Author a Day, part 13

L. VIRELLI

Bio: Just an ordinary woman finding every day life extraordinary with all the many human facets. I write about the dramas of our lives in fiction and nonfiction with depth and a touch of humor. I’ve had inspirational short stories published in 3 magazines, published a short story memoir anthology titled, Home Avenue and recently released my debut contemporary women’s fiction novel, Whit’s End.

Novel Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N77QY32

Genre you write: Memoir and Women’s Fiction

Questions (didn’t answer all of them)

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? (Jenny) Join a writer’s critique group that has guidelines for authors to follow. It helped me immensely.

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? (Steve) In normal everyday life, I’m an all-my-ducks-in-a-row kind of person. In writing, however, I’m completely the opposite. So, the answer is, I fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to writing.

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? (Luke) 

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? (Joy) It took me several years, and I don’t even know the exact count. I had to stop and start many times due to some difficult life events.

What motivated you to write your novel? (Ami)

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. (Kay)

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? (Ruth)

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. (Liz)

How do you own experiences influence what you write? (Bill) I write character driven stories about the drama in every day relationships with people. Since I’ve experienced lots of drama …. Well, there’s your answer.

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? (Aaron) (Sorry, I left all three of Aaron’s in because they were hard! Pick one or all.)

How do you deal with writer's block? (Marissa)

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) (Greg) I actually enjoy editing more than the writing, because once I’ve got it all out of my head,  then I can get to the heart of things.

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? (Ominbuses,  complete works, and how to books are forbidden!) (Laura)

RUTH WHITE

Bio: I was a coal miner's daughter in the Appalachian mountains. We lived up in a holler, which was so deep the sun didn't hit the bottom 'til eleven a.m. Don't know what a holler is? Same thing as a canyon. Anyway, most of my books for middle grades and young adults were set in that time and place, and were published by big name publishers. Though the pay was good, I began to feel that I was writing the same book over and over again, so I started branching out, so to speak, and experimented with writing about different times and places with an older reading audience in mind. And here I am self-publishing and loving the control I have over everything. By the way I live in Hershey, PA now, but I still can't seem to get up before eleven.

Novel Links: 

Lily of the Valley:   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MS9W1DU

Serendipity:   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDKSIHK

Diary of a Wildflower:    http://www.amazon.com/Diary-of-a-Wildflower-ebook/dp/B00E491Y8A

The Blues of Lotus Hall:   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S0C4N5S

Hanging With Ecila:   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U84TX4C

Genre: The genre in which I write is unknown. One is soft sci-fi, one is historical fiction, one is visionary, two are young adult

Questions:

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? (Jenny) Get started. Now you are over the most difficult hurdle. Unfortunately, you have to get started every day. Force yourself to write one sentence, no matter how sloppy. Then you will find yourself editing that sentence, and adding something to it, and you're on your way.

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? (Steve) I have most of the story line in my head before I begin to write. I don't use an outline, but I write myself notes as new ideas pop into my head. Sometimes my characters take on a life of their own and turn the story in another direction. That's when writing is the most fun.

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? (Luke) I do have a favorite. Tiny Lambert in Weeping Willow. She ran away with the story and with my heart.

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? (Joy) The time actually spent writing was about six months. Planning it in my head and researching took a few years.

What motivated you to write your novel? (Ami) I have always loved to write. My motivation to start each new book is a competition with myself. I can do better. This next one will be better.

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. (Kay) Harper Lee, because she wrote exactly the right book at the right time, and helped to change the world. Lee Smith, because she writes as I wish to write. She is my role model. James Baldacci, because he is versatile. He is successful in more than one genre.

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? (Ruth) I am more comfortable setting my story in a time and place I am familiar with, but I am experimenting with other settings.

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. (Liz) A little wine doesn't hurt. It takes away my writing inhibitions. Stephen King tells the story that he got plastered one night and blacked out. The next morning he found he had written an entire novel.

How do you own experiences influence what you write? (Bill) My books are filled with my own experiences in disguise. It is strangely cathartic.

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? (Aaron) (Sorry, I left all three of Aaron’s in because they were hard! Pick one or all.) I would throw a person we all know into Mount Doom to save the world, but I won't say here who he/she is.

How do you deal with writer's block? (Marissa) I follow the advice of Anne Lamott, who urges writers not to be afraid to write a sh--ty first draft. With that in mind I force myself to write one sentence, no matter how sh--ty it is.    Then I edit the sentence. That usually leads to writing another sentence, and another, until I am back in my groove. If not, I quit for the day.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) (Greg) It is a very satisfying feeling to finish up a story. That last page is special.

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? (Ominbuses,  complete works, and how to books are forbidden!) (Laura) A book with all blank pages - that is assuming I have something to write with.

Author a Day, part 12

PATRICIA THOMSON

Bio: No matter where her life has taken her–and it’s taken her to some very weird places–having access to books, a notebook and a pen has kept Patricia Thomson sane. From her beginnings in the same part of New Jersey that gave the world Bruce Springsteen and Kevin Smith to her current life living in Richmond, Virginia with her beloved and Poe the Wonder Cat, words have always been her friends, and now she lives the dream of sharing her words with the world. Please visit her at www.patriciathomson.com, friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter
@AuthorPThomson!

STEVE VERNON

Bio: “If Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson and Robert Bloch had a three-way sex romp in a hot tub, and then a team of scientists came in and filtered out the water and mixed the leftover DNA into a test tube, the resulting genetic experiment would most likely grow up into Steve Vernon.” - Bookgasm

Novel Link:

KELPIE DREAMS  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CYNM152

KELPIE CHRISTMAS (free on December 26)  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7NHRRV

KELPIE SNOW https://www.amazon.com/Kelpie-Snow-Paranormal-Romantic-Adventure-ebook/dp/B01N9EZSJ1

Genres you write: Paranormal Fantasy and Horror

Questions:

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write?

Read, read, read and write, write, write. Write every day. Doesn’t matter if you write a thousand words or ten – but tack something onto that manuscript that is going to bump it a little bit further down the road.

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? 

I try to plan everything out and the next thing I know I am boarding the latest flight of fancy, courtesy of the kind folks fly-by-your-seat-United by way of good intentions and bad habits.

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? 

I really do enjoy writing Lady Macbeth, however Rhonda (a professional assassin and foil for Lady Macbeth) is a lot more fun to write.

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? 

Too long. Way too freaking long.

What motivated you to write your novel? 

Financial necessity. I need me a brand new book to sell. You might as well tattoo that onto my stomach, the single-most prominent feature of my dubious physique.

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. 

Joe Lansdale, because nobody can make carnage, crime and corruption so danged funny. The late Robert Parker is a favorite of mine as well – mostly for his gift of dialogue. Lastly, I’d have to say Stephen Hunter – although his most recent books left me scratching my head and wondering just where along the way the man forgot how to write.

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting?

I prefer to set my story somewhere local, somewhere in a place and a time that I am familiar with – like the North Pole, or a Martian spaceship, or a field full of evil-possessed scarecrows. You know, common day settings that make you feel right at home.

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. 

I’ve got a hand-carved obeche wood mountain man leaning on his long rifle and looking down at me while I write. I get the feeling that he has been thinking about shooting me with that long rifle of his if I don’t figure out how to write faster. I guess that it is a good thing that I did not carve a barrel or ammo in that long rifle of his.

How do your own experiences influence what you write? 

That’s a little like asking how can you make soup without onions. Your own experiences are the grist for any story or novel that you write – even if it is set somewhere wild and crazy such as the North Pole, or a Martian spaceship, or a field full of evil-possessed scarecrows.

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? 

I could not be a ninja. I’m not saying that I am uncoordinated, but I make a frozen moose look positively graceful. I suppose I might be one of those ninja vacuum cleaners that I have heard about – mostly on account of every time that I try to perform a backwards-triple-somersault I mostly suck out loud.

If I had to throw somebody into Mount Doom it would most likely turn out to be my own self. Why? Let me refer you back to that Ninja question, and the sad fact that walking and chewing bubble gum can be exceptionally difficult for a dude as innately clumsy as myself.

Lastly, if I were planning a perfect heist I’d need Bruce Lee to backwards-triple-somersault himself into the bank vault and Jackie Chan for comedy relief. I’d probably want Bruce Willis to get himself beat to a pulp and shoeless during the whole operation. I’d want George Clooney to give it that air of sophistication and Frank Sinatra just to show old George how it really is supposed to look. And lastly - if I wanted this heist to perfect I would arrange to catch my death of a head cold gone south before the heist went down – just so that I would have myself a perfect alibi and not klutz up too hard.

How do you deal with writer's block? 

I recommend pole vaulting. If there is a block in the middle of your plot just jump over into the next chapter and keep on writing.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) 

Let’s go with predictable. My favorite part of writing is being done.

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? 

I’d want to be stuck there with a great big book, like maybe In Search Of Lost Time by Marcel Proust – a book that weighs in at about 3031 pages – or over 1200000 words. Why such a big book? I know that some of you readers are thinking to yourself that I picked me a big old honking doorstop of a novel just to help pass the time – but heck no. It is not time that I am thinking about passing. This is a deserted island, remember? Toilet paper is in short supply.

Author a Day, part 11

JOYNELL SCHULTZ

Bio: Joynell Schultz spends her days working in a “reliable profession” as a veterinary pharmacist, which pays the bills, but isn’t nearly as exciting as creating alternative worlds writing speculative fiction. While shivering through the long northern Wisconsin winters with her husband, two children, and numerous pets, she enjoys reading, writing, and planning her next vacation.

Novel Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXTGIZL

Genre: I love writing (and reading) speculative fiction – especially with a touch of mystery/romance.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? (Jenny) I have simple advice really. Stick with it. Write and read every day and have thick skin when receiving feedback. 

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? (Steve) I draft a rough outline that hits the high points of the story (hook, backstory, trigger, crisis, struggle, epiphany, plan, climax, and ending) and maybe even flesh it out a little. Most my story happens while writing though—my characters always end up with a mind of their own and write their own story, despite what I have planned for them.

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? (Luke) I have a mother in a short story of mine that’s my favorite.  Her young child is bitten by a werewolf and she needs to make some tough decisions on what to do. I think I relate to the sacrifices a mother makes for her child.

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? (Joy) I wrote Love, Lies, & Clones in 8 months—but I was also working on two other novels in that time that will come out in 2017. I get tired of one project and need something else to take my mind off of it, so I can come back with a fresh eye.

What motivated you to write your novel? (Ami) The idea of Love, Lies & Clones formed and stayed in the back of my mind since 2003 when the cloned sheep, Dolly, died. I often wondered, what would happen if they cloned humans, and what ethical issues would the humans face? My argument was always that they’d be as human as you and me. That sparked this story.

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. (Kay) Michael Crichton. His writing inspired me since childhood. I love the mix of science, especially medicine, integrated with our normal world—the world around us. He was a physician and used his expertise throughout his stories. Another thing I really like is he wrote across multiple genres. In fact, many of his books didn’t fit into one specific category. Speculative Fiction/Science Fiction, Thriller, Action & Adventure, etc.

Another author that inspired me as a child is Madeline L’Engle. It’s probably just because A Wrinkle in Time was the first Sci-Fi/Fantasy book I ever read, and the concept of folding space was thought provoking.

Now, I find inspiration in Indie Authors. I tend to read their writing exclusively, with nobody really being my favorite. I’m impressed at writers who write solely to entertain their audience. Writers who write as a hobby because it’s fun.

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? (Ruth) This is a hard question! “They” always say you should “write what you know.” I tend to write about settings I know and mix in some fantasy/scifi elements. I find I can describe the setting so much better when I’ve experienced it.

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. (Liz) My alarm is set for 3:30AM every morning so I can get in a good hour of writing before I need to go to work. Also, the rest of my house is still sleeping, so this gives me quiet time. I know many writers listen to music, but I need complete silence to write.

How do you own experiences influence what you write? (Bill) Family relationships are important to me, and you’ll see them in everything I write.  Parent-child bonds especially (as I have two kids myself.) Also, I’m a scientist by nature (a pharmacist) and I tend to include some aspect of health care / science / etc in my writing.

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? (Aaron) (Sorry, I left all three of Aaron’s in because they were hard! Pick one or all.) If I was a ninja with a vendetta it would be towards WHOEVER decided you didn’t need two spaces after a period anymore. I mean really??? I learned to type and I can’t help pushing that spacebar twice. Now, when I’m done with a novel, I need to go back and replace all my double spaces with single ones. Geesh.

How do you deal with writer's block? (Marissa) I love brainstorming. I get out a blank piece of paper and write down any possible thing that can happen, no matter how absurd. By the end, I end up with something…or nothing at all, but at least I was still writing. When I can’t take it anymore, I do something else. Go for a run, dishes, play a game with my kids. Sometimes I bounce idea off my family and that helps too.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) (Greg) Writing the first scene! When an idea strikes, I love to write the opening scene—seeing how the characters in my head come to life on the page.

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? (Ominbuses,  complete works, and how to books are forbidden!) (Laura) I love, love, love fiction, but I’d take the biggest book of non-fiction nonsense I could find. Like an entire encyclopedia set—or even just one of the books. You can’t get bored with that, right? I mean, whenever I couldn’t think of anything but coconuts, palm trees, and sand, I’d just whip that out and read about something else.

Author a Day, part 10

JENNY OBRIEN

Bio: Jenny O'Brien was born in Ireland a very long time ago. She's an avid reader and book reviewer for NetGalley in addition to being a 2016 RoNA judge.

She writes for both children and adults with a new book coming out every six months or so.

She's also an avid collector of cats, broken laptops, dust and happy endings - two of which you'll always find in her scribblings! She lives in Guernsey and, in her spare time she can be found frowning at her wonky cakes and even wonkier breads. You'll be pleased to note she won't be entering Bake-Off.

Book link 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Englishwoman-Paris-Heartwarming-contemporary-romance-ebook/dp/B01N593Y7T/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Questions:

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? 

Sometimes it's hard to find time to write, for me that's certainly the case. That's why I always carry a notebook and pen around to scribble in whenever I have five minutes. 

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? 

Oh I'm the latter but not out of choice. I have great plans and have even gone so far as to set up a story board with full character assessments but once my fingers touch those keys the words takes over. In Unhappy Ever After Girl I even added another wedding just because at the time it fitted perfectly with the rest of the plot. 

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? 

I have a soft spot for Dai Monday from my children's book Boy Brainy because he was my first character when I started to write. I thought of him first and wrapped the plot around his character. 

How long did it take you to write your most recent book?

Englishwoman in Paris, which was released three weeks ago took four months from the germ of the idea to publication. 

What motivated you to write your novel? 

Funnily enough I was writing a tragedy at the time, a book I'm still only 20% through and I was finding it emotionally draining. I looked out of my window at the builders erecting scaffolding on next door's house and thought what if...

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. 

There are too many to pick so I'm just going to give you one. Valerie Keogh. In many ways she's very similar in that she's also Irish with many of her books set in Ireland. But where she writes thrillers I write romance. She's self published too and is starting to make a name for herself, not only that - she writes great books. 

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? 

I always said I'd never write about somewhere I'd never been but I've just broken that promise as my work in progress is set in New York. I'm having a great time researching it so I'd have to say a bit of both. It's time consuming trying to authenticate information for a place you don't know but the Internet is great and my list of places I want to visit is now nearly as big as my book stack of unread books by my bed. 

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. 

That's a good question and easy to answer - no. I write where and when I can. Anywhere I have paper and a pen. When I'm writing I switch off to everything so, unlike many authors I don't write to music. If there's music or TV on it doesn't bother me as I just block it out. 

How do you own experiences influence what you write? 

Very much so. I use a lot of things that have happened to me in the past but none in their entirety. So in Ideal Girl the first chapter is where Liddy trips up Mitch in a ball of wool that's unravelled from her bag. I once worked in a building on the top floor where the canteen was on the bottom and yes I had to retrace my tracks to wind all the wool back but thankfully there was no tripping up. 

If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? 

That's a curve ball! Okay it would be a book store heist and I'd chose Harry Potter, Rom Weasley and Hermione Granger, or the characters that play them because I'd sure need some magic not to get caught. 

How do you deal with writer's block? 

I don't really suffer from it in that if I'm stuck on one section I just skip a chapter and go back at the end. First drafts get reworked so many times that it's easy to check for continuity at the end. 

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...).

First draft all the way. Someone once said write the story you want to read and that's what I'm doing. It sounds strange but I want to know what happens to my characters because as the writer I have no clue what my mind will come up with until pen hits paper. 

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? 

That's an impossible question for me to answer so I'm going to have to cheat. I choose a notebook so I could write the books myself. It would mean a pencil and rubber as well though. I read about 300 books a year so not being able to read would be torture. 

Author a Day, Part 9

MARISSA MARCHAN

Bio: Marissa Marchan is a Child Support case manager by day, a creative writer by night. She is the author of two children's books and her inspiration for the story came from her then-eight-year-old grandson, Ray Angelo. He pulled her through the most difficult time in her life. He gave her the strength and courage to move on with her life after her sister’s death. Since then, she has continued to pursue her writing career and has written two books in the Spoiled Brats series.

Novel Link:

My Runaway Bride

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYZKINU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482290145&sr=8-1&keywords=my+runaway+bride

My Amnesia Girl

https://www.amazon.com/My-Amnesia-Girl-Book-Spoiled/dp/1539963810/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482290192&sr=8-2&keywords=my+amnesia+girl

Genre you write - Romance, Children's Book

Questions:

How do you deal with writer's block? (Marissa) 

My cure for writer’s block is to step away from my computer, and I’ll start watching my favorite shows or movies in my pajamas all day: Psych, Monk, Harry Potter films, Columbo, Matlock and Murder, She Wrote. Why? Doing the things that I absolutely love to do like watching my favorite sitcoms or movies makes me feel alive and energized. That’s the way I get my inspiration.

GREG MERITT

Bio: Greg Meritt is the youngest of three children. He was born in Everett, Washington, and grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He has been a restaurant manager, a landscaper, a purchasing agent, and salesman. 

As a young person in middle school, Greg became hooked on stories after reading Stephen King's "The Stand", and has been reading voraciously ever since.
In 2012, he began writing his own stories and in early 2013, his short story "The Attic" was chosen out of 5,300 entries for inclusion in "The Writer’s Digest Short, Short Story Competition."

Greg has written over thirty short stories and a novella. The Adoption is his debut novel. Greg lives in Kent, WA with his lovely wife, three adopted children and a crazy dog.

Novel Link: getBook.at/12gm7sm63

Genre: I tend to write in the thriller/suspense genre (with a hint of horror), but I’ve also written some short literary fiction.

Questions:

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? Get a thick skin. (Jenny)

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? Fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants. I’ve never been a plotter. (Steve)

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? Yes, Sylvia Tran, from “The Adoption”. (Luke)

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? About 8 months. (Joy)

What motivated you to write your novel? My adopted children and this thought: “What if the adoption turns out to be preplanned and not anything like we expected?” (Ami)

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Dean Koontz. The stories are always intriguing and I’m always wondering what is going to happen next. I love suspense. (Kay)

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? Place and time I’m familiar with. To be honest, I don’t care for research; I’d rather write. (Ruth)

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? Door closed, no internet, no phone, no people. I don’t have nor require anything else E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. (Liz)

How do your own experiences influence what you write? Quite a lot, actually. In my debut novel, The Adoption, I pull a lot from my own home life experience and then tweak it to be a little different.  Logan has a lot of my own values and beliefs. (Bill)

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? I would throw HATRED into mount Doom. We all just need to get along! OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? (Aaron) (Sorry, I left all three of Aaron’s in because they were hard! Pick one or all.)

How do you deal with writer's block? I grab a blank page and just start writing anything…even gibberish. This usually gets things flowing again. If not, I don’t force it but go on about my day, take long walks, exercise, etc. But I always try and write something daily.  (Marissa)

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) First draft, I do not care for the editing part! I just love when the story is unfolding in front of me for the first time and even I don’t know what’s going to happen or what the characters are going to do. (Greg)

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? (Ominbuses,  complete works, and how to books are forbidden!) (Laura) The Stand (Uncut), by Stephen King.

An Author a Day, part 8

KAY L. LING

Bio: Kay L. Ling began writing fiction at an early age. In grade school, her stories evidenced a sense of wonder and love of adventure. In one, mythical creatures lived and traveled inside a rainbow, and in another, a bored sixth-grader turned her teacher into a maroon sofa and then teleported herself to London. As she grew up, Kay never lost her ability to imagine strange and wondrous peoples and places, and now she would like to share her unique fantasy adventures with others.

Novel Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6AIPYX

Genre: Fantasy

Web link: https://www.facebook.com/KayLLing.author

Questions:

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? (Jenny)

Become a more observant reader. Study your favorite authors and note the writing skills that set their books apart. See if you need improvement in those areas. 

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? (Steve)

When I begin a novel I know the opening, the overall plot, and the resolution. From there, each chapter builds organically upon the last. As the story progresses, plot points often fit together in surprising ways. I’m motivated to keep writing to see what happens!    

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? (Luke)

Lana, the lead character in Beyond the Forest is my favorite, but I enjoy some of my non-human characters almost as much.  

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? (Joy)

I spent at least two years rewriting and polishing Beyond the Forest, a novel I wrote and then abandoned in the 1980s due to my time-consuming career. So, I suppose I could say it took me three decades to write it!   

What motivated you to write your novel? (Ami)

The setting of my novel is loosely based on a local forest preserve. While hiking the trails and enjoying the solitude, I imagined strange beings hiding among the trees, watching me. Those beings became the woodland gnomes in my story, and I created a plot that involved our world and theirs. 

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. (Kay)

1: J. R. R. Tolkien. He created entire races with diverse cultures, and placed them in Middle Earth--a world that felt as real as our own.  

2: J. K. Rowling. While reading the Harry Potter series I asked myself countless times, where does she come up with this stuff?!! Writing courses can’t give you a great imagination. Either you have one or you don’t.    

3: Brandon Sanderson. His magic systems are always unique, and he provides enough details to make it all seem completely plausible. 

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? (Ruth)

Neither, actually. I like to take readers on an adventure and give them experiences they’d never have in real life. Fantasy novels allow me to do that. Creating a unique world has its own challenges, but minimal research is required.    

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your desk, a particular drink or snack. (Liz)

Generally, a cup of good, strong coffee is all I need, since I usually begin writing in the morning. 

How do your own experiences influence what you write? (Bill)

I’ve always loved to travel, so I like to invent new worlds to explore. Other interests, such as gems and their folklore, worked their way into my book as well. Writing that includes personal experiences or themes that touch the author can be very powerful. 

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into Mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? (Aaron) (Sorry, I left all three of Aaron’s in because they were hard! Pick one or all.)

I wish an object could be thrown into Mount Doom to save the world. The ring, which was consumed by fire and destroyed, is a focal part of the story, but the ring bearer’s unwillingness to give up the ring and cast it into the fire teaches us an important lesson. It’s not easy to break evil’s hold on us.  

How do you deal with writer's block? (Marissa)

I rarely experience writer’s block. It helps to stop writing in the middle of a scene, or at a point where you know what happens next and you’re anxious to finish it. That makes it easy to pick up next time where you left off. 

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) (Greg)

I enjoy writing the first draft and living the adventure as I write it. If I’m totally caught up in the story myself, there’s little chance the reader will be bored. 

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? (Ominbuses,  complete works, and how to books are forbidden!) (Laura)

The Bible! Not only would I need God’s help to survive, the Bible is full of fascinating stories. 

An Author a Day, part 7

CAREY LEWIS

Bio: Carey Lewis traded a mundane job in Toronto, Canada, in favor of a backpacker life of nomadic travel. He can be spotted with his beautiful fiance somewhere in Southeast Asia, drinking coffee and scribbling furiously into a notepad while cursing his credit card debt and writing about bad guys that are cooler than he'll ever be.

Novel Link:

Warriors: https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Carey-Lewis-ebook/dp/B01N3QVFZO/ 

Generation Z: https://www.amazon.com/Generation-Z-Books-One-Two-ebook/dp/B01M05QIKR 

The Split: https://www.amazon.com/Split-Gutter-Dogs-Book-ebook/dp/B01M0HFWR7 

Genre you write: Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller as well as dystopian/ apocalyptic

Questions:

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone wanting to write? (Jenny) This is probably going to go contrary to most advice a writer will get, but my advice to anyone just starting out is to find an author you dig, and copy their style. Now hear me out…

Listen to the other advice which will be read everything you can and write always. That should be a given. What you don’t hear is that one of the most important aspects of writing is the author’s voice, and in most advice or how-to’s about writing, this is ignored. They’ll tell you about grammar, formatting, story structure and blah blah blah. It can be useful I suppose but I don’t think it’s as important as it’s led you to believe. 

Kurt Vonnegut, Ernest Hemingway, Neil Gaiman, Elmore Leonard, Agatha Christie, Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, Ed McBain, Dennis Lehane, Harlan Coben. They all have their own voice, their own sound that you recognize right away. That’s why you love those authors. You love the way they tell you a story.

Copy the style of those you love to start with. Of course, to find out what you love, you have to read a lot. Through osmosis, those voices will go through you and because it’s you, you’ll put your own voice in there. From that point, you have started to develop your own sound and style and you’ll start telling stories in your own voice.

Also, try not to write the parts readers tend to skip.

How do you approach your stories; do you plan everything out before starting, or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of a person? (Steve) I’m a ‘pantser,’ so I make it up as I go along. I have ideas before I start, some characters, a little of what they’re doing, and then I let them do their thing. I had one character that wasn’t talking, so they got killed. There was another character I didn’t think would do anything, but I couldn’t shut him up! He ended up being one of my favorite characters in Warriors. To me, writing this way, it comes as much a surprise to me as it does the reader.

Of all your characters, do you have a favorite? (Luke)

How long did it take you to write your most recent book(s)? (Joy) It takes me about a month, and that includes research and two rounds of edits on the manuscript. Then I’ll put it away for a couple of weeks and give it another couple of edits with fresh eyes. 

I tend to research while I go. I don’t know how writers wrote anything before Google! Even though I’m of the age where I used to have to go to the library and thumb through pages myself, I can’t imagine doing that now whenever I needed to know what a street looked like or what the laws are regarding a thing in a certain country or state. Can you imagine? 

The last book I outlined was Generation Z, which deals with the current race relation problems we’re facing using Zombies as the metaphor. That took a little more research as I had to look up science stuff to make my diseases believable (because Science!). I ended up using the Ebola outbreak for the catalyst of my plague.

I researched the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luthor King, Malcolm X, Jim Crow Laws, the Black Panthers etc. I also researched the other side of those things, such as the perception to them, the cause and effect and such. I enjoy that kind of research, but it took awhile as I wanted it to be right. It was worth it because it became the plot of the entire book. The fact that Generation Z is a modern story that’s very relevant today but taken from events that happened 50+ years ago is something to think about.

That was a lot more research and it took a week or two, so that book, which turned into two, took about a month and a half to two months to write.

What motivated you to write your novel? (Ami) Got to do something with your day right? hahaha

I’m always asking myself a question that will drive you insane in real life but seems to serve writing well. That question is ‘what if?’ You’ll go insane asking yourself that question about your life – what if I paid more attention to the girl that left, what if I waited five minutes, what if I said or did this… it goes on and on and there aren’t any answers. But in writing it’s an incredibly useful tool.

I’m currently writing a story about a couple that host a reality TV show about haunted houses. It started with, ‘what if they staged the houses to be haunted?’ then went to ‘what if they staged the houses so they could buy them cheap and flip them?’ then it went to, ‘what if they were divorced and still had to host the show and got caught up in the world of marijuana trafficking?’ you know, because that’s a natural progression ;)

Name three favorite authors and why they impress you. (Kay) 

Would you rather set your story in a place and time you are familiar with, or would you rather research a totally different setting? (Ruth)

Do you have any little writing rituals or quirks? E.g. an object you have to have on your 

How do you own experiences influence what you write? (Bill)

Your experiences make you who you are and shape how you see the world. From my experiences, I tend to find the humor in most situations. Laughter is amazing. I’ve developed a sharp tongue and sarcastic wit, so those things tend to find its way into the work. 

In the mystery/suspense/thriller genres, everyone is so damn serious all the time. They’re some of the most focused people you’ll ever come across. Those aren’t people want to hang out with! I don’t think that’s reflective of life, so my characters tend to have a sense of humor and sarcastic wit to them. That’s not to say what I write is light hearted, but there are moments of humor.

Don’t take life so serious or you’ll never get out alive.

If you were a ninja with a vendetta to whom would it be? OR If you had to throw something into mount Doom to save the world, what would it be? OR If you had a group of celebrities to plan the perfect heist who would they be and what would you be after? (Aaron) (Sorry, I left all three of Aaron’s in because they were hard! Pick one or all.)

How do you deal with writer's block? (Marissa) 

The idea of writer’s block has taken on its own mythos, hasn’t it? It’s at the point where it means something different to everyone. 

I write. It’s normally a case of just getting that ball rolling from a standstill. Once that first line is down, that ball is rolling, and once there’s momentum it moves on its own. 

Oftentimes, it’s not writer’s block, it’s just a matter of figuring out what the characters are going to do, and what they’re going to do NEXT. That’s the part that trips people up I think. It’s going from A to C and figuring out what B is all about. While I’m figuring that out, I’ll read, or watch a movie. Sometimes you got to take a step back to see the forest for the trees or however that saying goes.

A new practice I’ve recently adopted is to reread the chapter I wrote previously before I start my writing session. It helps get the ball rolling.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? (i.e. first draft, editing, etc...) (Greg) My favorite part of writing would be the first draft stage. I’m a ‘pantser’ which means I make up most of it as I go along. This way I get to feel how the reader does while they’re reading, because we’re both discovering the book for the first time. There’s been more than a few times when I swore at my laptop because I couldn’t believe what just happened. There’s no better feeling in the world when something is being created, and you’re in that zone, and everything is just clicking. Then you look back at the scene you wrote and everything just works. It’s a high.

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one book, what would it be? (Ominbuses,  complete works, and how to books are forbidden!) (Laura)

I’m going to steal Dwight Shrute’s answer from The Office – “Physician's Desk Reference... hollowed out, inside-waterproof matches, iodine tablets, beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket and, in case I get bored, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. No, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Question, did my shoes come off in the plane crash?