Friday author interview

Today I interview Claire Buss 

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

I write in a couple of different genres. So far I have my hopeful dystopia series, The Gaia Effect and The Gaia Project and then I have my humorous fantasy novel, The Rose Thief. I've also released satirical collections of short stories based on my observations of life in the suburbs and by the seaside. I write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and novels. I don't write particularly long novels, around 70,000 words maximum and I do enjoy the flash fiction format. I do also write poetry and have released four short books so far.

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

I admire so many writers because I read so much. My favourites include Robin Hobb, Rachel Caine, Joe Abercrombie, Ben Aaronovitch, Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman to name just a few.

I cam currently reading Leaps of Faith by AM Leibowitz, Half the World by Joe Abercrombie and Ghosts of the Sea Moon by AF Stewart.

3. How do you pick character names?

It sounds a bit odd but I let the name drop into my head. I always have to have a name for a main character before I start writing. I'll think about the type of character and wait for a name to pop up and then I'll roll it around a bit finding the right surname before going ahead and using it. Secondary characters aren't quote so lucky. They often spend much of the first few drafts of the book called NAME.

4. How long have you been writing?

I've always written little bits here and there but I didn't seriously begin my writing career until 2015 when I finished my first novel for a local writing competition. That book, The Gaia Effect, was published in December 2015 and I began calling myself an author.

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

My husband is very supportive. He listen to me wail and gnash about how awful I am and then five minutes later try to keep up as I go on a super speedy rant about what's going to happen next in the current WIP. He is my first reader and idea bouncer. I wish my children could be a little more supportive but it's not their fault, they are too little to understand that Mummy needs more than five minutes to go her work. But my little boy, Leo, is very proud of me being a writer and was super excited to find my books in the local library.

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

I tend to use Facebook (www.facebook.com/busswriter) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/grasshopper2407) mainly. I do have a LinkedIn and Google+ account but they tend to just be used for sharing blog posts. I dabble in instagram (@grasshopper2407) when I have taken interesting pictures or photos of cake. I do have an email newsletter with a free book for anyone who signs up (http://eepurl.com/c93M2L) and a website (www.cbvisions.weebly.com) where you can read the first chapters of my books.

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

I would run lots of Amazon and Facebook ads, I'd do posters on the Tube and I'd print up a couple of hundred copies and hand them out for free all over the place.

8. What are you working on now?

I was working on a Roshaven novella, The Interspecies Poker Tournament, set in the world of The Rose Thief but it has decided to become a novel so now I need to add another 40-50,000 words which isn't a huge problem because I enjoy writing in that universe.

Last year in NaNoWriMo, I completed the first draft of the third book in The Gaia Collection - The Gaia Solution so I have that to take through the first round of editing and tears as well.

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

All my books are self published. The Gaia Effect was published by an independent press called New Generation Publishing who charge a fee to take care of all the publishing bits and pieces. That service was part of the prize in the writing competition. All my other books have been self-published through KDP.

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

I have attended one convention so far and it was super scary being the author and not the punter but I spoke on a few panels and sold a couple of copies of my book which wasn't bad considering I was a complete unknown. I have the opportunity to go back to the same event again later this year so I think I'm going to go for it.

I've done a few events in local coffee shops and libraries and they've been a little hit and miss depending on the weather, what else is going on and the types of people coming round the events.

I haven't been to a book fair yet but it's on the list.

11.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 was fortunate to take part in a writers workshop run by crime author Ian Ayris who also happens to be a qualified counselor and he was great at explaining that once you come to the end of your book you have to let it go and cut all ties to it so you can begin again on the next project and not be crushed by the reader response. The advice I would give to a beginning writer is to just trust yourself and the words will flow. If you want to write then write. No-one can stop you.

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

I don't know because my life has been shaped by everything that has happened up until this point and I think if I'd started writing earlier I may have given up or ended up writing completely different things. I don't think I would've had the confidence to write before.

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

I have been so lucky to only have positive or constructive reviews thus far so for that I'm thrilled. I love it when a reader notices a little in-joke or reference I've made and I'm so interested in reading the theories readers have on characters and what might happen next. Reading reviews has helped me describe the books to other people as there have been some very handy descriptions like, for instance, hopeful dystopia for The Gaia Effect.

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

I find revising the hardest. It always feels like a huge mountain to climb and it's often the point where writers get consumed with self-doubt and the belief that their work is rubbish. I have no problem coming up with ideas or indeed writing when the muse is with me. I used to work in marketing so I enjoy that aspect but I know I haven't got it quite right yet - there are still lots of things I should be doing on that side.

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

I'm a discovery writer which I guess makes me a pantser. I often have no idea what is going to happen next when I'm writing which is one of the things I love about the process. I can't even imagine being able to sit down and plan out the whole book before I write a word although in the spirit of things I suppose I ought to try it that way at least once. Sometimes I have to stop mid way and ensure I haven't gone off track with the story line and usually there is an awful lot of plot hole filling when I get to the end of the first draft.

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

I haven't found anything hard to write. I did get emotional writing several scenes in The Gaia Effect and they still get me even now. It's important to pour emotion into your stories.

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

Go have some cake. And try not to get stressed about it. I am currently stressing about the lack of work I've done on The Interspecies Poker Tournament which in turn is panicking me about sitting down and getting on with it so I keep procrastinating to avoid having to do it.

18.How much time do you spend on research for your writing?

All my books are set in worlds of my own imagination so until I reach a point where I mention something I don't know anything about I don't do any research. At that point in time I Google what I want to know and then carry on writing.

19.Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do?

Go with it and see what happens!

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

Not yet but it could totally happen, especially in my Roshaven books.