Querying & Indie Author: Alythia Brown

Happy Monday, everyone! Today we have with us Alythia Brown, an author who does it all—she has one book currently out with Crescent Moon Press, and is currently seeking representation for her new novel Heartbreaker for Hire.

Alythia Brown

Twitter: @alyconnerbrown

Website: alythiabrown.com

How long have you been writing?

I've have been storytelling since Kindergarten! No, seriously, I 'wrote' picture books and would read them aloud to my class. I know everyone says they've been writing since childhood, but I still remember sitting in my mom's room for hours when I was in fifth grade because we bought our first computer. (Oh, that makes me feel old!) I managed to write about one hundred pages of my very first (and very horrible) novel. 

But in the sense of pursuing publication and representation, this year is my ten-year mark. Crescent Moon Press published my first novel, DAKOTA CAPTIVE, in 2013, but I'm back on the hunt for representation! 

What’s the blurb for Dakota Captive? Where can we buy it?

When the evil spirit of Jumlin returns with his army of Offspring, the Earth Spirits are summoned to protect the Sioux. Unbeknownst to Charli, these Earth Spirits are a sacred secret. So she probably shouldn't have spied from behind a rock when they shifted from their animal forms. She shouldn't have taken pictures. And she definitely shouldn't have gotten caught. And they're not going to let her go until some creepy witch doctor, or something, erases her memory. 

So all she has to do is try to keep her big mouth shut, get her memory erased and go home, right? Wrong. Because Jumlin's Offspring are stalking Charli. And since no one can explain this unusual behavior, it becomes imperative to enter the Other World for sanctuary. Now if only she can figure out why she's beginning to fall for one of her abductors on top of everything else... 

You can find DAKOTA CAPTIVE here!

What inspired the project you’re currently querying?

Actually, I was listening to a country song. (No laughing!) I can't remember the artist, but she was singing about how much she was going to enjoy watching a new girl break her ex's heart because his cheating ways were bound to come back around to him. And I thought, 'Hmmm…. Someone would pay a lot to see that arranged. Someone could make a living reaping the benefits…' And thus HEARTBREAKER FOR HIRE began to take life in a fantasy setting.

What’s your elevator pitch for the project you’re currently querying?

Twenty-year-old Kaia Featherfoot is a professional heartbreaker. Turns out, there are plenty of scorned maidens eager to send ex-lovers a taste of their own medicine for a reasonable price. But when she gets an assignment to break the king's heart, she realizes only too late that she may be in over her head. 

What are you working on in the meantime to keep yourself from checking your email every three seconds?

Well, I have three kiddos under the age of ten, so life can become busy for me all on its own! I've been hiking, volunteering, making macrame projects (something about tying hundreds of knots is soothing for the querying soul), and going out with my family. 

I've been querying HEARTBREAKER FOR HIRE for about two months and I'm just now beginning a new project. I know the best advice for querying authors is to begin something new, but I think I needed a small break--to go on adventures and refuel my creativity. Currently, I'm plotting potential sequels for H4H, but I've also begun a completely new project just in case the one I'm querying doesn't sell.

What are three books that have shaped you as a writer?

Maya Angelou's writing voice has moved me since I was a child. I grew up reading her poetry—appreciating the depth of emotion breathed into every word. I know you asked for a book title, but her words alone definitely shaped me as a writer. 

I fell in love with Terry Brooks' MAGIC KINGDOM OF LANDOVER series when I was ten! His work helped me hone my world building. 

LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott is another. Although completely different than the books I usually read, her story is a comfort. In many ways, it ran parallel with my life. I grew up with spunky sisters and a liberal, independent mother who taught us to value our individuality and character over material possessions and appearances. We're also distant cousins to Alcott, so I feel a strong connection to her as a writer! 

Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing process?

Plotter. The first novel I completed was a let's see where this thing goes kind of story and, to this day, I can't tell you what it's about. Once I broke down a plotting process that worked for me, I never went back! (Vogler's method was extremely helpful for me. I outlined it here.) I'm like the mouse from IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE and I will quickly lose focus without a map.

What advice would you give to a writer about to take the plunge into querying?

Expect and accept rejections as rungs on a ladder, bringing you closer to your dream. There will come a time when you doubt yourself and your work. I think that's the mark of an artist--someone who is willing to continue improving no matter what--not the mark of someone who has failed. 

Once your work is out, you wait. And wait and wait and wait... Everyone tells you to begin something new. And you should. But if you just can't seem to—if you're just a little too burnt out from querying—don't worry. Anything forced won't be anything good. Go live life! Getting away from your desk will only improve your world building.  (Just make sure you always have a small notebook handy.)

How do you take your caffeine?

Coffee. And too much of it.

Thanks so much for taking part in the interview series, Alythia! Best of luck with your querying journey!

Indie Author: Tara Winters

Happy Friday, everyone! Today we have indie author Tara Winters with us!

Tara Winters ~ Hidden Heritage Series

Author Web Page:  www.tarawinters.com

Twitter: @TaraWinters41

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing for about 22 years. I started with children's novels and was doing the illustrations on those as well. I still have those children's stories but grew restless writing the smaller content. I wanted to write a novel so I plunged into my first fantasy novel back in the late 1990's and finished that in 2002. I did send out queries on it for a while but when you work full time, the time invested in searching out agents and publishers is time you'd rather be simply writing. I started my next novel a few years later and got through about 11 chapters of that when I did a complete turn around and decided to make it more of a paranormal than a fantasy. This was the birth of the Hidden Heritage books which was originally written as one LARGE book!

What’s the most rewarding thing about going indie?

The best thing about going indie is that once you have gone through and put together the best product you can, the whole process is yours to own. I went directly to the editor, the cover designer, the formatter and my web designer. I had always dreamed about getting published and a large house picking up my books but the more authors you meet that went through the process, the pros and cons are definitely leveling out. As an Indie author, you can design the book and the message and control all aspects of your own product. 

What inspired your books?

My first novel was inspired by walking through Mystic Seaport in CT. I loved imagining how life may have been and the hustle and bustle. I wanted to write a story where I could let my imagination take wings but was struggling with how to tie a story about a seaport village and my love for f the paranormal and creepy. Someday, I will haul that original novel out and finish the edits on it!  My second book, which is the Hidden Heritage series, was originally inspired by the image of a young girl, her hand reaching through a ring of fire and the only thing you can see on the either side is a hand reaching for her. Funny enough, that was not the image I went with for my book covers!! 

What’s the blurb for your Hidden Heritage trilogy?

Dark Hollow: Tabitha Devins spent 18 years waiting for her mother to tell her whom her father was, where her mother had disappeared to all those years ago and perhaps shed some light on how she got magical abilities. 

Now it is the summer of her high school graduation and she plans on saving every penny she can earn to get off to college, leave the island of Porta Negra and her mother's secrets behind her. As she sees a sliver of freedom in her future, her mother disappears once again with only a cryptic note. The clues lead Tabitha to the glen known as Dark Hollow where her mother originally disappeared. 

Tabitha delves into the nest of secrets her mother left and finds a world she never knew existed with a race of people with magical abilities much like her own.  As she searches this new world for her mother, she discovers that her father has been looking for her as well. 

Before she can head off to meet him, she finds herself caught between a magical race of people discouraging her from meeting her father and the onset of a dark drama back on her island home which could keep her from ever being able to return home.

We wants it, precious! Where can we buy your books?

Dark Hollow is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo. Dark Legacy is exclusively on Amazon right now. I am testing the market there to see if it is worth it to have the exclusive rights on one site or spread it around! 

Links: Dark Hollow 

           Dark Legacy

What project are you working on now?

The 3rd book in the series: Dark Sacrifice. I had thought to have it out but the writing took an unexpected turn and I had to follow it!  I would rather be a little late with a great product than rush and put out something I feel should be revise.

What are three books that have shaped you as a writer?

My favorite series as a kid was the Chronicles of Narnia. I loved that C.S Lewis wrote in a voice directly to the reader and his characters were flawed and made mistakes!  I loved that I could always count on reading about people that were less than perfect! David Eddings fantasy novels: The Belgariad and The Mallorian were all-time favorites of mine but my most recent absolute favorite series has to be Michael Sullivan's The Ryria Chronicles. I love his writing and his characters and he was initially an Indie published author. Of course, those are some of my favorites but I always fell back on Stephen King, Robin Cook, John Saul and Terry Brooks. 

Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing process?

I do plot with the very best of intentions but the truth is, as I write, the story and characters take on a life of their own and I find myself forever re-writing and re-shaping to accommodate twists and turns that I had not seen coming. I love hitting a scene and then finding a whole new avenue is streaming than what I had planned. I have the ending of book 3 already done but the truth is, as I revise and shape the book itself, I am not sure what will evolve!!

What advice would you give to a writer about to take the plunge into indie publishing?

The first and most important thing would be to make sure you have made your product the very best that you can. Rewrite, edit and review your work over and over before even submitting to an editor. Spend the money to get your book professionally edited and a cover done by a professional that understands the rules and the requirements. I have been so disappointed in downloading an indie book only to find that it is riddled with mistakes, misspelled words and grammatical errors. Let's face it, there are plenty of books (and traditionally published are included in this list) that have some errors and typos (and mine did) but use professional editors and beta readers to catch as many of them as you can!  Put out the very best quality product that you can!

How do you take your caffeine?

I am a huge coffee drinker and i Love tea!  I do not, however drink soda so my 'caffeine' fix comes from coffee and tea but I have to be honest here, I am a decaf drinker. If you meet me in person, I am pretty high energy and a little spastic.. if you see me on caffeine, I have to be peeled off the ceiling!!

______________________________________

Tara Winters has written 2 books in the Hidden Heritage Series: Book One: Dark Hollow and Book Two: Dark Legacy. Book Three: Dark Sacrifice is scheduled for 2015 release. She lives North of Boston with her husband, daughter and a very large lapdog. When not writing, she loves to hike, walk the dog, jog ( on occasion!), READ!!! and oh, yeah, by the way, is a marketing manager for a healthcare manufacturer. 

Indie Poet: Brittany Ward

Happy Friday, one and all! Today we have with us indie poet Brittany Ward, who has just released her first book of poetry A Planet-Sized World Layered in the Brain.

Brittany Ward:

A Planet-Sized World Layered in the Brain

www.facebook.com/brittany9ward

How long have you been writing poetry?

I’ve been writing poems since about junior high school.  I used to primarily stick with short stories and figured poems were too difficult and obtuse and therefore I couldn’t possibly write them. However, once I began I realized writing them came more easily to me than writing prose.  My poems at that age were wretched of course, but writing them seemed to come naturally.

What’s the most rewarding thing about going indie?

 It’s probably the freedom it allows me to include everything I want and have the book look exactly the way I want it to.  Since this was more of a personal project for me, I really wanted it to be comprehensive. When you try to get poems published in a magazine for example, the editor will typically advise you what the publication is looking for and what they do and do not want, which is good and challenging in of itself and not to be dismissed.   However, if you want complete control and the freedom to experiment without any boundaries, self-publishing is the route to go.

What inspired your poems?

Science, particularly astronomy, is what tends to inspire me, and I like to use scientific analogies for the landscape of personal thoughts and emotions.  The interconnectivity between macro and micro worlds (the cosmological, biological and quantum), as well the unfathomable distances and timescales involved in cosmology, come with their own suite of inspiring emotions for me, so it comes somewhat naturally to me to draw from those emotions and the imagery they evoke. Simple things like a photon  (the elementary particle of light) being in a sense eternal and unaffected by time (since it travels at the speed of light and time slows down the closer you get to the speed of light) is a very beautiful and poetic concept to me.

Is there any connecting theme/anything you can tell us about the collection of poems as a whole?

I suppose one connecting theme is the synthesis of the micro and macro words, and how it relates tohuman understanding and emotion.  To paraphrase Carl Sagan, the Universe coming to understand itself.  I hope that’s somewhat of an emergent theme, however since this is a collection of poems I’ve written over the course of years, they’re a little bit all over the place. (I’m so adept at plugging my work. “All over the place.” “I HOPE there’s a theme!” Haha.).

We wants it, precious! Where can we buy your book?

Lulu at the following link is where you can currently get it: http://www.lulu.com/shop/brittany-ward/a-planet-sized-world-layered-in-the-brain/paperback/product-22068596.html.  From there, you can preview some of the poems as well as the gorgeous artwork Danielle Pajak created for the book.  We’re also working on getting it on Amazon Kindle in an e-book format, and it’ll be at the Dimi Espresso Coffee Shop in Payson, AZ in June of this year.  There will be updates on my Facebook as far as specific dates (https://www.facebook.com/brittany9ward).

What project are you working on now?

I’m just trying to write more poetry! I really only have amorphous ideas right now and I’m hoping they gel into proper poems soon!

Can you tell us about any particular poets/poems that have shaped/inspired you as a poet?

This is where I’m going to sound a bit uncultured unfortunately, but I actually don’t read a lot of poetry! The majority of my inspiration came from popular science writers and communicators who were able to express scientific concepts in an imaginative, poetic way (namely Carl Sagan, astronomer Phil Plait), or just from reading about science in general.  The one poet who has probably influenced how I strive to portray landscapes of the mind is Sylvia Plath. I admire how she can create a sense of beauty or interest in the otherwise grotesque or mundane.   I also aspire towards an economy of words and simplicity like from that I’ve read in Japanese tanka (court poetry) and haiku, although I’m not always successful!  

What is your writing process? Do you plan your poems beforehand or just wait for inspiration to strike?

Typically it’s just whenever the inspiration strikes. Sometimes a specific concept will inspire me and I’ll build the poem around that, however usually it’s just about being in the right mood and letting the poem evolve as I write.

What advice would you give someone about to take the plunge into indie publishing?

I would advise to temper your expectations and not to expect a lot of sales. Since you’re self-publishing, all the promotion rests on you and you will need to do a lot of work to get noticed. I would choose indie publishing with the aim of obtaining more exposure and getting noticed and not with the aim of making money.

How do you take your caffeine? 

5 hour energy shots .  Sometimes two a day. I may have a problem.

___________________
Despite growing up and living in the light-polluted Metro Phoenix area, the cosmos have been inspiring Brittany Ward's writing since viewing Comet Hale-Bopp from her background as a junior high school student.  Her work also appears in the May 2013 issue of Scifaikuest.  She is continuing to submit her work to magazine publications while residing in Tempe, AZ in a small apartment she shares with a neurotic black cat and a ton of books.

Indie Author: Ashley R. Carlson

Happy Friday, one and all! Today we have with us Ashley Carlson, author of The Charismatics.

Ashley R. Carlson ~ The Charismatics

Website: www.ashleyrcarlson.com

Twitter: @AshleyRCarlson1

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleyrcarlson1.1

How long have you been writing?

Dabbling since I was eighteen, and started seriously writing in Nanowrimo 2013. That was the epiphany moment for me. 

What’s the most rewarding thing about going indie?

The most rewarding thing so far about being an indie author is getting my book into the hands of readers FAST. I wrote something last summer, published it in December, and I’ve gone to high schools for readings and have it in a local bookstore (Changing Hands in Tempe, upcoming staff pick!), and I’m winning awards for it. I didn’t have to wait five years to query an agent, find a publisher, and wait for it to hit the stands! Instant gratification.

What inspired The Charismatics?

Funnily enough, the first inkling came to me after watching an episode of “The Real Housewives of Orange County.” I know, I know. But there was a woman in the cast who was obviously in a very unhappy marriage, and she was acting out because of it. I started to think about that situation, and how a young woman would handle it. “The Charismatics” grew exponentially from there! 

What’s the blurb for The Charismatics?

An arranged marriage. A corrupt government called Legalia. A forbidden spiritual realm. 

Duchess Ambrose Killaher was just seventeen years old when exiled to Shinery—a city of snow and darkness—to marry a man who despised her, finding her only solace in an invisible companion named Roan. 

Now as the poor starve in the streets below and rebellious acts become a frequent occurrence, Shinery holds its yearly celebration to commemorate Legalia’s rule. But when Ambrose stumbles into a hidden courtroom and witnesses a violent murder, she is thrust into a secret world of the supernatural-one that could endanger everyone she's grown to care for. With the help of a handsome stranger, Ambrose learns of the past Legalia has covered up, and that she alone possesses the power to stop their unspeakable plans for the future.

We wants it, precious! Where can we buy The Charismatics?

Currently you can buy my book on Amazon for $2.99 (e-book) or $12.99 (paperback) here, or a signed paperback through my website for $14.99 (S&H included for the U.S.!) here. 

It will soon be at both Changing Hands bookstore locations, located in Phoenix and Tempe. 

What project are you working on now?

My contemporary adult novella, “Misery and Marlene.” It has not been easy—I’m writing in a different tense and POV, and a different genre than ever before. It’s a lot sadder and heavier than “The Charismatics” as well, but I think it’s got a great message. Then back to the sequel of “The Charismatics” this summer!

What are three books that have shaped you as a writer?

Gail Carson Levine’s “Ella Enchanted,” most definitely. My favorite book of all time—amazing fantastical elements, a strong heroine, beautiful relationships, simply glorious book. 

J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series, of course. Also, Philip Pullman’s “The Golden Compass”—my novel, “The Charismatics” is similar to it in a lot of ways. I’ve been told that it’s sort of a mash-up between that and “The Hunger Games,” which I’m not upset about! 

Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing process?

I’m what I like to call a “half-pantser.” I wrote a blog post about it here, actually. I only outline the current scene I’m writing, usually on my whiteboard. I do keep a notebook of characters’ names and ages, but that’s about it. 

What advice would you give to a writer about to take the plunge into indie publishing?

DO IT! Do it immediately. 

And do it right. Get a team together, utilize beta readers, find a great editor, cover designer and formatter—make sure your book is just as good as something that could be found on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. Build your author platform through all of this as well, meeting others through Twitter, Google+, etc. 

Most importantly to know after you launch a book—it’s probably going to be a long, uphill battle. So whatever you do, KEEP WRITING. Keep producing great work. Enter contests, try to get out into the community to share your work—but NEVER stop writing. The more books you have to offer, the easier it will be for readers to find you. 

How do you take your caffeine?

In an IV, straight to my vein. ;) 

Thanks so much for taking part in the interview series, Ashley! Best of luck as you continue to promote The Charismatics and work on your new books! ~ Joanna

___________________________________________

Ashley R. Carlson grew up wanting a talking animal friend and superpowers, and when that didn't happen, she decided to write them into existence. “The Charismatics” is her award-winning debut novel. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with four (non-talking) pets and one overactive imagination.

Indie Author: Virginia McClain

Happy Friday, everyone! Today we have with us the lovely indie author Virginia McClain.

Virginia McClain ~ Blade's Edge

Website: www.virginiamcclain.com

Facebook: facebook.com/virginiamcclainauthor

Twitter: twitter.com/gwendamned

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8388428.Virginia_McClain

How long have you been writing?

Since the age of five. No, really. I have proof:

Ok. Granted, those are from first grade, so I might have been six or seven then, but that was the first "book" I ever wrote. I'm particularly proud of the absolutely nonsensical spelling. I mean it's not even phonetic, it's just... bad. I like to think my writing has improved quite a bit since then. Sadly, I can confirm that my ability to draw remains completely unchanged. This is why I hire professionals to do the artwork for my books.  

At any rate, I have been making up stories in my head and putting them down on paper for as long as I've known how to write. Sometime in my early teens I decided that I would one day write for a living. Everything since then has been the journey that brought me here (a journey that is far from finished). 

In 2004 I graduated with a degree in Spanish language and linguistics and went into teaching because I thought it would give me time to write. It didn't. However, after the initial shock of sorting out just how difficult teaching really was, I made time to write wherever I could, to save my sanity if for no other reason. 

My first published writing was my review of Georgetown University for The Students' Guide to Colleges 2005 published by Penguin. My first creative published work (and the first writing I was ever paid for) was a short story entitled Off Belay that was published in 2006 in a lit mag called the The First Line. 2007 got me involved in my first NaNoWriMo (that's National Novel Writing Month for the uninitiated) and 2008 brought my first ever completion of a first draft full length novel (the one I'd written the first 50,000 words of in November). From there my short stories began to be neglected, but my concept of myself as a writer became much stronger.

What’s the most rewarding thing about going indie?

The creative control is fantastic. Being directly involved in the process surrounding the cover art and design, and knowing that, if nothing else, my book will be beautiful, is really important to me. I see many books, including books that I love, that have horrible covers, or poor formatting, or just don't have the right look or feel to go with the story. When those books are traditionally published I feel bad for the authors because I know that they typically have no input into any of those pieces, and I feel extremely fortunate to have had the chance to control those elements for Blade's Edge. As I was fortunate enough to run a successful Kickstarter to fund the book, I was able to hire an extremely talented artist (Juan Carlos Barquet) and designers (designforwriters.com) for the cover. Working with them was incredibly rewarding, as were the results. Doing the interior formatting myself was intense, finicky, and somewhat tedious, but the results were well worth it. 

I learned more about the publishing industry and all of its parts than I had ever known existed during this process and I'm learning more every day. That is also extremely gratifying. 

What inspired your book?

Blade’s Edge was initially inspired by the time I spent wandering around mountain shrines in Japan while I lived there teaching English for two years. 

As I spent more and more time hiking through the local mountains and encountering the various shrines everywhere, I asked myself what the world would be like if all of the shinto spirits existed and were able to interact with the world? That was the initial spark.
From there the story evolved and changed dramatically, and eventually became something that was loosely inspired by feudal Japanese samurai culture, but was, in fact, it’s own imaginary world.   

What’s the blurb for your book?

The Kisōshi, elite warriors with elemental powers, have served as the rulers and protectors of the people of Gensokai for more than a thousand years. Though it is believed throughout Gensokai that there is no such thing as a female Kisōshi, the Rōjū ruling council goes to great lengths to ensure that no one dares ask why. 

Even as young girls, Mishi and Taka know that they risk severe punishment - or worse - if anyone were to discover their powers. This shared secret forms a deep bond between them until, taken from their orphanage home and separated, the two girls must learn to survive in a world where their very existence is a crime. Yet when the girls learn the dark secret of the Rōjū council, they discover that much more than their own survival is at stake.

We wants it, precious! Where can we buy your book?

Muwahahahahahaha... EVERYWHERE! 

Ahem. No, really. It's in the Ingram catalog, so you can walk into any bookstore and order it with my name and the title (Blade's Edge by Virginia McClain) or if you want to get fancy you can use the ISBN: 978-1503057333 

For those who prefer to do their shopping from home (and who could blame you) you can use any of the following links for your favorite retailers: 

Amazon print 

Amazon kindle 

Bookbaby 

Barnes and Noble 

Goodreads 

My Webstore 

It's also on iBooks and a number of other online retailers that I don't have links for at the moment, so if none of the above suit your fancy try searching for it.

What project are you working on now?

I am currently balancing between revisions on the next novel I hope to release this year, and a new story that plays into a series. My goal for April is to finish both the revisions and the first draft of the new story. 

The novel I'm revising is entitled Gwendamned and it is a contemporary fantasy book that's so light on fantasy I'd prefer to call it speculative fiction, but anyway, it's about... 

Hmm... I haven't figured out a spoiler-free one sentence pitch for it yet. I guess I'll have to work on that. It's religious satire... sort of. If that helps? 

And the new story is a contemporary fantasy/sci-fi blend that is inspired by the lost civilization they recently uncovered in Honduras. That's all the spoiler free description I have for that project at the moment. 

Sorry for not having more to share on those. I really need to work on my pitches!  

What are three books that have shaped you as a writer?

You had to ask the hard question! How can I narrow it down to three? Hmmm... Here's my attempt. Keep in mind my answer might change on any given day, but we'll pretend I can actually choose... 

Graceling by Kristin Cashore: Even though I didn't read this until well after I'd written my first three novels it has greatly shaped how I think about writing and how I feel about YA literature, consequently it has played a large part in forming my revisions of those first three books. Reading Graceling was like finally finding the protagonist I had been searching for my entire childhood. I wish the book had existed when I was younger. It made me want to write books that could be that powerful. I don't think I've done that yet, but it's given me a wonderful goal and made me more thoughtful as a writer. 

The Dark Elf Trilogy by RA Salvatore: There are a lot of books in the Dark Elf series, and I love most of them, but I'm specifically referring to Homeland, Exile, and Sojourn in this case. These books are such a splendid blend of action, fantasy, and moral dilemmas. Also, I read them in my teens and thus they were quite formative for my writing. 

The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett: I didn't start reading these books until I was in college, but they have had a substantial impact on my writing. While not the most overt influence on my writing (though more obvious in some of my other books - including the book I hope to release later this year) Sir Pratchett's glorious satire and so very human characters have had a substantial impact on how I write and how I think.

Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing process?

I used to be pure pantser. Definitely for my first two NaNos I was all pants no plot (actually I'm pretty good at keeping tabs on plot on the fly, so I wasn't NO plot, but I was... not plotting ahead of time). Then on my third NaNo I turned uber plot and found that my characters suffered for it. All subsequent NaNos have become a mix of pantsing and plotting and I've finally discovered the key for my particular writing process: 

I work best in first draft mode with total pantsing. Everything made up on the go, no research aside from fact checking and plausibility confirming, and plot and characters invented on the spot. That's first draft. In first draft ANYTHING can happen. 

Then, on the rewrite, I get SERIOUSLY plotty. I don't even touch the rewrite until I have a detailed master plan on how I will fix it to make it exactly the book I want it be. I work out how every scene is actually supposed to go, and which scenes need to be axed and which need to be added, and how I will fix every character break, plot hole, and dropped item, and then I go in and fix them all in one swoop. 

I find this method very liberating because it makes both parts of the process a lot more fun. First drafts are always more fun (for me anyway) when the characters can do whatever they want. When they tell me who they are and what they will do because I put them in a ridiculous situation and then they find their way out. When I write a first draft like that, open to everything and only following a vague outline in my head, I find that my characters and world come to life in a way that they don't otherwise. A lot of the fun of writing for me comes from finding out what happens next. If I already know what happens next I don't find it as fun. 

Conversely, when it comes to revision I used to always feel lost because I didn't know where to start, and never had a concrete idea of how to make my story better. I knew I should clean up the prose, and that part was easy enough, but what about the scenes that didn't feel right, or the ending that flopped, or the character that decided she was a villain halfway through? I knew those things should be fixed, but I wasn't sure how. I didn't know how to drive the revision and so it always left me feeling overwhelmed. Then I took the only writing course I've ever paid to take (which was a course purely on revision) and suddenly, I realized that THIS was where detailed plotting worked for me. If I laid out an outline of the exact story I WANTED to tell, I could then apply the pieces of the story I'd already written to it and then see where I needed to fit the other bits. Suddenly revision became a giant puzzle that needed solving and... I LOVE SOLVING PUZZLES! So that transformed it from a process that I used to dread to one that I now attack with relish. 

After that, it's a game of prettying things up with the help of first readers, and then an editor, and then formatting.

What advice would you give to a writer about to take the plunge into indie publishing?

Never ever ever ever ever skimp on hiring a professional editor. In the past year I have read a lot more independent books than I ever used to, and many of those books have contained the cores of great stories but have been in desperate need of a unbiased third party's opinion. The one's that didn't suffer that way had been professionally edited and they easily rose above the crowd for that one simple fact. If you truly can't afford an editor, run a Kickstarter, or an Indiegogo, Pubslush, or Patreon crowdfunding campaign and get the money. While you're at it, raise money for an original cover that you like. You need these things, and too many books get published without them and don't sell at all as a consequence. You need professional editing. Seriously. I'm talking to you. Yes. YOU. (I'm also talking to me so don't take it personally.) 

I don't care how many English degrees your mom/spouse/best friend has, s/he won't give you the objective feedback you need. 

I say this from experience. My mom has a BA in English lit and an MS in linguistics. She will catch all of my comma splices, for which I am quite grateful, but she inevitably gushes about how perfect every single draft is when she gets to the end no matter how bad it actually is. I love how supportive she is, and I definitely keep her corrections on typos and grammar snafus, but she is no help at improving my prose because she cares about me too much. I don't know if she doesn't even see the sentences/paragraphs/scenes that suck, or if she just refuses to tell me about them, but either way, it doesn't get the job done. 

Hire someone. Then listen to them. 

That is all.

How do you take your caffeine?

Tea, coffee, coffee, tea... more coffee? I love both. Coffee is a pleasant ritual in the mornings. Tea is a comfort at any time of day. Lately, I've been enjoying a London Fog (steamed milk with earl grey and vanilla) whenever I feel as though tea should also be a snack.

Thanks so much for taking part in the interview series, Virginia! Best of luck with Blade's Edge and your future projects!

_____________________

Virginia thinks dangling from the tops of hundred foot cliffs is a good time. She also enjoys hauling a fifty pound backpack all over the Grand Canyon and sleeping under the stars. Sometimes she likes running for miles through the desert, mountains, or wooded flatlands, and she always loves getting lost in new places where she may or may not speak the language.

From surviving earthquakes in Japan, to putting out a small forest fire in Montana, Virginia has been collecting stories from a very young age. She works hard to make her fiction as adventurous as her life and her life as adventurous as her fiction. Both take a lot of imagination.

She recently moved to Winnipeg with her husband and their dog.

Indie Author: Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Today's Indie Author is the lovely Elizabeth Maria Naranjo, who's debut novel The Fourth Wall was released last summer from WiDo Publishing.

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo — The Fourth Wall

Website: www.elizabethmarianaranjo.com

Twitter: @emarianaranjo

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I have poems and journals from as early as the second grade and lots of song lyrics and short stories from junior high.

What’s the most rewarding thing about going indie?

A small press can be wonderful because of the collaboration. For example, I was asked for input on my book cover, with the understanding that the designer had final say. But just being asked, “What are your ideas for the cover? What do you envision for it, what’s important to you?” is something special about working with a smaller press. 

What inspired your book?

My own experience with lucid dreaming as a child inspired the book. When brainstorming the idea for The Fourth Wall I thought: What if a young girl who is dealing with something terrible had the ability to lucid dream? She could build an alternate world in her dreams and leave that terrible thing behind. But there would have to be a cost to keeping secrets from yourself. You could lose what’s real. 

What’s the blurb for The Fourth Wall?

When Marin was little and monsters chased her through nightmares, she learned to weave her own dreams. Her mother called the lucid dreaming a gift, and when an accident takes her mother and leaves her brother an empty shell, Marin uses this gift to spin a new reality. One without time or sorrow. A world without memory. 

But just when Marin thinks she’s safe in her fantasy world, the monsters come back and her dream turns to a nightmare. Something in the dream doesn’t want Marin to wake up. In order to heal herself and her family, Marin must face the truth she’s forgotten and conquer what lies behind the fourth wall.

We wants it, precious! Where can we buy your book?

You must first answer this riddle. Just kidding. The Fourth Wall can be purchased from any bookstore, or it can be ordered from Amazon. It’s also available on Kindle here. 

What project are you working on now?

I’m working on a few short stories at the moment. I’ve toyed with the idea of trying to publish a short story collection, but I have no coherent theme or subject. My writing’s all over the place. 

What are three books that have shaped you as a writer?

Oh that’s tough. I’m just going to type out the first three that come to mind. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, and Different Seasons by Stephen King. 

Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing process?

I’m a pantser, all the way. When writing a story, whatever the length, I have a general idea of what it’s about and I almost always know how it ends. The ending is clearest to me. But the scenes that encompass plot points along the way just occur naturally as I write. 

What advice would you give to a writer about to take the plunge into indie publishing?

Do your research. Look for a small press that’s been around several years, releases new titles on a regular basis, and has a professional looking website. Study their covers and if you can, get a copy of one of their books. Even download a Kindle sample to check the quality. Obviously if the writing is amateurish or is riddled with typos, this is not the publisher for you. Call your local bookstore and see if they’re able to order one of this publisher’s books—if not, distribution may be a problem. Check the website Writer Beware for any comments regarding the publisher. And do NOT under any circumstance pay a publisher. If they ask you for any money then they are not a small press, they are a vanity press. 

How do you take your caffeine?

In coffee. And in large doses.

Thanks so much for participating in the interview series, Elizabeth! Best of luck as you continue promoting The Fourth Wall!

______________________________


Elizabeth’s short stories and essays have appeared in Brevity Magazine, The Portland Review, Literary Mama, Hospital Drive, and a few other places. Her debut novel, The Fourth Wall, was released in June 2014 through WiDo Publishing.

Indie Author & Illustrator: Danielle Pajak

Hi everyone! Now introducing another new blog series that will run every Friday, indefinitely: interviews with self-published & small-press-published authors! If you or someone you know is interested in taking part, please feel free to contact me via email or twitter.

Our first indie author is also an amazingly talented illustrator! The lovely Danielle Pajak recently self-published her graphic novel Elijah.

Danielle Pajak ~ Elijah: A Graphic Novel

Blog: www.daniellepajakillustrations.blogspot.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/dp_illustration

Facebook: facebook.com/DaniellePajakIllustrations

Facebook for Elijah: A Graphic Novel: facebook.com/ElijahGraphicNovel

How long have you been writing/creating graphic novels?

Elijah is my first graphic novel, so not very long, but it is the first of many to come. I wouldn't exactly describe myself as a storyteller, but telling a story through images really appeals to me. As an illustrator and concept artist, this is essentially what I am doing anyway, telling a story of character or theme through imagery, rather than words. Though the graphic novel is a combination of the two worlds, images and words, I think it is an underrated medium that is lost in conventional thinking about what Western graphic novels are supposed to look like. One image can say so much, one picture convey a plethora of ideas. I see the graphic novel as a whole as being a piece of art in of itself. As you would paint one picture, choosing the appropriate colors, mood, lighting, contours, etc, so each page becomes a contour of concepts, each panel a pencil stroke of ideas. I see every part of the graphic novel as a canvas, a canvas where you can paint a story and make it come to life through symbols, shapes, colors, textures, and pencil marks. I hope to be able to create unique works of art in my graphic novels, and break the mold of what is considered the successful and desirable graphic novel. 

What’s the most rewarding thing about going indie?

Independence. That is why I always choose to go the indie route, even though it is a lot of work and takes diligence. It is worth the hard work to be able to make your own choices, having complete control in every aspect of your artwork. You can do new things, experiment, and try out unconventional ideas without being hindered by anyone's expectations. It is nice to have that freedom. And with the growth of the Internet in our culture, I think going indie is becoming a more and more successful and viable route every day. 

What inspired Elijah?

Well, Elijah is basically an adaptation. The story is from the Bible, 1 Kings 18, where Elijah, a prophet in the country of Israel, challenges the false religious prophets to a contest to see whose God is the one true God in Israel. I have always been inspired by the stories of the Old Testament prophets, and the great miracles they did. It is like reading about Gandalfs, Merlins, and Obiwans, that lone, mysterious, and magical benefactor of wisdom and guidance, who’s kind of crazy, but does wonderful and powerful things. I love that. There is also such strong symbolism and imagery in the Old Testament, and whenever I read it, it becomes vivid and alive. Originally, I had imagined the 1 Kings 18 story as a kind of tongue-in-cheek web comic, strangely enough. However, that idea, though amusing, didn’t really satisfy the need of expression of the images I saw in my mind. Thus, the idea to do a graphic novel came about. The second thing that also really inspired me was Japanese Art. I find myself continually drawn to the organic minimalism and conceptual expression of their art, whether it be in Anime, Manga, or individual artists of the past and present. From Katsushika Hokusai (Mount Fuji Seen Below a Wave at Kanagawa) to Yoshitaka Amano (Vampire Hunter D, Final Fantasy) to Shinichirō Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop to Tsugumi Obha's Death Note, I love the the ethereal movement, profound simplicity, symbolic emphasis, and atmospheric imagery of the Japanese canvas. The Japanese influence is very prevalent within Elijah.

What’s the blurb for Elijah?

A graphic novel adaptation of 1 Kings 18. Elijah the Tishbite, prophet to the Lord God of Israel, challenges the religious complacency of his countrymen and the false religion of his country's government in a contest that brings a devastating and glorious encounter with the Divine.

We wants it, precious! Where can we buy Elijah?

Haha, yes. You can purchase it on Blurb.com at http://blur.by/1GT1u3a.

What project are you working on now?

Currently I am working on an original story idea for another graphic novel. I’ve talked quite a bit about my early concepts and ideas for this graphic novel on my blog. I even have a few concept pieces of characters and ideas on there as well, which I explain more in depth. It is going to be calledInfinity’s End and it is a science fiction story about a physicist who becomes obsessed with finding the end of the Universe. I am currently quite entrenched in scientific research, most especially Quantum Mechanics, and I want to incorporate the microscopic world of subatomic particles into the story. I am just at the very beginnings of this story, but I would describe it as a very conceptual and abstract piece.  

What are three books that have shaped you as a writer/artist?

There are so many books and authors that inspire me, but as a graphic novelist, I would say that movies/tv shows are the most influential because imagery is really my medium. So, the three things that have shaped me and my ideas and how I view graphic novels are Christopher Nolan’s Inception, Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain, and Japanese storytelling/art, i.e. Anime and Manga (as I've mentioned previously). It was The Fountain that really spurred and inspired me to become a graphic novelist in the first place, and I actually don’t even really like the film, haha. I thought the film could have been so much more than it was, and I think it was this apparent lack that I saw in The Fountain that inspired me want to make graphic novels. It is a very cinematically beautiful film, though.

Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing/creating process?

Oh, I am definitely a plotter, in both outlining my graphic novel stories and in how I create my artwork. I always have an idea of the goal of my piece and I try to understand and quantify every aspect of my artistic choices, i.e. color, medium, symbols, etc. I do my best to make everything have a purpose as to why it is there, and in order for me to keep that consistent and cohesive, I need to have an internal (or sometimes external) outline in my mind’s eye to which I always refer back to while creating. I don’t usually like things left up to chance, it makes me uncomfortable, though it does happen. Haha. It is the way of being an artist. You can’t control everything; but that doesn't keep me from trying.

What advice would you give to a writer/artist about to take the plunge into indie publishing?

Plan, Research, and Make Content. Going the indie publishing route you are essentially your own boss, so you need to have the long term goal, where you want to go, and then you need to research how you are going to get there; most importantly of all, though, create-write-do. If you don’t have any work, no amount of planning or research will be of worth to you. Oh, and have lots and lots of patience. You are going to need it.

How do you take your caffeine?

Tea. Hot. I am definitely a tea addict! Speaking of which… *runs off to make some tea*

Thank you so much for participating in the interview series, Danielle! Best of luck as you promote Elijah!

__________________

Danielle Pajak has been drawing since she was 5 years old, her earliest memory was of free hand copying images from a pack of game cards, and at one point she had her heart set on becoming a Disney animator. Twenty years later, her love for Disney hasn't died, but has blossomed into a love for movie concept art. She loves looking at the beautiful renderings that make up the "think tank" of a film, whether it is a full feature or an animation. Images, with all of their visual diversity of color, texture, and line, are the canvas on which ideas are expressed and concepts communicated. Danielle hopes to one day be a part of that world of filmmaking, to bring innovative and affecting ideas through her art to the big screen and beyond.