goodreason. There are many books that sufferfrom bad (or no) editing, horrid grammar, mangled punctuation and sometimesjust a missing storyline. Those booksreflect badly on those of us who work hard to put out a quality product thatpeople want to read. If you can sufferthe slings and arrows of the traditional publishing industry (whose funeral wewill be attending in a few short years) go with self publishing. If you can’tsubmit your manuscript to everyone you can find, just be prepared to wall paperyour house with rejection letters.

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? 3

Do you have an agent? Nope

Are you self-published? Proudly

How many different companieshave you published with? 3?

How long have you beenwriting? Professionally? About 5years.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing? I have several “jobs”, almost all of themdepend on me to find the work, negotiate the contract and then make ithappen. I do storytelling at renaissancefaires, mostly, and balancing work/writing is easy for me.

So, any thoughts? Here's the full scoop:

In “The Wordsmith, KenderMacGowan’s” own words: Born in SoCal,spent a couple of decades training race horses after dropping out of school,became a street actor and storyteller then a writer. I spend most of my days working oncurmudgeonly skills by being anti-social and yelling at people to stay off mylawn.

Kender’s poetry titlesinclude: Shattered Ashen Heart; The Hunter and the Elf Queen; Wateringthe Tree, Thoughts on Libertyand Tyranny-poetry

All of Kender’s books (andwhere to buy them) can be found here:http://kendersmusings.blogspot.com/2011/11/where-to-buy-my-books.html

THE FUTURE

What are you working onnow? I have several stories in the process of being written, 3 bookssitting in the editing folder and there’s always articles to write and sell.I’ve been spending time putting together next years stage show for my actingtroupe, The Bawdy so that kind of takes away from a couple of minutes worth ofsitting online and trolling facebook.

PARTING WORDS

Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share? I started writing when I saw a quote aboutbeing a writer because it’s easier than honest labor. It’s not. If you’re going to write for publicconsumption you need an exceedingly thick skin, you need to be certain thatwhat you’re writing is technically correct and, if you’re writing about factualthings, such as current events and issues, that your facts are correct and youneed to be prepared for the fact that you’re not going to reach everyone, youmost likely won’t get rich and there’s always going to be someone who speaksbadly of you and what you write. Taketheir criticism with a grain of salt and an eye toward improving your writing. And for the sake of all that may be holy learnyour punctuation, spelling and grammar. This cannot be stressed enough.

Where can people learn more about you? I’m not sure I want people learning more about me beyond “This guywrites amazing poetry, you should buy his book.”

Is thereanything else you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd likeadded to future interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Jerilyn Marler

2012-02-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

To avoid pre-conceived notionswhich can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of bookspublished and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will berevealed until the bottom of the interview. So pour a cup ofcoffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or howlittle, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite partof being a writer?
The coffee breaks! I’m joking, ofcourse, but I do think that the breaks (for coffee, or to do laundry, or totake a walk) help me find clarity because I stop throwing words at the screenand let them bounce around in my brain to make unexpected connections. I’malways looking for clarity. Finding clarity is what I love most about theprocess of writing. Whether I’m writing a blog, a book, or a speech, I startout convinced that I have nothing of value to share. During the writing processvague ideas and fleeting feelings take shape, gain substance. There’s usually apoint at which I think, “Oh! That’s it!”And then I go get some coffee.

What is your least favoritepart?
I intensely dislike the sense ofdread that sometimes accompanies a looming deadline. What if the bouncing ideasnever connect? What if I really don’t have anything of value to say? What if Irun out of coffee?

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome.
When I started writing and editingprofessionally in 1979, I learned from stellar mentors and was givenextraordinary opportunities to stretch and grow. With every employment transitionI was swamped by insecurity because I don’t have a college degree. As myexperience grew, the need for a degree became less of an issue. Now 30+ yearslater, it’s a non-issue. Especially in the early years, it took a lot ofcourage to apply for a job that listed a degree as a requirement and argue thatmy experience should be accepted in lieu of a degree. I see more willingnessamong employers now to substitute experience for a degree. They should.

Is there a specific part ofyour writing you’re working on to improve?
I tend to be highly analytical. I’mtrying to loosen up and tap into creativity more often and more easily. Irecently discovered that walking a labyrinth helps me let go of the analytical(after I count all the steps to the middle one time!) and open up to thecreative. It soothes me physically and stimulates my thoughts.

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud?
I glow with happiness when I hearthat my writing has provided comfort and inspiration. That is precisely mymotivation, so to know that I’ve achieved it is the greatest reward.

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you?
We’ve experienced deep, prolongedgrief and come through it with resilience and joy intact.

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
A blend.

How do you use the internetfor your writing?
I stay in touch with the subjectmatter by participating in related forums and social networks. I researchresources to share with my readers. I share my work through my website andblog. I do Google searches for the nearest Starbucks.

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had?
I’ve recently begun applying forbook awards and am awaiting results. There’s a flurry of hope and excitementwhile I get a submission package ready, then I let it go. An award would belovely, no question. I’m not holding my breath. I see the amazing work by otherauthors in my genre.

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?
Targeted Facebook ads have beeneffective for me.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
I’ve been asked this questionmultiple times over the years. My response is: experiment to find what worksfor you and then stick with it! I can’t devote X hours every morning towriting, as some (many?) authors do. My brain doesn’t work that way. I can’tset up my laptop at a Starbucks and write for a couple hours as some people can,there are too many distractions. (I can sit and drink coffee for a couple hours,but that doesn’t get words on the page.) I really do believe that how we writeis highly individual. I’m haphazard about when I write, but once I start, I’mlaser focused and absorbed. It might be for half an hour. It might be for sixhours.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
All those coffee breaks…. And myhusband worries that when I’m in the writing zone and haven’t moved for sixhours that I’m risking my health. Personally I think he’s just ready for us togo get some dinner.

Do you have any strangewriting habits?
Wish I could say that I always chewon a pencil or insist on listening to Ricky Nelson music or write only whenwearing my lucky sweatshirt. But alas, I haven’t any interesting quirks.

When you’re not writing, doyou read, and if so, what?
I read voraciously. I’ve been on anon-fiction kick lately delving into human psychology. (I recommend: Sway: The Irresistible Pull of IrrationalBehavior; A Whole New Mind: WhyRight-Brainers Will Rule the Future; Switch:How to Change Things When Change is Hard; The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom.) Ialso love mysteries, the more romantic the better. I reread authors I think of asclassic (Mary Stewart, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers) and enjoy discoveringnew ones (Nancy Martin).

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing?
My passion is to provide comfortand inspiration to my readers who, bless them, often need it desperately.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers?
There is no substitute for doing. Read books that inspire you. Listen to experts. Don’t letanything get in the way of actually writing. You will not know your author voiceuntil you explore and discover what rings true. You will not write well untilyou practice. A lot. A WHOLE lot. There’s no shortcut. No magic formula. Openyour heart and mind and let it flow. I love this quote from Sharon O’Brien:“Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn’t wait to get to workin the morning. I wanted to know what I was going to say.”

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published?
Once the book is published, youhave a new, consuming role: marketing. Even if you are successful in securing atraditional publisher, you will have to be heavily engaged in marketing yourwork. The odds are against us. US publishers churn out almost 300,000 books ayear. Want readers to find your work? You must go find your readers and thenget their attention. Accept that fact. Take seminars about how to market todayusing social media. I highly recommend this book: Publishing and Marketing Realities for the Emerging Author. Read itand then get busy.

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? 5

Do you have an agent? Nope.

Are you self-published? Yes.

How many differentcompanies have you published with? 2

How long have you beenwriting? Since 1979.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?
I am a full time writer/editor butI spend at least half of my time marketing because that’s what authors have todo in today’s market. My writing/editing includes authoring my own material andwriting/editing contracts with clients.

So, any thoughts? Here'sthe full scoop:

In author, editor and publisher JerilynMarler’s words: After 30 years as a technical writer and editor,I switched gears completely in 2010 and am now focused on supporting youngmilitary children and their parents. I published my first children’s storybook,Lily Hates Goodbyes, in early 2011and recently published Helping Your YoungChild Cope with a Parent’s Deployment as a Kindle ebook. My 4-year-oldgranddaughter’s distress over her daddy’s deployment inspired the storybook. Mychildhood experience of boarding school in India with long separations from myparents heightened my empathy for Lily’s pain. The book helped her so much thatI published it for all children who have to say goodbye for about a billiondays. I launched my own publishing company, Quincy Companion Books, in August.QCB is an imprint of Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing.

Jerilyn’s titles include: Lily Hates Goodbyes, children’s storybook for ages 2-7.2011; Helping Your Young Child Cope with a Parent’s Deployment, handbook(in ebook format) for military parents. 2011; Power Shortcuts: WordPerfect 5.1; PowerShortcuts: WordPerfect for Windows. Technical books with learning disk.1992; and Unlocking WordPerfect 6.0:Mastering Styles, Merges, Macros and Tables. Technical book with learningdisk. 1993.

All of Jerilyn’sbooks are available through Amazon.com.

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
I’m just finishing the text of Lily Hates Moving and am preparing to turn it over to myillustrator. I’m also working on another ebook, this one for military coupleswith suggestions for keeping their relationship healthy during deploymentseparations.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
I’ve been fortunate to make a living as a writer andeditor. I thoroughly enjoyed the technical world, but it wasn’t my passion. I’dalways wanted, in a vague sort of way, to do something for children. It waslife-changing to have that vague desire meld with my writing to result in abook that comforted my granddaughter and that other children love. One momwrote recently that her daughter carries the book with her everywhere becauseshe never knows when she’s going to be sad about her daddy being gone. That issupreme joy for me—the greatest satisfaction. Go after your passion; it’s worthfighting for. And when you find it, give it everything you’ve got.

Where can people learn more about you?

My professional website: http://jerilynmarler.com
Lily Hates Goodbyeswebsite: http://lilyhatesgoodbyes.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jerilynmarler

Is there anythingelse you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added tofuture interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Davidson L. Haworth

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

Being able to escape the realworld on a daily basis, and creating a world you actually want to be in. Howmany times do you turn on the news and wish you were on another planet? Writingallows you to do that.

Whatis your least favorite part?

Editing, or going back and makingcorrections.

Nameone obstacle you’ve had to overcome.

A couple of years ago I had a badcase of writers block. I decided to travel to Wales for some time off, and beholdthe country gave me new ideas and energy. I owe a lot to Wales and itswonderful people.

Isthere a specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve?

I am always looking for new waysto advance vocabulary or to improve it.

Whatpart of your writing makes you particularly proud?

I think I am proud when a personapproaches me or I get an e-mail from a reader telling me how much they enjoyedthe [book].

Whatdoes your favorite main character have in common with you?

Virtue, chivalry, honor, faith,courage, charity, these are the cornerstones of a well-rounded person, and mycharacters share these with who I am as a person.

Doyou do a lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what youalready know?

I write about what I know or whatI invent in my imagination, but I do use real life historical places andevents, so in this aspect of my writings I have to do much research to makesure I have all the right details.

Howdo you use the internet for your writing?

Everything, from using propervocabulary, to research, internet has changed how writers work. Anyone whotells you that they still write pen to paper is giving you a dramaticstoryline.

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had?

Winning awards renews confidenceand validates that you have taken the proper path in life. No writers gets intothe business for money or accolades, they do it for the joy of telling a tale.Nobody in their right mind would choose to be a writer, it just happens.

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?

Social media, web site, andsimple word of mouth, people want to see you as well and a good book signingschedule is required. It is a fact that the average author only sells fourbooks per signing, and it is a little discouraging, but one must throwthemselves into the flames of the public eye.

Whatgood writing habits have you developed that you think would be helpful tosomeone starting out?

Most writers have other projectsand it is difficult to write sometimes. Carry a small journal and jot downevery idea that pops into your mind. Never be discouraged because a writer willreceive more criticism than accolades, even Shakespeare was spurned for hiswritings and many called his works rubbish. Throw away the negative andsurround yourself with supporters. Always form the habit of writing at leasttwo hours Monday through Friday.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?

Try not to procrastinate on yourideas or your dreams, cease the day.

Doyou have any strange writing habits?

I don’tthink I should answer this since it is a family oriented interview. Put it thisway. I take on my day of writing like a warrior the night before battle.

Whenyou’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what?

I do try and read every nightbefore bed with a cup of black tea and a cozy fire. I still enjoy pulling outmy J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis books. Ian Fleming is on my list along withRobert Jordan, but who can resist William Shakespeare. Believe it or not I alsolike to read anything from the Bronte sisters as well.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing?

Only to write a story that I enjoyand if others enjoy it with me then that is fine with me. I write what I enjoy,not what the market tells me to write. If a person is writing to become amillionaire then they are in the wrong business.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS

Whatwords of wisdom do you have for young writers?

This might sound cliché, butfollow your dreams. Never allow anyone to tell you different. Go for that brassring you are looking for in life.

Whatadvice do you have for someone looking to get published?

I have done much in the industry,including working for big publishing houses. I suggest doing what feels rightto you. In this day in age with technology anything is possible. A writer cantry and get published by a big publishing house such as “Random House,” butthat is unlikely. Try self-publishing or Amazon.com for green e-book releases.Tip your toe into the sea before diving in, test the waters. Never allow housesor agents tarnish your dreams, more times than not they are wrong.

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? Six

Do you have an agent? Ido not.

How many differentcompanies have you published with? Two

Howlong have you been writing? Thirty– six years

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?

I am afull time writer working on many projects.

So, any thoughts? Here'sthe full scoop:

DavidsonL. Haworth has been writing novels, short stories, articles and screenplayssince his early years as an adolescent. His writings transcend through the agesand he is considered by many to be the father of historical fantasy. He hasalso been involved in local theater productions, including the San JoseBallet’s ‘The Nutcracker”. In his Prali Trilogy, The Dragon of Prali (iUniverse,Feb. 3, 2010) and his latest novel, The Wizard of Prali (iUniverse, Sept. 23,2011) Davidson L. Haworth brings classic fantasy back. Fantasy genre has becomeextremely popular over the last several years with books like Harry Potter andTwilight, but with all their popularity they don’t satisfy readers hunger forgood classic fantasy you can find in books by J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.Davidson L. Haworth returns the reader to the roots of the genre.

AuthorDavidson L. Haworth’s titles include: The Eye of Mortals, Swords of the Enemy and TheDwarves of the Underworld (Fantasy); BlackHole Nemesis (Science Fiction); and TheDragon of Prali, The Wizard of Prali,and The Vampires of Prali (TBA)(Historical Fantasy)

His books areavailable through his Author Website (World Wide) http://www.davidsonlhaworth.com/, Barnes and Noble and other retailersthroughout the world.

THE FUTURE

Whatare you working on now?

Right now I am working on thethird book of the “Prali Trilogy,” and then I have plans for two novels that isin the fantasy genre, but much different then what I have been writingrecently, it’s a bit of a secret.

PARTING WORDS

Anythingelse about being a writer that you’d like to share?

One bit of advice, “Always go forwardand never turn back.”

Where can people learn moreabout you?

Iurge all to visit my web site and give it a gander.

Is there anythingelse you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added tofuture interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Lawrence Fisher

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

In author Lawrence Fisher's words: I am in my late 40sand live near Tel Aviv, Israel.I was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe but came to Israel at an early age. I wastaught computer computer programming in the Israel Defence Forces. I also holda diploma as a personal gymnasium trainer. Today I write tutorials forsoftware.

Lawrence's new book - Kill Me Now! A Middle Aged Man’s Maneuvers through the Frontline of the Dating Battlefield is available on Amazon.com and at iUniverse.com.

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
The second part of the book. MaybeI will call it “How I didn’t meet your mother”

PARTING WORDS
Where can peoplelearn For more about Author Lawrence Fisher, you can visit his web sites: http://killmenow.org
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kill-me-now/257875704243021

Is there anything else you'd like to knowabout this author, or any questions you'd like added to futureinterviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: M. Edward McNally

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

In M. Edward McNally’swords: ...let’s see…I’m a North Carolinian ofIrish/Mexican extraction that grew up mostly in the Midwest along I-35Northbound. In the flannel-clad early Nineties I was in a Master’s Lit programat Iowa State, publishing short stories and shopping a novel, when I quitwriting for about ten years to get a “real life.” Now I am back where I ought to be.

The following booksare by M. Edward McNally:

The NorothianCycle. Epic, Musket & Magic Fantasy

Book I – The Sable City

Book II – Death ofa Kingdom

Book III – The Windfrom Miilark

Short Storycompilations (mostly of his earlier work)

Eddie’s Shorts –Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (free from most e-book retailers)

Collections fromthe Indie Eclective

The HalloweenCollection

The Holiday Collection

Where can people find your books?

They are all listedtogether on my blog http://sablecity.wordpress.com/under the “The Books” button, with full links to the major retailers. Otherwise, the easiest place to find them allis probably through an author listing at a retailer like Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Smashwords.

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
Writing Volume IV of the NorothianCycle (tentatively titled “Devil Town,”) and sprucing upmore short collections to put out periodically. At least, that is what I am supposed to be working on…;-)

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
This is a ridiculous, noble, silly, honorable,awful, and wonderful calling.

Where can people learn more about you?

The blog is boththe homepage for the Norothian Cycle, with maps, glossary, short histories,etc., as well as where I do my writer yammering, post interviews, and the like.http://sablecity.wordpress.com/

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On Writing Author Interview: Richard Godwin

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

Richard Godwin is awidely published crime and horror author whose work has appeared in manymagazines. He is the author of ApostleRising, in which a serial killer is crucifying politicians and recreatingthe murder scenes of a case which nearly destroyed DCI Frank Castle. Now, manyyears later, Castle leads the investigation again. He and his partner JackiStone are drawn into a dark web which involves the original suspect, KarlBlack, who is now running a cult and playing games with the police. The novelhas received excellent reviews and there are already foreign rights offers forit.

Richard Godwin isalso a published poet. His stories inanthologies can be found here http://www.richardgodwin.net/books and here http://www.richardgodwin.net/magazines

Richard’s books areavailable at all good retailers and online at Amazon.com as well asAmazon.co.uk. Purchasing information canbe found here: http://www.blackjackalbooks.com/order

THE FUTURE
What are you working onnow? Mynext novel, which will be released as an E Book early next year, and the sequelto Apostle Rising.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share? Thereare many styles in which the same story can be told and all of them involveknowing where to cut words.

You can learn more about Richard athis website: http://www.richardgodwin.net/ andon his blog at http://www.richardgodwin.net/blog

Isthere anything else you'd like to know about this author, or any questionsyou'd like added to future interviews? Let us know...drop us a commentbelow.

A New Resource for Indie Authors and Readers

2012-01-08T23:36:00.000-08:00

This web site is awesome. I'm proud to be a part of it!

STEPHEN HISE LAUNCHESINDIES UNLIMITED

New Web Site Will BeA Resource for Indie Authors and Readers

Phoenix,AZ – 05 Jan 2012 –Indie Author Stephen Hise has launched a new website called IndiesUnlimited. The goal of the site is to celebrate,educate, and promote independent authors. Content includes interviews,articles, links, video book trailers, contests, reviews, industry news,tutorials and recommendations.

“We are at the beginning of a technological revolution inhow books are written, published, marketed, purchased, and read,” Hise explains.“I started Indies Unlimited to showcase the amazing amount of talent in theindie author community. I hope to connect authors with each other and withreaders as well.”

IndiesUnlimited.com is designed to provide a platform forindependent authors to share and exchange ideas, knowledge, expertise andfrustrations; and, for readers and reviewers to become exposed to the amazingdepth and array of talent in the indie community.

With a staff consisting of multi-published, best-selling andground-breaking writers, Indies Unlimited is able to provide guidance and inputto assist less-experienced authors. Hisesays, “I have recruited authors and industry experts from different areas ofthe publishing field to provide insight, expertise, and diverse perspectives onthe many facets of writing.”

Readers from all over the world have already found their wayto Indies Unlimited, where they can sample excerpts of Indie Authors’ books forfree, and even engage an author directly in questions and answers through thecomments.

“Indies Unlimited offers so much to so many,” says award-winningauthor K. S. Brooks. “I really enjoy the sharp-witted, freshcontent. It’s always good to be able tolaugh when you’re involved in such a competitive industry.”

Authors who’d like to participate are able to submit queriesvia www.IndiesUnlimited.com/submissions.

###

About Stephen Hise: StephenHise is an Arizona-based independent author and consultant. He has been writingboth personally and professionally for many years. Hise published his firstnovel in 2010, along with a collection of short stories on which hecollaborated with two other authors. More information is available at http://StephenHise.com and http://IndiesUnlimited.com

On Writing Author Interview: Author Jess Mountified

2012-01-02T00:30:00.000-08:00

To avoid pre-conceived notionswhich can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of bookspublished and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will berevealed until the bottom of the interview.   So pour a cup ofcoffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or howlittle, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite partof being a writer?   Getting to create newcharacters by far. I love the times when a fresh scene with fresh characterspops into my head and I get to explore them and their worlds. For me it'salways the most exciting part.

What is your least favoritepart?    Definitely the editingand proofing. I often leave the first draft alone for a few weeks and then comeback to it to go through before handing it to my editor and I always find about6 weeks after I've written something that I just don't like it anymore. I knowI've done a good job, most of the time, but I don't enjoy rereading it. Themagic that was there initially no longer exists. The more I read it and edit itthe worse it gets, which is a pain because I like to make sure my works welledited and proofed.

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome.   I find my confidence isquite an obstacle. I always worry that something is good enough the second I'vefinished it. Thankfully my husband and friends are very encouraging and I'vehad some amazing reviews of my first book. It's slowly becoming less of anissue.

Is there a specific part ofyour writing you’re working on to improve?  In terms of my writing I really struggle most with mydetail. I can often see everything in my head but forget to describe all of itwhen writing. During the editing stages I often have to go add in descriptionin various places in the book. I'm working to try and remember to write it inthe first place.

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud?  By far I am most proud of mycharacters. It's what I get commented on most when I get reviews and it'salways what forms first in my head. I see them like my children, who I create,mold and then let out into the world.

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you? My favourite maincharacter is Marie Woodell, we both like to just get on with our tasks and whatwe think will make us happy, as well as both being unafraid to take risks.

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?   I usually do a lot ofresearch about settings and places though I don't always stick exactly to whatI find, sometimes artistic license is required.

How do you use the internetfor your writing?   I usually only use the internet when Icollaborate and then google docs is a very useful tool for more than one personworking on a document at the same time. It updates in almost real time. Otherthen that I only use the internet for some research. I do all my writing by penand paper so the distraction of the internet is as far away as possible.

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had?   I've not won any awards

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?   The amazon kindle forumsare probably the most effective tool I've found for marketing. It's a place toreally get connected with readers and talk to them on their level. Anywherethere are readers and it's easy to strike up a conversation. There are so manybooks out there that actually getting involved in a community works best atgetting positive attention. If someone already decides they like the author,they start reading already wanting to like the book. It can't be randomspamming though, too many authors just say a really useless comment, add theirbook link and never show up again.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out? Writing a littlesomething each and every day. It's hard to do but it keeps a story going andprevents the project being stopped and forgotten about. It also helps stop awriter moving on to another project before the old one is finished. If it'sstill what's being concentrated then new ideas can be filled rather thanseeming more exciting than the current idea.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?   Not really, I've had mostof my bad habits ironed out of me with the desire to be more productive. I usedto fixate on new ideas while writing old ones but I've found as long as I writea rough outline and file it for another day I can stay focused on the currentidea and actually finish it. It also means I've got a folder full of ideas Ican pick from when it comes time to start the next project.

Do you have any strangewriting habits?   Nothing really strange except writing byhand. I just can't think as well as type it seems so I go somewhere where thereis no computer and sit with pen and paper. I usually type up a day later at theearliest.

When you’re not writing, doyou read, and if so, what? I read a lot and wheneverI'm not busy with someone else. At the moment I'm actually going through a lotof the old classics I've missed like Wuthering Heights and The Count ofMonte Cristo but I'm also re-reading the entire Redwall series for some lighterreading in between.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing? Mostly just tell thestories of the characters in my head. There are so many of them with suchvaried lives that I can't help but write down what they get up to.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers? Write a little often andjoin a writers group or something similar. Having a supportive network of otherauthors who'll both encourage and help improve your work is invaluable.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published? Research all your optionsthoroughly. There are many options now and they have different good points fordifferent people. But most importantly don't give up.

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit?   1

Do you have an agent?   No, though it issomething I'd consider I am actually quite happy doing my own business andfinding my own opportunities. That may change as I get busier.

Are you self-published? Pretty much yes. I run myown publishing company, Red Feather Writing, so it's not far different.

How many differentcompanies have you published with?   1

How long have you beenwriting?   On and off ever since Icould write a plot. I still remember the rough idea I had for a story when Iwas 8 in school and asked to write a story for the first time. I didn'tseriously start writing until about 4 years ago when a good friend asked me whyI'd stopped. I realised I didn't have a good answer to the question and startedwriting less than an hour later. I fell in love with telling stories all overagain.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?   I work part time writingmost of the time but there are odd months when I can do it full time. I alsojointly run a film company and a clothing company and while for the most part Iwork on the books I do have to work on other stuff reasonably often. I have awell organised to-do list though and still manage to write as much as I'd liketo most days.

So, any thoughts? Here'sthe full scoop:

About Author JessMountifield, in her own words: I live in Bath, Uk with myhusband and cat. I write part time as well as run three companies, Flightproductions (film), Jnk Clothing and Red Feather Writing (publishing). When Iget time off I spend it reading, watching films and playing online multiplayergames with friends.

Jess has authored WithProud Humility – an historical adventure and romance, which is availablethrough Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and on Smashwords.

THE FUTURE
What are you working onnow? Currently I'm working on the edits of mysecond book, Chains of Freedom, which is another historical adventurebook. I'm also doing prep work for NaNoWriMo where I'm trying my hand at asci-fi novel called Sherdan's Prophecy. I've also just finished twofantasy shorts as part of a collaboration with another two authors. We're stilldeciding on a title for the book but it should be published some time in thenext 6 months.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share? Thank you for the interview and the chanceto chat about my work for a bit, I hope it helps inspire some other writers.

You can learn moreabout Author Jess Mountified at http://www.jessmountifield.co.uk

On Writing Author Interview: Author Dominique "Nik" Petersen

2011-12-26T00:30:00.000-08:00

Is there aspecific part of your writing you’re working on to improve? I am trying to see my writing as text on the page—practicallyso I can correct grammar mistakes, but also to be able to read it as otherswould read it. This is a big challenge.

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud?  When people tell me how much theyenjoyed my book, I feel proud that I wrote it!

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you?   N/A

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?   I write about what I know.

How do you use the internetfor your writing?   I actually am using it for marketing mybooks. I do use it though for researching material for my magazine articles.It's like having the library at my fingertips!

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?   Facebook

When you’renot writing, do you read, and if so, what? I read every night in bed before going to sleep. At present I'mon a mystery jag. I find that I get onto something and then read in that topicfor a while. I particularly like The Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burkeand the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing?   My childhood dream was to be a writer, so Iguess I'm trying to accomplish that.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers?   Write from the heart. Write from yourpassion. You can't create a good book if you're not passionate about the topic.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published? Publishit yourself!

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit?   4

Do you have an agent?   No

Are you self-published?   Yes

How many differentcompanies have you published with?   One

How longhave you been writing? All my life, although I never thought I'dever publish anything.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing? I am a full-time Graphic Designer. I would like to somedaywrite more books but I just don't have the time right now. For now, I amwriting articles for a magazine that one of the companies to which I provide myservices produces.

So, any thoughts? Here'sthe full scoop:

In Author,Dominique (Nik) Petersen’s words: I'vehad my own graphic design business, NikDesigns, since 1999. Since 2005, I'vespecialized in designing and formatting books and covers exclusively for AuroraPublishing (www.HowToWriteAndPublish.com) and SpiritSeekers Publishing (www.SpiritSeekersPublishing.com).

Nik currently livesin Canadaand is author of: “Girlfriends Forever!”and “Partners Forever?” are interactive book sets; “Bonding with Your Partner: 2 Dozen Ways toDeepen Your Relationship” booklet; and my latest, “Dr. Hook and Me: a Fan'sJournal/Scrapbook.”

Nik’s titles areavailable through www.Facebook.com/NiksBooks and http://www.NikDesignsGraphics.com

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now? Magazinearticles.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share? It's not the writing itself that's hard;it's the marketing and getting yourself/your book known.

You can learn moreabout Author Dominique (Nik) Petersen at www.Facebook.com/NiksBooks and www.NikDesignsGraphics.com

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On Writing Author Interview: Novelist Erin O'Riordan

2011-12-19T00:30:00.000-08:00

Erin O'Riordan lives in the MidwesternUnited States. Her short stories, essays, and film reviews have been publishedin numerous magazines and websites. She writes the Pagan Spirits series oferotic romance novels and, with her husband Tit Elingtin, standalone crimethrillers.

Erin is the author of the erotic romances Beltane and Midsummer Night; the young adult romance I Made Out With aTeenage Communist!; and the crime thrillers The Smell of Gas and Eminent Domain.

Erin's books can be purchased at Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?The third book in the Pagan Spirits series, St. James’s Day.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share? Writeabout what you love; other people will love it, too.

You can learn more about Novelist Erin O'Riordan on her home page at www.aeess.com,and at her book blog http://www.erinoriordan.blogspot.com

Is there anything else you'd like to know aboutthis author, or any questions you'd like added to future interviews? Letus know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Michael Allen

2011-12-12T00:30:00.000-08:00

What isyour favorite part of being a writer?

Well, I get treateddifferently. When I’m asked what I do, I don’t have an answer like I’m a rocketscientist or a marine biologist. I’d probably get treated special if I did.

No. When I tellpeople I’m a writer, they normally perk up interested. We talk about what I’m writing and how I gotinto writing before I find a way to divert the conversation back to them. That’s when I find out that they’re a marinebiologist.

I would have to saythe sense of self-discovery is the greatest part of writing. It doesn’t matterwhat I’m writing. I always learn something new about myself. There’s alwayssomething deeper, something interesting, something out there in left field thatI hadn’t noticed before. These thingscome out when I’m writing.

What isyour least favorite part?

My least favorite part of writing is nothaving anything to write! Could youimagine an architect not having a building to design or a doctor not having apatient? What is my purpose if I’m notwriting? Sitting in front of my laptop with nothing towrite is like sitting in the dark without any thoughts! It makes me feel like Ishould just wrap it up and join the circus. But then, I’d be running away andthat’s far worse.

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome.
The main obstacle has always beenfinding the time with all the other demands placed on me. My first professionalwriting opportunity was for a publisher who wanted me to write a topic of hischoosing. That was great! I loved everyminute of it. And then, anotheropportunity came along and I loved it too.

Soon I was writing books for otherpeople and hardly able to find the time to write for myself. It’s tough to wantto write a book, but there is so little time left at the end of the day. Then,you promise yourself that you will write your book next, no exceptions, noexcuses. That’s when another opportunitycomes along and you just can’t pull yourself away from it. It’s what’s paying for your daughter’s phoneand the college she’ll go to one day.

What partof your writing makes you particularly proud?

I like the freshperspective I bring to issues. I am not normally influenced by what others haveto say. I listen to their thoughts and ideas. But, I do my own investigating. Imake up my own mind. That’s what I like most about writing, that sense ofself-discovery. Writing gives me the venue I need to talk about the things Ifind important. In this day and age, I can put my thoughts out there as fast asI can spit them.

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
It’s a combination of both. Obviously, I don’t know everything. So, I have to do quite a bit ofresearch. Even when I do know something,I still make sure I have my facts straight. But, there’s a good bit of the time when I can start writing off the topof my head. I get it all down with whatI already know and then go back to fact check.

How do you use the internetfor your writing?
The internet is a major part of mywriting. Of course, there is a good bit of information that is false. But, I’m no beginner. I know the sources that are valuable. I can discern between good information andbad. But, the internet allows me towrite and fact check in no time at all.

In fact, I hardly even try to guessanymore. When I have friends over andsomething comes up that stumps us, I might take a minute or two to try to getit on my own. But then, I’m off to theinternet for the answer.

What one marketing tool haveyou had good success with?
Word of mouth is always the best. I like staying active online and interactingwith people in different social networks. I try to keep my sites as interactive as possible. I love hearing what people have to say aboutmy work and commenting back.

But, word of mouth is highlyeffective. When a person recommends my books, their friends buy it. I can’tbeat that with any horn I can toot myself.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
One good tip I could impart wouldbe to know the beginning, the middle and the end before you start writing. I have always loved diving in and justwriting, seeing where the story goes and letting it take me there itself. WhenI have writer’s block, that’s not a bad idea.

But, it’s a good writing habit tomap the story out first. Keep the details straight so that no wires getcrossed. An intricate story with complextwists can get really confusing to write and to read if the details don’t makesense. Proper planning prevents thatfrom happening.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
Try to let go of self-editing when you are firstwriting a book. You’ll have time to edit later and you can always have someoneelse edit your work. You’re your ownworst critic and if you self-edit as you are writing, you’ll never getfinished. The occasional second look at the wording of asentence is fine. But, grammar andspelling errors can be left alone until you have penned the last word of yourbook. Then, you can go back and look itover.

Do you have any strangewriting habits?
I think the strangest thing aboutmy writing is that at home, I can’t have any distractions. But, I often writein public and that’s fine. I can’texplain it! People in public tend to be moredistracting. I’ll have people peer over my shoulder to see what I’mwriting. Then, they’ll sit down besideme and start asking questions. But at home, people knocking on mydoor and calling my phone while I’m trying to write takes me off my game. I didn’tsay it made sense. In fact, the questionwas about strange habits right? Well,that’s one of them right there!

What areyou trying to accomplish with/through your writing? There really is no goal. I just want to write. I lovegetting my thoughts out there and letting people know what I’m thinking. I love giving people a different perspectivethan the ones they are hearing everywhere else. Self-discovery encompasses somehuge territory. I’ll figure out where I’m going with it when I get there.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS

What wordsof wisdom do you have for young writers? The main wordsof wisdom I would impart to someone just getting started in writing are to takethe time to write. Procrastination is everyone’s problem. But, we can’t be writersuntil we’ve actually written something. Thereare people who talk about wanting to write a book. But, they never do. They putit off and put it off always thinking in the back of their minds that they willstart writing their best seller tomorrow. Sometimes, they don’t have anything to write about and sometimes theyjust don’t know where to begin.

I once had anEnglish professor when I was going through college who used to say thateverything has a beginning, a middle and an end. He preferred them in that order. But, they don’t have to be written in thatorder. Start where you know. Writing doesn’t have to be that organized. Justget something down and figure out what it is later, the beginning, the middleor the end. Just make sure you write! I know that seemscontradictory to advice I gave earlier, but this is in a differentcontext. This is to break the writer’sblock and get started on something. Then, get organized.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published?
Writers always have the dream aboutthe traditional publishing contract and having a publisher take the book andhandle the rest. But, it’s a processthat has come full circle.

Centuries ago, which is where somepeople would argue we received our greatest literature, people would oftenself-publish. They would finish theirmanuscript, walk it down to the printer, and order a number of copies. It didn’t matter how the book was offered tothe public, just that it made it. Somehow, we lost sight of thatfact. But, we’re slowly getting itback. Self-publishing isn’t any lesslegitimate. It actually gives me thechance to put my book out right now without waiting years for a publisher tofinally print it. I’ve had that happenand it’s not fun. I have written a book that hasn’t been published yet becausethe publisher has it on his shelf. Thatwas ten years ago.

Any thoughts on what this authorwrites? How many books published? Here's a little more informationabout the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? Two

Do you have an agent? No

Are you self-published? Yes

How many differentcompanies have you published with? Two

How long have you beenwriting? I’ve been writing since I was about sixyears old. My memory can only go back that far to a time when I wrote a poementitled Slick Move. It was a poemabout people slipping on bananas and oil slicks. What can I say? I was six.

Do you write full-time? I write full-time

So, any thoughts? Here's the fullscoop:

In Author Michael Allen’s words: Firstand foremost, I am the father of a wonderful daughter. We live in Clearwater, Floridawhere the beach has become my second home. I was once in the Marine Corps and Iwas once an English teacher. But, the greatest thing that I am is the father ofa wonderful daughter.

I’ve written novelsand screenplays for a handful of clients over the years. I love the varietyfrom which I have been given. I havewritten books about video game warriors coming to life and racialdiscrimination by one of the biggest corporations in America. One of my most recentbooks was for an NFL Football player who wanted to teach students how toachieve success.

Michael is theauthor of When You Miss Me - achildren’s book, and A Danger to Society- a true crime comedy. His books areavailable on Amazon in print and on Kindle.

THE FUTURE

What areyou working on now? I’m working on an interesting true crimestory that pulls out elements of A Dangerto Society, the hysterical novel about a man who falls victim to a veryserious case of mistaken identity. Itisn’t exactly a sequel. The story doesn’t simply continue. It takes it toanother level.

How does a man getstabbed and get arrested for it? Only in Smallton, America canthings get that twisted. It will be outearly next year.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
It is certainly the most rewarding thing I’ve everdone. To be able to write a story and share it with readers is something not alot of people get to do. I’m glad that at six years old, I picked up a pen andstarted writing. It seems like it was destiny. So, I’m very blessed that I get to do what Ilove. I just hope that I’ll be able todo it for a long time. It’s either that orthe circus. I don’t know how well I can handlea high wire.

To learn more about Michael Allen, visit: http://michaelallenonline.com, http://adangertosociety.com/blast,http://entertainmentlook.com, http://celebrityadvocatetoday.com

Is there anything else you'd like to knowabout this author, or any questions you'd like added to futureinterviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

The Versatile Blogger Award

2011-12-10T08:22:00.001-08:00

Wow? An award? For my blog?

Really? Sweet!

It may not be an Academy Award for best screenplay or a Pulitzer, but it sure is nice to be appreciated. Fellow author Stephen Hise has bestowed "The Versatile Blogger" award upon this here blog.

This is a "you're awesome, pass it on" kind of award, and there are 3 rules which are:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Share seven things about yourself.

3. Pass this award off to 5 recently discovered blogs and let them know about it.

That's pretty cool. Thanks for thinking of me, Stephen. Hise's blog, Indies Unlimited, is loaded with side-splitting clever satire, sneak previews and author interviews. If you haven't checked it out, you really should. I promise it will be worth it.

Seven things about me? Ugh.

1. I speak French to squirrels. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because the word squirrel just sounds better in French.

2. I've been to all 50 States, and some foreign nations that were nice enough to let me in.

3. Writing is something I've always done - even with crayons way back before fire was invented. :)

4. I walked before I crawled. I've always done things a little out of order.

5. I love turning real-life mean people into characters in my books and then humiliating them. It's better than therapy.

6. Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite President.

7. I did not pay Stephen Hise in exchange for this award. :)

And now the best part - the "Pass it on" to five other bloggers. If you haven't been to these blogs, please take the time to check them out.

Write Words/Arline Chase - great advice and writing tips for authors

Book Monsters Reviews - Super friendly site featuring honest reviews, give-aways and more

Avoiding the Stairs - Poignant and satirical stories

Dames of Dialogue - A classy blog by truly classy dames!

Morgen Bailey's Writing Blog - if you can't find it here, well...

So again, a special thank you to Stephen Hise. This was fun - well, except for the seven things about me part. I don't like to have to think that hard.

On Writing Author Interview: Kim McDougall

2011-12-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

ONWRITING:

What isyour favorite part of being a writer?

I think Ihave an inherent need to create. If I’m not writing, I love to do crafts orphotography. Writing is my number one creative outlet. I love rereadingsomething I wrote months or years ago and thinking “Wow, I like that.”

What isyour least favorite part?

Of course,rereading old works is a double-edged sword. I can also rediscover something Iwrote years ago, and think “Gods, that is so bad.” I’ve learned to use thesepast atrocities as a learning experience and a measuring stick to gauge howmuch I’ve learned in the craft of writing.

Name oneobstacle you’ve had to overcome.

Thebiggest hurdle I’ve had to overcome as a writer is discipline. I’m certain I’mnot alone in this. It’s what separates an amateur writer from a pro. I had tolearn that the muse isn’t always going to shine on me. But deadlines wait forno muse. Writing on demand, can be difficult. I often felt that my prose wouldfeel forced and lack sparkle. However, once I learned to organize my thoughtsand outline, I found the opposite was true. It turned out that my mind wasfreed from worrying about the greater picture (and making sure that everylittle insight was noted) and let me concentrate on the chapter at hand.

To get tothis point, I studied outlining tactics (I particularly like the Snowflakemethod) and I created my Nine O’clock Disciplinary Hour. This was my firstworking hour of every day. I made a ‘job jar’ filled with mini-writing prompts.Every morning at nine, I would select one and just write for half an hourwithout revising. Many of those scribblings were turned into published shortstories later, but more importantly, they gave me the courage to write ondemand.

Is therea specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve?

Plotting.I love character driven stories, but I also like a good, intricate plot. I’mstill learning how to build believable worlds, whether they are a contemporaryneighborhood or a medieval village.

What partof your writing makes you particularly proud?

It’simportant for a writer to know both her strengths and her weaknesses. As Imature (ahem, as a writer, I mean), I feel that I can be more objective.

What doesyour favorite main character have in common with you?

Sass.Definitely sass.

Do you doa lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what you alreadyknow?

Both.

How doyou use the internet for your writing?

I’m notsure how we all got along before the internet. It seems so long ago, butreally, it was just a few years. I am definitely a connected writer. I use theinternet in all stages of writing: for research, to connect with my critiquegroup for revisions and for marketing through my website, book video previewsand online chats.

If you’vewon any awards for your writing, what impact do you think that has had?

I won anEPPIE in 2009. It was quite a thrill. The trophy looks great at book signings.Also, my hometown paper did a full page write up on me after the award. Thatalone made it worthwhile.

Whatmarketing tools have you had good success with?

Though Idon’t have much time for it anymore, I did some article marketing for a whileand had good success with it. Article marketing is when you write nonfictionarticles for magazines and blogs that relate to your book. Bloggers are oftenlooking for good content and you benefit from the traffic. Also, book videopreviews (trailers) have been a success with me. I founded Blazing Trailers, asite dedicated to books with trailers, to showcase these. I’ve had peoplecontact me out of the blue after seeing my trailer, looking for more info on mybooks.

What goodwriting habits have you developed that you think would be helpful to someonestarting out?

Disciplineis really the key. Without it, nothing else matters. Even if you can only writean hour a day, do it. The only way to better yourself in this craft is towrite.

Do youhave any bad writing habits that you’d advise writers to avoid?

Don’t gettoo caught up in revisions, especially if your writing time is limited. Myfirst novel took me 12 years to write because I kept going back to the beginningevery time I’d been away from it for a few days. I was working full time andonly had a few hours a week to write. This was before I had learned goodoutlining techniques. If I’d had a proper outline, I wouldn’t have worriedabout forgetting my ideas.

Do youhave any strange writing habits?

What’sstrange for one person is normal for another, probably. I like to write with acat on my lap and a dog at my feet. And a bloody big pot of coffee at my side.

Whenyou’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what?

I’m avoracious reader. I love anything paranormal. I also like historical fiction,particularly retellings of folk tales and myths. Recently, I’ve started readinga lot of YA and love the depth of this genre. And I still love a good picturebook even though my daughter is now eleven.

What areyou trying to accomplish with/through your writing?

I wouldlike to make a comfortable living at writing. I don’t aspire to the New YorkTimes Best Seller list, but I’d like to be able to write and not have to worryabout making money another way. For me, the freedom to write everyday, all daywould be heaven.

ADVICE TOOTHER WRITERS

Whatwords of wisdom do you have for young writers?

Write,write, write. Read, read, read. It’s the only way to find your voice andimprove your craft.

Whatadvice do you have for someone looking to get published?

I getthis question all the time at dinner parties. The publishing world is its ownlittle microcosm. I spent years immersing myself in it. Going to conferences(both online and conventions), chatting with other writers, joining critiquegroups. All these connections not only strengthen you as a writer, they helppublishers find you. It’s so important for a new writer to learn the etiquetteof submitting a manuscript before rushing in blind. Websites like WritersDigest and 1^st Turning Point are wonderful sources of informationfor new writers looking to get their feet wet.

Anythoughts on what this author writes? How many books published? Here'sa little more information about the author...

How manypublished books are to your credit? 10

Do youhave an agent? No. I am looking.Agents seem like the Holy Grail of the publishing world to me. I'd love to findone and part of me thinks they're a myth.

Are youself-published? Not generally.

How manydifferent companies have you published with? 3

How longhave you been writing?

Since Iwas 8 years old. I still have my first book of poetry I wrote. "Cats havefur/They often purr" It gets worse from there. I think my family thought Iwas a little weird. While other girls were playing with Barbies, I wascataloguing my library and writing poetry.

In 2002,I moved from Canada to the US, and Ididn’t yet have a green card, so I told myself I had five years to getpublished. I did.

Do youwrite full-time? If not, what is your other job? And how do you balancework/writing?

I createvideo previews (trailers) for authors. In 2010, this business took off like arocket and I’ve made over 200 trailers since. It’s another creative outlet, soI really enjoy it. Also, I get to connect with authors, publishers andpublicists. The trailer business (like any) has its cycles. When I’m at a peak,I have little time for writing. So when trailers are slow, I take advantage towrite as much as possible. In June I booked into a hotel for a weekend to have3 days of uninterrupted writing. What a wonderful indulgence!

Duringbusy seasons, I still try to write 1-2 hours a day. This doesn’t always happen.There are so many other demands on my time: family, house upkeep, bookkeeping,book marketing, etc. Never a dull moment.

So, anythoughts? Here's the full scoop:

In KimMcDougall’s words: I'm an author, fiberartist and photographer. I write children's and YA fiction under my marriedname, Kim Chatel. My evil twin, Kim McDougall, writes dark fantasy fiction. Ihave two separate websites so that I don't mix these genres up. That would bebad. I recently took up a third pen name, Eliza Crowe for my romance fiction. Iam also the founder of Blazing Trailers. A site designed to showcase booktrailers.

Kim isresponsible for the following genres and titles:

Children’sFiction/Nonfiction (Writing as Kim Chatel)

RainbowSheep, ATalent for Quiet, The Stone Beach, Burgher and the Woebegone,Clip-clop, Tippity-Tap: French Vocabulary on the Farm, and Horse Camp.

AdultFantasy Fiction (Writing as Kim McDougall)

Betweenthe Cracks Fiction, Caul, Shroud and Veil, Angel Venom, andTwisted Tails Anthologies (Volumes 2-6)

Romance(Writing as Eliza Crowe): The GoldenHour

THEFUTURE

What areyou working on now?

I justfinished a manuscript for a paranormal romance. I put it away for a few monthsto ferment. I can hear it calling to me. I think it’s ripe now and ready forrevising.

PARTINGWORDS

Anythingelse about being a writer that you’d like to share?

I have two mottos that I feel can get you through anywriting or life trial:

Don't do anything halfway.
There's an app for that.

You canlearn more about author, photographer and fiber artist, Kim McDougall and herbooks at:

Betweenthe Cracks Fiction at www.kimmcdougall.com

Children'sand YA Fiction at www.kimchatel.com

RomanceFiction at www.elizacrowe.com

Authorscan view samples of her trailers at http://bookvideopreviews.kimmcdougall.com

Is there anything else you'd like to know about this author, or anyquestions you'd like added to future interviews? Let us know...drop us acomment below.

Book Signing Basics – Part 2

2011-12-04T09:34:00.001-08:00

An author in one of the writers’groups in which I participate posted that she had a book signing at a store andno one showed up. She was verydisappointed, and I can understand that. Who wouldn’t be? But she, andyou, need to realize that this kind of thing happens all the time – it’scompletely common for writers who have yet to become a household name.

At my first book signing, I expectedto have a line – albeit small – because there had been so much press leading upto it – people had to be curious, right? Wrong. A few people did show up,and I did sell a few books – but there was NEVER a line. I directed a lot of people to the HarryPotter books and the food court, as I mentioned in my previous post. (Book Signing Basics)

All is not lost, however. A book signing or other event is the perfectexcuse to do a broad press campaign. Every news outlet in your area should havereceived a press release and/or announcement with the details of your upcomingevent. No one who reads the news storywill know if no one shows up – and at least that way your name got out in frontof a lot of potential readers. Soalways, always press the heck out of your event beforehand. If not for the event, then for yourself – howmany opportunities do you have to make the news for the same book?

As far as no one showing up - youcan’t take that kind of thing personally. This author was under the impression that the store would share inadvertising the event since that had been her experience in the past. She’d been quite successful and pleased with arecent signing at a library. Butlibraries are different – they have people dedicated to events andpublicity. They have public programs andrelationships with the news media. Bookstores may or may not – and they probably won’t do any press for you. Luckily this author didn’t slack and did areally good job pressing the event. Herreleases were published in a number of papers. In my opinion, that’s a win.

Since you will pretty much be ‘onyour own’ – take the initiative. Printup some flyers or posters announcing the signing and bring them to the store acouple of weeks in advance. These don’thave to be fancy – just a photo of your book cover(s), a photo of you, the dateof the signing, and maybe “Meet the Author” across the top. Make sure your name is in a large font,too. Name recognition iseverything. Have the management hangthem up in the store. Leave book markson the counter. If there are anybulletin boards in the area – gas stations, community centers, conveniencestores – hang those flyers there as well. People do stop and look.

Why won’t people come up to yourtable? People are weird. Many of themdon't like to go up to authors at signings. They feel like you’ll pressure theminto buying your book. They feel like ifthey talk to you they SHOULD buy your book. People don’t want to feel guilty. Tomorrow, you might sell a lot of books because you were there today.

“Sure, Brooks, you’ve got eight titles. This kind of thing doesn’t happen toyou.” Well, I didn’t always have eighttitles. I started out with one. In fact, I was very nervous this exact thingwould happen to me. I’d been selling onaverage no more than FIVE books per signing. Then came my first signing in urban Virginia. There really hadn’t been any press on me in that area since it was morethan two hours from where I lived – and it was no little farming town, either. No one in this densely populated city knew meor even cared to know about me. I’dspent SIX hours driving around the weekend before the event hanging my flyerseverywhere I could find a spot: busstops, gas stations, restaurants, telephone poles at intersections – you nameit. Now that I think about it – it waskind of pathetic. I didn’t know the areaand I wanted as much exposure as possible – so at the time it seemed like theright thing to do. I was scared to DEATHthat the book store would think I was a total loser if no one showed up. It was a big chain and I really wanted tomake a good impression.

Then, I got an idea. I can be pretty wily when I want to be. I called a couple of friends. I arranged with them to come to the signing,stop at my table, and I would slip them twenty dollars with a bookmark so theycould go to the register and purchase a book. Expensive, right? Well, yes. Stupid, right? Well, as it turns out, no – it took SO muchpressure off me that I actually enjoyed my signing.

Another thing I can't stress enoughis to have something interesting on your table to draw people over. Sincepeople are weird - it's so important to have an icebreaker. Pick something key(or not-so-key if it's tough) in one of your books and put it up there. Ifyou're like me, you probably already have it for research or inspiration anyway(or just because you're warped). Even though grenades aren't used in my books,I have three different types. I used to set those out. Fantasy authors can put outbig sparkly crystals - history authors can put Civil War figurines, etc. - goas big with stuff as the book store will let you. The key is to make peoplecurious enough to come over and talk to you. If you can get someone to come upto your table, people will see you don't bite and that will encourage others.

Depending on the store, you may beallowed to put out food – cookies, candy, whatever. Everyone loves free food. I’ve seen some people detour just to get it. If it’s a treat that has some sort of relevanceto your book – even better.

So, don’t get discouraged – it’sjust the lumps you take starting out. Aslong as you give it your best shot – it never counts as a loss.

On Writing Author Interview: Yvonne Hertzberger

2011-11-28T00:30:00.000-08:00

To avoid pre-conceived notionswhich can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of bookspublished and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will berevealed until the bottom of the interview. So pour a cup ofcoffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or how little,you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite partof being a writer?
When I started I thought it was theprocess of writing, the flow of ideas that became images on my computer, themeeting of characters as they introduced themselves to me, watching theirstories unfold. And I love all of that, but the real thrill is when a fan tellsme they couldn’t put my book down. That means that I touched someone with mystory. It is what keeps me believing. And believing keeps me writing.

What is your least favoritepart?
Now that’s easy. Marketing andpromotion. I am, first impressions notwithstanding, an introvert. Puttingmyself out there for all to see makes me feel naked. But without it no one willbeat a path to my door.

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome.
I am a computer nincompoop. Nor amI friends with electronics or technology. Nothing stresses me more thanlearning to use my computer for keeping my website up to date, blogging, andsocial networking. It is not connecting with people that is hard, but ratherfiguring out which buttons to click to achieve what I need. That goes for theactual writing, too. Somehow hidden formatting keeps popping up. I swear, mycomputer seems haunted sometimes. Those binary codes are out to get me!

Is there a specific part ofyour writing you’re working on to improve?
I keep trying to improve thebalance between character development, plot and description. Much of my editingdeals with this; changing placement of events, adding dialogue where I hadnarration, keeping the pace flowing.

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud?
The feedback I have received frommy fans and from my editor is that my characters are so real and believable.Several have told me they cried for a character as they encountered a traumaticor difficult situation, and were angry and actually mourned when I killed offone they had come to love. They tell me they see events as though theyexperience them personally instead of from the outside as a reader.

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you?
That he (in the first book) and she (in the second) actwith integrity and dignity in spite of self-doubt, emotional traumas and hugedifficulties. They both overcome obstacles with strength and determination andlet nothing undermine their values. And they keep learning and growing (onlythey do it better than I do).

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
...The short answer is, I do both.

How do you use the internetfor your writing?
I will occasionally search out a particular fact oritem but I do not use the internet a great deal. I still get frustrated withfinding the depth of detail I look for on a particular topic, eg use of aparticular herb along with its side effects on the internet. (Did I mention I have trouble learning whichbutton to click? lol) Lately I have come to appreciate the vast amounts ofknowledge other writers are generous enough to share with a newbie like me. Ihave learned so much from social networking sites and discussion groups.

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had?
iUniverse gave me their EditorsChoice award, the result of three editorial reviews with consequent edits, copyedit and proof-read. That process made me a much better writer.

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?
Most of my books were sold through the personal contact.That is by doing readings, book signings, and word of mouth. It didn’t get meroyalties but I did sell close to 350 books. It is only now that my second bookis almost ready that I am branching out into social media so I have no ideawhere that will lead. But I will still follow up with all the folks whosupported me the first time around.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
Oh man! I am one of the mostdisorganized people I know. That makes me a very poor candidate for givingsuggestions. But I do need a quiet place and a fairly clear desk. The morecluttered my desk the less I accomplish. And I get the most accomplished when Imake sure to sit in front of the computer at roughly the same time every day.

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
Procrastination. It’s great for saving money butlousy for writing productivity. If I don’t get my ideas down while they arefresh in my mind I cannot retrieve them at their best later on.

Do you have any strangewriting habits?
Of course not! I’m perfectlynormal. What are you suggesting? One thing I do when I feel unsure of where Iam going is to stop and do gardening, housework or cooking. It seems to quietmy mind so that the ideas can percolate up through the barriers in my brain,sort of like a semi-hypnotic state.

When you’re not writing, doyou read, and if so, what?
I still love to read Fantasy ...But I will read somenon-fiction, articles on science, archeology, religions, early humans and theoccasional work of new fiction that has been recommended. Health and socio/psychologytoo. Anything that increases my understanding of human behaviour.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing?
I have no ambition to write ‘greatliterature’. My aim is to tell stories that will resonate with readers on anemotional level. It thrills me when a reader tells me they couldn’t put my bookdown or that I wrote so vividly that they were ‘right there’ with thecharacters, that it all felt real to them. But I also want to writecompetently, with skill. I suppose if readers are giving me those messages itmust mean that I am.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers?
For new writers I would say listen to the feedbackyou get from all sides - be that writers groups, editors, teachers - it doesn’tmatter who. Learn the current fashions and trends in writing. Understand the‘rules’. Only after you have gone through this can you decide which rules tobreak, what your own voice is and when to buck the system. I don’t care whatart form you create in. If you don’t learn to use the skills taught by thosebefore you, you will not be able to articulate your own creation in a competentway. You can’t go to grad school without first passing through grade school. Bepatient and ‘learn it’. I had to, and I was 55 before I even got started. It isworth the effort. But after all is said and done, be true to your own voice.What you write will not resonate with readers if it is not written from who youare.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published?
I felt rebellious when I was toldthat every writer who wants to get published needs to get a professional editdone first. Now I agree. Since it has become increasingly difficult to getpicked up by a publisher it is imperative that your work be as perfect aspossible. It will never pass muster if it is riddled with errors. Yourmanuscript must be clean. This is true even if you plan to self-publish. Afterall you will build your reputation on the results.

Any thoughts on what thisauthor writes? How many books published? Here's a little moreinformation about the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? 2.

Do you have an agent? No,nor do I plan to look for one.

Are you self-published? Yes.

How many differentcompanies have you published with? Two

How long have you beenwriting? Five years.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?
I am retired from paid employment but I do have anumber of other activities that require my time. So I would say I writesemi-full-time. Finding balance is a constant struggle. I admit I go throughstages where it works or doesn’t. When I had to stop writing for several monthsrecently because we were moving to a new city and renovating it was very hard to get back intothe saddle. But I am back now, and with all the support I am getting from otherwriters it is getting easier.

So, any thoughts? Here'sthe full scoop:

In Epic FantasyAuthor Yvonne Hertzberger’s words: Ilive with my spouse, Mark, in Ontario, Canada. My twochildren are grown and flown, one married. I stopped half a thesis short ofcompleting my M.A. in Sociology (due to a political difference with mycommittee). My favourite job was as a hairdresser, where I got to combinecreativity with socializing. Other creative interests are gardening,decorating, singing and a bit of acting. I love to spend time with family andfriends, but in small numbers. When our kids were growing up our house held amenagerie of fauna but due to allergies we are now pet-less. We recently movedinto a tiny, cute, 130 year old brick cottage where we hope to spend the restof our days. If the fates allow I would love to travel more. And I want to keeplearning and writing for the rest of my life.

Yvonne’s titlesinclude: Back From Chaos: Book One of Earth’s Pendulum and ThroughKestrel’s Eyes, Book Two of the Earth’s Pendulum series. (Epic Fantasy)

Both books are availablethrough Amazon.com and http://www.amazon.ca

What are you working on now?
The final volume of my Earth’s Pendulum trilogy.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
I have never taken a creative writing class. Most ofwhat I learned about writing came from high school, when they still taught theold fashioned way. I learned essay writing by writing them in university.Anything else has been from reading voraciously and through trial and error. Ilearned the rules and break them in an informed and careful way. And I havelearned to take feedback as a gift, to accept or not, as it suits my style andmy work. My readers have taught me to believe in what I write. In the finalanalysis they are the critics I want to please. They are the ones paying for mywork.

You can learn moreabout Epic Fantasy Author Yvonne Hertzberger on her website and blog: http://www.yvonnehertzberger.com

On her Facebook fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/EarthsPendulum.YvonneHertzberger.author

And her Facebookpage: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1792913445

Is there anythingelse you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added tofuture interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

Book Signing Basics

2011-11-25T18:28:00.001-08:00

A first time author asked about booksignings. Here is my input/advice:

Honestly? Book signings are a painin the ass. That’s only because they’rea lot of work and preparation for a usually small return on investment. They are a necessity, nonetheless.

Don't be discouraged if only acouple of people show up and you don't sell any books. That's normal for a first book. And to add insult to injury, the most commonlyasked questions (depending on if you're in a mall or stand-alone book store)will be A) where are the Harry Potter books? and B) where is the restroom orfood court. Be prepared for that and DO NOT take it personally. It's noreflection on you whatsoever. It takestime to build a following where people will actually want to be where you are...

Since the book is new, make sure youdo a press release to announce your book as well as your signing. They shouldbe 2 separate campaigns. When your book comes out, issue a press release. Spreadthat release as far as you can. (Pleasesee free press release blog). Thenas it gets closer to the book signing, do another release - and make sure youget listed in calendar events sections of every area paper/online news,etc. If the signing is outside of yourlocal area, hit all those news outlets as well. You have to create a buzz around the book and yourself – that’s how youbuild up ‘demand’ and get people to want to come to the signing so they can seewhat you’re about.

If you’re ambitious, print up someflyers for the signing and a week or two in advance go around and post themwherever you can get permission.

To prepare for your signing, thereare some other things you may want to take into consideration:

Having a conversation piece on thetable with you (that relates to your book) is a great way to break the ice. Ialways have at least one grenade in plain sight.

You will probably also want a tablecloth, and a couple of small easels to set your books UP. Otherwise people will be looking at a bunchof spines. Have a sign-up sheet wherepeople can write in their email addresses for your newsletter. Have a small brochure with order informationon your book, and bookmarks to give away for free. Everyone likes free stuff. You can get a small business card holder andplace cards you made or had printed with your name, logo, web site and booktitle on them: anything to get the wordout. I have a large laminated bannerwith my name on it to hang across the front of the table. I also have some of the major news articlesabout me and my books, reviews and my biography laminated and in a magazinestand. But I’ve been doing this for avery long time, and I have eight titles available.

Don’t forget, you’re going to haveto lug all this stuff into the store. Make sure you have some good boxes – stackable ones with handles arehelpful – I even invested in a foldable cart so I could wheel the itemsin. Especially if your signing is in amall - who knows how far away you’ll have to park. And if it’s on a blazing hot summer day andyou’re wearing a black suit – the last thing you want to do is run back andforth to your car seven times, building up a sweat and plastering your hair toyour head.

Be nice to yourself on the day of asigning. Have a good breakfast. Bring your favorite beverage, a bottle ofwater, some mints and a snack. (Makesure any liquids are in a sealed cup/bottle so you don’t spill on your table.) Eventhough the event is usually only a couple of hours long, I guarantee yourstomach will start growling if you don’t eat beforehand. That’s just how it works. Bring a notebook and a good pen, too. You’ll have plenty of down time. Make notes of what you could do better nexttime to make your life easier.

It’s always good to have friendsstop by during the signing, not just for moral support, but to give theimpression of people being interested in you. (Plus they can get you nice things like a cup of coffee, a tissue,etc.) Make sure they hold a copy of yourbook while they’re standing there. Manytimes strangers are reluctant to stop if they don’t know what’s going on –unless they see someone else taking the risk first.

I’m not a hard-seller. I can’t stand it. So sometimes I would get a signing “partner”– another author who is very good at getting in people’s faces and pulling themover to the tables. That still doesn’tmean you’ll sell any books, however, it does take some of the pressure off youif you’re shy. You also can get twicethe press coverage if your signing partner is from a slightly different geographicalarea – press releases would go to their papers/outlets as well as yours, intheir calendar sections as well as yours. Just make sure they share the workload and you’re not stuck doingeverything.

So, all-in-all, there’s really noneed to be nervous. Have fun withit.

On Writing Author Interview: Newt Love

2011-11-21T00:30:00.000-08:00

Creating the characters and the world thatthey inhabit. I breathe life into them, and place them in challengingsituations that they must embrace, so they can discover who they are, and howthey relate to the others that inhabit their story(ies). I believe in real lifeand reality, but everyone can achieve a modicum of success in a quest for ahappy life.

Whatis your least favorite part?
The“day job” that pays the bills (until I can make consistent money from writing)certainly cuts into the fun of writing.

Nameone obstacle you’ve had to overcome.
“Ihave scar tissue older than you.” – Newt Love 2001.
Wheredo I start? I moved out into my own apartment at 16, finishing high school onmy own. Classmates thought it was “cool,” but a teenager coming home to anempty apartment every night was very lonely. It took a long time to believe inmyself; but I digress.

Isthere a specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve?
Ineed to cut-loose more. I realize that I am already pretty eclectic as awriter, but I sense a “next-level” in my writing is coming.

Whatpart of your writing makes you particularly proud?
Isurprise my readers with plot twists and circumstances that while aberrant, arenone-the-less resonant with reality. (Or so I hear.)

Whatdoes your favorite main character have in common with you?
Hehas no clue about where his life will take him.

Doyou do a lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what youalready know?
Ihave extensive collections of web news articles about the people, places, andevents that inhabit the stories I write. Realism flows from understandingreality, and that comes from observation. Besides, people watching (andeavesdropping at restaurants) is fun!

Howdo you use the internet for your writing?
Primarilyfor research.

Ifyou’ve won any awards for your writing, what impact do you think that hashad?
Umm... I don't really go in for competitions. I remembersurfing one day in Venice Beach, CA, and when I came in, there wasa cheering section for me. They were convinced I was a pro-surfer because ofhow I knew where to consistently find the tubes.
“No, I'm a soul-surfer. I don't compete. It's just me andMother Nature, and we dance together as soul-mates.”
I did enter a contest for Best 1^st Novel. Afamous author really loved my entry, but I didn't win.

Whatone marketing tool have you had good success with?
Whileit was good, MySpace. Also, Facebook is good, and remains my primary source ofcontacting / gaining fans, and alerting them to my new works.

Whatgood writing habits have you developed that you think would be helpful tosomeone starting out?
Write.Seriously, write! Just get it out of your head, and on paper. Edit and refinelater!

Doyou have any bad writing habits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
Ifyou can figure it out, quit the day job; it really sucks the creative life outof the writing soul. I still hope to figure that one out.

Doyou have any strange writing habits?
Itend to get into the head of the main character for the scene-du-jour.Sometimes that means creating circumstances that put me in the same mood as thecharacter when I write the scene. Sometimes I get lucky, and life shoves meinto circumstances that are right for the scene I'm writing. Sometimes, I getto drink good Scotch to get into that character. Other times, it's cheap redwine, or going hungry and drinking only water for a day.

Whenyou’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what?
Iread everything. Other writers, Internet news, blogs, et cetera. It comes inand influences what flows out of me.

Whatare you trying to accomplish with/through your writing?
Understanding.I write about the evolution of incomplete humans moving toward more completehumans in their trajectory along the human condition.

ADVICETO OTHER WRITERS
Whatwords of wisdom do you have for young writers?
Dream! And then always believe in your own dreams.
Are you normal? Then the normal rules apply.
Are you not normal? Then the normal rules do not apply.
Success is yours if you embrace your inner you, and followthat to what you are supposed to be successful.

Whatadvice do you have for someone looking to get published?
Perseveranceis the key to achieving your goals.

Anythoughts on what this author writes? How many books published? Here's a little more information about the author...

Howmany published books are to your credit? 4.

Doyou have an agent? No.

Areyou self-published? No. Allmy publishers are bona fides.

Howmany different companies have you published with? 4

Howlong have you been writing? I gotserious about writing in 1992. It's 2011, so, 19 years.

Doyou write full-time? If not, what is your other job? And how do you balancework/writing?
Iwork as a Technical Fellow for a US DoD Contractor.

So,any thoughts? Here's the full scoop:

In Author Newton Love’s own words: Like most people, you won't believe my bio istrue. The short version, with the more believable parts can be found on my website. The total truth of my life experience is too much to put down, withoutpushing potential fans into disbelief or getting in trouble with DoD Security.

Newt is author of the following titles:

In 2005, theAnnapolis Chorale, directed by J. Ernest Green accepted my Easter Cantata,"Man of Sorrows," for performance and publication. The cantata iswritten for double choir and full cathedral organ. You can download a WAV fileof the score on my web site. I'm working on a Opera “Sitting Bull.”

No Accounting for Taste, A Nick Schaevers Mystery.

How the Strong Survive (thriller)

La Voie des Braves(French version of How the Strong Survive)

Odd and Odder: A Collection of Sensuality, Satire and Suspense

Newton Love’s titles are available through Amazon.com,Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.co.fr, Barnes & Noble, Booksamillion, and other onlineretailers.

THEFUTURE
Whatare you working on now?
When Dead Cats Bounce, the 2^nd Nick Schaevers Mystery is finished.The cover art is progressing. In the meantime, I'm writing Roadhouse Affairs, anhomage to Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and JamesEllroy. It's set in the Winter of 1930, in the Roadhouse that would become thepresent day Moss Beach Distillery in Half Moon Bay, CA.

PARTINGWORDS
Anythingelse about being a writer that you’d like to share?
“Abandon hope, all yee who enter here.”

If you'd like to know more about NewtLove, the most famous person nobody has heard of, visit his web site at http://www.newtlove.com/

Is there anything else you'd like to know about this author, or anyquestions you'd like added to future interviews? Let us know...drop us acomment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Morgen Bailey

2011-11-14T00:30:00.000-08:00

To avoid pre-conceived notionswhich can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of bookspublished and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will berevealed until the bottom of the interview. So pour a cup ofcoffee, have a seat, and check out this interview – see how much, or howlittle, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite partof being a writer?
Never knowing what’s going to comeout regardless of how much plotting I do (which is usually negligible). It allgoes to pot as the characters take over (which I love).

What is your least favoritepart?
Not having enough time. Give me adeadline though and I’ll keep to it (with rare exceptions) so I can geteverything done if I put my mind to it. It’s just that my mind is usually splitinto too many directions.

Name one obstacle you’vehad to overcome.
Eek. Writing-related? Mmm… probablythe most annoying aspect of what I do is when Google Feedburner refuses torecognise the latest podcast episode script in the Dreamweaver text for noapparent reason or my website software reformats the fonts for exactly the samenon-existent reason; because it’s a computer and, like the aforementionedcharacters, it does what it likes.

Is there a specific part ofyour writing you’re working on to improve?
Cutting down on the waffle… I’m notdoing badly so far here am I?

What part of your writingmakes you particularly proud?
These are good questions Kat (thinkI might have to steal one or too… oops you said no touting)… OK. Generally:that I’ve done so much of it in a relatively short time (although I keep havingto remind myself of that fact as it feels like I’ve done diddly). Specifically:there have been moments when I’ve been so chuffed with something that I’ve sat atmy desk and clapped (which bemuses my dog).

What does your favoritemain character have in common with you?
I’d have to pick April because myother favourite is male (and unnamed!) she’s female but she’s been married to afarmer for umpteen years and older than me so I guess being female is about theonly thing; although I’d say we both have our feisty moments.

Do you do a lot of researchfor your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
Research… yuk. Some people love itbut me? Not so fond. I’m SO grateful for the internet as it cuts it right downand when I was writing my NaNo novels it was great being able to Alt/Tab (morerecently cmd/Tab – I’m a Mac convert), Google something (other search enginesare available), slot it in and carry on (or if I’m really on a roll I put ‘MOREHERE’ and come back later). I did ask my vet for an avine disease once (I’dpicked the wrong one so was grateful for the steer) which is about asadventurous as my researching gets. I tend to set my stories locally too(because Northampton’shad very little written about it) so I don’t even have to travel far.

How do you use the internetfor your writing?
Apart from the minimal researching,it’s great for being able to bounce ideas off other people (on LinkedIn,Twitter and Facebook in the main) and for hooking up with fellow writers whenI’m struggling, or just chatting to them when I’m not.

If you’ve won any awardsfor your writing, what impact do you think that has had?
I’ve won a couple of competitions andbeen shortlisted in a few others and it’s great to put on my CV. It’saffirmation from a professional that I have potential and it boosts therejection-flagging ego.

What one marketing toolhave you had good success with?
It has to be my blog. I have lotsof things going on (that’s not being too touty is it?) and it’s been an amazing journey, albeitfor just five months so far, meeting some wonderful people (writers andreaders) along the way.

What good writing habitshave you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
This is where I burst out laughing.And I like that you’ve put ‘habits’ plural. I suppose because writing is now mylife (although not as yet one that pays the mortgage) any form ofwriting-related activity is a boon but as far as actual writing, it tends to beduring writing workshops (c. 3-4 evenings a month) or deadline projects such asNaNoWriMo (http://nanowrimo.org) orStoryADay (http://storyaday.org). So yes,write daily, more than 3-4 times a month, and don’t beat yourself up if it’sdrivel. Beat yourself up if you don’t write but want to. You can ALWAYS findtime (see aforementioned NaNoWriMo or StoryADay).

Do you have any bad writinghabits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
Waffling. Just don’t. Ever. At all.Every word counts in short stories and every sentence (or better still, word)in novels. And I’m an avid repetition nut. Only use the same word or phrase ifit enhances or proves something. Read your work out loud and the errors jumpout.

Do you have any strangewriting habits?
I love writing in second person whicha lot of people find strange (if they’ve written it and don’t get on with it –it happens often – or they’ve never tried it). Also I can’t write with apencil. I can obviously but don’t and try not to. I’m not sure why, perhaps thefear of it being rubbed out too easily. And I love to ‘red pen’ with a… red pen,especially others people’s (this is where I’d mention my new ‘red pen’ podcastsessions but I won’t because I’m not allowed to tout yet).

When you’re not writing, doyou read, and if so, what?
It tends to be audiobooks more thanpaper or eBooks (my eReader gathers dust as I rarely travel) because I canmulti-task when listening. I do read novels of some of my interviewees but thattends to be more coincidence than plan (a/ because I interview a differentauthor each day and even I’m not Superwoman and b/ because I have so many otherbooks to read) and I keep quiet about it (too late now I guess) or I’d beinundated by review requests. To answer your question a little more succinctly (seeearlier reference to waffling) I love reading short stories and novellas – aformat I can do in one go as I don’t read daily (slap wrist) and two extremes:dark (I love quirky) and humour. Roald Dahl and Kate Atkinson are myfavourites.

What are you trying toaccomplish with/through your writing?
To get people to read it (without makingthem do it obviously) and hopefully amuse, chill or entertain them.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do youhave for young writers?
Start now, please. I started when I was late 30s andeven then it took another 4 years to take it seriously. If you have any passionfor it then keep going. If you’re like the other 99.9% of us that finds itthrilling to write then it won’t be as hard as you think… until you get arejection. React as badly as you need to for the first one then get over it –it gets easier.

What advice do you have forsomeone looking to get published?
Ditto. Keep going. These days youhave two basic choices; try your heart out for an agent / publisher or go italone (but ideally with some help – everyone needs an editor) and do the eBookthing. I tried the former, to a single-figure extent, before realising that I’drather do the latter although I still wouldn’t say “no” to having my books inthe shops.

Any thoughts on what this authorwrites? How many books published? Here's a little more informationabout the author...

How many published booksare to your credit? 5

Do you have an agent? No

Are you self-published? Yes.

How many differentcompanies have you published with? Three

How long have you beenwriting? 6 years dabbled, last 2 obsessively.

Do you write full-time? Ifnot, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?
Sadly not. I work two and a halfdays as a secretary for a chartered surveyor (who’s an avid reader) so I’mluckier than most, especially as being a secretary for (lah lah lah) years hasgiven me a good typing speed (80wpm?) so I can do things like write a 117,000(it was a bit more than that but who’s counting?) novel in a month (NaNoWriMo 2009).

So, any thoughts? Here'sthe full scoop:

Morgen Bailey is ablogger, podcaster, fiction writer (of four and a bit novels but mostly shortstories, her first love), author interviewer, ‘red pen’ critiquer and writinggroup lead. English was her best subject at school and she was an avid reader(and sometime limerick writer) in her teens, before life took over, but cameback to writing, thanks to a college evening class six years ago and has neverlooked back. Her mother told her recently that she shouldn’t let it take overher life but she didn’t have the heart to reply that she was a couple of yearstoo late.

She has just released a couple ofwriting guides to Amazon and the likes. ‘The 365 Writer’s Block Workbook’ and ‘A Story A Day – May 2011’: the latter ofwhich details the process of (and includes) the 32 stories I wrote for the‘Story A Day May’ project earlier this year. Thereafter I plan some other shortstory collections and two or three novellas (the novels with the wafflingremoved!).

All of Morgen's books are currently available on Smashwords. Her author page is http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/morgenbailey

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
Getting my eBooks ready. I’ve been taking photos(took some great ones in Norfolklast week) leaving plenty of plain space (well… sky, grass, concrete etc) forthe title and my name so it’s all coming together.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being awriter that you’d like to share?
Just how wonderful it is to write and how excitingthe future is for us. If you read but have never thought of writing, do it.I’ve shared some of my writing with reading friends and they (kindly) said thatthey could never do anything like that but if they’ve never tried how do theyknow? Even with the best outline, a story can spin away into unexpectedterritories keeping a fiction writer on his or her toes, and who wouldn’t wantthat?

You can learn more about Morgen Bailey at her main website which isher blog (http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com). She also has a website (http://morgenbailey.com)but the WordPress (blog) software is so much more user-friendly that the website ismore of a ‘this is what I’m about, best go have a look at the blog’.

Morgen would also like us to know that she..."can bark like a seal and used to be able to flip adozen coins from the back of my write elbow. Oh, and I like to swim upsidedown."

Is there anything else you'd like to knowabout this author, or any questions you'd like added to futureinterviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Pat Valdata

2011-11-07T00:03:00.000-08:00

To avoid pre-conceived notions which can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of books published and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will be revealed until the bottom of the interview. So pour a cup of coffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or how little, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING
What is your favorite part of being a writer?   Mostly, I love working with words.

What is your least favorite part?   There’s not much to dislike! The whole process is fun—from getting an idea through drafting and revising and then finally the satisfaction of arriving at “the end.” Trying to get someone to like what I wrote is nowhere near as much fun, but then, that’s publishing, not writing.

Name one obstacle you’ve had to overcome.   Time is the main problem. I am not a person with limitless energy, so day jobs can make it hard to get writing done, especially a day job that involves sitting in front of a computer and writing things for other people. After a day of that, the last thing I want to do is spend more time in front of a computer screen. And I am not a morning person, so getting up an hour early to work on my own stuff just isn’t going to happen. Thank goodness for writer’s residencies! I can get more done in two weeks at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts than I can in six months at home.

Is there a specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve? All of it, all the time.

What part of your writing makes you particularly proud?   When someone comes up to me at a book fair and tells me how much they loved my book. Or when I get a fan letter—which is rare, but really gratifying.

What does your favorite main character have in common with you?   I don’t have favorites. I love them all.

Do you do a lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what you already know?   Goodness, writing about what you already know sounds so boring, doesn’t it? One of my favorite writing teachers, Peter Murphy, says that we have to surprise ourselves if we want our readers to be surprised, too. I think that’s great advice. And because I thoroughly enjoy doing research, I am always happy to be in the middle of a project that requires it. I especially love researching realistic details.

How do you use the internet for your writing?   The most influential thing was joining a listerv of creative writers and writing teachers in 1995. I am still on that list and I really value the friendships and professional relationships that I have made as a result. I belong to another listserv for women poets, which has also been a valuable resource. I have had publications as a direct result of the networking on both lists. I also use Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with other writers and to let people know about upcoming events and publications.

If you’ve won any awards for your writing, what impact do you think that has had?    It certainly makes me feel like a “real” writer, but aside from the personal gratification, there’s little tangible benefit, at least, not for someone at my level. Maybe I’d feel differently if I’d won a MacArthur grant or Pulitzer prize!

What one marketing tool have you had good success with?   The old-fashioned kind: word of mouth and personal networking. All of my publications have resulted from those two things. I also sell books at book fairs and festivals. I can buy book s from my publishers at a discount, so selling directly is how I make the most money per individual copy. And it is a lot of fun.

What good writing habits have you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?   I am probably the worst person when it comes to good writing habits. I am easily distracted when I am at home. There’s always something that needs doing—getting work done for a client and grading papers are things I get paid to do, so of course that work gets priority. By the time I am done with paid work, it is just too easy to procrastinate by refilling the bird feeder or doing a load of wash. If I didn’t belong to a group that meets twice a month, I probably wouldn’t get anything written.

Do you have any bad writing habits that you’d advise writers to avoid? Procrastinating is the main thing I do much too well. I also suggest NOT looking at email or Facebook when your main task should be to sit down and write. The Internet is a huge distraction. I am really good at avoiding it when I’m at a residency, but I am really bad about it at home.

Do you have any strange writing habits? I generally compose using the computer, so I don’t have a lucky pen or use a particular kind of writing paper. I don’t play music. I don’t have any real rituals, although in my office I have objects that I hope will put me in a writing mood—a turtle figurine that my husband gave me, some pretty beach rocks and shells, writing books, things like that. Sometimes, though, I need to get out of the office, and so I’ll drive to a local park and watch birds for a little while to get back into a creative mood.

When you’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what? I love to read and always have several books going at once. I love mysteries and admire writers who can write them. I’m also a geek so I reread The Lord of the Rings every few years. I’m a birder so I have a lot of bird books, too. I just got Jerry Ligouri’s Hawks at a Distance because I volunteer at the Turkey Point Hawk Watch every year.

What are you trying to accomplish with/through your writing?   To write the best that I can. If someone reads one of my books and enjoys it, that makes me incredibly happy.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do you have for young writers? Just do it no matter how many people tell you that you are uncool.

What advice do you have for someone looking to get published?   This is the best of times and the worst of times (sorry, Dickens). It’s the best for anyone who wants to self-publish an e-book or a print book because there are so many options out there. It’s the worst of times for anyone who wants to publish through the traditional route. The few publishing houses that are left are run by bean counters, not editors, and they are so driven by the bottom line that it’s really hard for any writer who doesn’t write a potential blockbuster (99.99% of us) to even get read.

Any thoughts on what this author writes? How many books published? Here's a little more information about the author...

How many published books are to your credit?   4

Do you have an agent?   Not at present. If an agent reads this and wants to get in touch, that would be great.

Are you self-published? No

How many different companies have you published with? Three

How long have you been writing?   Ever since I learned to read, but writing seriously for about 20 years.

Do you write full-time? If not, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?   I wish! I am a business writing consultant and I also teach part-time, and mostly online, for UMUC. How do I balance work/writing? Not well at all.

So, any thoughts? Here's the full scoop:

Pat Valdata, a native of New Jersey, lives in Elkton, Maryland. She received an MFA in fiction writing from Goddard College. She has written two novels, Crosswind (Wind Canyon Books, 1998) and The Other Sister (Plain View Press, 2008), which won a gold medal from the Árpád Academy in 2009. Her newest book, a full-length poetry book titled Inherent Vice (Pecan Grove Press), was published in March 2011. Her earlier chapbook, Looking for Bivalve (2002), was a finalist in that publisher’s chapbook competition. Pat is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and president of Cloudstreet Communications.

Pat's titles are available for purchase at http://www.cloudstreetcomm.com/books.htm

THE FUTURE

What are you working on now? I am working on a new novel and a new book of poetry.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being a writer that you’d like to share? I have always loved Hemingway’s comment about why he rewrote the last page of Farewell to Arms 39 times. His writing problem? “Getting the words right.”

For more information on Pat Valdata, novelist and poet, please visit http://www.pw.org/content/patricia_valdata_1

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On Writing Author Interview: Pete Koziar

2011-10-31T00:12:00.000-07:00

Award-winning Novelist Pete Koziar's short stories have appeared in The Cross and the Cosmos magazine, and his poems have appeared in Digital Dragon, Mindflights and the Dovetail Journal.

He was born in New Jersey, but moved to Maryland to get his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. He's been married for over thirty years, and has one son who is currently serving with the U.S. Marine Corps. He also has a Masters of Ministry degree from a small seminary in the area.

He currently serves as the pastor / leader / rabbi of B'nai Avraham Messianic Congregation outside of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He's also a full time Principal Research Scientist at a major defense contractor.

When he's not writing or trying to promote his book, he also enjoys woodworking, raising orchids, photography and online multiplayer computer games.

Pete's Science Fiction novel, Dauntless Homecoming, is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook), Lulu.com (ePub), and CreateSpace.

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now? A brand new novel, Seeking Adam, about an alien evangelist stranded on this world, who discovers something that leads to war with another alien culture. Also working (but not as fervently at this point) on a sequel, Mars Doom Rising, to my first novel.
PARTING WORDS

Anything else about being a writer that you’d like to share? I write because I have to, and when other people read and enjoy my work, it's a wonderful blessing to know that I have been the tour guide for a completely different world that was, to them, a refreshing little visit.

Is there anything else you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added to future interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.