This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

David B. Coe

Aka… D.B. Jackson

 

 

First, a little something about David.

David B. Coe, who also writes as D.B. Jackson, wrote his first novel at the age of six. It was called “Jim the Talking Fish,” and it was not really as good as the title makes it sound. David illustrated the story, which did nothing to improve its quality.

And yet, as poor as this first effort might have been, it did mark the beginning of a lifetime passion for dreaming up stories and writing them down so that he might inflict them on others share them with others. Along the way David has dabbled in other professions — he was a political consultant for several years, and he earned a Ph.D. in U.S. history, flirting with the notion of an academic career before wisely thinking better of it.

He began writing full time in 1994, with the love and support of The World’s Best Spouse, and published his first novel in 1997. He is now the award-winning author of more than fifteen novels and a dozen short stories.

His newest project, a contemporary urban fantasy called the Case Files of Justis Fearsson, is to be published by Baen Books. The first book, SPELL BLIND, will be released on January 6, 2015. HIS FATHER’S EYES, the second volume, will be published in the summer of 2015, and a third novel is already in the works.

Writing as D.B. Jackson, he is the author of the Thieftaker Chronicles, a series set in pre-Revolutionary Boston that combines elements of urban fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction. THIEFTAKER, THIEVES’ QUARRY, and A PLUNDER OF SOULS, have already been released, and the fourth volume, DEAD MAN’S REACH will appear in July 2015.

David’s early books include the LonTobyn Chronicle, a trilogy that received the Crawford Fantasy Award as the best work by a new author in fantasy, as well as the critically acclaimed Winds of the Forelands quintet and Blood of the Southlands trilogy. He has also written the novelization of director Ridley Scott’s movie, ROBIN HOOD, starring Russell Crowe.   David’s books have been translated into a dozen languages.

David received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his Master’s and Ph.D. in U.S. history from Stanford University.  He co-founded and regularly contributes to the Magical Words group blog (http://magicalwords.net), a site devoted to discussions of the craft and business of writing fantasy, and is co-author of HOW TO WRITE MAGICAL WORDS: A WRITER’S COMPANION.

He is still married to The World’s Best Spouse. They have two daughters and live in a small college town on the Cumberland Plateau.

 

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I wrote my first books when I was six years old. Seriously. I learned to read and then immediately started writing stories. My first was called “Jim, the Talking Fish.” It wasn’t very good. I illustrated it myself, and that made it worse. But that was the first. All through elementary school, writing stories was my favorite thing to do. So I knew from early on that I’d wind up a writer.

 

Where do your ideas come from?

I steal them from other people. That’s normal, right?

My story ideas come from all over the place. Things I read, places I go, music I hear — literally anything can spark a story idea. Robert Frost said that “An idea is a feat of association,” and I find that’s true for me as well. It’s not so much the single notion that inspires me, but instead the juxtaposition of different thoughts brought together in an unexpected way. We imagine things that aren’t immediately obvious, we ask ourselves “What if . . . ?” and we’re off to the races.

Do you base your characters on people you know or know of? Family or celebrities?

Actually, no. I tend to do this as little as possible, and here’s why: I’ve found that when I do use real life people as models for characters, it keeps those characters from developing naturally. I allow that person I know to inform my writing too much and so when that character starts to do the unexpected, starts to take on some agency for his/her actions, I resist, thinking “Well, but so-and-so wouldn’t do that . . .” On the other hand, when I create characters entirely from my imagination, without basing them on actual people, they grow more organically and I give them the freedom they need to become active components of my story.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

It’s interesting you should ask me this right now. Usually, I’m a pretty dedicated plotter. My epic fantasies have a lot of plot threads that I need to coordinate with some care. My historical fantasies (the Thieftaker Chronicles, written under the D.B. Jackson pseudonym) blend fictional mysteries with real world historical time lines. My new urban fantasy series (The Case Files of Justis Fearsson, written under my own name) also have mystery elements and demand a good deal of planning. So all the work I’ve done to date has been stuff that I’v needed to plot.

But, I’m currently writing a new epic fantasy, and I had very little sense of where the story was going. So I finally just decided to wing it. To write without an outline. Like a crazy person. At this point — I’m 70,000 words in — I like the story as it’s developed, and I’m having a blast discovering my narrative as I go along. Who knows? This could be a new trend for me.

 

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen too?

I do. I know that some people can’t listen to anything at all — they find any sort of music terribly distracting. And I know other people who can listen to anything at all, even music with lyrics, and it doesn’t bother them one bit. I fall somewhere in the middle. I love listening to music, but only certain kinds. It has to be instrumental. Lyrics mess me up. And I write best when the music has a strong improvisational element — Classical music tends to constrain my creativity. So I listen to a lot of jazz (Miles Davis, Roy Hargrove, Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Nicholas Payton) and instrumental bluegrass (Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Chris Thile, Tony Rice, Alison Brown, David Grisman).

Which of your stories/books/works do you consider the best?

That’s a really hard question. On the one hand, like most authors, I consider my most recent books my best. I’m incredibly proud of all the Thieftaker novels (Tor Books) and I love the Fearsson novels I’m writing now for Baen. The books of both series are lean and compelling and include some of the best character work and sharpest prose I’ve ever written. But I also really love my Winds of the Forelands books, a five-book epic fantasy I wrote for Tor about a decade ago. That’s one of the reasons I’m going back to epic fantasy now. I miss the complexity and sweep of those stories.

 

How much do you write each day/week?

I tend to work slowly when I start a novel — writing the first page can take me an entire day; the first chapter can be a week or two in the making. But once I get some momentum built up, I average about 2,500 words a day, 12,500 words per week. (I try not to work too much on weekends, unless I’m behind on a deadline.) For those not familiar with word counts, that’s ten manuscript pages a day, or fifty per week. I didn’t used to write at that pace, but I’ve built up to it over the years.

 

What is your latest project/release?

My next original release (as opposed to a paperback reissue) is SHADOW’S BLADE, the third book in The Case Files of Justis Fearsson (Baen Books). It comes out in May 2016. This is a contemporary urban fantasy set in Phoenix. My lead character is a private detective, an ex-cop, and a weremyste. Every month, on the full moon, his magic gets stronger and he temporarily loses his mind. These moon phasings are slowly driving him insane, as they did his father. The first two books in the series are SPELL BLIND and HIS FATHER’S EYES, and both are available from all booksellers.

 

If you could live the life of one of your characters, who would it be?

Have you read my books? Do you know what kind of shit I dump on my characters page after page, story after story? I would never, ever, ever want to be any of them.

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

When I started out, I wrote only novels. I didn’t really understand how to approach short stories. I thought I could only “write to a certain length,” which came out to, like, 200,000 words. My first short story sale was actually a background piece for my Winds of the Forelands series. Everything I did was geared toward the novels.

But that changed several years ago. I forced myself to write shorter pieces because — and I honestly believe this — writing short stories is harder and demands more skill than writing novels. As soon as I started writing the shorter pieces, forcing myself to tell complete, satisfying stories in 6,000 words, all of my writing improved. That leanness I mentioned earlier, which I see in my latest work, is, I believe, an outgrowth of my increasing commitment to writing short fiction as well as novel length stuff. I’ve learned to do more with less, and that is all to the good. So, at this point I really have no preference; I love writing in both forms.

 

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it.

Okay, so here is my Writer’s Block Rant. I don’t believe in Writer’s Block. I don’t think it exists, and I think it’s a really foolish concept. Harsh, I know, but bear with me. The problem with the very idea of Writer’s Block is that it pre-supposes writing should be easy. It assumes that writing should always flow smoothly, that finding the correct word ought to be as easy as typing it, that stories never get stuck or turn onto narrative cul-de-sacs. It assumes our characters always behave rationally and answer to our every creative whim, and our settings simply present themselves to us, fully formed and easily described. All of which, of course, is horse crap. Writing is hard. Writing tears at our souls. Writing torments us. Writing is fits and starts, it’s days spent staring at a blank screen getting nothing done. That’s as much a part of the creative process as those rare golden days when everything DOES flow like mountain water. And so what people call Writer’s Block, I call writing. End of Rant.

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

Well, they should begin by memorizing my rant on Writer’s Block . . .

Seriously, they should understand that writing is hard work, that it doesn’t necessarily pay well, and that career paths are rarely linear or uninterrupted ascents to fame and fortune. This is a difficult, at times soul-crushing business. Aspiring writers should know, first and foremost, that they’re writing for the right reason: because they love the story, the characters, the creative process. If they’re doing it because they think it’s easy money, or just something they can do in a half-assed way, they need to think again.

Second, they should know that writing to the market is a bad idea. The market is a moving target. There is absolutely no guarantee that what’s popular when you start a novel will still be popular when that novel is completed and edited and ready for release. The aspiring writer should write the story s/he loves, the story that’s burning a hole in her/his chest trying to get free. If s/he loves what s/he writes, that passion will come through in the prose and storytelling. In other words, write the best story possible, and the market side of things will take care of itself.

Third, there is no such thing as a perfect novel. Everything that has ever been published has some flaw in it. If a writer edits and polishes and works and works and works trying to make that novel utterly flawless, s/he will spend an entire lifetime on that one project and will never send it out for publication. Which isn’t much of a career. Make the book as good as it can be, and then submit it. Publishers understand that books rarely cross their desks as perfect finished novels. That’s what editors are for. Write it, have people read it, revise and polish, and then send it out and get to work on the next thing. That’s how one builds a career.

 

Thanks David. To find more about him, click below:

http://www.davidbcoe.com/

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Bobby Nash

 

 

First, a little something about Bobby.

An award-winning author, Bobby Nash writes novels, comic books, and short stories, graphic novels, and screenplays for a number of publishers and clients including Dark Horse Comics, Sequential Pulp Comics, IDW Publishing, Moonstone Books, Airship 27 Productions, Pro Se Productions, Raven’s Head Press, Stark Raving Press, Farragut Films, Dark Oak Press, Radio Archives, and more.

Bobby is a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers and International Thriller Writers.

For more information on Bobby Nash please visit him at www.bobbynash.com and across social media. If you see him wandering around a convention, please say hi and make sure he’s not lost.

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I’m not sure of the exact age, but I remember in 6th grade I decided that my dream of being a scientist probably wasn’t going to happen so I switched gears and declared that I wanted to draw comic books for a living. Eventually, my inadequacies as a comic book artist led me to writing comics. From there it was a short leap to prose.

 

Where do your ideas come from?

Anywhere and everywhere. I know that’s a simple answer, but it’s true. Sometimes I get ideas from a news story or something I overhear. Other times, story ideas just hit me fully firmed. Whatever magical place exists where story ideas are born, I’m thankful every day that I am able to tap into it.

 

Do you base your characters on people you know or know of? Family or celebrities?

Sometimes I do, although usually it’s a secondary character. The main characters are generally fully original, although bits and pieces from others may end up in there. For example: in my novel, Evil Ways, the two main protagonists are brothers, Harold and Franklin Palmer. Since I have a brother and know how we bounce off one another when we talk, I gave one of the characters my personality and the other his. The characters are not us, but there is that small spark from each of us that they are built off of and I think that makes them feel like brothers in the book. Celebrities are generally for type. I may need a George Clooney type or a Kristen Bell type, that sort of thing.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

I’m somewhere in the middle. I generally do loose plots so I know the major beats I have to hit in the story. I like to think of them as signposts. Then, I write from one signpost to the next. This way, I am still free to follow my characters if one of them decides to take a left turn when I planned for them to go right. I have had some great “Ah Ha!” moments by allowing myself the freedom to veer off course if the characters tell me that’s what they need.

The one things I cannot do is outline. I’ve tried outlining, but it just doesn’t work for me. By the time I write the outline and get ready to start writing, I find myself not as excited because I feel like I’ve already written this story and am ready to move on to the next one.

 

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen too?

I like to listen to music when I write. I don’t have a specific playlist or anything. I have several CDs burned onto my laptop I can listen to or will turn on the radio. Once I get into the groove, I generally tune it out so it’s just background noise.

 

Which of your characters would you most like to meet in person? Which character of another author would you want to meet?

I’d love to meet Lance Star: Sky Ranger. I’m fascinated with aircraft and I would imaging the character would have some really fun stories to tell.

As for characters I didn’t create, I’d love to spend some time with the Fantastic Four. Domino lady would be fun to hang out with as well, although I probably wouldn’t be able to keep up with her.

 

Which of your stories/books/works do you consider the best?

This is one of those answers that changes depending on when I’m asked. There’s something about each of my stories that is special to me, but Evil Ways stands out because it was my first published novel and a long hard journey to get it out there. After that, I’d say Alexandra Holzer’s Ghost Gal: The Wild Hunt novel. Ask me again tomorrow and you’ll probably get a different answer.

 

How much do you write each day/week?

Not nearly enough. When I was writing full time, I had 2 large blocks of time set aside for writing. A little over a year ago I returned to corporate life so now that I have a fulltime day job, the writing has been pushed to the weekends with the occasional bits during the week. I wish there was more free time, but I get it in where I can.

 

Can you tell about your experiences working with publishers? Any juicy or painful experiences?

I’ve had more good experiences than bad, but there have been some less than pleasant experiences as well. All were good learning experiences. Not naming any names, but my first published novel, Evil Ways, ended up with a bad publisher. They had lousy, almost non-existent editing, poor cover design, price point too high, no marketing, and no desire to listen to anything I had to say. It was a painful experience, but at the end of the day I did have a published book in my hand. I used that book to introduce myself to other publishers and was able to get more writing gigs that way. As bad as that original experience was, having that book helped open doors. I was able to turn a negative situation into a positive one.

 

Do you have a routine when you write?

Not so much these days since I went back to a full-time day job. I write whenever I can squeeze it in. When I was writing full-time, I had more of a routine. I miss the routine.

 

What is your latest project/release?

The most recent releases I am part of include a graphic novel adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ At The Earth’s Core novel by myself and illustrator Jamie Chase that was published by Sequential pulp Comics and Dark Horse Comics. You can still find the standard hardcover and limited edition signed and numbered hardcover at bookstores, on-line retailers, and comic shops.

Also, just this week, Moonstone Books released the first in their line of hardcovers exclusively available through Moonstone’s website. The first book to retrieve this treatment is my Domino Lady “Money Shot” novel. The new hardcover comes with a new cover by Mike Fyles. The paperback is still available as well and features a cover by Douglas Klauba. Trust me when I say, both of these gents know how to draw Domino Lady.

 

Do you have any signings or appearances coming up?

As the year starts to wind down I only have one convention appearance left (as of right now). On November 14^th and 15^th, I will be at Fanaticon in Ozark, Alabama. Should be a fun time.  www.alabamafanaticon.org

I may add a 1 day show in December. Still up in the air on that. Nothing set in stone yet for 2016, but as soon as I set convention and appearance dates, I’ll post them at www.bobbynash.com

 

Who were your inspirations?

Oh, so many have inspired me one way or another over the years. There are many creators whose work I admired and drew inspiration from the work that they had done and continue to do. I also drew inspiration for how to behave as an author by watching others at conventions, signings, and other events. I picked up many lessons on what to do and what not to do by watching others. I’m inspired by anyone who takes a chance and creates something. Whether it is to my tastes or not, seeing others finish a project inspires me to keep going and finish my projects. The writing community, especially, is filled with authors who are both helpful and supportive. It inspires me to do the same.

 

Favorite authors?

This is another of those lists that will change from day to day. Currently, I’m really enjoying the work of Michael Connelly, Alex Kava, Paul Bishop, David Mack, Van Allen Plexico, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. There are other authors whose work I love, but that would be a long list.

 

What book do you read over and over the most?

I don’t have any one particular novel that I read over and over again, mainly because of the time issue, but I do revisit comic book runs I’ve enjoyed again and again.

 

Is there a book or book series that you recommend to people?

Sure. If you love crime thrillers, seek out the work of Michael Connelly and alex Kava. They are really good. Also, Paul Bishop’s new Lie Catchers is great. I’m reading it now. It’s the first book in a series. Van Allen Plexico’s Legion novels are excellent science fiction reads.

 

Do you have a dream project that you want to write in the future?

I would love to write a Stargate SG-1 or Stargate: Atlantis novel one day. That just seems like a fun universe to play in. In comics, I’d love to write the Fantastic Four.

 

Do you have a special way of generating story ideas?

Not really. My brain somehow makes the jumble of thoughts and images come together. However it works, they do come together for me so I guess that makes it special.

 

How much of you is in your characters?

There is a little bit of me in each of my characters, some more than others. It can be little things like a personality trait or a particular job or experience that character may have had in the past. Stuff like that.

 

If you could live the life of one of your characters, who would it be?

Yikes! I put my characters through hell so I’m not sure how much fun it would be to switch places with any of them for any given length of time. That said, I bet it would be fun to be Lance Star for a day.

 

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

I love crime fiction, primarily with thriller sensibilities. I tend to add a bit of thriller to all of the stories I write. I love playing in multiple genres, but I always seem to come back to solving a crime or mystery.

 

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

Short stories are fun, but I prefer writing novels. I love delving deep into a character’s life and telling that story. With the novels, I get to do that more than with short stories where you have to get to things quickly.

 

What are you working on now?

At present I am nearing the end of my Evil Intent novel and starting on a novel featuring the old pulp hero, The Avenger. I’m also plotting the next Ghost Gal novel. Those are foremost on my ever-growing to do list.

 

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it?

No. My problem is not that I’m unable to think of things to write. My problem is making time to get all the writing done I need to do to meet my deadlines. I appreciate my day job, but it does put a strain on my deadlines.

 

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

If you want to write as a career, treat it like a job. It’s fine if you want to do it as a hobby, but know what you want to do and plan accordingly.

Set goals for yourself. Why are you writing? What’s your goal? Want to be a New York Times Bestseller? No problem. You plan your career trajectory accordingly, but don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

Have fun with writing. It can be a lot of work, but it can also be very rewarding. It’s a great feeling when you finish a story. It’s a bigger thrill when you hold your first published book in your hands.

 

What is your funniest/ awkward moment at a convention/signing event?

I’ve been asked to sign some weird things, including a corset while the lady who wanted it signed was wearing it and I once signed a blanket that had super hero characters on it at a con. For the most part though, it’s been pretty tame.

 

How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

Social media is great for connecting with fans and potential fans. It is not great for selling books, but I like to keep my friends/followers updated on my writing progress as well as what books I’m reading, movies I’m watching, and definitely sharing photos from conventions and appearances, Social media is great for that. I am on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram. I may have others, but those are the ones I try to post to regularly.

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I do read them and have been lucky in that most have been positive. I generally don’t argue or do more than thank the reviewer for taking the time to leave a review on places like Amazon, B&N, etc. I do share to social media when a review (good and bad) is left for one of my books and thank the reviewer there as well. I have had readers come to my website and engage me and I do respond there, but always in a positive manner.  I don’t like to argue.

 

 

To learn more about Bobby, click the links below:

http://www.bobbynash.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorBobbyNash

www.twitter.com/bobbynash

http://www.lance-star.com

www.google.com/+BobbyNashAuthor

http://amazon.com/author/bobbynash

http://ben-books.blogspot.com

http://instagram.com/bobbynash14

www.pinterest.com/bobbynash

 

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Barbara Friend Ish 

 

First, a little something about Barbara.

     Writer, publisher, slave of cats: Barbara Friend Ish is Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, and Wild-Eyed Visionary for Mercury Retrograde Press, which publishes Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Interstitial novels and novellas: a small press dedicated to unconventional authors and works that might undeservedly slip through the cracks at bigger houses. After earning a Bachelor’s in English from Rice University, Barbara divided her time between working with small groups of entrepreneurs who didn’t know any better than to start their own companies and swimming against the current of the publishing industry, eventually co-founding Be Mused, an author services company devoted to helping authors and small publishers develop books. She founded Mercury Retrograde Press in 2007. She is insufferably proud of the authors with whom she works, including multi-award-nominated Edward Morris, author of the transgressionist althistory series There Was a Crooked Man; Zachary Steele, whose debut novel Anointed: The Passion of Timmy Christ, CEO was considered for the 2010 Sidewise Award; and talented fantasists Leona Wisoker and Larissa N. Niec.

Books edited by Barbara have been covered by Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, The Midwest Book Review, SciFiDimensions, American Freethought, Baby Got Books, SFScope, SFSignal, The Internet Review of Science Fiction, January Magazine and Green Man Review. She has been featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and on Baby Got Books and SF Signal, and has appeared at The Atlanta Book Show, RavenCon, Faerie Escape: Atlanta and Opus Fest.

Barbara’s debut novel, The Shadow of the Sun, is scheduled for release in February 2011. The first volume of the fantasy series The Way of the Gods, The Shadow of the Sun tells the story of a defrocked wizard, his quest for redemption, and his struggle against the evil in his soul.

For the past 22 years Barbara has been married to her one true love, one of the very first ColdWar-era Soviet émigrés. Together they have ridden the roller coasters of multiple start-up businesses (his and hers) and the raising of two children. Current projects include a garden entirely bereft of nutritional value and a search for the perfect bottle of champagne.

Born in Chicago, at various times in her life Barbara has called Philadelphia, Houston, New Jersey, and Atlanta home. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA, with her husband, her daughter, and two high-maintenance cats. Barbara is qualified to speak about writing and publishing, creativity and overcoming creative blocks. She has opinions on a plethora of other topics as well.

 

Let’s get started:

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I’m irresistibly hard-wired for story. When I figured out that books were made by people (instead of just manifesting magically from whatever mysterious source also provided television and shampoo, I suppose) I knew I wanted to make them. The first time I had the magical experience of  “falling into” a story as a writer I was nine years old, in the midst of one of those “draw a picture and write a story” exercises they give in elementary school. I was immediately so immersed that I forgot to finish the assignment.

I’m not entirely sure what that says about me as a writer.

 

Where do your ideas come from?

Mostly from things that are mysterious to me, which I want to figure out. The fantasy series I’m working on right now arose from a question that flitted through my head one day: If the gods of ancient myth were real, where did they come from? Once I have a question, I start doing research. Eventually my brain gets so full of bits of idea that they coalesce into something big enough to support a story.

 

Do you base your characters on people you know or know of? Family or celebrities?

Not even a little bit. They are all figments of my imagination. My day-to-day involves conflicts between my imaginary friends; that’s not weird, right?

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

For first drafts, I more or less “seat-of-the-pants” my way through it. The idea I’m pursuing will begin to suggest characters to me; naturally the main character is the one most affected by the story problem I’m constructing. Once I have characters and a problem, the plot of the story arises from the characters’ attempts to solve the problem. I will sit down to write with an idea of where the story starts and what the end-state will be, but it’s all very fluid in the beginning.

For me the first draft is a way of exploring the characters and all the ways the problem affects them, and I mostly follow them around as they develop the tale. Once I have a first draft, and thus a fairly coherent story and character set, then I sit down and plan before I begin developing the version of the story that will go to press. This time I’ll have a firm and fairly detailed plot plan. But because I write the second draft from the ground up, and nothing can tame Writer Brain, surprises will still arise. Eventually I’ll deviate from the plot plan. Sometimes, by the last third of the novel I’m writing all the planned plot points but they mean completely different things from what I expected.

I find planning extremely useful, particularly when I’m writing a story that has a lot of moving parts. But I think it’s important to accept it when one’s instinctive Writer Brain knows better.

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen too?

Sometimes. My favorite way to write is in quiet, but I live in civilization and that’s not always possible. When I do write to music, it has to be entirely instrumental and not distracting. I listen to a lot of modernist cello, especially Zoe Keating and Hildur Gudnadottir, and modernist classical e.g. the Kronos Quartet.

But I find other kinds of music useful during the walking-around-thinking part of story development. Here I use playlists that draw on a lot of different genres, including traditional (e.g. Celtic) and all the flavors of rock. In this setting, lyrics can be useful springboards into thinking about my characters and their situations, in much the same way a song that speaks to you seems to be about your own life.

 

Can you tell about your experiences working with publishers? Any juicy or painful experiences?

I am a publisher, and I’m here to subvert this question. I’ve been in the industry in one way or another for a long time, and it has been in a state of ongoing, world-shaking change for nearly two decades. That’s not going to end anytime soon. It’s confusing—but it offers writers more freedom than ever before. Publishers can offer real value to writers, but writers no longer need blindly accept whatever publisher is willing to take them on. In my experience the most important factor in a writer’s publishing life is not who publishes their work, but whether they make a good match.

Most publishing houses are businesses. They have to make payroll and pay rent. That means most publishers, particularly the big ones, can’t afford to put artistic sensibilities at the top of their priority lists; they must expect the writers they work with to approach what they do as guild craftspeople, not artists. Guild craftspeople show up for work every day and make what can be sold, in a timely fashion and without a lot of fuss. Have you ever seen a furniture maker experience creative block? It doesn’t happen, because they know what their market wants and show up every day to create it. For writers who aren’t wired to work that way, who want to pursue personal visions without regard for the imperatives of turning a profit, working under contract with a publisher is almost guaranteed to be a painful experience.

Naturally, the publishing house I run was founded as a way out of this mindset. But putting art first creates other problems, which I am still working to solve. Ultimately, the only way a writer will have a satisfying publishing experience is by figuring out what she wants out of her publishing life and choosing the appropriate publishing path. Happy publishing experiences, like happy marriages, arise from good matches in fundamental values and styles.

There are other ways to land in unhappy publishing situations, of course. There are quite a number of people operating in the publishing arena, whether as agents, publishers, or editors, who are either not interested in providing or not equipped to actually render the services for which writers engage them. Writers can protect themselves by checking up on the reputations of their potential publishing partners. (I’m including agents and editors here.) If a writer encounters someone who wants to work with her in any of these areas, doing the research—and being realistic—can save her much pain. (“Being realistic”? Here I mean taking off the rose-colored glasses. If people are complaining about somebody in the field, there’s probably something there, and you will probably not have a happy experience where others did not.)

Publishers have much to offer writers. But self-publishing is a truly viable option. Among other things, this means there is no reason for a writer to settle for a publisher that is not a good match for her own needs. If you handle your own publishing or choose a small press, an agent is probably not necessary early in your career, either.

 

Do you have a routine when you write?

To call it a routine might be overselling it. I have practices that make it easier and/or more fun. I am at my best in my study, at the desk that my daughter made just the right height by creating risers painted like planets for the legs. I like to wear a particular light jacket, weather permitting. Because I only wear this jacket at home, wearing it means I am—how can I say this without sounding nutty?—sort of invisible. This is important to my neurotic writer brain, because the sense that people are watching makes me self-conscious and thus unable to create.

I love to drink coffee or tea when I write, but I am learning to keep hydrated, so I keep it down to about a cup or so a day now. And sometimes, when I’m really in the groove, I light up some incense for atmosphere.

 

Who were your inspirations?

Like many genre writers, I had a life-altering encounter with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien as a kid. I still carry with me memories of what it was like to read those books before my innocent reader-eye was spoiled by working in the craft, and it helps me think about the experiences I want to create for my own readers. Other early inspirations included Roger Zelazny, Patricia McKillip, Anne McCaffrey, and all of world myth. Today I’m inspired by writers who are re-imagining genre for this century, whose works are informed by the way our society is growing into true respect and inclusion for all.

 

What book do you read over and over the most?

The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. Every time I read it, I take away something new about the universal phenomena of story and what they mean to humans. And it is one of my favorite tools for thinking about whatever story I’m working on.

 

Is there a book or book series that you recommend to people?

I never stop recommending Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen. It never got the attention it deserved, and it’s out of print now, but you can still buy it used. For writers to whom plot doesn’t come easily, it’s a godsend.

 

 

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

I prefer to write speculative fiction, which is a catch-all term that includes fantasy, science fiction, horror, and works less easily classified. My ideas and works frequently blur the lines between genres, so I like that umbrella term.

As I reader, I mostly divide my time between spec fic and nonfiction. I’m constantly reading in a variety of disciplines as background for the fiction I write, and I also devour books on business and media as well as the craft of storytelling in all its forms.

 

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

I’m definitely a long-form writer. Most of the stories that appeal to me as a writer go beyond normal novel length, so I tend towards ultra-thick novels and series. This is because I’m a born synthesist: I love putting ideas together and figuring out how large systems work. And unlike many writers who tend toward the big ideas as the basis for their work, I am equally fascinated by deep, strange characters. Putting these things together yields books of, well, unusual size.

 

What are you working on now?

This area of my life in is always divided into at least two functions: creating and publishing. On the creative side, I’m working on The Heart of Darkness, the sequel to The Shadow of the Sun. It is doorstop-sized fantasy, the second of a series, which is what happens when ideas are too big for one book. On the publishing side, I’m in the process of developing a fairly radical new publishing model that I hope will address the problems of publishing art-first writers in today’s chaotic market. We’ll begin testing it next year.

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it.

In my experience, writer’s block means one of two things: either there’s something wrong with the story, or there’s something (probably depression) wrong with the writer. If my problem is psychological, I have to look at my life away from the keyboard. Because I wear a bunch of different hats, it’s far too easy for me to take on too much and burn myself out.

If that’s not the case, then there’s a problem with the story. Writer Brain is nonverbal, but knows all. If there’s a flaw in my plot or a gap in a character’s motivation, Writer Brain will simply halt all production. Then it’s my job to figure out what the problem is.

My method for this is analysis. I chart plot and character arcs against a variety of models; I read literary criticism. I’m a complete geek, but it works for me.

 

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

1. There is no universal authority that anoints good writers and rejects bad ones. If a particular {reader/publisher/agent} doesn’t respond positively to your work, it doesn’t necessarily mean your work is bad. It may just be that you haven’t found the right market yet. (If it is bad, however, no one with whom you have a personal relationship is likely to tell you so. And anyone in your personal life who is willing to volunteer that sort of information is likely to be doing so out of a destructive impulse, whether conscious or not.)
2. Every writer and every work, without exception, needs a professional editor. Your {mother/aunt/friend} who is a {teacher/paralegal/aspiring writer} does not count. If you are self-publishing, pay a professional to do this. If you are considering selling your work to a publisher, be sure their process includes having an editor work with you before publication.
3. Always follow the submission guidelines. Every outlet has their own, and they are not arbitrary. Failing to follow the submission guidelines marks a writer as (a) too dim to understand them (b) too precious to work with or (c) both.

 

 

How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

I use social media to keep in touch with and share things with friends and fans. I find it offputting when people use social media as an advertising medium. That doesn’t mean I don’t share news about my work with my friends and fans; evidently they want to know how the sequel to the book they liked is progressing, when I’ve released a novel, when I’ve written a blog post, where they can read an interview with me, etc. They’re pretty excited about contests that might get them cool stuff, particularly when the contest itself is fun. But most of us don’t want to be socially connected with people who spend all their bandwidth trying to sell us something or—heaven forfend—get us to spam/give up our friends as advertising fodder, and it would make me feel weird and dirty to try.

If you want to learn how to use social media as a professional artist, go read Tara Hunt’s The Whuffie Factor.

 

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I do. These days it is a very common idea that reading one’s own reviews can only be destructive; I don’t think that’s true. We write stories in order to create experiences that affect our readers; reviews are frequently a window into the effect our work has. They can be hard to read, and sometimes just plain wrong; but if we can muster the discipline to analyze how our work is being received, we may learn ways to improve our craft, our marketing efforts, or both.

Naturally, every writer has to maintain his own mental health practices, and some simply can’t tolerate reading reviews. Others can’t restrain the impulse to fight with reviewers they think are wrong, or lash out when they feel hurt by what they’ve read. Anybody in these categories should stay away from their own reviews (and, incidentally, from googling themselves). There is never anything good a writer can accomplish by arguing with readers about their own work, irrespective of the venue in which the fight goes down. Winning such a fight makes a writer a bully; losing makes him, at best, a fool. I’ve seen writers do irreparable damage to their reputations that way.

However, under certain circumstances I think it’s not only all right but appropriate to respond to reviews. In particular, if a reader-blogger goes to the trouble to review your work, a “thank you” note is a nice gesture, whether or not you agree with all of their conclusions. (Unless, of course, the blogger in question is explicitly opposed to being in contact with writers. Some are.) Reader-bloggers are almost always unpaid for their work, and they represent one of the most important avenues of book discovery (i.e., how readers find new books). They can be powerful allies—and getting a “thank you” often really matters to them.

 

Thanks Barbara. To learn more about her, click below:

http://www.barbarafriendish.com/

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Derrick Ferguson 

 

First, a little something about Derrick in his own words.

My name is Derrick Ferguson and I’m from Brooklyn, New York where I have lived for most of my still young life.  Been married for 28 years to the wonderful Patricia Cabbagestalk-Ferguson who lets me get away with far more than is good for me.

My interests include radio/audio drama, Classic Pulp from the 30’s/40’s/50’s and New Pulp being written today, Marvel/DC fan fiction, Star Trek in particular and all Science Fiction in general, animation, television, movies, cooking, loooooong road trips and casual gaming on the Xbox 360.

Running a close second with writing as an obsession is my love of movies.  I’m currently the co-host of the BETTER IN THE DARK podcast where my partner Thomas Deja and I rant and rave about movies on a bi-weekly basis.

I’m also a rotating co-host of the PULPED! podcast along with Tommy Hancock, Ron Fortier and Barry Reese where we interview writers of the New Pulp Movement as well as discuss the various themes, topics, ebb and flow of what New Pulp is and why you should be reading it.

And now we come to the part where I blurb and brag about the books I’ve written:

DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN and DILLON AND THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN BELL are the first two books featuring my signature character, a charismatic, daring and highly skilled black adventurer/mercenary named Dillon.  Check out the DILLON blog  http://dillon-dlferguson.blogspot.com/ for more info.

DERRICK FERGUSON’S MOVIE REVIEW NOTEBOOK and THE RETURN OF DERRICK FERGUSON’S MOVIE REVIEW NOTEBOOK are two volumes of my movie reviews.  For current reviews feel free to check out THE FERGUSON THEATER https://derricklferguson.wordpress.com/

That’s it for now.  Anything else you wanna know, just ask!

 

Let’s get started:

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I started writing when I was in elementary school. I would write these Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired stories using my classmates as the characters. I’d write a “chapter” on both sides of a piece of loose leaf paper and it would get passed around the classroom. When I got it back I’d write another ‘chapter” and so it would go until the story was finished.

I also was infatuated with Mad Magazine’s “Spy vs. Spy” for some bizarre reason and wrote story after story about them. I made up some weird convoluted backstory for them that they were twins separated at birth. One was raised in a ‘good’ country and the other one in an ‘evil’ country. I also wrote what is now called superhero fan fiction. I’d make up my own stories with my favorite superheroes. I did that well into my teen-age years. I had five or six spiral notebooks in my book bag but only one of them was for my schoolwork. The rest was for me to write down my stories.

I don’t think I actually ‘decided’ to be a writer until my mid-teens. I kept on bugging my father for a typewriter and that’s when I felt like I really wanted to be a writer.

Where do your ideas come from?

Who the hell knows? So many things inspire me. Italian musclemen/sword-and-sandal movies. Westerns in print and on TV and movies. Robert E. Howard. Marvel and DC comic books. 1970s/1980s grindhouse. Blaxploitation. Detective fiction (my father turned me onto Shell Scott, Boysie Oakes and Matt Helm) Ian Fleming. Doc Savage. Ray Harryhausen movies. Virtually everything I’ve ever read or seen goes into the boiling pit that is my subconscious and comes out in my fiction.

 

Do you base your characters on people you know or know of? Family or celebrities?

I don’t do it consciously but I think that it’s impossible for any writer not to cherry pick traits and mannerisms and character bits from people we know or our favorite actors. After all, a large part of being a writer is observing people so it’s inevitable that the people we know personally or see in TV and movies find their way into our fiction. I’ve gotten used to having friends or family who have read a book of mine call me up to ask me; “You based this character on me, didn’t you?” I let ‘em think so. It makes ‘em happy.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

I make it up as I go usually. I actually have a lot of admiration and respect for those writers who plot our every last single detail of their stories on 3×5 cards and have diagrams of their plot breakdowns on charts. I can’t do that because if I did all that exhaustive preparation then I’d have no desire to write the story. I don’t even like to talk about a current WIP because I need that pressure at the keyboard. I really don’t like to know all the details of a story I’m writing because I like to surprise myself. And I figure that if I can surprise myself then I damn sure can surprise a reader.

I usually start out with a beginning and an end and four or five scenes that somewhere go in the middle. But how I get to those scenes I trust to my subconscious and years of experience. That and the fact that I just plain flat out enjoy making this stuff up.

 

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen to?

I never listen to music while I’m writing my first drafts. That’s because I have to give my undivided attention to the film that’s playing on my Mental Movie Screen and listen to the dialog, the background sounds and study the scenery and special effects in detail. Once I finish the first draft then I can relax and listen to music while I’m doing the second and third drafts.

What kind of music do I listen to then? It all depends on what I’m writing. If it’s a Sebastian Red story I’m listening to Ennio Morricone and Gangstagrass. If I’m writing a Dillon novel its 1970s/1980s music and Motown with a healthy mix of whatever is currently popular. Movie soundtracks are always great to listen to while writing.

 

Which of your characters would you most like to meet in person? Which character of another author would you want to meet?

Oh, Dillon, of course. I’ve lived with him in my head for so long it’s like he’s a family member. Meeting him for dinner would be an event, I’m sure.

Which character of another author would I want to meet? Probably Sherlock Holmes. How can I pass up a chance to meet The Great Detective himself? And meeting Holmes would be relatively safe, I think. Too many other characters I like get themselves into horrifically violent situations I might get caught up in. I don’t wanna meet them that bad

Which of your stories/books/works do you consider the best?

Of my novels I’d have to say that THE VRIL AGENDA which I co-wrote with Joshua Reynolds is the one story where it actually turned out much better than I thought it would be. I drop kick humility out the window when it comes to that book. Josh and I knocked that sucker clean out of the park. I’m proud of all my Dillon novels but that one has so much in it that has Dillon as the link of Classic Pulp Heroes to the Age of New Pulp Heroes. And working with Josh was nothing less than spectacular. He’s not only one of the most imaginative and talented writers I know, he’s also one of the most generous. Anytime I asked him if I could this or that with Jim Anthony he said; “Sure, go ahead.” And he never tried to micromanage what I was doing with his characters. I appreciated that kind of trust.

Of my short stories, I think that my first Sebastian Red story; “Of All The Sins A Lover Bears” is the best. When I’m asked to describe my Sebastian Red stories I always say that they’re my idea of what might have occurred if Sergio Leone and Michael Moorcock had ever collaborated on a western. “Of All The Sins A Lover Bears” nails that concept perfectly. And it’s got a love story in there at the heart of it and I rarely write a love story so I’m proud of that.

 

How much do you write each day/week?

That’s difficult to say because I have good days/weeks and I have bad days/weeks. On a good day I can turn out between 3 to 5K. On a bad day it’s more around 2K.

 

Can you tell about your experiences working with publishers? Any juicy or painful experiences?

There are actually only three publishers I’ve had experience with. Tommy Hancock of Pro Se Productions I’ve known for so long that you’d think I was lying if I told you exactly how long. He’s infuriating and exasperating at times but that’s because he’s so excited about what he’s doing and he wants to share that excitement with the world. We fuss and bicker like an old married couple when discussing projects but I’ll tell you this; if more people involved in New Pulp had Tommy dedication and commitment to what he’s doing, we’d have a lot more better written New Pulp.

Captain Ron Fortier of Airship 27 has probably spoiled me and indulged me way too much. Anytime I come to him with a project he says; “Fine! Terrific! Go write it up and send it to me!” I don’t think he’s ever said no to anything I’ve pitched to him. What more can a writer ask of a publisher?

A publisher I’ve recently started working with is David Edwards of Imperiad Entertainment. David’s a writer and filmmaker who has created this outrageously outré Lovecraftian universe of characters and concepts. He’s written a couple of novels and written/directed a movie; “Nightscape.” He asked me if I would be interested in playing in his sandbox and I said sure. I’ve written one novel so far for him: “The Thousand-Eyed Fear” a World War I pulp adventure and there’s more to come. I’ll be doing a weird western for him as well as a sequel to “The Thousand-Eyed Fear” And like Tommy and Ron, he trusts me to just go off and do my thing, knowing that I’ll deliver. That kind of trust you can’t buy. It has to be earned.

 

Who were your inspirations?

Sit back and make yourself comfortable. Here we go:

Piers Anthony. Steven Barnes. Leigh Brackett. Ray Bradbury. Edgar Rice Burroughs. Stephen J. Cannell. George C. Chesbro. Clive Cussler. Samuel R. Delany. Lester Dent. Alexandre Dumas. Will Eisner. Harlan Ellison. Ian Fleming. Dashiell Hammett. Chester Himes. Robert E. Howard. Langston Hughes. Joel Jenkins. Joe R. Lansdale. Stan Lee. Robert R. McCammon. Walter Mosley. Larry McMurtry. Michael Moorcock. John Ostrander. Ishmael Reed. Mike Resnick. Joshua Reynolds. Charles Saunders. Jim Steranko. Andrew Vachss. Jules Verne. Cornell Woolrich. Roger Zelazny.

 

What book do you read over and over the most?

If we’re talking about non-fiction: “Techniques of The Selling Writer” by Dwight V. Swain. I’ve owned a copy of this book ever since I first read it in the 1970s. The best book about writing I’ve ever read. It’s safe to say that I re-read it every two or three months.

As for fiction…that’s a tough one. I can’t really single out any one fiction book I’ve read more than another.

 

Do you have a dream project that you want to write in the future?

Oh, tons of ‘em. But the main one I really want to do? For years I’ve had the plot for an Expendables/League of Extraordinary Gentlemen type of story but with Blaxploitation characters. But I have no idea who owns the rights to the characters I want to use or how I would even go about getting permission to use them.

People keep telling me to make up pastiches and go ahead and do it but I don’t wanna. It just wouldn’t be the same.

 

If you could live the life of one of your characters, who would it be?

Fortune McCall, without a doubt. He’s insanely wealthy, travels around the world on a luxurious gambling ship, has a crew of loyal friends he has amazing adventures with and if that ain’t enough, he’s an African prince. Wherever he goes he’s always the smartest and coolest cat in the room. Yeah, living the life of Fortune McCall would be awfully sweet, I should think.

 

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

My genre of choice now and has been for the past 15, 20 years has been pulp action/adventure. I used to write science fiction but for some reason I drifted away from that. Writing Pulp just seems to get the fuses in my brain firing the same way when I was a kid reading Doc Savage, The Shadow and John Carter of Mars.

I read everything. Really. I’m a big believer that writers shouldn’t turn up their noses at anything except for badly written prose. I’m really into biographies now. But for pure pleasure I go with Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock or Mike Resnick.

 

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

Novels. Because I tend to write long anyway. Tell me to write you a 10K word story and the first draft will end up being 20K. Tell me to write you a 50K word novel and the first draft will end up being 70 or 80K. Writing a novel it’s easier for for me to trim away the fat in the second or third draft than doing that with a short story. Despite that, I am pretty pleased with the short stories I’ve done.

 

What are you working on now?

I’m co-writing a Dillon story with a friend of mine, Erik Fromme: “Dillon and The City of Stone.” He came up with the idea and wrote a couple of thousand words. That’s when I brutally bullied my way into and insisted that I co-write it with him. Erik will tell you a different story but that pretty much what happened.

I’m also doing research on the World War I flying ace Eugene Bullard, known as ‘The Black Swallow of Death’ with the intention of writing a novel inspired by his real life adventures.

 

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it?

I don’t believe in Writer’s Block so no, it’s not a problem for me.

 

How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

I’m still trying to figure that out. I have three blogs and between them I think I do a fairly good job of connecting with people who have read and enjoyed my books and connecting with my fellow writers, all of which is important to me. I’m fairly active on Facebook but still don’t have a single clue as to how to use Twitter. I’ve read articles and such that insist that I need to spend a certain amount of time each day on a dozen different social media platforms to sell books but if I did that, when would I have time to write?

I think that the one thing a lot of writers ignore about social media is the ‘social’ part. It’s not enough to just keep posting links on Facebook and Twitter to your Amazon page and saying over and over again; “Please buy my book!” because there are 1,021 other writers that are doing the exact same thing. Not that I’m saying don’t do it. Hey, it’s free and not costing you anything but time. And hey, you’re on Facebook and Twitter most of the day anyway, right?

What I am saying is that in order to sell your books I firmly believe that you have to sell you. Tell a funny story about something that happened to your family over the weekend. Give your opinion about the current political climate. Talk about your favorite movies (hey, don’t knock it. You know how many readers I’ve picked up thanks to my movie review blog?) and TV shows. Talk about how you feel about anything and everything that comes to your mind and for Odin’s sake don’t be afraid of offending somebody. You’re going to offend somebody anyway, trust me. I think you’ll be surprised at the response that you get.

“But I don’t like to do promotion or connect with people or hang out on Facebook and Twitter. I don’t want to do any of that stuff. I just want people to buy my books!” Well, I can’t help you there. I can only suggest what works for me. If you don’t like to do your own promotion, ask or hire somebody else to do it, then. You don’t wanna connect with people, fine. There have been plenty of reclusive writers who have gone on to be famous and rich. Maybe you’ll be one of ‘em.

 

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I read all reviews of my books. And I’ve always thanked a reviewer for their review, good or bad.

This is the way I see it and have always seen it: when somebody reads something I’ve written they are paying for it in coin more valuable than money. They have given up valuable time out of their life that they will never get back to read my book or story. As far as I’m concerned, that gives them the right to say anything they like about my book or story in any language they see fit.

I do not subscribe to the babyish whining of some writers that reviewers should “be nice” or that they should only write reviews if they’re positive ones. If you put your work out there in the world for people to see then you have to take the good with the bad. Not everybody out there is going to love your darling the way you do and it’s best to grow a thick skin or develop some other way of dealing with bad reviews. I know quite a few writers who don’t read reviews at all, good or bad.

I see that we’ve come to the end of the questions so now is the perfect time for me to thank you for this opportunity, Alan. It was most thoughtful and generous of you to allow me this time to run my mouth for a bit. If anybody is interested in my work or further discussion on anything I’ve said here, you can find me on Facebook. And I’ve got three blogs where you can find out more about what I write:

 

 

Thanks Derrick. To find out more about him, click the links below:

BLOOD & INK http://dlferguson-bloodandink.blogspot.com/

DILLON https://derrickferguson1.wordpress.com/

THE FERGUSON THEATER https://derricklferguson.wordpress.com/

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Nikki Nelson-Hicks

 

First, a little something about Nikki.

The last recorded sighting of Nikki Nelson-Hicks was in Inglewood, a subdivision of Nashville, TN. She was heard muttering, “That’ll show ‘em! Eat my last Chips Ahoy, the cookie stealing summamitches!” and wearing only flannel bottoms and a black rhinestone studded bra. She is a writer/editor for Pro Se Productions and has stories included in the anthologies, Soundtrack Not Included and Nashville Noir (both available on Amazon.com). Known to post trivial dribble on her blog, www.nikcubed.blogspot.com and has a rabid Facebook fandom. Her last known project was as the editor for the horror anthology, Comfort Foods. Described as ‘the lovechild of Flannery O’Connor and H.P. Lovecraft’ and a ‘damn good shag’, this person is terribly desperate for validation. If you see Nikki Nelson-Hicks please approach cautiously with handfuls of chocolate or a tumbler of Gentleman Jack on ice. Or a basket of kittens. Or a basket of money. Or a basket of kittens wrapped in money. Dipped in chocolate.

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I started writing to gain the love of a man. He was my English teacher and I loved him with all the passion and fury that a fourteen year old virgin could conjure. I wrote short stories, poems, whatever and would slip them under his door, under the windshield wiper of his truck or with my homework assignments. Seriously, I stalked that man.

To avert my attentions (and possibly jail time), he channeled my energies towards theatre and got me involved in an after school program for gifted and talented students. It was through that program that I eventually met the young boy who would grow up to be my husband. Kismet is weird, huh?

Where do your ideas come from?

Challenges, mainly. Hey, Nik, write a pulp story that has to have chickens in it. Hey, Nik, write a story where you take a historical figure and pit them up against a fairytale monster. Hey, Nik, write a story where you combine Steampunk and Superheroes. Okay? Aaaaaand GO!

I also read a lot. I mean, like an insane amount. I have a really dull job and my cube is in a section of the office  I lovingly call the Oubliette. My bosses rarely notice me, the downtown public library is right down the road so, voila! I have plenty of time to read and dream. And make enough money to pay bills if not much else. It’s a dream position for a writer. I keep a journal of cool ideas that I come across or I tear articles out of newspapers/magazines (I am terrible about that) and keep files on ideas for future stories. I am always thinking and searching for fodder. You never know where the next hook is going to come from.

Flannery O’Connor said that “anyone who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days”.  Everyone is a keg full of stories. They just have to find ways to access them.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

I’m a hybrid pantser/plotter. I need to know where the story starts and where it ends. Those are two things that need to be cemented before I start writing. Other than a few Key Fixed Points that might switch around in the timeline, the rest of the story is pretty fluid.

While I don’t consider myself a plotter, my one rule is that each story, no matter how small, gets a journal of its very own. It’s like a uterus, where the story gestates and develops. So, it’s not an outline in the formal sense but I do have some sort of record keeping albeit rather manic and sometimes unreadable.

This formula works easiest with stories of 10-15k word count. When I start wading into 30k word count and beyond or stories that have three or four running plotlines, I tighten the reins and tend to keep much more outliney sort of journals.

 

Which of your characters would you most like to meet in person? Which character of another author would you want to meet?

I’d like to meet Harry Dean Frogge from my Travis Dare stories. He’s so incredibly brave and strong in so many ways that I don’t even have the guts to imagine.

Sam Vimes from Discworld. I love that guy.

 

 

Which of your stories/books/works do you consider the best?

I don’t know if it is the best but is definitely the most underrated. I wrote a story, Alan Pinkerton and the Problem at Gruff Springs. It is in the anthology, Once Upon a Six Gun. It’s a hell of a story that NO ONE has read because the anthology simply didn’t sell very well. Imagine, Alan Pinkerton, American’s first private detective, on the trail of stolen Confederate gold and gets waylaid by cannibalistic trolls. Who wouldn’t love that?

I am really proud of the second Jake Istenhegyi story, GOLEMS, GOONS AND COLD STONE BITCHES mainly because, at the time, I didn’t think it was that good but, upon rereading it, I was shocked to realize that it is a damn good story. It’s weird how time really does crystallize things.

A story I wrote thirty years ago, Coon Hunt, is what I consider my litmus test for when I join a writers group. If they don’t get it, they are not my people. It’s a good story even though I have never been able to sell it. Still, sometimes things just need for its time to come around. Recently, it won a first place literary award. Only took 30 years.

 

What is your latest project/release?

The latest release is the first volume of Jake Istenhegyi: The Accidental Detective, Boodaddies, Bogs and A Dead Man’s Booty. There are all three stories in one book.

Coming out soon is The Adventures of Moose and Skwirl. I have a story in that anthology called Kids, They Blow Up So Fast. It’s a fun little story about corporate espionage that uses children as dirty bombs. Family fun for everyone.

I am currently working on the fourth Jake Istenhegyi story, Fish Eyed Men, Fedoras and Steel Toed Pumps, which will be coming out in early 2016.

 

Do you have a dream project that you want to write in the future?

I have several. They are all written on a huge, white melamine board that hovers over my desk, accusingly.  I want to write more horror. I have a Lovecraftian story, The Church Of The Living Waters, that has been burning a hole in my pocket. I want to get back to writing more Travis Dare stories; I’ve neglected that whole pantheon for too long. I want to get to work on an anthology called Tales from the Bogie Bar. It’s a series of stories told from the POV of nightmares/gods/monsters that frequent the Bogie Bar, a neutral ground for things that go bump in the night. I want to publish some titles under my own house, Third Crow Press. Dammit. Thinking about all of that exhausts me. I need a nap.

 

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m writing the fourth story of the Jake Istenhegyi: The Accidental Detective series. The working title is Fish Eyed Men, Fedoras and Steel Toed Pumps. It should be available in February 2016.

In the back of my mind are:

Sherlock Holmes and the English Rose, a new adventure for the Great Detective.

A story for Cryptid Clash due in 2016 involving the Mongolian Death Worm and Mole Men. Trust me, it’s gonna be cool.

Jake #5

 

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it.

The biggest problem is not so much a block as just feeling completely dried up. When that happens, when my writing well has gone dry, I do something else. Usually something physical, something with my hands, anything to get outside of my head. Sculpting with clay is a good choice. Or just hitting the gym and working out.

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

I often think about this idea. What would I have told my younger self? So here are three things I would tell her. I don’t know if they really apply to anyone else. Maybe they do.  Caveat emptor.

#1: Stop worrying that you don’t have what it takes to be a writer. Of course you don’t. You’re a kid. You haven’t lived. Get out there. Find adventures. Write them down. When you read them years later, you’ll be amazed at what you forget.

#2: Quit waiting for Excalibur. There is no magic pen. There is no special journal that will bring your words to life. There is no special school or degree. There is only you, sitting your ass in the chair, writing, writing, writing and rewriting until the words finally stumble into some kind of coherent order.

#3: Find people that will look you in the eye and tell you when you suck.

 

How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

I’m a Facebook whore. I love it. I have so many friends all over the world and I adore them all.

I’ve been lucky to make friends with loads of writers who have helped me advertise my books by interviewing me or giving me reviews. Paul Bishop posted an interview he did with me on Huffington Post that gave my Amazon numbers a much needed jump.

I use FB to promote myself as a writer by not only telling people when new books are available but also by trying to be as entertaining as possible. For instance, I started up a page on Facebook called Dinosaur Cubicle Fun Time. Imagine Dilbert done with dinosaurs. Every Wednesday, I post a new DCFT. Does it help with my book sales, I don’t know but nothing gives me more joy than when a stranger recognizes me and tells me they love my Facebook posts.

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I don’t actively read them. It’s not as if I have a Google Alert set up to go off if someone posts a review. But, sometimes, if I feel my ego is solid enough, I’ll check them out.

I try to reply to as many as I can by thanking them for their kind words and letting them know how much it brightens my day.

The last time I checked, I have only gotten 1 one star review. It was from a woman who criticized my first Jake story as being stupid. Oookay. I looked into the reviewer and found that the only things she had reviewed other than my story was knitting needles and chamomile tea. How the hell she ever got my book, I have no idea. And even though I shouldn’t even consider her review valid….out of all the great ones, her’s is the only one I can quote. Isn’t that a kick in the mushy parts?

 

Thanks Nikki. Find her books, click below:

Nikki – Amazon

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Wes Yahola

 

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I began writing sometime in grade school, and it was just the sort of horrible, imitative stuff you’d expect from a grade schooler. But the urge to create stories never left me, it just took different forms, and I learned from each one of them.

 

Where do your ideas come from?

I work to get them. I usually have a desire to get some kind of vague feeling of a goal accomplished, and work to figure out and decide the ways to get there.

 

Do you base your characters on people you know or know of? Family or celebrities?

I haven’t based full characters off of anyone, but I have taken characteristics from people I know, or have known. And I’ve selected a few character names based of some friends.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

I plot. I have to plot. I have to know in a general way how the story’s going to end.  And I like to know at least some of the major plot points along the way. That said, I’ve found that knowing too much in advance is a hindrance. I greatly enjoy when I get a new idea for story progression that fits perfectly and opens up new avenues to reach the right ending that I hadn’t thought off when doing the early work on the story.

 

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen too?

I’m one of those people that wants as much quiet as I can get. Music, even without a singer, distracts me. If I’m plotting or working through a knot in the story though, sometimes music and background activity is helpful. I never know if a stray bit of someone else’s conversation might inspire just the right thought.

 

Which of your characters would you most like to meet in person? Which character of another author would you want to meet?

I’d love to meet my character Maricin from The Artifice Conspiracy. She’s someone I was delighted to imagine and I’d love for her to tell me things about herself I’ve never thought of. As for others, I’d like to have a conversation with Roy from the webcomic Order of the Stick.

 

Which of your stories/books/works do you consider the best?

The Artifice Conspiracy is the first novel I’ve written that was of publishable quality, so I’m going with that one. I am hopeful though, that my latest one will always be my best (so afar).

 

How much do you write each day/week?

On the days I have a writing session I aim to complete at least a thousand words. If I have a good reason for not reaching that many, I don’t beat myself up over it though. A few hundred words that work great are better than a thousand that don’t quite do it.

 

Do you have a routine when you write?

Nothing strict. I usually prep by having a cup of tea while sitting (or pacing) outside and going over what I’m going to be writing and need to accomplish.

 

What is your latest project/release?

The latest work out is the first one, The Artifice Conspiracy. My current project is a followup to that.

 

Do you have any signings or appearances coming up?

The only one that’s for sure is MidSouthCon in Memphis this coming March. I’m reviewing my calendar for 2016, seeing where I might be able to go, who might be willing to have me, and how I can make it all work with my day job.

Who were your inspirations?

I’ve read scores of writers and learned something from all of them. But the one author who inspired me in the most productive direction is David Baldacci.

 

Favorite authors?

The above David Baldacci. Also Ace Atkins, Ken Sholes, Brandon Sanderson, and James Lee Burke.

 

What book do you read over and over the most?

For the most part I don’t re-read books. I’ll sometimes go back and skim something I’ve read before, and that’ll be enough to remind me of everything I liked about it. Or I’ll hunt down some passages I really enjoyed (this especially with James Lee Burke). I do enjoy reading comics and webcomics over and over though. The good ones have so much there, and spread over so much time, I forget things. And I ’ve probably read Watchmen more than a dozen times. Not sure what that says about me.

 

Is there a book or book series that you recommend to people?

Nothing’s going to be universally appealing to everyone. Even the classics. Some will grab people some won’t. If I know the kinds of books people enjoy, I can usually think of something else I think they’ll like. If they haven’t already found it on their own, that is.

 

How much of you is in your characters?

Probably more than I think! I’ve tried to make my characters different from me because how I would react to things would probably make for a short and boring story.

 

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

I write fantasy. I’ve never really tried anything else because nothing else appeals to me so. I enjoy dealing with the absolutely fantastic and making it work in a sensible (and interesting) way. I enjoy a variety of genres but have found myself gravitating toward thrillers these past few years.

 

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

Novels by far. I like all room they afford.

 

What are you working on now?

I’ve written something over half of the follow up to The Artifice Conspiracy. Same setting, about a year later, and focusing on different characters.

 

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it.

I’ve been hit by writer’s block occasionally and the best way I’ve found to deal with it is to just sit and write whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t have to have anything at all to do with the story, or it could be just me ranting on the screen at being frustrated and what I want to do and how I’m not sure how to get there and if I do this then that won’t work but I could try this except for this effect it would have and so on until I’ve got a few rambling paragraphs like this one. Generally by then I have at least a single good thought about how to proceed and I force myself to follow through on that for at least fifteen minutes. By then I’ve usually got something going, even if it’s something I’ll need to radically change later.

 

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

You have to be ready to sit and write and ignore the rest of the world for long periods of time. You have to be ready to deal with and move past rejection from publishers and the public. You have to understand the first draft won’t be the final draft – re-writing is crucial and irritating and magical.

 

How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

Imperfectly. Social media does not come naturally to me. I’m still struggling with developing a way to put it to better use.

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I have read reviews and found them inspiring. I’ve been lucky enough to not have anyone troll me about my writing (but I’m sure that day’s coming). The only time I answered a review I copped to an observation he made about my tendency to name as many people and places as I can.  He found it distracting but liked the book, and I just wanted to say why I tend to do that, and tell i was glad he enjoyed it.

In the future, bad reviews will come and I hope to learn from them. Not all people are going to like what I write, but a well done bad review can be instructive.

 

Thanks Wes. To find his books, click below:

Yahola

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:             

Van Allen Plexico

 

 

First, a little something about him.

Born in Sylacauga, Alabama, United States, Van Allen Plexico graduated from Auburn University with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in 1990 and 1994, doing additional graduate work at Georgetown University and at Emory University. From 1995 through 2006, he lived and worked in the Atlanta, Georgia metro area, teaching at Georgia Perimeter College and at Shorter University. In 2006 he was named Assistant Professor of Political Science and History at Southwestern Illinois College, near St. Louis, Missouri. In 2011 he was promoted to Associate Professor. In 2015 he won the Pulp Factory Award for Pulp Novel of the Year for Legion III: Kings of Oblivion and the Pulp Factory Award for Pulp Anthology of the Year as the editor of Pride of the Mohicans, both published by White Rocket Books.

 

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I can’t remember a time that I didn’t want to write. Even before I could actually write I was trying to write; I had my dad and my sister write my stories down for me as I dictated them. I think those involved the adventures of a bunny rabbit or something. I’ve branched out a bit since those days. If I wrote that story now, the bunny would be equipped with a starship and a four-barrel energy weapon. By middle school I was writing novels in longhand on notebook paper, then via a manual typewriter, then an electric one, and so on. Writing novels has always been the first and only thing I truly wanted to do in life.

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

I’m notorious for preferring to plot stories out in pretty detailed fashion before I start writing them. Part of that is it helps me avoid getting bogged down and losing momentum, since I already know where things are generally going. Another part is I enjoy winding multiple plots and sub-plots through stories, and there’s no way I could keep track of all of them and bring them together at the right moment without having some sort of battle plan at the beginning. That said, I have no issues with being extremely flexible and allowing a story to change course and go wherever it naturally needs to go. The more you flesh out your characters, the more they will dictate a story’s direction, and the more you should let them do so. Forcing characters to behave against the nature you’ve already established for them always makes a story feel false and wrong. I like to have a general “road map” and a destination in mind from the start, but I want to always remain open to traveling alternate routes and side roads when necessary, or when it makes for a better story.

 

Which of your stories/books/works do you consider the best?

That’s a very hard question because I write in several different sub-genres and I believe the work I’ve done in each of them has allowed me to exercise different literary muscles and achieve what I’d consider success in different ways. For example, in my superhero novel series, the Sentinels, I think each book has gotten better than the ones before it, as the characters have grown and developed over the course of the storylines, and as I’ve gotten better as a writer. STELLARAX, which is the climax of the big cosmic saga that made up the second trilogy (volumes 4-6) of that series, is probably my favorite, though, in that series. It brings together many, many different characters and situations that were introduced across the previous five books, and I believe it hits all the marks it needed to hit and does it with style. When I started on it I was somewhat intimidated by the challenge it presented, but somehow it all came together, which I consider almost miraculous.

With my space opera series, it’s hard to choose a favorite because they’re all different and I think successful in different ways. LUCIAN is the most popular one with readers; it’s first-person POV from the point of view of a Loki-like villainous-seeming character. The Shattering trilogy is pure space opera/military action with a lot of cosmic stuff around the edges, and I’m very proud of how it came out. (Its third volume, LEGION III: KINGS OF OBLIVION, won Novel of the Year this year from the Pulp Factory Awards.) And my newest book, BARANAK, tickles me to death in totally different ways from anything I’ve done before. I’ll get to that one later on in this conversation.

 

How much do you write each day/week?

I’m very much a creature of inertia and momentum. If I have a book underway and it’s really rolling, I can scarcely force myself to stop writing—I’ll stay up late, get up early, write between classes where I teach, and so on. I’ll have the whole thing done in less than three months. If I don’t have something working at the moment, I find it extremely hard to get going again. I will find a million other things to do besides get going on it. The best method I’ve found to switch my brain from idle to working hard on a book is to make the first day of the project a “six hours at McAlisters or McDonalds” day. I go to one of those places where they don’t mind you sitting there typing for six hours, and I’ll do nothing but work on the book. Generally by the time the six hours are up, the new book is well underway, momentum has kicked in, and I won’t be able to stop again until it’s done.

 

What is your latest project/release?

My most recent novel is BARANAK: STORMING THE GATES, which came out earlier in 2015. It’s a sort of prequel to LUCIAN: DARK GOD’S HOMECOMING and fits in with the rest of my “Shattering” series of books. Along the way it provides a number of answers to questions that have been lingering in that universe ever since LUCIAN came out, but I think it also tells a very fun story about two unique individuals on a sort of “road trip” across the multiverse. I’ve also pointed out it’s a space opera in which the two protagonists spend most of their time on horseback, which is not something you see every day. The gist of it is that the titular character gets swept up in an oncoming interstellar war and has no choice but to turn to a rather strange alien being for help—and that being may well be responsible for the coming “Shattering” of the galaxy. They don’t like each other, they certainly don’t trust each other, but off they go, like Hope and Crosby or Abbott and Costello in a “road” movie. I think it’s a very fun book.

Who were your inspirations?

Roger Zelazny was my literary mentor, though I never got to meet him in person. I adore his work and have studied it backward and forward. LUCIAN and BARANAK both owe huge debts to his writing, though his influence is in everything I do. His combining of the serious and the comical, of SF and Fantasy, of pulp sensibilities with prose-poetry and Victorian drama… He is in my opinion a singular force in the history of SF &F.

Others who have had a major impact on my work include Dan Abnett (for the use of pulp-action styling in SF storytelling), Larry Niven (who first taught me about how to use big SF concepts like the Ringworld and indestructible spaceships) and Frank Herbert (for grandiose epic sagas across millennia). In the comics world, Jim Starlin, Jack Kirby and Jim Shooter burned the ideas into my brain of creating SF-based superhero stories that weren’t confined to just this world—or this dimension.

Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to be tabbed as the “celebrity author interviewer” at DragonCon and a couple of other SF conventions around the country (as well as via my White Rocket Podcast), so I’ve gotten to interview people for whom I have tremendous admiration for their accomplishments in the field, such as Larry Niven, Peter F Hamilton, Harlan Ellison, Harry Turtledove, Graham McNeill and Joe Haldeman, and pick their brains for all sorts of writing knowledge.

What book do you read over and over the most?

Without question it is the first Amber series by Roger Zelazny, beginning with NINE PRINCES IN AMBER.  Prince Corwin of Amber is my favorite fictional character ever. He’s Loki, Thor, Prince Charming and Sam Spade all at once, and more.

 

Do you have a dream project that you want to write in the future?

I’m writing it now and it’s called “The Shattering” and I’ve been building myself up to tackle it my entire life, adding pieces to it here and there even as I constantly improved my own abilities to craft it. It includes everything I love in SF and Fantasy, from fleets of warring starships and vast legions of soldiers and massive walkers battling across many different planets and star systems to demonic invasions, hordes of horrific aliens and Jack Kirby-esque cosmic beings with godlike powers.  That series begins with LUCIAN and includes the “Shattering” trilogy of “Legion” novels where everything really comes together. I have quite a few more books to write as that big saga continues to be fleshed out.

The Sentinels are a dream project in a way, too, because I always loved the Avengers but wanted to do my own characters in that genre rather than writing someone else’s. I have the freedom with them to take superheroes and send them all over the world and all across the galaxy, having them battle street-level villains and overthrow alien galactic empires, all in one series of books—and grow as actual characters as they do those things.

 

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

I helped invent the modern indy superhero novel series, back in 1996 when Bobby Politte and I first started writing what would become the Sentinels. So I certainly have an affinity for that sub-genre, and I still have plenty to say in it. Currently, though, I’m fully immersed in what I’d describe as “gothic semi-military space opera”– where aliens, gods, demons and men clash as the galaxy burns!

In terms of reading, though, I read all sorts of things. The most recent genres I’ve read a lot in have been Scandinavian crime fiction (Nesbo; Mankell; Larsson) and Napoleonic Era naval adventure (O’Brian).  I also read a great deal of history and biography; a good chunk of the Shattering’s early plot ideas came from Byzantine history as related by Julius Norwich.  I believe if you only read books that are similar to what you write, you’ll never truly expand and develop and improve as a writer.

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

I much prefer writing novels, where I have plenty of time and space to develop characters and plots. I have a lot of respect for writers who are skilled at constructing short stories, because it’s not easy to be that concise—to include every single thing the reader needs to know, and almost nothing else. I also always say a short story has to perform a trick: It has to do something along the way, so that at the end it basically says, “ta daa!”, like a dog rolling over or shaking hands. A novel isn’t constrained by the need to make you go, “Oooh! Neat trick!” after twenty pages or so. It can grow and breathe and be more immersive.

 

What are you working on now?

I have several books in the outline stage including a sequel to HAWK: HAND OF THE MACHINE (which is also a part of the Shattering universe) and another Legion-related novella and novel. Before those, however, I have vowed to write the next two Sentinels novels. It’s been since 2012 that I cranked one of those out, and the reader base is, to put it mildly, annoyed about that and anxious for more (and not thrilled with me for switching over to space opera for three years). So in the next few months I should complete Sentinels volume 8: The Dark Crusade. The ninth volume will follow thereafter. Then it will be back to the Shattering.

Along the way I’m also writing a serialized novel (sort of) for Pro Se Productions called ALPHA/OMEGA. It’s a near-future space adventure in the vein of the Expanse or Space: 1999. It’s a challenge to write since it’s not something I’ve done a lot of before—no gods or superheroes to be found!– but I’m enjoying it.

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it.

I’ve never experienced that phenomenon. I generally have several projects pending at any moment, so it may be that I have avoided it (without even being aware) by switching over to a different one. That being said, I find it enormously difficult to change from one universe I write in to another. I’m a very “one track mind” person. My brain doesn’t retain all the details of each universe for very long, so it works better for me to stick with one, keep everything in my head without any competing interests to distract me, and just keep going in that same universe for as long as I can. When I switched from writing one Sentinels book after another to doing space opera a few years ago, I had a very rough time deleting all the superhero stuff from my brain and loading in all the SF stuff. Similarly, it took almost a decade after writing LUCIAN for me to come back around to being able to write first-person POV smart-alecky lone protagonist again. Now I have to switch back to “superheroes with tons of major and minor characters and plots and sub-plots” and it has taken me months to get my brain back over there again. That’s why I’m planning to write the next two Sentinels books back-to-back—so I don’t have to switch back over again for another year or so!

 

Thanks Van. To find his books, click below:

www.whiterocketbooks.com

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Cheryel Hutton

 

  

First, a little something about Cheryel.

Cheryel Hutton talks to dragons. But then, her muse is a dragon named Quill. Quill tells her dark stories of witches, werewolves, bigfoot creatures, fairies, and vampires. Then there are the stories of evil humans—and they are the scariest stories of all.

Her husband and grown children are used to Cheryel’s need to talk to Quill, and write down the stories told by the dragon. The grandchildren are young enough to talk to dragons too, so they understand.

Cheryel’s debut novel, Shadows of Evil, was released from Samhain Publishing, followed by Keepers of Legend, The Ugly Truth, and The Secrets of Ugly Creek, all published by The Wild Rose Press. She is currently working on her next novel.

Cheryel, her family, and two dachshunds live near Jacksonville, Florida. The South is known for odd corners where the impossible sometimes comes to life. Cheryel loves to visit those places.

 

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

Writing was such a natural thing to me I never really made a decision to write, I just started writing. I wrote my first “story” as soon as I knew how to put letters together to form words. I knew by high school that I wanted to write professionally, but I didn’t have the belief in myself or my ability to put that plan into motion. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I managed to get past the fear enough to put my work out there consistently.

Where do your ideas come from?

There’s a secret room in the back of Walmart, and if you know the right people you can gain entrance and pick up story ideas. There’s also a fairy ring in my backyard, but I can’t talk about that.

Seriously, ideas come from everywhere, the news, television shows, movies, people I meet, random thoughts flying through my head. Especially if I’m trying to focus on a book, ideas for something else can come fast and hard—which makes it hard to concentrate.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

Both. When I start I know what the opening scene is, a pretty good idea of some the major incidents, and a very basic idea of the ending. I get to know the characters in the first two or three chapters, and sometimes that changes things a bit. After that, I figure out 2-3 scenes ahead of where I am. Weird, but it works for me.

 

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen too?

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. The type of music I listen to depends on the story and characters. I’ve written to everything from classical to Jazz to 80s pop. Who knows what my characters will demand next!

 

How much do you write each day/week?

I write 6 or 7 days a week for several hours. I aim for 1,000 words a day, and hope to get up to 2,000. I’m having difficulty reaching my goals, so I’m trying different techniques to up my daily word count.

 

What is your latest project/release?

Blood of the Innocent came out in November, and is part of the Lobster Cove multi-author series from The Wild Rose Press. I had a blast working on such a huge project with so many other people. An amazing selection of fantastic stories have come from the series, and I’m proud to be a part of the excitement!

Blood of the Innocent is a short novel with a twist on the vampire legend. Here’s the blurb:

Veronica Teal is no ordinary biochemist; she’s a vampire. When she’s summoned to a human murder scene at the request of the local coroner, she expects to do her job. Then she discovers the killer is a vampire and the victim’s brother wants her help. Worse, she finds herself attracted to the handsome human male, despite her reluctance to get involved.

Joe Sullivan leaves his teaching job in Tennessee for Lobster Cove because his twin is in danger. He’s devastated to see Justin dead on a rocky shore. Desperate for answers, he turns to Veronica and finds himself curiously drawn to the lovely biochemist in more ways than one.

Together Veronica and Joe seek answers behind Justin’s mysterious murder and learn there are deeper secrets. Can they uncover the core of the conspiracy and find their own way to each other’s hearts? Or will their differences keep them apart?

 

Favorite authors?

It’s hard for me to answer that because there are so many authors I love. Let’s see: Isaac Asimov, Nora Roberts,  Harlan Coben, Lee Child, Sandra Brown, Diana Gabaldon, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Barbara Freethy,  Jane Austen, Barbra Annino, Cherie Priest, Mary Buckham, H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, H.G. Wells,, Dianna Love, Brenda Novak, Allison Brennan…the list goes on. I’m always reading both favorite and unfamiliar authors. I love discovering new favorites. For the record, my host is also one of my favorites. Keep up the good work, Alan!

 

How much of you is in your characters?

I think there is a little of me in every major character I write, which can be unnerving when writing a serial killer or a ruthless vampire or a talking tree.

 

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

Since everything I’ve had published is paranormal, it’s obvious that I like the stuff that goes bump in the night. I also like to write thrillers, and am working on a devious plan to move into that genre. As for reading, I seldom meet a genre I don’t like. My favorites are paranormal/horror, science fiction, and thrillers.

 

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

Novels. I started out writing short stories, and I still like to write them occasionally. Sometimes there’s this idea that doesn’t really translate into a full length novel, or I want to play with an idea without investing a lot of time. Still, I love playing in the depth and richness of a longer length.  I can get to know characters and situations, and for me, that’s the fun of writing.

 

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the next two books in my Ugly Creek series. Ugly Creek is a fictional town in Tennessee, where the characters are odd, quirky, and not necessarily human; and where just about anything can happen.

 

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

1. Don’t rush to publish your work. Just because you can have it up on Amazon tonight doesn’t mean it’s really ready to be there. Take your time, write another book, and/or join a critique group. Make that first book the best it can be before you send the poor things out in public.
2. Read a lot and write a lot. Yeah, it’s the same thing people have been saying for years, but there’s a reason for that staying power. Reading is the only way to internalize story flow, that deep knowledge your work is working. Writing is the only way to learn to write, just like any other skill. Write as much as you can. It really does make a difference.
3. It’s your work, your name’s on it, don’t let anybody destroy the integrity of the piece. Listen to editors, they’re usually right, but be prepared to give reasons why you feel something should stay the way it is.

 

How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

I just try to get out there and connect with people.  As far as I’m concerned, the Internet is the best thing to happen to my social life. I can meet and talk to people from all over the world, or right in my own town. It’s a lot of fun. Selling books is just a side benefit. In my opinion, authors who get on social media just to push their books are only hurting themselves. It’s a new world of being more open and approachable. As a reader, I love being able to connect with my favorite authors, and hope that people enjoy sharing bits of my life with me.

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I do read reviews, but I try not to take them personally (very hard to do!).  I don’t believe engaging reviewers is a good idea. After all, we’re all entitled to our own opinions, even if we think they’re way off track. By arguing, authors are more likely to hurt their own reputations than make a point—I’ve seen it happen.

 

Thanks Cheryel. To learn more about her and her books, click below:

Cheryel Hutton

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Christopher Beats

 

 

First, a little something about Christopher.

Christopher Beats is a starry-eyed idealist currently wandering the canals and boulevards of South Florida. He used to teach history at various levels and institutions but now focuses on writing beautiful lies.

 

 

    At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

I’ve been writing and telling stories as long as I can remember. At some point in the fourth grade, I was scribbling away at this story and another kid saw it and was blown away by how long it was. Before that, I hadn’t really considered my ability to be special. By sixth grade, I was writing little novels and some other kids would read them. I can’t stress enough how much that early interest encouraged me on this path.

A big turning point came later, when I finished my MA in History. I’d sent stuff to publishers many times and considered myself a part-time author. But when I had to consider whether or not to start a PhD, it triggered a sort of epiphany. To put it bluntly, I realized I would rather fail as an author than succeed as a historian. I consider that a key turning point in any artist’s life–when they know that success in another field will always seem hollow. So I spent the next two years writing stories instead of doing research and the result was, among other things, Cruel Numbers and Vacant Graves.

 

    Where do your ideas come from?

With my background in history, a lot of my ideas are inspired by actual events and historical trends. I enjoy worldbuilding because of my understanding of causal relationships. That’s what history is really about—teasing out which causes have which effect. I loved the old Marvel “What If?” comics and I think it shows in my writing. Researching history is fun, but I love to explore the fictional possibilities even more, which is why I am especially drawn to alternate timelines.

    Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

There’s this sort of battle between the plotters and the free-wheelers or whatever they call themselves, epitomized in some of Stephen King’s advice, which is definitely more free-wheeling. Personally, I use both methods. Sometimes, an idea hits and I start writing before I know where it’s going to go. Other times, I carefully mold it in my head then put it down. Both have worked for me.

 

    Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen too?

I try to get the ambiance right for each setting. So when I was hip-deep in the Magnocracy (or any time I’m feeling noir), I listen to Fiona Apple. Something about her songs really epitomizes Donovan Schist’s world. When I write fantasy, I go with Loreena McKennitt or Mediaeval Babes or even folk music. With cyberpunk or sci fi, Funker Vogt really sets the mood for me.

 

 Which of your characters would you most like to meet in person? Which character of another author would you want to meet?

I would love to sit down over a cup of coffee with Donovan Schist and try to convince him that Eastern philosophy is worth his time. I suspect it would be a losing battle—he’s far too indoctrinated with Western thought.

For the characters of other authors, I’d love to meet Gandalf, Dumbledore, or Splinter (from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). I love it when an author develops a convincing mentor. It’s a very compelling archetype.

    How much do you write each day/week?

I try to write or edit every weekday. When my family or appointments allow it, I aim for three hours, preferably in the morning. I get a lot of interruptions, though, so it never feels like enough. I consciously started giving myself weekends off to avoid burnout. In some ways, being your own boss gives you a very harsh taskmaster.

 

 

    Do you have a routine when you write?

Yes—it involves a lot of caffeine, either from black tea or coffee. I often lock myself in a room and put the iPod on as loud as it will go without breaking my concentration. Sometimes, I have to pace around to get the mood right in my head. For editing, I prefer quiet and will often hide in a corner of my public library.

 

 

    Who were your inspirations?

I consider Ursula K. LeGuin and Roger Zelazny to be grandmasters of the craft. Their work refuses to be stuck in any one genre and, most importantly, their prose is magnificent. I am humbled whenever I read them. I also look to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler for inspiration. They were trailblazers who forged a unique American style that really embodied the twentieth century and told the world we had something to offer literature.

 

    Favorite authors?

Roger Zelazny, Ursula K. LeGuin, Philip K. Dick, Neil Gaiman and Walter Jon Williams. I can be very picky when I read, but these authors have a large body of work that almost never disappoints.

 

    What book do you read over and over the most?

Like a lot of people, I reread Lord of the Rings and Dune every few years. In my opinion, these books are good for your soul. I’m challenged each time I read them and find that my interpretation has deepened over the years. I also reread the Harry Potter series fairly regularly. The later books in particular really get me thinking.

 

    Is there a book or book series that you recommend to people?

I would like to see more people read Dread Empire’s Fall and its sequels. Walter Jon Williams’ use of actual physics demonstrates that you can write a compelling story without giving up scientific accuracy. Rather than just wave a wand and say “artificial gravity!” he showed that inertia and other forces would create limitations and opportunities in space not unlike those in the Age of Sail. In fact, those books have always reminded me of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series.

 

    How much of you is in your characters?

I think people would be surprised which characters I feel connected to. I try to put myself in every character, but especially villains. I believe in following the Batman paradigm of villainy. I’ve always liked how (in the animated series anyway) most of Batman’s enemies have a reason for what they do. So if I can, I make antagonists understandable, even sympathetic. Fiction is a good place to explore the dark side of one’s beliefs. It’s easy to caricature your political or idealogical opponents, but that’s a type of straw man attack, isn’t it? I’d much rather find out the pitfalls of my own philosophy than pillory ideas I don’t like. That said, sometimes I can’t help myself.

 

 

    What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

I’ve found as I get older that genre matters less and less compared to plot, prose, and character development. I like authors who focus on those. That said, my favorites are noir, science fiction, and fantasy. I actually avoid reading whatever genre I’m writing, in part because I get sick of it. While I was deep in the Donovan Schist books, I couldn’t stand to read or even watch stuff about the 19^th century or Steampunk. It was like I had gorged on ice cream and couldn’t eat it any more. Now that I’ve been away from the Magnocracy for a while, I’m happy to report I picked up Vermillion by Molly Tanzer and enjoyed it, so I guess my palate’s reset.

 

 

    Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

I’m a novel writer. I have written many, many short stories, but inevitably they grow to the very border of novella or even spill over. Guess I’m long winded.

I’m also really big on character development, so for me, longer is better. I prefer TV series over movies for that reason. I like to see a long character arc, to really get in a person’s head and understand why they do the things they do.

 

 

    What are you working on now?

I’ve been editing a pretty massive near-future science fiction piece which, like other works of mine, started out small and just got out of control. It’s been kind of intense, so for the moment I’ve taken a break to write some quick little stories in a fantasy universe. Not sure I plan on marketing them, but they were a nice diversion.

 

 

    What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

The terrible truth is you’ll spend more time editing than writing. Everything has to be perfect or an editor won’t even look at it. So any given project needs at least twice as much time on the rewrite/edit period as on the creation. This is a hard lesson because editing can be so tedious. The thing to understand is that this is a job, and like all jobs there are tasks which must be done, regardless of how fun or stimulating they are.

Another thing I tell people is to be aware of the process and use it to your advantage. I remember talking to this guy who couldn’t figure out how to start a novel and I told him to use “Once upon a time” if it would get the ball rolling. It sounds ridiculous, but you’re going to rewrite the beginning a hundred times anyway. A better opening may come later, when you know where the story is going to go. People need to understand that the rough draft is like an unfinished house—you can put up all the scaffolding you like as long as it comes down afterwards. I’m a really verbose guy and when I go back over my manuscript, I know I’m going to cut a third of what I’ve written, maybe more. That’s fine, because the extra words helped me get in the mood. They served an honorable purpose. When I cut them, I try not to feel guilty or foolish about it.

Finally, it should go without saying that you’re going to have to change. Unless you self-publish without getting any advice at all, someone is going to have a say in what you write. This is good and bad, but the important thing is that you learn when to take advice and when not to. You’ll also have to learn to pick your battles. That’s a big one. Even the gentlest editor is going to ask you to change things. Just remember that they’re trying to make it more comprehensible, that the editor is your ally, more or less.

These are not easy lessons and I do not claim to have mastered them myself. I just know it would’ve helped me to learn them a decade ago.

 

    How do you use social media in regards to your writing?

Awkwardly. There’s a lot of pressure on writers to create a “brand” and to put themselves out there all the time. This is difficult for me. I have young children, so my time is limited. I’ve also noticed, both from my own attempts and by reading others, that blogging is a specialized form of writing, just like poetry or novels. Some people have really mastered it. I’m not one of those people.

Thanks Christopher. To learn more about him, click below:

Christopher Beats

This holiday season, I’ve decided to promote some of my writer friends and ask some of the questions that folks ask me. Today’s guest/victim is:

Tommy Hancock

 

First, a little something about Tommy.

Steeped in pulp magazines, old radio shows, and all things of that era’s pop culture, Tommy Hancock lives in Arkansas with his wonderful wife and three children and obviously not enough to do. He is Partner in and Editor in Chief for Pro Se Productions, is an organizer of the New Pulp Movement, was a founding member and original Editor-in-Chief of ALL PULP, works as an editor for Seven Realms, Dark Oak, and Moonstone. He is also a writer published by Airship 27 Productions, Pulpwork Press, and other companies. Tommy works as Project Coordinator for Moonstone Entertainment and was the Founder and Coordinator for PULP ARK, a Pulp Culture Convention in the South from 2011 to 2013.

At what age did you start writing or know that you wanted to write?

As far as putting stories on paper, 8 years old, in Mrs. Phillips’ third grade class room.

Where do your ideas come from?

To be quite honest, my mind is constantly churning out ideas.  Inspiration comes from literally the onslaught of sensory information I take in every day. Sometimes a smell, sometimes something I see, sometimes a word I hear.

 

Do you base your characters on people you know or know of? Family or celebrities?

Never based on celebrities, but yes, I have been known to include a family member, a friend, or even an enemy or three in stories.

 

Do you plot out your stories or just make it up as you go?

I am most definitely a pantser… in the best and worst ways as a writer.

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what do you listen to?

No.  Although writing doesn’t require total silence, music or watching TV are distractions I have to avoid. However, I very much listen to music just before writing to get amped up and after to sort of wind down from wherever the writing took me.

How much do you write each day/week?

Lately, writing’s been at a premium for me, due to real life issues and being a publisher.  When I am actively working on a story, I write every day and will not write less than a page, 500 words.

Can you tell about your experiences working with publishers? Any juicy or painful experiences?

Being a publisher, I have a different view of working with publishers.  I understand both sides of the fence, so to speak, so I have more patience when some things happen in regards to me as a writer working with other publishers.  I can’t say, because of that, that I have had any painful experiences.  I’m empathetic to writers who struggle with publishers and to publishers who encounter issues in what they do.

What is your latest project/release?

I have a story in the Legends of New Pulp anthology from Airship 27 that debuts a new character from me… Free Mason, PI.  Mason is a hard boiled detective right out of the Spillane school with a penchant for getting into trouble like Carl Kolchak.  Mason lives in a world where magic and monsters exist and even function as a part of society, but there’s still a certain degree of ‘hiding in plain sight’ going on.

How much of you is in your characters?

To a certain degree, I am in every character I create, even the nondescript ones I never name.  As far as major characters or even supporting cast, you can put together all those characters from a story or novel I write and get a good idea of things going on in my life at the time of writing and who I feel I am at that moment.

What genre do you prefer to write?  To read?

Genre, I can write just about anything.  I write everything I do in the Pulp style, be it western, science fiction, mystery, or anything really.

 

Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?  And why?

I enjoy them both equally. There’s something about having a short window of words to tell a whole story, and yet there’s also that something equally wonderful about having the stage of a novel to build an entire world on.

 

Is Writer’s Block ever a problem for you?  If so, how do you deal with it?

For me writer’s block is something that is a phase, so I really, if it sets in, do not worry about it and let it pass.  I find that if I do anything else, then the phase just doesn’t go away.

What 3 things do you feel every aspiring writer should know?

Write every day, don’t ever pay a publisher for ANYTHING, and write what you want to.

 

Do you read reviews of your books?  If so, have you ever engaged a reviewer over comments they’ve made?

I try to engage every reviewer if I can find them.  I either thank them for the kind comments, or sometimes the negative ones, or I ask those who aren’t so positive ways the book could have been done better, in their opinion.

 

Thanks Tommy. To find his books, click below:

Pro Se Press – Tommy Hancock