Stan had a pretty normal, middle-class American youth. He was lucky enough to change that by convincing an exceptional woman to marry him in 2000, setting him on a much more fulfilling life course. Four years later, Brigham Young University awarded him with a Bachelor’s of Science in civil and environmental engineering. He then spent several years designing homes, prescribing work for bridges, and even exploring the mortgage industry. In the midst of all this, he produced two science fiction anthologies in 2006 and 2007. In 2012, Breezy Reads Publishing picked up his romantic comedy The Cinderella Project. And thus he transformed himself from Captain Kirk into Don Juan. Stan lives with his wife, and children (final count to be determined) in rural Arizona. Welcome to author Stan. Thanks so much for taking the time to fill out 27 Questions so readers can better get to know you and your work!1. What got you started writing to begin with? What got me seriously writing was the fact that I’d spent several years dreaming up stories on webforums—and loving every minute of it—and the realizing that, hey, I could actually go somewhere with it. I still remember that day in 2008 that I paused in the middle of what I was doing and said, “I want to be a published author.” It still took me four years to get over my laziness but by the end of 2012 I’d landed a contract with a publishing house and, my first book (a new adult romantic comedy) entered the public realm. 2. What was the first thing you wrote? How far back do you want me to go? If we want to be super technical, my first “published” work was actually written when I was five years old. I won a writing contest put on by my local library. The grand prize was to have a copy of my book included in the library, which I thought was pretty cool. The first book I actively sought to have published through a house was the aforementioned romcom, entitled The Cinderella Project. 3. What inspires you In addition to becoming a storyteller, I’ve learned to see the world through a photographer’s eyes. I see the beauty of my wife, her kindness and love, framed timelessly in a way I can only hope to emulate in writing. I see the brilliance of a sunset as it bids the day farewell, and wonder, “How do I put something like that into words?” Even realizing that I’m inadequate to the task, I still feel the burning to do it. The lives of my children, the work of other authors, the ups and downs of life—these things also inspire me. We write because we want our stories to be known. All of us have stories. When we share them, when we throw ourselves out into the darkness of chance, heedless of the fact we might be ridiculed for doing so, we often find that we can connect with others in ways we could not have had we not shared our stories. Life inspires me. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? Yes and no. It’s true I prefer to build characters around proven archetypes, simply because such archetypes are often easiest to relate to, and it’s certainly true that I find myself saying, “That person could so be a book character.” But I don’t generally set aside time to stalk people, er, I mean “people watch” in direct relation to a current story project. Or, at least, nothing that I can recall for anything I’ve worked on. 5. Who are you favorite authors? In no particular order, I have several “favorites” including Orson Scott Card, Hugh Nibley (yes, I like non-fiction as well), David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Michael Stackpole, and Milton (yes, of Paradise Lost fame). 6. What is your favorite book? That’s like asking me to choose a favorite child. My favourites include books from the authors mentioned above, though I will get a little religious and include the Holy Scriptures in that list. 7. What genre do you most like to read? Genre preferences have been somewhat fluid over time. In my younger days, I was a huge sci-fi fan (still am), but I’ve learned to love fantasy and even romance, though I avoid the really smutty stuff. I write clean romances; if I want steamy, I’ll go talk to my wife and bring her some chocolate. 8. What genre do you write? Is this reflective of what you read? All of my published work, so far, is new adult romantic comedy. It’s not actually all that reflective of what I read, but that’s no surprise since I almost accidentally stumbled into writing romcom—I really enjoy doing it, but it’s not at all what I set out to do. My current work-in-progress is actually a midgrade fantasy-fic work which does more closely match what I read. I still see myself doing romcom (so many good stories to tell there), but I’m transitioning back toward my “home” genre. Still, I think there’s no reason to define one’s writing solely by what one reads. Branching out can be risky business, but even if you do “fail,” it doesn’t mean you can’t learn something valuable from it. 9. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I don’t really have a good answer for this, since I feel reasonably proficient at writing the genres I prefer to write. That said, I wouldn’t mind being better at mystery writing; there are times I’d like to include more elements of that genre in my stories. 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? Research is an integral part of every book. I’ve done everything from studying how certain professions actually work, to virtual tours of city streets, in order to make sure I get details as accurate as practical without actually experiencing those things myself (which often isn’t practical for me). As an ancillary to research, I also “research” the world I’m building in order to establish consistency. That includes character bios, local history, timelines, etc., even if the world I’m using is predominantly fictional. 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? I’d rather not say. The parakeets would blush. 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? Since I listen to music in general, I can’t really say I “listen to music” while I write—at least, not more than usual. More recently, however, I’ve taken to writing without music, since I find that the music often pulls my thoughts away from what I’m writing. I’ve found that for me, music inspires writing best outside the actual writing process. Some music really will inspire a scene, and I have used that. Just… not so much when it’s “fingers on the keyboard” time. 13. Introduce us to your current book. My upcoming release is entitled Autumn Wings, and it’s my third New Adult Romantic Comedy. It focuses on a process many people are familiar with—namely, grieving. Alex Sharp is the only young widower at his college, having lost his wife during their junior year at school. Struggling to move past her life, and sworn to never give his heart again, Alex finds that his late wife actually has her own plans for him. 14. How long did it take you to write it? The actual writing was off and on over a couple of years—much longer than my previous two novels, but much of that was because of life issues (and some heavy stress from my day job resulting in long periods of burn out). I initially started this story in 2006, then shelved it until 2013 when I picked it up and started seriously revamping it with help from my truly excellent writers group (I miss you ladies!). After that, life changes really slowed the process, and I didn’t put the finishing touches on it until mid-2015. My publisher is still finalizing the cover and working on the marketing angle, but we’re hoping to release the book fairly soon. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? In a way, I think I relate best to both Alex, the main character, and his deceased wife, Autumn. I relate to Alex because while I have not (thankfully) lost a spouse to death, I did lose the woman I wanted to marry when she dumped me. I went on to deal with my own grieving, and efforts to move past that deep wound. Autumn speaks to me because of what she’s trying to do for the man she loves; I’ve been in a similar place, watching people I care about suffer through various woes (including relationship troubles), and trying not to pull my hair out because they’re making sometimes foolish decisions based on pain, fear, and an incomplete picture. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? Hands down, it’s Jennifer. She’s a loveable ditz, but she was so stinkin’ fun to write and to read. She doesn’t have enough substance to her story to really be a main character, but there were several times when I had to tone down her character simply because she was so engaging that she was starting to outshine other characters who really should have more spotlight. Because of that, she became the de facto standard against which to measure other female characters in AW. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? I’d like to think that Alex is, simply because I do try to be conscientious about the messages my characters put across, both in word and deed, but I think Kamu (another character I dearly love) is a pretty strong contender simply because of his easy way, and the fact that he was always able to keep his head even when his roommates verged on feuding. Still, Alex’s determination to do what was right and to honor his word despite personal pain and sacrifice is a message I think we could all stand to learn from. 18. How did you decide on your cover? I’ll let you know when my publisher concludes that process. *Grin* 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? I hope they discover what I did—namely that while dark times do come, there’s almost always a way through them; and often, we may get help we neither recognize nor expect. 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. As mentioned above, I’ve already got two other New Adult romcoms in print. The first, The Cinderella Project deals with the notion “Cinderella lied,” in a contemporary college setting. The second, Love Spell, involves a guy who gets what he wishes for only to find out that there really is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.” There’s a bit of a “King Midas” theme going. While neither of these books share characters with one another, or with Autumn Wings, they’ll be packaged together as a collection under my publisher once AW releases. 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? Honestly, I’m not sure who doesn’t experience that at least sometime in his/her writing, notwithstanding what Brandon Sanderson posits. I agree with Brandon’s points about how writing is our profession (if we’re actually professional writers instead of hobbyists), and I agree with the “Sit down and write” advice I’ve heard many times. When I do get writer’s block, it’s generally a function of the rest of life simply catching up with me. I’m a normal human being. I get tired, sick, stressed, bothered, etc. When that happens, it’s far more difficult to shift my brain into “Creative Mode.” My solution is either to find a way to relax myself or, if I’m under a deadline, just “sit down and write.” Sooner or later, the dam breaks, and things move forward again. While I may not produce high-quality stuff in those moments, it’s much easier to come back and fix it, later, than it is to pull something out of nothing. The real secret to writing success is to just work and work some more. 22. What do you not like about writing? Hand cramps. And the occasional burnout, which usually has less to do with writing and more to do with having to take care of other important things. And the business side of things. Still haven’t learned to love that. 23. Are you working on anything now? Absolutely. I’m working my way through the first of what I intend to be a series of mid-grade fantasy fic novels that draw heavily from metaphysics, and explore the premise that “everything is real.” It has been a more common theme of late, it seems (consider “Fablehaven” for instance), but it also asks the question, “What happens when a boy with no imagination is put in charge of an imaginary world?” This story has been burning a hole in my mind since 2009, and actually combines key elements of three other short stories I originally wrote on webboards, as well as some interesting personal experiences that got me wondering about some things. Seriously, this book is great, even though it’s not done yet. My only wish is that I’d gotten it on the market much a few years back, instead of having it still be a work in progress. 24. How do you market your work? I have this little booth down on Fifth Street, amongst the sheep vendors. Seriously, though, marketing is probably my weakest point as an author, so I rely on my publisher probably more than I should. I’ve long hated “sales” of any kind (ironic, since I once did a brief stint as an internet service phone salesman) because I want people to read my books because they enjoy them, not because they feel cajoled to read them. That said, I’m slowly learning how to market my book simply by showing others just how excited I am about them, which stimulates interest all its own. Book signings and conferences have helped me with this as well, but I still have a long way to go. My poor blog languishes, and I don’t even plug myself on Facebook near as much as I could. One lesson at a time, right? 25. What would you say to readers? Read my books. They’re awesome. (How’s that for marketing?) Human beings are storytellers and story consumers by nature. We don’t want to feel alone. We want escape. We want to know that someone else has faced long odds and came out okay. We want to know that others can find joy, and that we, too, have that same hope. People read for all sorts of reasons, and that’s great. Don’t just read, but read things that are worthwhile—things that teach, and expand your mind and even challenge your worldview a little. Even if you don’t agree with what’s being said, there’s something we can learn about ourselves in seeing a different perspective now and again. A good book can provide just that opportunity. 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise? I would say you’re aspiring to a great dream. You need to ask yourself whether you’re ready to do the work involved, and to commit to it over time and through hardships. Life doesn’t stop just because you’re a writer (thank goodness), but if you ever want a chance at notable success, you’ll need to pay the same price many authors before you have paid. Remember, though, the heart of what we do is storytelling. Money, fame, glamor—those are nice to have if you get them, but what good storytellers do has a value you just can’t put a price tag on. Don’t fixate on the financial side of things if you don’t have to. Just concentrate on bringing to life the best stories you can. You’ll have plenty of chances to worry about the “business” aspect later. And believe me—that part can take its toll. 27. Where can one purchase your book(s)? Currently my books are available at several online dealers, namely Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Smashwords.com (links in the vendor name as well as below for convenience). Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stan.crowe.5?fref=ts Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/StanCrowe Website: www.breezyreads.com Other: http://stanavenues.blogspot.com/
1 Comment
Stan Crowe
10/13/2015 05:46:31 pm
Ironically, some of the answers above became obsolete before they were posted.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
OTHER BLOGS
CHARACTER ARGUMENTS Archives
May 2016
Categories
All
|