Friday, August 28, 2015

Continuing with my series of interviews, today we have Simon Williams answering my questions. He is the author of the Aona series, as well as  Summer's Dark Waters.






1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

My work has broadly been described as dark fantasy, although Summer’s Dark Waters, which is for a younger audience, is really more a sci-fi / fantasy adventure. I’ve written a number of short stories, but these are generally very different to my longer works- I struggle to define them in terms of genre but perhaps “experimental fantasy horror” might be as close as I can place them.

I tend to write longer works as it allows time for characters to develop and plots to sort themselves out.

I have written some poetry but I don’t intend to publish any of it- it’s really quite awful!

2. How do you pick character names?

With difficulty! I do find it a struggle at times, but recently I’ve found that using simpler names in fantasy works well. There are, for example, a number of contemporary names that work well in the fantasy genre- and of course a lot more that don’t. For example, I think names like Jon and Daniel are fine, but it’s impossible to get away with using Wayne or Sharon. ;)

3. How long have you been writing?

I started writing (very basic) stories from the age of five and it just went from there. But in terms of “serious” writing- all of my adult life. Unfortunately it took me a long time to find the right “voice” so that meant years in a kind of literary wilderness. Hopefully I’m making up for it at last now.

4. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends?

My parents and my girlfriend are very supportive- as far as anyone can be to a writer- and I get important help with initial feedback / proof-reading etc.

5. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work?

Mostly Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. I really don’t have time for any additional networks, those three take up a huge amount of time as it is. I created an account on Google+ but the whole look and feel of it is awful and I haven’t really worked out what to do with it. I also created a LinkedIn account, but LinkedIn appears to cater mostly to suits and business types so again I’m not convinced of its usefulness for me.

6. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work?

I have absolutely no idea- I try not to think about actually having funds! I guess I would advertise on major websites, or even newspapers (although I’m not sure how many people read them anymore). But I try not to think too much about what life would be like if I had a load of money. I’m a daydreamer but I do have a certain level of realism, and I don’t think imagining great wealth is actually the healthiest thing to be doing with one’s time.

7. What are you working on now?

I’m writing the sequel to Summer’s Dark Waters and I’m hoping to have it completed by the end of 2015. My artist friend Ankolie has agreed to do the illustrations for this as well.

I’m also working on the fifth and final Aona book, “Salvation’s Door”, which brings to an end the Aona saga.

Another project which should be finished shortly is my collection of short stories- some old, some new. My stories don’t really belong in any genre (maybe some of them could be loosely labelled as “fantasy horror”) and I’m not sure putting them together in a single volume is the best idea- but I don’t believe in selling something that small individually and at the same time I’d like to think they’re worth a few pence.

Last but not least, a new book for kids around ages 7 to 9 (roughly), a fun but thought-provoking contemporary fantasy about which I can’t (or won’t) give any more details yet, mainly because I’m amused and enthused in equal measure about the whole plot and concept.


8. Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have?

Sadly I don’t really have the funds to set up stalls and try selling books at conventions. I’m not much of a salesman anyway, and I find doing the whole marketing / sales thing over the Internet is about the best I can do. Trying to sell my books in person sounds like quite a potentially humiliating experience if I don’t manage to sell any!

9.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer?

Probably to not give up, and that advice has come from a number of sources. I would probably say to any beginning writer- “Would you do this even if you never make any money from it, even if you’re never recognized for it?” If the answer is yes, then they’re maybe cut out for it. If you treat it as an attempted business venture, rather than a labour of love, then I would say maybe not.

10. Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing?

Coming up with ideas and writing them down come fairly easily to me. Revising and editing is a chore, but one that must be done- so I just grit my teeth and get on with it. Marketing I detest, because it always feels as if it has that edge of desperation to it- and it feels very much like an admin job, totally unlike the creativity of writing a story or novel.

Also, there are some authors- mainly the “traditionally published” ones- who seem to frown upon self-published authors marketing themselves. My response to that would be that they have to- more often than not, they don’t have anyone else to do the work for them- not everyone can afford the rates of marketing professionals! I do agree that some self-published authors can be a bit pushy, it’s a matter of trying to let people know about your work without shouting too loudly about it, which can be tricky sometimes.

16.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two?

Pantser, almost always. I never work my way methodically from beginning to end- I write some set pieces, scenarios that just pop into my head, and somehow the whole plot just ends up sorting itself out. My approach is incredibly random and I have no idea how it all comes together really.


18.What's your solution to writers' block?

I usually have several things on the go, so if one project isn’t really “happening” for me then I’ll pick one of the other ones up and work on that. And if nothing seems to be working then I just plough through and keep writing. Eventually things click once again. The importance of just going through the motions can’t be overstated, even if you end up never using the piece you wrote.





Twitter: @SWilliamsAuthor


Summer’s Dark Waters:


Oblivion’s Forge (Book I in the Aona series):




Tuesday, August 25, 2015

I hope you've been enjoying my blog interviews. There are more to come. I also hope you've enjoyed the descriptions of the many places Nissa and her friends visit in The Crimson Orb.

Today, I'll take you to Lord Graham's Keep. Before they arrive at the imposing building, the companions find the arbor, where the arborist has cultivated all sorts of fruit trees.



Since the last time they saw Lord Graham, however, he lost his eyesight. Nissa and Madoc were able to restore it, and to determine why it happened. Pursuit of the poisoner took them to the market place in the capital city of Arris. Another part of their amazing adventures.

Friday, August 21, 2015

Today's blog interview is with Mysti Parker, who writes romances and romantic fantasies as well as children's books.



 Questions for interviews. –Mysti Parker

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry? I write several subgenres of romance, as well as children’s books and flash fiction. I write romance because I love a good love story, children’s books because my children inspire me to tell stories and flash fiction to challenge myself and fill in the gaps. I love every type of book/story that I write, so I don’t really have a preference. When I was a teenager, I wrote a lot of poetry. My mother bound them all up for me in a book and gave it to me for my 23rd birthday. She passed in 2003, so it’s a very special keepsake for me.


2. How long have you been writing? Since forever. The first story I remember writing was when I was 7 or 8, called “The Sad Christmas,” about my grandfather dying on Christmas Eve. I didn’t start writing for publication until 2009.

3. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work? The usual suspects – Facebook, Twitter, and bit of Pinterest and Instagram. Also my website, which I’m finally starting to figure out how to build. I have a love/hate relationship with Wordpress. Mostly hate. LOL

4. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work? I’d probably make them into independent films. I’d so love to see them in movie form, but isn’t that every author’s dream?

5. What are you working on now? I’ve recently finished the 4th book in my Tallenmere fantasy romance series. It’ll be out late this fall. My first historical, A Time for Everything, just published on July 7, so I’m busy promoting that one. I’ve begun work on my 3rd children’s book and am researching my 2nd historical romance. Also planning a series of novellas with my co-author, MJ Post. Oh, and I’ll need to write The Roche Hotel, Season Three somewhere in there. I won’t get truly productive until the kids are back in school later this month, I’m afraid, but I’ll have plenty to keep me busy.

6. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like? Yes, I self-pubbed the first book in my fantasy romance series (A Ranger’s Tale), when the contract expired with my publisher. I’ve also self-pubbed The Roche Hotel romantic comedy series, my co-authored contemporary novella Chances Are and my children’s books. I haven’t had a bad experience. It’s challenging, being responsible for every aspect of the process, but it’s also nice to have that freedom. I can decide on cover art, where to sell, how much to sell it for, etc. It is more important to watch costs, however, since the financial burden is all on me. But if you are patient, persistent, and professional, it’s not impossible.

7.Do you have an agent and/or publisher? How did you find them? No agent, but I still have the rest of my fantasy romance series with Melange Books. They were the first publisher to accept my work back in 2009, when they were Midnight Showcase. They’ve grown a lot since then, and I’m glad I stayed. My historical is published with EsKape Press. I found them via Ruth J. Hartman, another author I just adore. I submitted that one to several places, and had two publishers accept it (one being EsKape). I chose to go with EsKape, and I’m glad I did, because it wasn’t long until the other pub went belly up. Phew.

8.Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have? Oh yeah, many. I’ve already attended several things, and have many more this fall. One of them is FandomFest, coming up Aug. 7-9 at the KY International Convention Center in Louisville. It’s your typical comic con experience, and I dress the part as an elven ranger from my fantasy series. September will be crazy with Steamboat Days in Jeffersonville, IN on Labor Day weekend, then Imaginarium in Louisville at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sept 11 – 13 and the Kentuckiana Authors Book Blitz on Sept. 19 at the historic Palace Theater. Experiences vary at these events. You never know whether there will be a lot of people in attendance or if the weather will cooperate or if anyone there will be interested in your genre, etc. Mostly, it’s been a good experience—I’ve met a lot of other authors, bloggers, bookstore owners and readers. It’s been a good way to get my work out there.

9.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner? Yes!! I’m nearing 40, need reading glasses, and sitting too long hurts!

10.What are some review remarks that stick in your head? I appreciate all my reviews, however the one piece of feedback I remember the most, and used to my benefit, was back in 2010 when I started writing my historical romance. I was taking a writing course, getting feedback on some of the scenes I had written. One of my classmates said, “Don’t whitewash history.” My book was set during the Civil War/Reconstruction era, and that really stuck with me. Eventually, it helped me write a much better book. Here’s an article I wrote about it that tells the whole story: https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/dont-whitewash-history-guest-author-mysti-parker/

11.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing? Writing that first draft is the hardest, most hair-pulling part of the process for me. Marketing is even harder and often frustrating. I can only take it in small doses. The revision part is actually my favorite. It’s like I’ve finally got all the grueling work of the house building done, so now I get to decorate it and make it pretty!


12.Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do? I have no choice but to listen and let them do as they please. I’m merely a transcriber for all these voices in my head.

Mysti's most recent book is A Time for Everything. 





Blurb for A Time for Everything:
 
After losing her husband and only child to the ravages of the Civil War, twenty-five-year-old Portia McAllister is drowning in grief. When she sees an ad for a live-in tutor in another town, she leaves everything behind in hopes of making a fresh start. But as a Confederate widow in a Union household, she is met with resentment from her new charge and her employer, war veteran Beau Stanford. 

Despite their differences, she and Beau find common ground and the stirrings of a second chance at love—until his late wife’s cousin, Lydia, arrives with her sights set on him. Burdened with a farm on the brink of bankruptcy, Beau is tempted by Lydia’s hefty dowry, though Portia has captured his heart. 

In another time and another place, his choice would be easy. But love seems impossible amid the simmering chaos of Reconstruction that could boil over at any moment into an all-out battle for survival. Will Beau and Portia find their way into each other’s arms, or will they be swept away by raging forces beyond their control?
 
Buy Links:


Bio:
 
Mysti Parker is a wife, mother, and shameless chocoholic. While her first love is romance, including five published books and an award-winning historical coming this summer, she enjoys writing flash fiction (the weirder the better) and children's stories. When she's not writing, Mysti works as a freelance editor, serves as a mentor in a 7-week writing course (F2K) and reviews books for SQ Mag, an online speculative fiction magazine. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband, three children and too many pets.
 





Friday, August 14, 2015

My second interview is with Loretta (Retta) Wood, who I first met as Pyewacket.




Links:


Interview:
  1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?
I mostly write romance/fiction because thats what I usually read myself. I have written some short stories but I find I mostly stick to novels.

  1. What writers do you admire? What are you currently reading?
I like Nora Roberts/JD Robb for the most part. I seem to read mostly her stuff these days. Right now though Im traveling back in time and reading a Jackie Collins book in the Lucky Santangelo series, since I loved them when I was younger.

  1. How do you pick character names? I choose ones Ive always liked or that sound cool or unique.

4. How long have you been writing? Since I was fourteen, so nearly 30 years.

5. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends? I get positive support from them. They like that I write, even though some of them have never read my stuff.

6. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work? Live journal mostly, since most of my writing friends/fans are ones I met there first, but I also use Facebook to promote if I want more people to read.

7. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work? Id probably make FB ads.

8. What are you working on now? Ive been working on this one story for months and I need to get it finished so I can start something new. Its a fiction/romance about a girl who comes back to her hometown 20 years later and they still dont accept her. She falls in love with a man escaping his own past.

9. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like? Not yet.


10.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer? Write what you know.

11.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner? I doubt it.


12.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing? Coming up with an idea.

13.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two? Pantser 100%

14.What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write? Romantic? Sex? The death of a character? Fight scenes? Others? I used to have issues with writing angst but Ive gotten past that. I suppose I find it hardest to write scenes which I believe might be disturbing to my readers, like violence etc. I hold back a lot for those reasons.

15.What's your solution to writers' block? Leave the story alone until more ideas come to my mind or play music that usually works to inspire me.

16.How much time do you spend on research for your writing? Not a lot, unless Im writing about something unfamiliar to me, in which case Ill look it up to make sure its correct.

17.Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do? Go with it. It usually ends up being better than my original idea, anyway.

18.Have you ever used weather or setting as a character? Nope.


Friday, August 7, 2015

Today I begin a series of weekly interviews with writers and readers of all types. First up is Leona Pence.



A lifelong resident of Illinois, Leona Pence is a widowed mother of four, grandmother to twelve, and come December--great grandmother to five. Leona started reading romance novels as a teen. She graduated from Nancy Drew stories to Harlequin Romance, and then to her favorite author, Barbara Cartland and her vast Regency romance collection. Happy endings were a must. Leona began writing late in life after the death of her husband of forty-four years. They married on her 19th birthday after a three month courtship – and yes – love at first sight really did happen. She enjoys reading, writing, and especially being a Mentor in F2K, a free online writing course.



  1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

My usual genre is Romance or Romantic Suspense. I have only written one novel, thus far, but I have written some flash stories. I have a short story that I plan to expand into a novella. I enjoy the challenge of writing a full story in as few words as possible. Poetry is not my cup of tea, although I have a few stashed away. To me, poetry must rhyme and have cadence. I used to write Limericks for my grandchildren, long before I ever considered myself a writer.

  1. What writers do you admire? What are you currently reading?

Steven King, Dean Koontz, Barbara Cartland, and a whole slew of new authors like Joyce Hertzoff, Mysti Parker, Cynthia Wright, etc., etc. I read a book fifty years ago called Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor. I never forgot it. A while back, I purchased it on Amazon as a rediscovered classic, and it was just as good the second time around. I read so many books and rarely remember the titles; not sure why this one stuck in my mind. I finished it last week and just started A Way from Heart to Heart by Helena Fairfax.


3. How do you pick character names?

For the good guys, I usually twist the names of family and friends. The protagonist is a little harder. I have so many relatives, I have to be careful lest I offend somebody.

  1. How long have you been writing?

Except for a few Limericks and poems, I didn’t start writing until after my husband’s death. I wrote the first draft of Hemphill Towers in 2008 at the age of sixty-five.


5. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends?

I get a lot of support from both. My daughters read my stories and give opinions. Many relatives, some I’ve never met, encourage me on Facebook. My husband would have been so proud that I wrote a novel. I have so many friends in F2K and WVU who support me too.

6. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work?

I use Facebook mostly, Twitter, when I can figure it out. I’ve had several newspaper articles written about me and have been interviewed by three local TV news channels, book signings, and word of mouth. I’ve also used Kindle Books and Tips, and The Fussy Librarian to help boost sales.

On August 30, I’m renting a table at a huge Flea Market in Peoria. I hope to sell some autographed books.

7. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work?

I’d do television, radio, and newspaper ads. I’d buy magazine space. Hummm, I’d probably just hire somebody to do all this for me.

8. What are you working on now?

I wrote a short story for a class in Writer’s Village University that I plan to expand into a novella. Who knows? Once I start, I may get a novel from it.

9. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like?

No, I have never self-published.

10.Do you have an agent and/or publisher? How did you find them?

Yes, I am published through MuseItUp Publishing. A mutual friend sent an email to the publisher, Lea Schizas, who told me to send my manuscript to her. Thank God, she saw promise in what I’d written and sent me a contract. It took about eight months from contract signing to publication…five years from the first draft.

11.Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have?

I traveled to Louisville, KY last September to The Imaginarium Convention. I didn’t sell many books, but it was an amazing experience to be gathered with so many authors. I met our mutual friends, Mysti Parker and Veronica Jorden. I also met several MuseItUp authors. I haven’t been to a book fair yet, but I’m hindered by being deaf and in a wheelchair. If the flea market works out, I’ll probably go there on a monthly basis. I have two wonderful daughters who help me.

12.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer?

I’d advise a beginning writer to take a basic writing course to brush up on grammar and punctuation. It would save so much time in revision. It’s hard to pinpoint one piece of advice. The people in the Novel Group at WVU were a tremendous help to me. I saw first-hand how we all struggled and none had error-free writing. Their advice was to hang in there and do your best.

13.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner?

I truly wish I had started writing earlier, but for me, the time was right when it finally happened. I had only used a computer to stay in touch with my children and play a few Solitaire games. But after I lost my husband of forty-four years, I turned to my computer, met people online, and gained the inspiration I needed to try my hand at writing.

14.What are some review remarks that stick in your head?

I especially liked these comments: Leona Pence’s debut novel, Hemphill Towers, does not disappoint. It is a Romantic Mystery, not to be confused with a romance novel. The lives of three young women intertwine and evolve in different settings across the globe. I found her handling of a complex tale masterfully accomplished.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It had romance, intrigue, & locations that were so vividly described that I felt I was there myself.
I would definitely recommend this book to readers of romance who like their tales served up with a side of danger

15.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing?

Revising and marketing are both the hardest part of the writing scenario. I hate making lengthy changes in the middle of something I’ve written. Marketing is a never-ending job.

16.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two?

I’m a pantser, but I envy the plotters. I’ve never been able to write a good outline and usually, I don’t know how my story will end.

17.What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write? Romantic? Sex? The death of a character? Fight scenes? Others?

For me, it’s the sex scenes. I have so many family member reading what I write, so I tend to write cautiously. I could write a steamy sex scene, but…I doubt I’d let anybody read it.

18.What's your solution to writers' block?

I read, read, read, until I get the urge to write. I consider myself a lazy writer because I am not committed to writing every day.





Riley Saunders, an art director at a leading advertising agency, works every day with her two best friends, Stella and Birdie. All three have been assigned to ensure that the Grand Opening of the Peterson Art Museum is nothing short of a success.

When a girl’s night out at a hot new Italian restaurant ends with a spilled bottle of wine, it sets in motion a series of events that leaves Stella and Birdie caught up in whirlwind romances, and Riley fearing for her life at the hands of a deranged stalker. When the handsome museum curator, Trent Peterson, learns of Riley’s situation, he vows to keep her safe.

In a quick-paced tale of fine art, wine forgery, and even the Russian Mafia, Riley and her friends soon discover their pursuit of love will require them to expose a crime, thwart a murder, and trust the one thing that has never failed them--their friendship.



Here are some links to connect with Leona:

Bump off Your Enemies Anthology: http://goo.gl/T97WNW
The Darwin Murders Anthology: http://goo.gl/YX3Xre
Tasteful Murders Anthology: http://TinyURL.com/mbw472c




Saturday, August 1, 2015

One of the most treacherous places Nissa and the gang visit is a swamp, but this is where they finally learn more about the Crimson Orb.

Image result for Swamps

In addition to the unstable ground they need to traverse, vines entangle the legs of their horses pulling them down, and their riders with them. They receive some help from the folks who live in the swamp, but it might not be enough. To learn more about this, read The Crimson Orb. www.amazon.com/dp/B00KWUO7E8