Monday, July 28, 2008

Interview with Savanna Kougar

Author Pen Name: Savanna Kougar

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SK: I write anything and everything labeled paranormal romance. Just ‘cause that’s what I also love reading. Since age thirteen I’ve had an ongoing fascination with the paranormal, and constantly study different facets, from time travel to following Linda Godfrey’s werebeast investigations. Currently, I have an aristocratic fantasy erotic romance with Siren Publishing, All Shades of Blue Paradise. And, I also have a spicy sci fi lioness shifter novella with Liquid Silver Books, Red Lioness Tamed. The two books represent my split personality, and I think someone UP THERE is definitely amused the true me is being exposed.

I also enjoy the challenge of writing futuristics, one of which is coming out with BookStrand, about the end of the Mayan calendar, December 21, 2012.

Oops, I almost forgot, my current novels would be considered in the erotic romance genre or sizzle romance genre. So be warned.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SK: I’m not certain I ever ‘realized’ it. Writing became one of several artistic passions I wanted to continue pursuing after college. Of course, in the meantime, life interruptus started hurling those nasty curve balls, and I was doing a lot of ducking for a very long time, before I was able to get a real career going. However, when I could no longer find the romance novels I wanted to read, before the rise of ‘paranormals’, I simply began writing what I wanted to read. Like so many authors that’s when I truly became a ‘serious’ writer.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SK: Being a voracious reader, especially in my childhood, I value how a story can simply transport a reader to an entirely different world, or a realm only accessed by the imagination. So, of course, I absolutely love writing the heroine and hero’s love story set in those OtherWorlds, the worlds I visit in my lucid dreams and in my movie-screen imagination. It’s a big thrill for me when a reader enjoys one of the fantastical stories I’ve created, because I know what it means to me to go on those incredible reading journeys.

CA: When writers block attacks, what do you do to get back on track?

SK: The mundane of life usually works quite well for me. You know, actual cleaning, washing my clothes, paying the bills, grocery shopping...oh! and playing with my doggies.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SK: My writing schedule is everyday, usually. Since becoming e-published, I’ve lost writing time because of the business end of being an author. So, I fit writing in however and whenever I can. Not always easy, I can tell you.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SK: Trepidation.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SK: See above – taking care of and playing with my doggies. I also thoroughly enjoy observing all the nature around me, since I now live on a country acreage. I also adore drawing and painting. If you look closely at the cover art for All Shades of Blue Paradise you’ll see a horse’s head, which I drew.

CA: What is something shocking or weird about you that your readers don’t know about?

SK: Hmmm...shocking or weird....thinking...okay, this is from my ancient memory banks, but it’s one of the highlights of my young life. As a teenager I had a half Welsh, half Shetland pony named Bucky, who could be one tough son-of-a-gun. One of the neighborhood boys, who acted like a bully sometimes, was throwing firecrackers at us. I whirled Bucky around and we charged this teenage kid. Bucky ran right over his foot. Ouch! And talk about poetic justice! Ha.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SK: Okay, let’s see I have two published. And I have three contracted, two of them coming soon. As far as completed manuscripts, I would guess, about twelve.
Favorite is always the book I’m working on, and truly every book I write. I don’t write it unless I want to read it over and over again. It’s a strict rule I have.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SK: Great question. I’ve determined my characters are mutts extraordinaire, meaning they are a combination of real everyday people, the celebs, the characters from movies, tv and also from other books. Or, they originate straight from my imagination. Lady Sheridan, the heroine in All Shades of Blue Paradise, introduced herself in a beautiful semi-lucid dream I had.

CA: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

SK: Boy! You got me there. I wish I did have some concrete valuable advice. But as I’ve mentioned before, my own path was full of strange twists and turns, none of which made any logical sense toward the end goal of being published. Certainly perseverance is always a lynchpin ~ unless you’re one of the lucky few who gets ‘discovered’ quickly. You know, that fairy godmother tap on the shoulder.

However, if you’re not, I would say, use your intuition about what works for you personally, and the path you should follow. And be persistent.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SK: Right now, the easiest way to contact me is leave a comment at ~ savannakougar.com ~ and I will answer. Or, you can find me on the Siren-BookStrand readers loop and on the Liquid Silver forum ~ liquidsilverbooks.com/forum.
For purchase here’s the list of my novels and publishers, the ones e-published and on the way:

Red Lioness Tamed ~ spicy sci fi available from Liquid Silver Books, Molten Silver ~ liquidsilverbooks.com ~ Untamed lioness lost in space

All Shades of Blue Paradise [World of the Blue Pearl Moon, Book I] ~ aristocratic fantasy available from Siren Publishing ~ sirenpublishing.com ~ Which seductive shade of blue are you?

Tangerine Carnal Dreams ~ stallion shifter adventure coming soon from Aspen Mountain Press

When a Good Angel Falls ~ 2012 angelic fantasy coming from Siren-BookStrand summer 2008

Pleasures of Blue Lotus Oil [World of the Blue Pearl Moon, Book II] ~ aristocratic fantasy coming from Siren Publishing

Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis ~ futuristic coming from Siren-BookStrand

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

SK: Hmmm, always a tricky question for me. I usually have no clue what to add. Okay, I just finished the final edits on Tangerine Carnal Dreams for Aspen Mountain Press, so I am absolutely excited about that. And, I followed that with the major edit of When a Good Angel Falls for Siren-BookStrand. My coming soon personal page on the new BookStrand.com site is tingly-beautiful! I just took a nice long look.
And, I’m about to work on Black Cat Beauty, a purr-seductive shifter novella, which I’m hoping will be published for Halloween.

CA: Thanks Savanna for this interview, I loved that you made Bucky charge that kid LOL!!



Interview with Margaret Tanner


Author Pen Name: Margaret Tanner

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

MT: I write historical romance. I have always been interested in history and I have always loved writing, so it seemed a good idea to marry the two of them.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MT: I can never remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MT: I felt that I had a story to tell. I wanted to encourage people to read history but not have to sit down and read some dusty old tome.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MT: I write when and where I can. The weekends or evenings are probably my main times.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MT: Ecstatic

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MT: I am a medical audio-typist working on a casual basis now, but still more hours than I want, because it takes me away from my writing. I have got the travel bug, and have visited Europe, US and Asia.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MT: About fifteen in all. I have two novels out with Whiskeycreek Press and another coming out with them in August. I have three novels contracted with The Wild Rose Press and one contracted with Enspiren Press. I have four novels under consideration and three or four more sitting in the cupboard while I decide where to send them.

My favorite novel would be “The English Rose” which is coming out in June from Enspiren Press, but I love all my novels..

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MT: A bit of both really.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

MT: Keep on trying and never give up on your dream, no matter how many setbacks you receive. Getting published is never easy, but it is achievable, if you persevere.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MT: My website is http://www.margarettanner.com/
Information about purchasing my books can be found on my website or my publishers’ website.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

MT: I would just like to thank you, Crystal, for giving me the opportunity of answering this questionnaire.

CA: Thank you Margaret for hanging out here this week :)

Interview with Mykola Dementiuk


Author Pen Name: Mykola (Mick) Dementiuk

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

MD: Sexual tales with a psychological self-examination bent. In all my stories and novels the characters are looking into themselves, why they act the way they do, why they almost love, why they screw so horrendously, why they slink away afterwards... Life is a puzzle to them, they are a puzzle that they just can’t decipher or figure out. And that’s why I write of them: looking for an answer to the puzzle…which of course, I or them, will never find….

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MD: Oh, must have been the time I was in a contest and won a prize. It was in the 5th grade in school and I wrote a poem about being a clown and everyone laughing at my sad face. I thought writing about it was a goofy thing to do and can’t remember what prize I won but I recall the poem was hung up on the wall, along with other winners (losers) -- after all this was grade school -- the winners were on the top, losers on the bottom but I know I was at the top and very proud over it. After that I constantly snuck off and wrote little poems which I’ve never shown anyone…I’ve always recalled the 5th grade with a sense of accomplishment, not so the other grades…

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MD: Whatever I picked up on the street, murder mysteries, war tales, stories about rape and thrill seeking, but my most inspiring book I read at that time was ‘Portrait of a Young Man Drowning’ by Charles Perry, a novel about Brooklyn petty gangsters where one even rapes his own mother…well, all of a sudden I thought, Hey, I could write this stuff too, but of course I couldn’t; years and years had to go by before I even attempted anything like that but the seed was there. I kept reading everything, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Camus, Kafka, etc., and on and on and they were what drove me through the years. I always pretty much had a book in my pocket and those were the times when ‘pocket books’ could fit in your pocket, meaning they weren’t so expensive or costly, like fifty cents or I’d get used ones for a dime or a quarter in old NYC 4th Avenue bookstores…

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MD: All I ever needed was an hour or two hours to create, do it every morning then go on with my life. Anyway, an hour or two is all I can take…but the research I do at times can be voluminous, sitting and pouring over every minute detail until I know that it’s right. So you see, it’s easy to write but the pre-writing, the research, isn’t….And my publication was going good, every few months I’d have a story in some magazine, Paramour, Aphrodite Gone Berserk, EIDOS, etc., but in 1998 I had a stroke which kept me in a coma for three weeks. After that I pretty much forgot about writing, had to re-learn everything from the scratch, eating, talking, even taking a shit and wiping my ass. Then one night I had a dream about old times I remembered and in the morning I began Times Queer…my memories of Times Square days and nights….Haven’t stopped writing since…

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MD: I used to think I’d be scared and apprehensive but I’m not. I been doing this for too long, and I know the things I write aren’t very popular with readers…I was very enthusiastic back in the days when first story was accepted by Avalon Rising, a tiny one-woman magazine in Cincinnati run by Hilary Tebbs (don’t know what happened to her) but I was ecstatic and thrilled; that high lasted for weeks if not months! Well, that’s faded somewhat, though I’m just as happy now when it happens. When Sally Miller of Synergy Press agreed to publish Times Queer as a chapbook, the same quiet happiness came over me and last year it came out in paperback and Susie Bright, very well known erotic writer and publisher, had a great comment and we put that on the cover. She called it, ‘Genuine whoreporn’, haha! I love it!

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

MD: With Vienna Dolorosa, my third book, creating a believable 1938 world before World War 2 started, hell, I wasn’t even born yet…it was the hardest thing to do but also the most satisfying. I wrote every morning and went on with my life, going to work, going to the library, going wherever…I came out of that book a real writer, before I was just a hack, trying to be one; with Vienna Dolorosa I was one!....And that one created a bit of a stir, seems the lesbian editors didn’t like it and warned me to never submit anything else to that…Oh, well, c’est la vie…. But with my first one, Holy Communion, I’ve had that in my mind since my childhood, and knew that one day I’d set it down, which I did, but only now am I getting it published.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MD: Ha Ha! Goofing off! Staring into space, watching a little TV, dreaming crap…actually, doing nothing….Well, I do my exercises, walking back and forth, trying to stay in some kind of shape…in many ways the stroke has been a real bitch but in other ways it hasn’t…

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MD: About 10, and my favorite is Baby Doll a slim little chapbook, barely 50 pages, about a little boy of 14 who finds a pair of ladies panties one day that changes his world around him forever…it’s actually a long story that Sally Miller put out as a chapbook.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MD: Both, but the imagination is a lot better to work from….

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

MD: Never give up…Read, then read another book, on and on, once you grow out of those childish dreams and fantasies I can assure you the adult delusions are better….and easier to handle…of course, the sexy reading and writing is kind of nice too…

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MD: Through SynergyBookService.com or 908.782.7101, also through Barnes & Nobles under my name…also under my email mydem@comcast.net

or http://www.viennadolorosa.com/ my book and has some nice Mozart music there;

http://mydem.blogspot.com/ has interesting tales about life in the Big City;

http://adventuresinthebackrow.blogspot.com/ a horrible story about a little girl;

http://timesqueer.blogspot.com/ about Times Square, what else can I say?

http://frequentlyfelt.blogspot.com/2008/04/soft-core-by-mykola-dementiuk.html just a blog I did for M. Christian, a great writer and a friend of mine

Also had a tale in Velvet Mafia, a great site, http://velvetmafia.com/19/dementiuk.php
CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

MD: The thing about writing is being able to be alone…you can have some soft music playing but for me that hour or two are very monastic and solitary, no music, no nothing, just a computer pounding away… It’s like I’m praying to God, because in a way I’m doing just that: I write…and he listens…and he takes it from there…sometimes he answers but most times he doesn’t…That’s what creation is about, knowing the difference…and only a few times did I sense that….

Thanks! It’s been fun!

CA: Thanks Mick for doing this interview, it is amazing that you held on to your dreams!!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Interview with Charles Filius *Book Giveaway*


**BOOK GIVEAWAY! Charles is offering a copy of his book On A Wing And A Prayer: Early Jottings of a Befuddled Medium, all you have to do is leave a comment this week to be entered. Charles or I will draw a name on Monday July 28. The winner will have 5 days to respond after we contact them to claim the prize or a redraw will be done. So make sure to LEAVE your EMAIL ADDRESS! Now enjoy the interview :)

Author Pen Name: Charles A. Filius

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

CF: I have spent my life refusing to be pigeonholed. So, in keeping with that tradition, I’d have to say I write in the autobiographical/new age/humor genre. How’s THAT for deliciously complex?

I write simply because I have no real choice in the matter. Seriously. I have to do it. In the same way I have to draw (I’m a cartoonist by love and by trade). The words are given to me and I know they have a target audience. I know I am not the only blockhead out there who finds their own spiritual journey a baffling romp. They need the same message I was given. We’re here for a variety of reasons. The biggest, I believe, is to merely help one another. I feel I’m doing that in my own small way.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

CF: Well that’s a funny question. Why? Because I never knew I wanted to be a writer! I’m always the last to know such things. It’s best when the Collective Consciousness leaves me out of the loop for the most part. I’m sure I would screw it up otherwise…

I’m a cartoonist first and foremost. I always will consider that to be my vocation. That’s my passion; my bliss. However, I’ve always had an interest in writing; in the published word. My second favorite assignment in school was writing ANY kind of report. Yea, I was that weird geeky kid in the back who longed to one day wear a pocket protector. I recall one teacher who would give us a list of vocabulary words and we had to use each in a sentence. I wrote a whole murder mystery in five paragraphs using each of the assigned words. But I didn’t really think anything of it. (Have I mentioned I’m the poster child for Obtuse Blockheads Anonymous?) It wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I first toyed with doing something with writing which, ironically, came from another random class assignment.

My girlfriend at the time was still in high school. She had an assignment to write five short stories in the styles of different authors. She asked me to do it for her so I did (If you’re reading this Mrs. Beafore you now know you were duped! YA HA HA HA!). My girlfriend was given an A+ for my work. The teacher even wrote her a lovely note complementing her endeavors. That experience did make me think that I might be onto something with this writing thing but I never really thought of pursuing it as a career. I figured it would only help with my cartooning.

As my own spiritual journey exploded in my face I found out, from my Spirit Guides, that one of my tasks this time around is to be an author. Of course, I fought it tooth and nail because that’s the credo of all obtuse blockheads everywhere. Clearly, my plan didn’t work… thank God.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

CF: While I claim no similarity of any kind to this man I have to say I have been greatly influenced by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. I am completely enthralled by his work. I stare at my laptop and scream, “Why can’t YOU write like that?” It just sits there mocking me oh-so-silently. His blending of compassion, understanding, humor and moral disgust grabs me and refuses to let go. Harold Bell Wright is another author I have found myself drawn to in the past few years. He came from a fundamentalist background and went on his own path because he knew there was much more out there than meets the naked eye. I’m a child of wonder just as he was.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

CF: I’m a bad boy. I have no schedule. I literally write when the urge hits me. Of course, if this was my main vocation, I’m sure I would be at it every day. I tend to take random notes and toss them in a pile near my computer. These allegedly arbitrary jottings are always the seeds for something that needs to be written. Once I have the “need” to write I will dive into it and work feverishly until it’s finished. It really is a fueled obsession once the fire is lit.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

CF: Is HolyCrapThisIsSoFrigginCool a word?

Seriously, when I held the actual book in my hand the first time I cried (Damn paper cuts). I looked up at a friend who was with me and simply said to her, “It’s real.” I couldn’t believe it.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

CF: Not shooting my editor. (It’s times like this when I’m thankful he has a great sense of humor and/or a high level of tolerance…)

I have a knack of beating a dead horse. I sink my teeth in and keep chewing. My editor is screaming, “Enough already! Let it go!” He’s helped me learn restraint. I’m a very scattered person; my mind is all over the place. A conversation with me is really frustrating, I’m sure, as I focus on multiple things at once. My writing is the same way. James Powell, my editor, has helped me focus. Has he won the battle? Absolutely not. It’s all uphill from here for the poor guy. I would attempt to pity him but I just can’t pay that much atten---oh! Look! A shiny penny!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

CF: Drawing, of course. I’m an avid reader. I’m also a huge movie buff (that’s the PC term to say I’m a couch potato). I love to travel. It’s my dream to eat cheesecake in every state. If I could fly somewhere every week I would. My ideal existence would literally to live out of a suitcase. I’m on the go a lot and I love it. The book has given me the chance to travel even more and I’m SO grateful for that bonus perk!

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

CF: This is my first so, by all accounts, it’s my favorite. How easy is that? I hear the sequel is going to be kick-ass.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

CF: Get an editor! Seriously. They are invaluable. Of course I won’t tell MY editor this because he’ll just be unbearable to be around. The last thing we want is editors feeling good about themselves.

James isn’t going to be reading this, is he?

Seek a professional. Don’t ask your buddy from your Canasta Club to do it for you unless this person truly is an editor.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

CF: My book can be purchased at Amazon.com as well as Lulu.com. It should be available on Barnes & Noble’s website shortly as well. You can also order it from me directly by visiting: http://www.extralargemedium.net/wingandaprayer.htm. There is a link there for you to pay via Pay Pal.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

CF: I don’t want to add anything because I loathe math… (ohhhh that was a bad one).

I have to thank you, Crystal, for offering a service to novice writers like myself. This is a chance for others to hear about our work; a chance that may not have come to several. It means a lot to me and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way.

CA: Charles as you know I enjoyed reading your book, the humor was such a nice thing to have… and us past-life raccoon’s gotta stick together! Thank you again for doing this interview as well at the book giveaway!

** Charles is offering a copy of his book On A Wing And A Prayer: Early Jottings of a Befuddled Medium, all you have to do is leave a comment this week to be entered. Charles or I will draw a name on Monday July 28. The winner will have 5 days to respond after we contact them to claim the prize or a redraw will be done. So make sure to LEAVE your EMAIL ADDRESS!





Interview with Jeff Ezell


Author Pen Name: Jeff Ezell

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

JE: Horror/Fantasy/Comedy
A large part of the reason that I write is for my own personal gratification. If I can scare myself or make myself laugh I have done what I had set out to do.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JE: After reading The Books Of Blood by Clive Barker when I just a kid. I just kept thinking about where those stories came from. That’s when I started delving into my own demented mind and writing short stories.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

JE: My inspiration derived from the love for things that go bump in the night. The chill that runs down your spine when you realize that you’re not alone yet darkness is all that you see. I was child with a vivid imagination and I wanted to spread my fears to the ones that had found comfort. I wanted to make them twitch.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

JE: I am so random when it comes to my writing. I try to make time and clear myself of all distractions but I find that distractions lurk in many different things. I mainly write in the wee hours of the night.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

JE: Anxiety. One word can describe the whole experience for me. I pretend to be calm but it never leaves my thoughts.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

JE: I wrote Wish World while living in L.A. and I believe that my biggest challenge was trying not to let my surroundings influence my work. I tried for something different and gave each chapter its own life. I wanted it to be like an adult fairy tale. I wanted it to feel as if you could read one chapter each night and feel as if you have just completed a short story; with each chapter continuing the tale where it left off.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

JE: I love to ride horses. I also play acoustic guitar and write some of my own music. I watch a lot of movies and read a lot of books.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

JE: I have only one book written and it is “Wish World.” I also co-created a current project in the works called “The Edward Ballister Project”. You can also find my short stories in various anthologies.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

JE: Most characters are usually from my imagination but every now and again I will kill off a friend or two in my short stories. I am not sure how they feel about that though.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

JE: Writers write. That is my advice. Set aside some time and complete the project that you start. Published or not the feeling of accomplishment comes with dotting that last period.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

JE: You can contact me at www.myspace.com/wishworldthenovel or www.jayehippy@yahoo.com. You can also contact me if you are looking to purchase the book.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

JE: You can find my latest short story in Alan Draven’s Sinister Landscapes anthology.

CA: I love Alan Draven’s work so I’m sure if you’re in an anthology with him then your stories rock as well! Thanks Jeff for hanging out here this week!!




Interview with Miriam Newman



Author Pen Name: Miriam Newman

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

MN: I am heavily into fantasy, probably because I have never been totally in this world anyway and figure I ought to make the best of it!

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MN: About the time I learned to print.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MN: First, the “who”: my mother. She was a well-read woman prone to correcting grammar at the breakfast table and composition at dinner. Our meals weren’t relaxed, but they were very educational! As to the “what”: the minute I set foot in Ireland, I felt everything creative in me just go into overdrive. What a place!

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MN: It’s crazy. I have a very busy housecleaning and house sitting service specializing in everything from what to do when a can of Coke explodes in the freezer to how to feed pet llamas. When I finish with that, I have five acres full of rescue animals of my own to deal with. When that’s finally over, I write. Fortunately, I’m rather manic and don’t require much sleep.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MN: Happy.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

MN: The biggest challenge was to ever stop. It was torture having to do the breakfast dishes, pay the bills, or go to bed. I couldn’t get that demon off my back!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MN: I’m very much an outdoors person. For years, I fox hunted. I still follow the hounds by car whenever possible. I was training my 100 pound Labrador retriever as a gun dog until I realized that particular dog was going to do his best retrieving at Burger King. Then I adopted a hound who requires a lot of exercise and the dogs and I spend hours tromping through 2,000 acres of State Game Lands next to my house.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MN: Confessions of the Cleaning Lady is my first book, so I would have to say it’s my current favorite.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MN: It’s about half and half.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

MN: Just keep doing it until something works.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MN: Right now, they can reach me by email at MrmIreland@aol.com. My book is at www.thedarkcastlelords.com and www.miriamnewman.com I am working on getting up a website and will try to get the information to you before this is printed.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

MN: Thanks for your time, Crystal! This has been a real pleasure.

CA: Miriam, thank you! I wish you tons of success in your writing and one day I hope to go to Ireland :)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Interview with Sandy Patsy *Book Giveaway*!


* Book Giveaway * Sandy is giving away a copy of her book Power of Pussy. All you have to do is leave a comment on her interview to be entered in the drawing. We’ll choose a winner at the end of the week. Make sure to leave your email address so that we can contact the winner, and if no response within 5 days we’ll have to do a redraw. Enjoy!!

Author Pen Name: Sandy Patsy

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SP: Actual factual observations of people in their element. From my observations, I learn how not to be.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SP: I started writing poetically at about the 6th grade.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SP: My inspiration for Power of P. grew out of my need for emotional
survival.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SP: Crazy.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SP: EAGER

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SP: Work at my regular job.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SP: One book. The only one, of course

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SP: Real people. It's impossible to make up stuff weirder than the way people really are.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

SP: My advice to would-be writers is DON'T do it for a living. You will starve if you "have to" write. It should be for your own expression & having fun. My Editor & I had a blast!
We will write another book, just for the pure pleasure of the experience.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SP: Purchase a book on line from sandyellenpatsy@aol.com or from Amazon.com.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

SP: My Editor & I already had a fabulous relationship. By
writing the book with her, it became the funnest part of the day!
We are still having fun with it

CA: Thank you so much for being here this week Sandy! And just to let you know Sandy is giving away a copy of her book Power of Pussy. All you have to do is leave a comment on her interview to be entered in the drawing. We’ll choose a winner at the end of the week. Make sure to leave your email address so that we can contact the winner, and if no response within 5 days we’ll have to do a redraw. Enjoy!!

Interview with Angela Bolden-Thompson


Author Pen Name: A. Bolden-ThompsonCA: What genre(s) do you write?

ABT: My debut novel When Company Comes is a Young Adult Fiction but I love to work with Women's Fiction and Romance.

CA: Why do you write the stories that you write?

ABT: Partially because I want to give voice to characters that are not unlike ourselves, but mostly because I have a desire to document the beauty of life.
CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

ABT: As a youth, I had dreams of becoming an Actress. In order to show my talent, I needed lead roles to play so I wrote plays and skits that I could perform. Turns out, I fell in love with writing and the rest is history!
CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

ABT: My inspiration for writing comes from life itself but for my debut novel, it came from a poem written by Langston Hughes, entitled "I Too Sing America." It was one of my favorite poems and I wanted to give voice to the main character.
CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

ABT: Full of distractions! If I could get an entire two or three days where I can do nothing but write, that would be a real accomplishment! But I have come to learn that it is necessary to be consistent and willing to burn the midnight oil!
CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

ABT: Grateful!
CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

ABT: When I'm not writing, I love to listen to music, spend time with my family and watch a great film!
CA: How many books have you written?

ABT: When Company Comes is my debut novel. I just completed another one. Which is your favorite? To be honest, I don't have a favorite since they both come from the same imagination!
CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

ABT: I would venture to say that all of my characters come from my imagination. That being said, my imagination is filled with people whose lives have intersected with mine at some point in time.
CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

ABT: Be persistent and purposeful with your craft. Never allow anyone to discourage you from doing what you love. Write everyday because the more you write the better you become.
CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

ABT:
I can be reached at whencompanycomes@yahoo.com or http://angelathompson1.tripod..com/. My book is available at Amazon.com or any online retailer.
ISBN# 978-016151-4774-1
CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

ABT: I want to thank all the readers out there who make it possible for our voices to be heard! I ask that you continue to support your favorite author by helping to promote literacy! Thank you for this interview. It has been a pleasure!

CA: Thank you for doing the interview Angela! I’m on my way to check out your book!

Interview with J.W. Coffey


Author Pen Name: J. W. Coffey

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

JWC: To be honest, I write in a large variety of genres; mostly because I read a wide variety. The current book, A Wager of Blood, is a modern ghost story/horror story. I’ve always loved a really scary story that has you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what happens next but afraid to know. But I also love historical fiction—which is not always synonymous with “romance”; although, I’m starting to gain a love for that genre as well. Science Fiction/Fantasy is another genre that I love to write in. And I’m starting to explore the crime/detective genre. I have a series in mind that I may start on soon that will explore that one, too. I’m gaining a great respect for that. So, it really just depends on the story—where it takes me is what genre I’m writing in for that moment.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JWC: When I was very young, actually. I started writing when I was in the fourth grade—I got a tape recorder for Christmas. And I wanted more than just music or to send the occasional recorded letter to my grandparents. So, I started writing these serial vignettes and sweet talked my brothers into doing them with me, like the old radio shows. Then, I started writing my own “fantasies” that dealt with love and romance and life in general. It blossomed from there.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

JWC: I had so many influences, really. My Grandmother Coffey was a school teacher and she influenced me by encouraging my imagination and giving me exercises to do that involved story telling. My Aunt Eleanor influenced me by introducing me to classical literature at an early age. I was about 10 when I started reading Poe, Shakespeare, Hardy, Dickens. And my Mom really influenced me by encouraging me to read and then find my own. She always listened, always helped me understand what I was reading and writing. She was my biggest fan, always believing in my talent. And of course, the masters themselves—if I hadn’t read their work, I wouldn’t have been inspired to create my own.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

JWC: Right now, I have a full time day job, so that eats up a lot of my work time. But since I got the “Stephen King Bug,” I crave the writing. Stephen King is notorious for his output of stories and work, writing constantly. I know that feeling all too well—it becomes a compulsion and a deep seeded need to create. So, as tired as I am, I still usually put in a good three hours in the evening at my craft—be it writing or editing. And weekends, are fair game! Count on at least ten to twelve hours a day.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

JWC: Scared but excited. Will it stand the test of readership? Will they buy it? Will they like it? Did I get all the details out? Did I write it well enough that it will entertain? Did I do right by my characters? I’m scared that the answer is a resounding NO to all of the questions. We’ll see, won’t we.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

JWC: A voracious reader. But I like to hike/walk, I love to just sit and enjoy the fresh air of a lovely day; I love to listen to good music; yes, I stare at the television a bit—some really good shows on the cable networks. I’m hugely into BBC America and the History Channel.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

JWC: I’ve written five, so far. The Savior, The Brothers Campbell, A Wager of Blood, and Illusions & Reality have all seen print. Although, the first two are now out of print (published through iUniverse which is a subsidy press) pending rewrites and I’ll be resubmitting those around. They were the first two books I’d ever written and you can tell—too many first timer mistakes. I&R is a short story collection that I put together for a book signing; it occurred before Wager was actually out and I needed something to promote myself and the coming book. Wager is my first “traditionally published” book. And I’m in the process of submitting my first romance, Wilde Mountain Time, around. So, we’ll see what happens there. I have so many more in the hopper, so that’ll be changing very soon.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

JWC: A combination of both, really. There are aspects of my characters that are based on my friends and me. I think adding that spice to characters makes them real in the readers’ minds—especially since they’re real in my mind. But I also add characteristics that aren’t from people I know. Because I think you have to have something that the readers can feel part of, like they know someone just like that or they do that same thing.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

JWC: Be ready to work. Unfortunately, this is not the literary equivalent of “If you build it, he will come.” Writing the story is only the beginning. There will be long hours of editing and rewriting. There will be long hours of submissions and you’ll be getting a lot of rejections before you find that one agent or publisher that thinks you got the right goods at the right time. There will be even more long hours of rewriting and editing because you’re going to get an editor assigned to you that will help you improve the story even more. Then, you’re going to spend even more days and weeks promoting that book—and you’ll be doing a whole lot more than you think you will, trust me. The idea that you’re going to be the next Stephen King or Anne Rice needs to be dumped right now—they were flukes. Rich flukes, yes; but they are not the norm. But if you’re prepared to work and put the time in, you can make a difference. You can get your work read by a steady following and you can make it in this very competitive industry.

And do your homework. Don’t just send something to a publisher or agent. Find out what genres they publish or represent. Find out who in that publishing company or agency represents your genre and what that person’s name is. Find out what their submission guidelines are and then follow those guidelines to the letter. Because if you do all that, they know that you’re very serious about your work and they’ll take you seriously in return.

Also, get moving on your cult following. Publishers and agents love to hear that you have fans. Get a blog and post daily, find mailing lists and join. Go to online communities like the CompuServe Lit Forum and join in. Anything that gets you out there in the public and gets you noticed. The more readers you garner, the more potential readers await you. And you’ll find other writers who can pass on hard won knowledge and wisdom. So, make a splash. Get noticed. Get ‘em reading.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

JWC: My website is http://www.authorjwcoffey.com/. I have links to contact me directly through email. And I have a place on the site called “The Library.” You can find links to all four books—Amazon still has copies of the first two available, as does Alibris—and how to buy them.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

JWC: My best advice is to please yourself and never give up on the work. I know it’s hard out there. And I know we’ve all chosen an incredibly competitive business. But that shouldn’t stop you. Don’t worry about writing the next Harry Potter or the next memoir craze. If you try to write in a trend; by the time your book comes out, that trend will be over. Write the story that pleases you, entertains you, scares you! Please yourself first! Trust me, there are at least a few million out there that think like you do and if it pleases you, it’ll please them.

And don’t ever give up. Yes, I have a drawer full of rejection notices. And I’m collecting more every day. It’s the nature of the beast. J. K. Rowling was rejected at least 200 times before Harry Potter finally sold. Stephen King, the same. Dan Brown, the same. Don’t give up. It may be as simple as the timing of the project isn’t right. Or, you have a great story but it needs a little more work. And something I’m finding out, with books that cross over into two or more genres, you’ll find agents who don’t know how to market it, so they won’t touch it. The Savior is such a book—it has elements of historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and romance in it. It’s a bear trying to convince someone that it can sell very well. But I’m not giving up on it. It’s a story that will strike a chord in all who read it and I’m proud of it. So, I’ll have to come up with some marketing ideas to pass on when I start submitting again, to give whomever an idea of who will love it and read it and where it will sell the best. It’s not a prerequisite—but it never hurts to show you’ve done your homework.


CA: JW thank you for such an awesome interview! I really felt like you were sitting here talking right to me LOL, I hope that shows the kind of interactive writing style that you have :)

Interview with Tracey H. Kitts




Author Pen Name: Tracey H. Kitts

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

THK: I write paranormal romance, mainly because that’s what I like to read. I enjoy a variety of topics, but keep coming back to the slightly macabre. I’ve always been fascinated by vampires, werewolves and other creatures of the night. My interests haven’t changed much over the years. When I was little, my mom said I was weird. Now she tells people I’m creative. LOL

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

THK: I knew I wanted to be a writer even before I knew what the word meant. When I was little, my mom started reading me J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as a bedtime story. I was hooked. When we were asked in kindergarten what we wanted to be when we grew up, I said a storyteller. The teacher misunderstood and said, “You mean you want to tell lies?” I said, “No, I want to tell stories.” She explained to me, “Ah, so you want to be a writer.”

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

THK: I literally get inspiration from everything. I might be inspired one day by a song I heard and the next, by watching a storm out my window. It all depends on the mood I’m in and what’s going on in my life. Aside from everyday events, my biggest source of inspiration is mythology.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

THK: I’m a slave driver. Once I start something I intend to see it through. If life permits, I’ll write all day when I can. But normally I like to write at least ten pages a day when I’m working on a book. I type very fast, so that isn’t as bad as it might sound. And besides, it isn’t work to me. It’s a privilege. I love to write and even though I may be exhausted at the end of the day, it’s time well spent. I’ve never considered it work. Work is a dirty word I don’t like to use.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

THK: Privileged

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

THK: Finding the time. It’s always difficult to manage everything that needs to be done. But I’m glad to be able to do it.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

THK: Besides spending time with my family and friends, I love to play video games. I’m also a kickboxer, a bellydancer and I love to garden. LOL

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

THK: I’m about to have four published, but I’ve written eight. Five in my series, and three books unrelated to the series. I’m still holding onto a few to give them another polish before I start shopping them around.

As for a favorite, that’s hard. My favorite is always the last book I finishedJ I think I have more fun with each new book I write and hopefully readers enjoy them the same way.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

THK: My characters are all about 90% fiction. They all have some small basis in reality, some more than others. Lilith, the main character in my werewolf hunter series, for example, is based on me.

Marco, my leading werewolf is a combination of about three different men. And Dracula (who comes into the story in book three) is the result of a lifelong fantasy.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

THK: Don’t ever give up on your dream. If you want something badly enough, you can make it happen.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

THK:
Readers can contact me through a link on my website at http://www.traceyhkitts.com/.

Information about my books can also be found on my site as well as my publisher’s site:
http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/

This is the link to my author page, with all my books listed:
http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/traceyhkitts.htm


CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

THK:
Red will be released in print August 6th! I am so excited. It will still be available as an ebook as well. I’m just thrilled to know readers have supported Red well enough for it to be released in print as well. Thanks to everyone for helping to make this possible!

I also wanted to add that 10% of all my royalties will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. This goes for every book I will ever write. I believe very strongly in their cause.

CA: Tracey that was a wonderful interview! My favorite part is the very last sentence! That is so sweet of you to donate part of your earnings to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, it is people like you that bring smiles to children’s faces!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Interview with DL Snell *BOOK GIVEAWAY*

** Giveaway! **
DL Snell is giving away a copy of ROSES OF BLOOD ON BARBWIRE VINES to one commenter this week. So leave a comment with your email address so that we can contact the winner. If you win and don’t respond within 5 days we’ll have to do a redraw. Have fun and enjoy the interview!!

Author Pen Name: D.L. Snell

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

DLS: I try my hand at all sorts of genres, from magical realism to anything speculative: fantasy, horror, sci-fi... I’ve even been known to write poetry. Writers, I believe, should work in a range of genres. In fact, the bestselling authors tend to blend genres into each book. Stephen King and Dean Koontz don’t write solely horror; they mix things up, because life isn’t just romance or horror--it’s both. So the best works tend to reflect the variety of life. In my writing, I strive for diversity, and I like to write about whatever interests, scares, and entertains me.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

DLS: I’ve always been a storyteller. When I was young, I told my brother that a man in our neighborhood had kidnapped me. I said the man had picked me up off the road because I’d accidentally hit his truck with a rock. He drove really fast, berated me, and then dropped me off. My brother told our mom. I was too afraid to get caught in a lie, so I maintained it. Mom called the cops. They interviewed me. They questioned the suspect. Luckily he had an alibi, so the police dropped the case. Even then, my lie was so convincing my family thought it was true until I confessed many years later.

This knack for spinning believable yarns translates nicely into writing. I’ve been penning tales since I was seven years old, but I wasn’t serious about the endeavor until college. Before that, I’d wanted to be a doctor, then a musician. I still play guitar (and perform the occasional surgery), but with writing I don’t have to depend upon an unreliable band. I like it much better.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

DLS: I’ve always been driven to tell stories. I have no clue why. Overactive imagination, maybe. On both sides of my family, my grandparents were great storytellers. My Grandma Ford, who’s still with us, would make up retellings of “The Three Little Pigs” and “Jack and the Bean Stalk.” Each time, the story was different. And my Grandpa Ford... his yarns were a bit darker. On long road trips, he’d tell us to keep an eye out for Green Gobblers, which were green semis with the sole purpose of running us off the road. I definitely inherited my sense of the macabre from him. My grandparents were oral storytellers though; it was writers like (and here comes the inevitable cliché) Stephen King and Dean Koontz that inspired me to put pen to paper. Later on, Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon warped me, and T.S. Eliot and D.H. Lawrence gave me a sense of literature.

So those are the who’s. The what’s... those come from everyday life. From experiences, observations, thoughts, dreams, friends, family, strangers, things I’ve seen or read... I think writers should draw from every facet of their lives, because that’s where the material for rich writing originates. Inspiration is all around us. We just need the tools and imagination to mine it.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

DLS: I have a day job, a wife, a child on the way, and a home to upkeep, so I fit in writing whenever I can, usually on my lunch break or late at night. In general, I only watch TV when I’m eating dinner, and I only clear my schedule for one show and that’s LOST. So the time that most people spend in front of the boob tube, I spend writing.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

DLS: I feel like I’m sending my favorite child into hordes of ravenous zombies. Well, part of me feels that way. The other part is proud and eager for reviews and reader feedback. And yet another part sighs because it’s time to promote again.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

DLS: My perfectionism, and beneath that, the fear of failure. I used to (not so much anymore) labor over every sentence as I wrote it, and that drained me. Sometimes it actually prevented me from writing, because if I couldn’t get it right, I would despair, question my ability, and switch to a different story I’d been kicking around. It took me two years to write my zombie/vampire novel, ROSES OF BLOOD ON BARBWIRE VINES. I’m working to correct this for my next novel by allowing myself to write what Anne Lamott would call a “shitty first draft.”

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

DLS: I love reading, of course. I like to hike. Riding bikes is fun, and I just recently got into disc golf, now that it’s not as popular. Occasionally I’ll play videogames--my friends own Rock Band, and we have a lot of fun with that--and I enjoy web design; you know, making banners and websites and stuff.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

DLS: One published novel, five published novellas. If you count the unpublished work... I couldn’t tell you. Lots. Out of my longer stuff, my current favorite has to be my zombie vs. superhero novella “Mortal Gods,” which Permuted Press published in THE UNDEAD: HEADSHOT QUARTET. Here’s what it’s about: “A man with the ability to call objects into existence awakens in a zombie-swarmed alley with no memory of his past. Aided by a duo of heroes--one incredibly strong, the other psychic--he digs to uncover his identity and the source of his gift in a nightmarish landscape infested with mysterious creatures.” I tried for a clean, simple style in “Gods”--simpler than the style in ROSES OF BLOOD, at least--and I believe I pulled it off. I’m also proud of the climax. Everything comes to a head in an epic way, and I’m really pleased with the result.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

DLS: This is a difficult question, and I’m going to take the long way around to explain it.

In his book ON WRITING, Stephen King proclaims that he doesn’t make up his stories; they exist like fossils underground and he merely excavates them and puts them on display. It’s a nice sentiment and a vivid metaphor, but it’s bullshit. I believe writers are gods with the ability to create. We process sensory information and store data, and then our imaginations stir up big pillars of creation where all that data bonds together into stars, planets, galaxies, life--our own little universes. Some gods doom their creations to predetermination, producing plot-driven stories. These can be entertaining, but the stories where characters have free will prove to be the most interesting. Such character-driven stories are the ones I try to write. So while my characters are mutts of different people I’ve known or have read about or have seen on TV, I let them decide who they are and what they do. But I’m not opposed to raining down some Old Testament hell on them now and again.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

DLS: Well, the old saying is “write what you know,” which is good advice--as long as you endeavor to know more. In other words, learn. Your current knowledge is a good starting point, but if you never study or grow, your writing will mold.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

DLS: They can go to my website, www.exit66.net.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

DLS: Yeah, I’d like to thank you for the interview--great questions, by the way--and I’d like to encourage all writers out there to keep writing, keep learning, keep reading. And if anyone checks out my books, I’d love to hear what you think.

CA: DL I loved your interview… my fav. Part was the kidnapping story! I can’t believe you let it go that far! LOL

** GIVEAWAY** DL Snell is giving away a copy of ROSES OF BLOOD ON BARBWIRE VINES to one commenter this week. So leave a comment with your email address so that we can contact the winner. If you win and don’t respond within 5 days we’ll have to do a redraw.

Interview with Jeff Edwards




Author Pen Name: Jeff Edwards

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

JE: I started out writing high-tech detective novels. They were sort of science fiction murder mysteries. These days, I write military thrillers. It took my agent a long time to convince me to try writing a military novel. I served in the Navy for twenty-three years, and he thought I should put that experience to use in my writing. At first, I wasn’t interested. I’ve always enjoyed reading military thrillers, but I didn’t think I could write one. To my surprise, I loved it. They give me room to touch on just about everything… Humor, fear, suspense, action, philosophy, history, irony, and nearly anything else I can think of.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JE: I knew pretty early in life. I was about eight years old when I decided that I wanted to write books.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

JE: My father. When I was a kid, my dad used to tell us stories about a bear named Oliver, who drank chocolate milk, and went on wild adventures. My dad passed away when I was seven, and I think I decided about a year later that I wanted to carry on the storyteller tradition.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

JE: It depends on where I am in a particular book project. When the book is in the early stages, I do most of my writing at night, while my family is sleeping. At some point, when the end of the first draft is starting to come into view, I’ll usually go away somewhere for a week or two, and write for 16 or 18 hours a day.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

JE: Hmmmm… Torpedo has actually been in print for about three years. It’s won a number of awards; it’s sold thousands of copies; it’s been recorded as an audiobook; it’s been translated into Japanese; and it’s been optioned for a movie. So it’s pretty much already been out there in the reader world. With that said, the word that probably best describes how I feel is ‘excited.’

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

JE: Spend time with my family, play guitar, exercise, watch movies, and read, read, read

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

JE: I’ve written three novels for adults, and one children’s book. I’d have to say that the new book, The Seventh Angel, is my favorite.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

JE: A little of both. Most of my characters are entirely fictional. When I do base characters on real people, it’s not a one-to-one correlation. I use the salad bar approach, taking a personality trait from this person, and a mannerism from that person, and mixing in some imaginary elements.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

JE: My books are available through my website http://www.navythriller.com/, where you’ll find direct links to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble online, and my favorite independent bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy. If you want a personalized copy, call Mysterious Galaxy Books at 858-268-4775, and order by phone. Give them your details, and I’ll drop by the store and inscribe a copy for you. If you’re more of a brick-and-mortar person, my books are available in major bookstores, and independents. If they’re not on the shelf, your local bookstore can order them.

CA: How much of Torpedo is autobiographical?

JE: That’s a difficult question to answer. There’s a bit of me in a lot of the characters, but there’s no one in the book who directly represents Jeff Edwards. On the other hand, some of the little adventures that are woven into the story are based on actual experiences.

CA: What the funniest thing that’s happened to you since you started writing?

JE: The Naval Institute Press sent me a rejection letter for a novel called ‘Ice Fire.’
That’s not unusual by itself; every writer gets rejection letters. But I didn’t write Ice Fire, and I don’t know who did write it. Somewhere, some poor writer is still wondering why he never heard back from the Naval Institute Press.

CA: Have you ever received fan mail? If so, what’s it like?

JE: Yes, I do get fan mail. Frankly, I always wonder if the person has me confused with another writer. Maybe I’ll eventually become accustomed to it, but the whole thing feels pretty weird right now. Don’t get me wrong… I am greatly flattered, and I sincerely appreciate every letter and email. But it feels a bit surreal. I’ve actually gotten a couple of fan messages from authors whose work I really respect, and that just totally blows me away. It’s one thing to receive praise from random strangers. It’s quite another to receive praise from your literary heroes.

CA: Is it true that you had to get permission from the U.S. military to publish Torpedo?

JE: Yes. I was still on active duty when I wrote the early drafts of Torpedo, so I had to have permission from the Department of the Navy, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the Department of Defense, and the State Department to publish the book. They went over the manuscript line-by-line, to make sure I hadn’t accidentally revealed classified information. I wasn’t really worried about that, though. When I write military fiction, I am very careful to stay away from sensitive material. It’s not just a matter of keeping myself out of trouble, although that’s certainly a consideration. My first concern is to do nothing that could endanger our national security. There are real men and women out there every day, laying their lives on the line in the defense of this country. No amount of acclaim or success is worth endangering the life of a single American service member.

CA: A number of Bestselling authors have compared you to Tom Clancy. How do you feel about that?

JE: I think that kind of comparison is inevitable. He’s the high-water mark among authors of military fiction. Anyone who writes military thrillers with a strong technical component is going to wind up being compared to Tom Clancy. It’s just the nature of the game. With that said, I’m extremely flattered. Mr. Clancy is the master of my chosen genre, and I’m a huge fan of his work. But I’m a very different writer, with an entirely different storytelling style. Tom Clancy has his stories to tell, and I have mine.

CA: What sets you apart from other authors in your genre?

JE: It’s got to be my handling of the hero archetype. Major characters in military fiction tend to be these sort of larger-than-life icons. The typical hero (I call them Hollywood heroes), can fly an F-18, defuse a bomb, fight like Jackie Chan, shoot like Rambo, and make love to a beautiful woman while riding a motorcycle. There can be great fun in that sort of literary exaggeration, just like there’s great fun in James Bond. But I never met that guy. In twenty-three years of active duty, I never served with the kind of superhero you find in most military thrillers. Instead, I served with ordinary men and women, who worked together and sacrificed together to accomplish extraordinary things. I guess you could say that I don’t write about heroic icons. I write about the sort of collective heroism you find in real people.

CA: What advice can you offer to people who are trying to break into writing?

JE: Never give up the dream. As soon as you begin to make contact with the publishing industry, you’ll start to hear horror stories about how tough it is to break into the writing business. Ignore all of it. Every successful author started out as an unpublished hopeful. They made it to the top by ignoring the voices of doom, and following the dream.

CA: Jeff, that was an awesome interview! I really liked learning about all the obstacles you had to go through to get Torpedo published, thanks again for being here!

Interview with SL Danielson


Author Pen Name: SL Danielson

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SLD: I write primarily gay fiction; but would also like to enter the realm of non-fiction. As for a reason as to why I write what I do, there are several. First, it's my way of exploring that sect of society from a new perspective. Second, it is my way of showing support for the LGBT community.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SLD: I think I first began writing at 7 years old, as part of a larger routine. As I grew older, I began writing more and more. At 12, I knew it was what I wanted to be.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SLD: Other stories I've read, soap operas, cartoon shows. Anything that showed a story drew my attention. I began developing my own characters and it flourished from there.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SLD: Very sporadic. I will get in "the zone" and physically write out several pages. I then get to the computer and transcribe all of what I've just written, and add to it. I will then leave it be until inspiration strikes me again.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SLD: Excited!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SLD: Play computer games, bike, hike, spend time with my husband, family, cats.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SLD: Two so far; but they are one in the same. My favorite is the 2nd one, because I slowed down and took much more time with it by expanding on the first book.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SLD: Some are composites of either my own persona, or from people I've met. Others are completely my imagination at play.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SLD: I have self-published via Lulu.com. I have a listing there. I also have a website I run: www.sldanielson.com. I can also be found on myspace at: www.myspace.com/luvwriting

SLD: Thank you, Crystal!

CA: Thank you SL for being here this week!! I hope you enjoy the blog (smiles)