An Interview of Deborah Coates Author of Wide Open

I enjoyed looking at your blog and your website. Thank you for your willingness to be interviewed. I have included a link to your website here.

I will keep this brief but feel free to expound to your hearts content.

1.) Why did you write this book?

WIDE OPEN came from things I love: contemporary fantasy with a strong sense of place, the High Plains, working people in rural America. But it mostly grew out of what most of my stories grow from--a couple of characters in a place with a problem. I want to tell interesting stories about places that most people don't visit or even think much about and I hope WIDE OPEN does that.

2.) Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?

There are certain things that I know before I start. In the case of WIDE OPEN, those things included the characters of Hallie Michaels and Boyd Davies (or at least solid beginning versions of their characters), the setting and one or two key scenes. I tend to write to those key scenes (which might not even be 'key' to anyone else. To me, they are critical moments of character or setting). My first draft involves a lot of writing to those key scenes. Revisions involves a lot of moving everything around until it finally works.

3.) Would you really want your dogs to talk? (Magic In A Certain Slant of Light)

HA! My dogs DO talk. Don't yours?

4.) Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?

I don't know that I do have a favorite character. I like Hallie a lot because, unlike me, she is far more about acting than thinking about acting. She sees that something needs to be done and she does it. If there are consequences, she deals with those too. But I also like Boyd because he is so careful and precise in ways that I'm not. He thinks A LOT, but he's strongly driven by his sense of what's right and that's what compels him to act, I think, that need to do the right thing, even if it's hard.

5.) What do you like the most about writing?

There are two phases of writing I like--the first draft, when it's all about the promise and potential of the story and the final revision, when I can see that things are actually going to work and I know, finally, how to make them work.

6.) Where do your new story ideas come from?

My story ideas come from all over, they come from things I'm reading or places I visit or something I see, even a conversation I overhear. There are times when I think I'll never have a good story idea again and then, in one day, I'll have two or three.

7.) Who and what do you enjoy reading?

I like contemporary fantasy. I also like more traditional fantasy, though I've read so much over the years that I've become pretty picky about it. Thanks to a friend, I've recently discovered Lois McMaster Bujold (I know! How could I have missed her all these years?). I love her Miles Vorkosgan books, but I've also recently read (by which I mean listened to as audiobooks) THE CURSE OF CHALION and PALADIN OF SOULS, both of which I liked a lot. I also read a lot of mystery novels.

8.) What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

Read. Write. Be as open as you possibly can be to learning.

Thanks for the interview!

Thanks for asking me!

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An Interview with Lory Kaufman Author of The Lens and the Looker

 Author Interview Questions for Lory Kaufman.  Mr. Kaufman’s premise of History Camp is both creative and intriguing.   Having taught history, I have always been appalled at the inability of world leaders to ever look at history for guidance.   Anyone having read the history of Vietnam would have never sent troops there let alone Afghanistan.  I heartily enjoy the concept of History Camp where a future civilization is foresighted enough to look backwards.   Mr. Kaufman has been kind enough to agree to be interviewed.   Many thanks and best of luck with  The Lens and the Looker.  

Hello Bill

Here's the interview.  I hope you and your readers enjoy it.  Usually I let these things "pickle" for a day or three, and often have an editor look at them. Please feel free to correct any spelling mistakes, typos or tense mistakes, which I'm famous for. I do try to write these things in a conversational manner, so it's like we really are talking. Feel free to edit your questions to fit in, as my answers have deviated slightly from the questions in a few instances.

Cheers

Lory

1.)    Why did you write this book?  What initiated this particular burst of creativity?

Burst of creativity? Hardly. More like hard slogging through the confused entrails of my mind. The “burst” started about 1989 and slowly exploded and imploded alternatively for about fifteen years, till I got my life together enough to make it happen.  Why did I write this book? Because I had to. It’s a cliche, but it’s true. Most writers write because they can’t not write. Of course, besides my compulsion, I do have a personal purpose. Maybe you’ll ask me about it later.

2.)    Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?

I believe a good and true work of art is a bit of both. In fact there’s a third component; objective finishing and polishing with an eye to the public. So, yes, there was a gestalt, a need to express and prove myself, and a feeling I wanted to be part of what I saw as an important conversation about how humans will interact with the planet into the future. That gotten out, I then had to smooth it out and make sure the story wasn’t formulaic and that there was some objective vision of the piece as a whole.  I follow the Steven King rules of writing the first draft “door closed”. That is, nobody reads it, after the premise agreed on, till it’s finished. But when it is finished and I give what I see as a perfect manuscript to either of my editors, (Lou Aronica, big picture editor or my daughter, Jessica Kaufman, line editor) I am always amazed at what they mark up)  “Why didn’t I see that? It’s so blatantly obvious,” I say to myself. Then finally, when the structure and the thousands of other details are changed, the finished product must read seamlessly, like it was always like this and that the author is not standing on a soapbox, spouting a polemic.

3.)    Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?

Favorite character in the book?  No, they’re all my children and I love them equally. Artistically and technically, I’m very pleased with Ugilino, Agistino, and the Signora, three characters I was trying to draw à la Mark Twain or Charles Dickens. I really love their colorful period characters that, with all their flaws, are sympathetic and stand out, even when they’re doing less than admirable things.

4.)    Why did you chose Verona for your destination?

I had the concept for History Camps for a long time, and was playing with many settings. When I got in a financial position to follow my dreams of being a writer, about six years ago, I decided I must start reading a lot more. One of the first things I re-read was Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Even though it’s one of the most played off themes in history, I couldn’t resist. Now, I in no way followed that storyline exactly, but just played off the theme, characters and events. One Shakespearean thing that I do try to emulate is layering my plots. My hope is that when the books get re-read, the reader will see and understand the story differently. That fits into your previous question about organic development. 

5.)    What do you like the most about writing?

Being A.D.D., I love living within my imagination. It’s like a drug to me, a high, where I get a tingly feeling up and down my spine when a solution to a plot problem I've been working on for weeks or months finally reveals itself. I also like being part of literary discussion.  Finally, some of my themes are environmentally based, so it allows me to be part of that discussion too.

6.)    Where do your new story ideas come from? 

Now that’s the question, if answered, would allow us to program artificial intelligences with imagination, because it’s like asking, “What is imagination?” I really don’t know where they come from, but I do know how to make it happen. I just tell my subconscious, come up with an idea that addresses these themes or questions and a day, week, month or year later, they show up. I am a strong believer in the fact that the answer is not the goal, but a clear question. Once you can delineate a clear question, the answer is usually obvious.

7.)    What advice has helped the most in your writing?

Read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, take a workshop, read, write, read, write, read, write, join a writing group, read write, r ead, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, take a workshop, read, write, read, write, read, write, join a writing group, read, write. Just do it!

8.)    How far along are you on The Bronze and the Brimstone?

The Bronze and the Brimstone, the sequel to The Lens and the Looker is finished and just was released. I’m now working on the final book of the Verona Trilogy, entitled, The Loved and the Lost.

9.)    Who is your favorite author and why?

I can’t mention just one. How about I mention a dead author and two live ones? 

Ernest Hemingway is my favorite dead author. His masterpiece, For Whom the Bell Tolls, is a touchstone for me, and informs many of my character sketches and action scenes. Neil Gaiman’s, The Anansi Boys, is another great piece of work, again, whose seemingly light technique really brings the reader into the heads of his characters. Finally, there's David Benioff’s book City of Thieves. I guess the common thread for all of them is the use of what’s known as third person limited writing, which allows the point of view to move around from character to character, but brings the reader right behind the eyes of the characters.

10.) What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

Read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, take a workshop, read, write, read, write, read, write, join a writing group, read write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, take a workshop, read, write, read, write, read, write, join a writing group, read, write.  Get the picture?

Thanks Bill, I’ve really enjoyed your questions and look forward to chatting with you and your readers again soon. –Lory Kaufman

Jackie Gamber Author of Redheart, An Interview

Cover by Matthew Perry

Redheart is due out this month.   I am always fond of books featuring dragons and I look forward to reading this one.  I have been fortunate to have an opportunity to interview Jackie Gamber the author of Redheart.    The interview follows the brief synopsis of the book. 

Kallon Redheart lives with his back turned on his fellow dragons, on humans, and on everything he once understood. Riza Diantus is a young woman with dreams too wide to fit inside her village fence. Their unexpected friendship is risky in Leland Province, where drought has stripped the land and superstition has cowed its people. And the danger only grows. Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, resents Leland's time-worn venur system. He has inflamed tensions between dragons and humans to the brink of war. He wants to trample humans into utter submission, or wipe them off the face of the land. Anger erupts, scorching innocent lives in its path. When Riza is threatened, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. But first, he must confront his past and the future he stopped believing in. He must claim his destiny.

Author Jackie Gamber

Thank you Jackie for taking the time to being interviewed.  

1.) Why did you write this book?  What initiated this particular burst of creativity?

 I wrote this book as a sort of promise to myself. I’d dabbled at the storyline, fiddling at chapters, rearranging things and calling it “writing” for several years before I realized that if I really wanted to give this writing thing a shot, I was going to have to finish something. Redheart was a story that never left me; in fact it kept growing and evolving as I studied the craft of writing and worked to improve my skills. The burst of creativity came first, and the resolve came later, when I set my mind to “the end”.

2.) Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?

With every project, I have a concept of where I want to go, and sometimes even a scene where I know something pivotal will happen. And I write toward that moment, very organically, and very much discovering how to get there as I go along. I’ve tried to plan outlines, but my stories tend to skew off and develop instinctively anyway! So I’ve learned to go with it, instead of fighting against my own brain waves.

3.) Do you have a particular affixation with dragons?

 I have a particular affixation with characters; Kallon Redheart just happens to be one. He’s got a story that couldn’t be told any other way, in any other world than the one he’s living in. I was told by a reputable agent once that “people don’t read stories about talking animals”, but I don’t really see Kallon as an animal in that sense. He’s as deeply conflicted and afflicted as any human I’ve ever known.

Dragon by Matthew Perry

4.) Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?

 I’m infatuated with all my characters, for different reasons, but I will confess that I have a character named Layce Phelcher, a female wizard, who I wrote as a sort of homage to Lily Tomlin – one of my favorite actress/comediennes of all time. I adore Layce! She’s fun to write.

5.) What do you like the most about writing?

 I think what I like most about writing is having the canvas of my own mind to work with. I don’t need a big movie budget with special effects, or producers, or actors to deliver the lines. I don’t need a stage or lighting or costumes. I involve all that a terrific performance can convey—the wild emotional ride—but I use only words. I love that challenge.

6.)  Where do your new story ideas come from? 

 My story ideas come from everywhere, because people are everywhere! I tend toward character-driven fiction, which draws on the “why”. Why does a person feel the way they do? Why do they act a certain way? What about their life could create their fears, their hopes? In my attempts to fill in the blanks, stories emerge.

7.) What advice has helped the most in your writing?

Plow forward. Every sentence doesn’t have to be the best one the first time through. Work the words until they are close enough, and then keep going. Get to the end. Then, go back and polish things up. Only those stories that are finished are the ones that will ever be read.

8.) This seems to be your first book, do you have something new in the works?

 I have several short stories appearing in science fiction and dark fiction venues, but I’ve recently finished a Historical/Time Travel novel based on two real historical figures: Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, and Adam Worth (the gentleman thief who was the inspiration for Doyle’s “Moriarty”). The novel took over two years for me to write! Since it’s based on two real timelines, I was careful to keep my facts straight, while at the same time filling in the blanks of “what really happened” between these lovers born 100 years apart.

9.) Who is your favorite author and why?

It’s so hard to choose just one. Mary Shelley—because she was so ahead of her time, tying dark themes to emotional issues. And I have to mention Ray Bradbury, who is my hero for the way he tells a fantastic story with such conviction that it simply must be true!

10.) What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

 Study, study, study. Learn the craft. Practice. Read. Drench yourself in words so you can know your medium as intimately as you know your own mind. And write for reasons only you can understand, and hang on to that. It’s enough.

Thank you so much for taking your time to respond to these interview questions.  I look forward to reading and reviewing Redheart and to seeing a guest post from you, here on my blog.  Best of luck with the new book!

Interview with Stephen Zimmer Author of Dream of Legends and Crown of Vengeance.

Stephen Zimmer will be known as a purveyor of fine, epic fantasy.  His hit Fires in Eden series features Dream of Legends and Crown of Vengeance.   Stephen has been kind enough to respond to my request for an interview.   Maybe it is because we love the same authors and maybe it is the fact that Stephen seems like such a down to earth kind of guy, but I think you will find his interview excellent reading. Author Interview Questions



Stephen Zimmer

 1.) What motivated you to write Crown and Dream ?
Crown of Vengeance, Dream of Legends, and the entire Fires in Eden Series as a whole has been in development since the early part of the 1990's. I have always thought about turning a corner and stepping into another world. Couple that with my love of medieval fantasy, and you have the catalyst for the series.

Of course, there's a whole lot more to this series, and that starts with the characters. Life involves ensembles, and this kind of focus led to creating a nice range of characters to take this epic journey.

Then there are the characters that populate the world of Ave, who begin to share the stage as the story goes forward into Dream of Legends. They each have their own special part to bring to the story, and the contributions that each of them make are indispensable to the greater story arc.

Showing how individuals all bring something that really matters to the grander tapestry of life is one of my biggest motivators with this kind of series. It is also a major motivation of mine to suggest that it is okay to consider the seemingly impossible!

2.) Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?
Many of the threads developed fairly organically, except for the ultimate destination of the greater story arc, which I can't give away, as it would be the spoiler of spoilers. I do have an arc for the entire series, but I don't outline to an extreme, as I always want the ability to introduce new characters and threads as the series grows.

3.) How do you keep track of the astounding number of characters and scenarios?
Every thread and element continues to build throughout the series, and I've just gotten so immersed into this world that I do not have much trouble keeping track of them. I do keep a lexicon of sorts, which I am going to gradually start putting on the website for this series, so that reader-friends can use it to brush up or reference.

I know that this is not lighter beach reading. There is some complexity to it, but this is the kind of series that you can really sink yourself into, and reread, finding new things every time. Its got that depth and scope that I feel epic fantasy readers really enjoy. You have to give it your focus, as you miss a lot if you just skim or read lightly, but I really feel that if you approach these books in the right way, you will find them immensely enjoyable.

4.) Do you have a favorite character in the books and if so why?

It is really hard for me to pick a favorite, as there are many characters that I am very fond of. I do find Janus and Dragol very intriguing, and quite fun to write.

Janus is on a journey of self-discovery, as is Dragol, and they have both been brought onto their paths by very different routes. Dragol is a Trogen, a non-human race with a real warrior ethos, while Janus is struggling with some really elemental, philosophical elements, right when he finds himself in Ave during the events in Crown of Vengeance. Both have a lot of challenges due their individual circumstances, but I feel that readers will really like journeying along with these two characters throughout the series.

5.) What do you like the most about writing?

I really like the ability to soar into adventures without limitation, and you can do that in writing like no other medium. In a story, you can do anything, go anywhere, and have the world work out like you hope it will.

 

The process of seeing the characters come to life, and crafting the story, is a very fun process for me. 100 hours spent doing this is so much better than even ten hours spent doing something I don't enjoy.

6.) Where do your new story ideas come from?

They come from observing the world around me, and the people around me. Little bits and pieces come from everywhere, as it is a constantly evolving process. Ideas flow in all the time. Some are instantly clear, while others take time to percolate, or roll around in your head before being usable.

I also get ideas from being a student of history and its cycles, as the patterns of history always seem to repeat, even if the trappings are different.

7.) What advice has helped the most in your writing?

To realize that at the center of any genre of fiction, the basic core of having a strong plot and good characters is what is most important. You can write in any genre if you have that core in place. It is what helped me do my first steampunk short story, “In The Mountain Skies”, for the Dreams of Steam anthology from Kerlak Publishing (editor Kimberly Richardson).

8.) When can we expect a sequel to Dream of Legends?

Just as with my Rising Dawn Saga, you can expect a new book roughly every year. Probably around January of 2012 for the 3rd Fires in Eden book, as the 3rd Rising Dawn Saga title comes out around July of this year.

9.) Who is your favorite author and why?

J.R.R. Tolkien, because he was the one whose work set the spark to the kindling regarding my love of the fantasy genre. I have had many influences since then, the 2nd biggest being C.S. Lewis, and then others like George R.R. Martin, Glen Cook, C.S. Friedman, and even Clive Barker. But you have to credit the one that lit the fire!

10.) What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

The best thing for an aspiring writer to do is to simply write, to represent yourself professionally, and be educated about the industry. Have realistic expectations, cooperate with editors, and understand that even if you get on a New York Publisher's roster, you will still have to really work hard to support and promote your work. Don't get in conflicts with other writers, and help support other writers. Do all of that and you will have a good chance of making favorable progress.

11.) BTW I really enjoyed your “critters”.
I'm glad that you did, because there are going to be a whole lot more of them in the series! Thank you for interviewing me! :)

An Interview With The Author of Thrall, Steven L. Shrewsbury

 Thank you for your willingness to be interviewed. Your work seems to be moving at an exponential rate with Thrall expected to be a big hit.


1.) Why did you write Thrall? What initiated this particular burst of creativity? Is Gorias La Gaul going to be a re-occurring character?
I heard an ancient ballad by bluegrass singer Ralph Stanley that made Gorias appear. Gorias is the name of the Celtic god Lugh's spear. That full name just popped out. After an evening of cards with a few folks who mentioned a Draco-lich, things started to fall into place. I wrote the first draft while recovering from neck surgery. I've written several stories about Gorias and yes, he'll return in more novels, one currently being penned.

2.) Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?
I had a rough outline that changed quite a bit once I got going. I knew the major events, but twists and turns of the mind as one goes makes it like rock & roll.

3.) How important are your illustrations? How did you score a well known illustrator such as Matthew Perry to do your illustrations?
I was blessed that he works with Seventh Star Press. His renderings of Gorias and the dragon are gold. Bob Freeman has done covers in the past (and future) and he is a beast. Dittos for Alex McVey.

4.) Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?
Aside from the aging hero Gorias? Perhaps the barbarian chief Brock, who is a trifle over the top, but cold & mean.

5.) What do you like the most about writing?
I love to tell stories. I feel the best when I am making folks happy, reading something they have never read before.

6.) Where do your new story ideas come from?
Sometimes listening to heavy metal songs, offhand comments, or just filter in from the ether-realm as I work in the factory. At a Con last summer I mis-heard a lady in passing and her one sentence inspired an entire novel.

7.) What advice has helped the most in your writing?
Never stop, never give up and pound out every yarn you can. Harlan Ellison told me, "Don't be a phony. Don't lose yourself."

8.) What do have new in the works?
Well, BEDLAM UNLEASHED (co-written with Peter Welmerink) will coem out next sprign from Belfire. My horror novel HELL BILLY in 2012 from bad moon Books...but I've just written a Lovecraftian-western, an epic fantasy of Biblical measurements plus, I'm working on a new fantasy novel with Gorias.

9.) You are often compared to Robert E. Howard. Is he your favorite author? If not who is your favorite author and why?
Howard is my favorite. I still read his poems and tales. Karl Edward Wagner would be a close second. Howard spoke to me as a child and I reckon his cadence flows in my storytelling. George RR Martin and David Gemmell are terrific, too.

10.) What advice would you give for the want to be writer?
READ. Read everything, not just the genre you choose. SCi fi, horror, fatnasy, westerns, pulp detectives, non-fiction and the Bible. Never give up and never think you can't learn.

Thank  you for your time and your enlightening answers.  

An Interview with James Boyle, Author of Ni’ll The Awakening

Thank you James for taking the time to respond to an interview.

1. Why did you write this book? What initiated this particular burst of creativity?

This novel was an exercise that worked well. I had a character I'd used in a sketch (a small town cop) and I tried to put him in a horror story. I also wanted the story set in something besides the usual horror venues like the cemeteries, ancient mansions, and centuries-old spots we're used to. Oregon is relatively new in that respect. My horror novel turned into an urban fantasy, but everything else turned out well.

2. Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?

It differs from work to work. Especially in shorter stories I often know how the whole story will play out before I put a word on paper. With my novels, I am a much more organic writer. For Ni'il: The Awakening, I really had no idea of the concept of the ni'il beforehand. It grew out of the story.

3. Is your process to outline and then fill in the blanks or just sit down and start to tell a story or?

Yes. I usually have a general idea of where the story is going and even a few scenes, but not a lot of specifics. I have found often that the story will often ignore your outline in some surprising ways. However, it can be very inefficient, involving a lot of rewrites. If I do get stuck, I often use an outline to get me back to the core of the story.

4. Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?

It's hard to write a novel, or series of novels if you don't really like your main character, so Dan Connor, the police chief hero has to be my favorite. He's a down to earth kind of guy who takes his job of protecting the citizens of Placerton very serious. I like his values (some would call old-fashioned) and his sense of humor and the fact that he doesn't think he's anything special, even though he clearly is.

5. What do you like most about writing?

I like it when everything is clicking and the story is flowing as fast as I can write it. It is an indescribable feeling, almost like a trance. It feels less like I'm writing the story than just channeling it from some higher source. I think it's the same thing as musicians call “being in the zone.”

6. Where do your new story ideas come from?

Wherever I can get them. And I can find them everywhere: the news, history books, conversations with my friends, overheard conversations among strangers, television, movies. I play “what if” a lot. The most insignificant thing can inspire a new idea. What if...? What if...? I already have way more ideas than I have lifetime to write.

7. What advice has helped the most in your writing?

Develop a thick skin. Writing is a tough gig, especially these days. There is much more criticism and rejection than there is praise. You have to believe in what you're doing, work at getting better every day and surround yourself with supportive friends. Don't let the world squash your dream.

8. This seems to be your first book, do you have something new in the works?

Actually, I have already released a sequel entitled Ni'il: The War Within and am now working on the third and final volume of the trilogy. If all goes well, the third volume will be released next winter. If you want to get technical, this is actually my third novel. The first two are just too awful to show anyone who is breathing. But they are important because I showed myself I could write a book-length story.

9. Who is your favorite author and why?

I don't know that I can name a single author as my favorite. The author I'm reading the most right now is Jim Butcher, namely The Dresden Files. I'm reading them primarily because they're a hoot. Fast paced, full of action and comedy, but serious all the same. It's a private eye novel with magic instead of gun play. They're a lot of fun. They're also in my genre.

10. What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

There are two things you absolutely need to do everyday. You need to write. It doesn't matter what you write or how much, but you need to get in the habit of writing everyday. The object is to make the act of putting together sentences and paragraphs as natural as possible. It's practice, just like a musician practices playing scales until it's second nature. You have to make the mechanics of writing second nature.
Second, read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Read the classics. Read genre fiction. Read poetry. Read newspapers. Read the back of cereal boxes. Every time you read, you are exposing yourself to the way another writer put sentences and paragraphs together. How she organized her book. See what works and figure out why. See what doesn't and figure out why. Would you have handles it differently? Why? How?
Lastly, and maybe most important, develop a thick skin. Learn what you can from criticism of your work, but never let the naysayers crush your dream. If you truly want to be a writer, write.

James, thanks for the great answers. I am reading Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files as well. I find they compare favorably with Glen Cook’s Garret Files. Your advice to the want to be writer is also great. I have seen that advice from most of the successful authors I have interviewed. To be a writer you have to write.

Thanks again for the great interview.

www.jamesboylewrites.com