Welcome to author Facundo. 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?
After being enamored with reading literature and experiencing how vividly the written would could create worlds, I began to express myself through stories and poetry. 2. What was the first thing you wrote? I believe it was a one-page short story called “The Trip” for my 10th grade English class. It tells the story of a teacher who moves to another state, and her uneasy feeling of not feeling at home is resolved by a small bird that shows up in her window singing the same tune she heard before she left. My teacher adored it because it showed the feelings of being at home without telling them. 3. What inspires you? Many things inspire me; reading, observing nature, my friends, my life, my family. Sometimes watching the rain, feeling the sun, enjoying the breeze. Sometimes a sentence, a word, a sound, music, art. What most inspires me is the fact that I have an immense world inside of me which is naturally expressing out with creativity. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? Not really. 5. Who are you favorite authors? Wordsworth, Keats, Poe, Baudelaire, Shakespeare, Whitman, Mann, Joyce, Borges. And Many others. 6. What is your favorite book? The Kybalion” by Hermes 7. What genre do you most like to read? I think the genre I enjoy most depends on the mood I am. However, I really enjoy reading books about psychology, philosophy, art history, spirituality, astronomy, astrology and classic masterpieces of literature. 8. What genre do you write? Is this reflective of what you read? On a certain level, yes. I deeply enjoy reading and capturing the essence of deep ideas, whether they are philosophical or spiritual, and transmit them in a story or a poem. 9. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I don’t think I have a genre that reflects me a ‘difficult time.’ There are many ideas I have for stories that take place in different time periods and civilizations, but I think the difficulty of writing in those ‘environments’ is related to how I would prepare myself in the language and my knowledge about them before writing. 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? For ‘The Characters’ Short Living Story’ I would say the “research” has been really broad and deep. It comes from world literature, philosophy, spirituality, alchemy, Christianity, Buddishm, Hermetism, Judaism, Hinduism to Tarot cards, Astrology, psychology, politics, sociology, art history, music, etc. 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? I really do not like being distracted when I’m writing, so the only thing would be listening to music that keeps in the tone of the genre. However, when it is poetry, I prefer being somewhere where there is no music nor sound. I love chocolate, I usually eat a piece after writing, but it is not a ritual. I do not light incenses, I should though. 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? I prefer to give myself doses of classical music. Vivaldi, Bach, Amadeus, Beethoven, Mahler, Holst. However, my choice would completely depend on what I am writing. 13. Introduce us to your current book. “The Author ~ or ~ The Characters’ Short Living Story” is a timeless mystical adventure of six characters who alchemically face the darkest perils of the human psyche and search for the Truth . . . 14. How long did it take you to write it? It took me 10 years to write it. The actual story took me around 6 years, but there were philosophical and spiritual elements I wanted to include, so it took me 4 more years to complete its composition and all the elements I wanted to include. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? The Author does not let me answer that question. All the characters relate to me in a very special and unique way. I can’t choose between them. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? I don’t have a favorite character. And if I did, for the sake of the Reader, I can’t share which one is my favorite. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? What an interesting question. In this particular story, each reader will see one character as their role model as a reflection of who they are. Therefore, the label “role model” can change for a reader depending on their state of mind. Ironically, I would say that ultimately the best role model would be ‘The Author.’ 18. How did you decide on your cover? The cover is something very special. I wanted to do something pure, artistic, humble, yet meaningful and profound. I think it may present something controversial; most book covers present a polished and carefully developed epic image, a design which attracts the reader for the marketing angle. I painted my book cover, I prefer the artistic angle. Yes, in this system, it is a product which sells, but most importantly, it is literature, it is Art, it is human expression, and I consider that more important. 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? Themselves. This story is a mirror. The first impression would be that this story is my mirror, which is also true. However, it is composed in a way for the Reader to free their mind, and in this journey, find their true selves. 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. Yes. I have 2 books already written, composed. I just need to go back to them and revise them. I can only share that one of them is a collection of 9 short stories which tell one story; it is not that philosophical, but very spiritual indeed. 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? I think every writer experiences writer’s block at one point or another. Whenever it happens to me I take it very naturally. I rather see it as a gap than a block. “I am here, I want to get there, but there is a bridge missing.” If I feel or think at some level that I have the element I need, then I reread again from where I am coming from to where I see the gap; this helps me be more attentive to the flow of reading. Sometimes I just jump the gap and continue writing ahead; later on I will come back with the missing element and built the bridge. If I feel or think that I do not have the element I am missing, then I let it sleep; I detach completely from the writing and do something else. If I come back and I am still missing that element, then I research. Questions will always provoke to find answers. 22. What do you not like about writing? What a marvelous question. I think the only thing would be that it requires a very static posture, physically of course. It is not I do not like it, because I enjoy comfort, but whenever I am inspired and writing a lot, I sense that my body needs to stretch. From there, I don’t like the fact that my body is saying ‘dude, take a walk,’ but my mind is still working ‘. . . and from the trees, the sunlight casted Robin’s shadow on the grass and . . .’ usually, it is my heart who finds the connection between them and proceeds to what I feel to do. 23. Are you working on anything now I am working on The Alquemical Bibliotèque, which is information about the spiritual aspects of the story for the Readers who have already read the book. It opens December 25th in the official webpage www.thecharactersshortlivingstory.com. And many other things. 24. How do you market your work Artistically. 25. What would you say to readers? Take your time to read this story, it is not like other stories and I’m sure you will see why. For the Readers who have not yet began the journey, enjoy its flow, you will be in for a very special treat, and I’m sure you will be surprised. For those who have finished reading it: I’m sorry and you’re welcome. You can visit the Alchemical Bibliotèque for some more mind-blowing information that will expand the horizon of what you know, it opens December 25th 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise Words have more power than you think, so use them wisely. 27. Where can one purchase your book(s) You can acquire the book at amazon.com Social Media Offical website: http://www.thecharactersshortlivingstory.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/theauthororthecharactersshortlivingstory Twitter: https://twitter.com/FacundoRaganato Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/facundoraganato/
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Welcome to author Ashley. 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? Originally, I began my writing career as a musician and as a film student at Chapman University. It wasn't until my interest from film and TV production and screenwriting shifted to early childhood education after completing my BFA that I started focusing in on writing picture books. I started writing "A Little Goes a Long Way" while I was teaching piano to young students and working as a nanny to 3 small boys while living in Ireland, just after graduating from Chapman. It was during this time while working with all of these wonderful children that I came up with the idea. During my years as a preschool teacher I found I was reading a lot of 'fluff' to the children at circle time so it was really then that I realized how much I wanted to push this particular project to get it out there. I wanted to see more books in the classroom that had relatable lessons and that could spark a bigger discussion. In "A Little Goes a Long Way," Fin learns to be more careful with how much he uses while helping with the chores around the house, which is a great starting point for discussing conservation, preservation and moderation. 2. What was the first thing you wrote? "A Little Goes a Long Way" was the first children's book I wrote that has been published. 3. What inspires you? Great stories with important lessons that inspire children. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? I love to observe children as they play to learn all about their world so that I can inspire and instigate creativity and relatable lessons in the stories that I write for them. 5. Who are you favorite authors? Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Ezra Jack Keats, Anna Dewdney, Julia Donaldson, Maurice Sendak, Audrey Wood 6. What is your favorite book? 'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak 7. What genre do you most like to read? It sounds silly, but my favorite genre to read are children's picture books. I love to study what works, how it's put together as the illustrations marry the text. I love the simplicity and complexity of using as few words as possible to tell a really great, fun and ultimately powerful story. 8. What genre do you write? Is this reflective of what you read? I love writing for children. As a singer/songwriter in my past, it comes natural for me to write in rhyme and meter. 9. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I wish I could write fiction for adults. I've been brainstorming how to go about writing a story about a woman who finds balance in a depressed, unbalanced emotional state. She is struggling with postpartum depression, addiction and a fighting marriage but somehow ends up finding peace with the voices in her head. 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? At this point, my current idea is just a blog in my head. It's mostly based on my life right now and would be purely for self expression and creative outlet. 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? Ideas seem to come me either when I am running or as I lay down at night to go to sleep. It's very inconvenient when you have a 5 month old baby still waking 1-2 times in the middle of the night! 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? The only way I can write is in complete silence. I need to focus on the voice in my head and there is so much noise around me in daily life as it is. It's nice to comb out all other noise and focus in on my thoughts. 13. Introduce us to your current book (this is the latest and greatest, only choose one). "A Little Goes a Long Way" is about a little boy named Fin and his little dog, Sausages, and together they learn to use only what they need as they help with the chores around the house. I was featured at the OC Book Festival on the Storyteller Stage and Pretend City Children's Museum as part of their Author Series last year and have done several reading tours both domestically and internationally. The book has won 3 awards so far including 'Runner Up' at the Hollywood Book Festival in 2014. 14. How long did it take you to write it? It took 7 years of rewriting, discussing, reading aloud to children and adults, focus groups and editing to get it just right for publication. This particular project was in and out of the self publishing process before it was picked up by a small press which meant it also saw 2 other artists in the past. Ultimately we ended up with the very talented Vivian Nguyen. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? I generally write in the point of view of the child. I have 2 boys under the age of 3 and have always worked with children ages 0-6. I like to think I know the young child well. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? I love Fin because he is just like any other young child who is absolutely free in his world to wander and explore yet his willingness to help is adorable because he just can't seem to get it right. In the end he learns to be more careful with how much he uses and learns to not be so wasteful, which I think is a valuable - and relatable - lesson for any young child to learn. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? Fin is my main character in the story and I suppose he is the best role model for my readers because he learns how to be more careful, which is ultimately his goal. 18. How did you decide on your cover? My artist designed the cover. When we won the first 2 awards we decided to make the title stand out a bit more and add 'Award Winner!' to the front cover with the award seals on the back. 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? I have put together several activities with free downloads on the website (www.alittlegoesalongwaybook.com) including suggestions for teachers on how to incorporate the book into their classroom. My hope is that my readers and teachers take advantage of these materials. I've also had fans along the way tell me how they use my story to talk to their kids about how not to be wasteful in their daily lives and that is something that I love hearing! This little story is a springboard for a bigger conversation about conservation and ultimately that is what I hope little ones take away from as they read my story. 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. I originally wrote "A Little Goes a Long Way" as a series. The second is called 'A Little Kindness goes a Long Way.' The third is told in the point of view of Sausages, the dog in the story, and he learns to be a good dog. I have yet to come up with a title. I have a separate series that I have written as well and each one of these stories follows a different character who learns something specific as their name suggests: 'Lazy Daisy,' 'Squirrely Hurley,' 'Choosy Susie' to name a few. 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? It's so frustrating when you actually have the time to sit down and write and can't for whatever reason. For me, I have so much stress going on in my current world that it really takes some time to wipe away those stressing thoughts that circle my head to make a clear canvas so I can 'draw' with my creative thoughts. I find meditation, yoga or just a nice cup of green tea helps with finding peace. 22. What do you not like about writing? It takes time - which I don't seem to have anymore these days with 2 small children!! 23. Are you working on anything now? My most current project is paired with an instructional video on swimming and it will be using real photographs as the visual as opposed to illustrations. I have a few other ideas in the works as well using this type of photography art visual. We'll see what happens in the coming months! 24. How do you market your work? "A Little Goes a Long Way" has won 3 awards so far and it's not only gratifying to me as a writer to gain this sort of recognition but it's also a great tool to market your work because it now has validation. I can now market myself as an 'award winning author' and that gives me momentum. I use social media, goodreads giveaways, school tours, teaming up with other small businesses, libraries , schools and fellow authors, book readings, signings and festivals to help promote my book. Organizing these types of events to help market the book is half the battle. Getting the book published was easy. When I have readings I also play an interactive song with the kids, I bring coloring sheets and stickers and also have a website that has free downloads and printable activities (www.alittlegoesalongwaybook.com). It's not about making money at this point, but rather getting myself out there and having fun! 25. What would you say to readers? When I do my readings, I always ask the children if there is anything they can think of at home or at school where they have to be more careful with how much they use. Lately, what we mostly discuss is our current drought situation here in California and how we can be less wasteful when it comes to water conservation. I always tell my readers to try and use just what you need so you're not being wasteful! 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise? When I get asked to give young writers advice, I always say keep reading but STUDY what you love. Study what works and what doesn't and then ask why. Picture books are so simple, but it's the simplicity of it that makes it so hard to write. I have to remember who I am writing for. When I write for the young child I know I can't use too many words. I know that their tiny little brains can't handle too much information at once. I know that they can't be sitting down for that long. I have to allow the illustrations to tell the story too. Marrying the text with the illustrations and finding your formula are key to writing picture books. Thinking about how the pages will turn with the flow of your text is another element to writing in this genre. There is a lot of visualization that goes into writing this genre and it gets quite technical when you think about all the details involved. Keeping it simple is a challenge but it's what works. 27. Where can one purchase your book(s)? Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble online, Ingram and other expanded distribution channels. It is also available in small local bookshops and toy stores around the country. Please take advantage of the website that provides FREE downloads including my featured song, a video and the audio book. There are also free printable activities and posts about the making of this book. Check out more info at www.alittlegoesalongwaybook.com! Social Media WEBSITE: http://www.alittlegoesalongwaybook.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Goes-a-Long-Way/605158366162933 Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashleymillsmon #alittlegoesalongwaybook #alittlegoesalongway Whit McClendon was born on October 31, 1969 in Freeport, Tx. He grew up in Angleton, Texas and was active in martial arts, track and field, and playing the clarinet in band. One year at Texas A & M proved that lacrosse was far more fun than electrical engineering, and he eventually graduated with a degree in Engineering Design Graphics from Brazosport College. After working in the petrochemical field as a CAD drafter for many years, Whit finally achieved his life’s dream of becoming a full-time martial arts instructor. He now lives with his family in Katy, Texas, plays lacrosse as often as possible, and runs Jade Mountain Martial Arts. He laughs a lot more now than he did when he worked at the engineering firm. Welcome to author Whit. 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? I wrote scenes and short stories to amuse myself when I was in junior high, and kept doing so whenever the mood struck me as I grew older. I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, and writing was just an extension of that. 2. What was the first thing you wrote? The first thing I remember writing was a story about a boy who finds a tiny alien sphere that grants him amazing powers. There’s always been an element of fantasy and magic in my writing because that kind of thing fascinates me. I also find it hugely entertaining, so there you go. 3. What inspires you? In terms of my writing, just about anything can inspire me. Music, art, conversation, I’ve found something to write about in many perfectly ordinary things. I also read a lot, and although I never feel right about taking something so blatant as characters or identical situations, I still grab things here and there. I may read an entire book and come away with the idea that I need more rain in my story because weather played a big part what I’d just read. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? <chuckle> Nah, I people watch because it’s entertaining. Occasionally, I’ve seen someone that brings a character to mind or influences a brand new one, but that’s actually pretty rare for me. My characters tend to arrive fully realized. 5. Who are you favorite authors? Dennis L. McKiernan, David Gemmell, Simon Green, Raymond E. Feist, Jim Butcher, Dean R. Koontz...so many great authors, so little time. 6. What is your favorite book? Wow, that’s like asking me to pick which piece of chocolate cake I like the best. Here are a few of my favorites. All of the following have either made me cry, yell, laugh, or pump my fist at some point. Lightning by Dean Koontz, The Iron Tower Trilogy by Dennis L. McKiernan (hey, I have an omnibus edition, it’s one book!), Pet Sematary by Stephen King, Small Vices by Robert B. Parker. All of the Druss the Legend tales from David Gemmell are fabulous. There are so...many...more. I read constantly, and just don’t feel right if I don’t have a book nearby. 7. What genre do you most like to read? Fantasy/sword and sorcery. LOVE that stuff. 8. What genre do you write? Fantasy/sword and sorcery. The trilogy that I’m writing now is heroic fantasy, but the other stories that I have either started or outlined have some element of magic or supernatural influence in them. I love that kind of atmosphere, and find that it makes an effective medium for the stories I want to tell. 8a. Is this reflective of what you read? Mostly, though I’ve also been known to read more modern adventure novels, detective stories, and the occasional horror. Have I mentioned that I read a lot? 9. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I wouldn’t mind being able to write a good detective story, but I doubt I’ll ever put in the time and energy to do that. I enjoy reading those, but I’m never really inspired along those lines. 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? Hey, Google is a goooood friend of mine. I also bounce things off of a few writer friends from time to time. I do want to make sure that nothing jumps out as being incorrect, but in my genre, I get an awful lot of leeway. Things like castle defenses, rates of travel via horse and on foot, ancient currency exchanges, those are things I like to detail more thoroughly so that nothing jumps out at the reader as being ‘off.’ I’m a martial arts instructor with training in quite a few martial arts, so writing about medieval combat and training is especially fun for me. 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? Not really. I seem to do my best writing in my office at my martial arts school. I’d write more at home, but I always end up with our two pugs in my lap and they tend to put me right to sleep. Seriously, they’re better than Ambien. Can’t write a dang thing with them there, all warm and cuddly. I do listen to music sometimes, but that’s the next question. 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? I often listen to Pandora, I have an Enya station and a Loreena McKennitt station, those work best for me. It’s very Celtic/New Age stuff, and sets the right mood for what I’m writing, and I’m not distracted by the words. 13. Introduce us to your current book. Mage’s Burden is the first in a heroic fantasy trilogy. When the evil sorcerer, Mordak, escapes after two thousand years of imprisonment, it is up to Brunar, the Mage, to gather the Guardians and oppose him. Using the ancient magick of the Jidaan, six ancient and magickal weapons, Brunar must find the men and women who are uniquely bound to each, and train them to use their extraordinary powers to defeat the vile wizard. Not all of the Guardians accept their destiny. Mage’s Burden tells of Brunar’s struggle to prepare his students for battle, and of the rise to power of the evil Mordak. Mordak is really, truly, baaaaad. I mean, I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Yeah, that guy is just AWFUL! Who kills him??” I just laugh (somewhat evilly) and tell them they have to read the next two books to see what happens. 14. How long did it take you to write it? It took me over 20 years to finally get Mage’s Burden to print. Yes, yes, that’s an awfully long time and I feel badly about it. You see, in the past, I was an extremely lazy writer. I’d work hard for a couple of weeks and then not touch the manuscript for nearly a year before getting to it again. Life got in the way, and very often. In 2014, I finally decided that it was time to get MB published at last, so I tied it all up and pulled the trigger. Once I finally got MB published, I became much more motivated and disciplined with my writing, and I’m now nearing completion of book 2 in the series, Gart’s Road. It’s been a little over a year since I started GR and I’m literally about 5 pages from finishing the rough draft. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? There’s a bit of me in almost all of my characters, even the evil ones. The leader of the ‘good guys’ is a Mage who is a scholar as well as a warrior, and as a martial arts instructor, I identify with him a lot. There’s also a young fighter who is very pure in his fighting style and not so clued in to a lot of social nuances. He’s a far better fighter than I’ve ever been, but I know that guy pretty well. I’ve also been as angry as Gart, so his blinding rage is not unknown to me. We write what we know and make up the rest, and I’m no different in that respect. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? That’s a hard question. All of my characters are pretty near and dear to me. I will say that I have a group of priestesses that crack me up, and I really enjoy them a lot. They are healers who can kick some serious butt. They have...um...skills. I very much look forward to exploring their hijinks more thoroughly. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? I have a number of heroic characters, and any of them would qualify, I think. Alyssa is the smallest of them, and is a healer rather than a fighter, but she’s just as powerful as the biggest fighter among them, and she’s willing to go toe to toe with anyone if necessary. She doesn’t let her lack of size, or the fact that she’s a woman, keep her from doing whatever needs to be done. Brunar is the leader, and has devoted his entire life to protecting the land and the people in it, no matter the odds. Nessar is an older character, a former thief and Guildmaster, who is now fighting on the side of good. I’ve heard it said that one doesn’t truly know virtue unless they’ve fought out of a hole, and Nessar is doing that. 18. How did you decide on your cover? The cover of Mage’s Burden depicts a scene in which the Mage presents one of the fabled weapons to its Chosen wielder. The scene is repeated with other characters several times in that book, and seemed appropriate for the cover. 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? What I really hope is that folks simply enjoy the story and are entertained by it. It makes me deeply happy when folks tell me that they had fun reading it. I also want to display the virtues of having a never-give-up attitude, and acknowledging the fact that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. (Thanks, Mr. Spock.) 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. Mage’s Burden (June, 2014) and Gart’s Road (coming soon) are my only book length works. Other than these, I have a handful of short stories, scenes, outlines, and ideas for other book projects gathering dust on my laptop. One story I may explore is a modern werewolf tale, while another deals with witches during the time of the Salem witch trials, though with a huge fantasy twist. There’s also one ghost story that has one foot in the pioneer days of Texas and the other foot in the present. 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? If I ever get stuck when I’m writing, I tend to just stop writing that part and find another scene that is more clear in my head. Often, I’ll write an entire chapter before the other scene becomes clearer and then I can go back to it. I fit it all together eventually. 22. What do you not like about writing? The thing that bugs me about writing, is not so much about writing itself, but about the fact that I don’t have nearly as much time to do it as I would like. Writing is fun for me, I just can’t do it as much as I want because I have a business to run, classes to teach, my own training, family time...that kind of thing. And sleeping. That’s important. 23. Are you working on anything now? I’m just a few pages away (I think) from finishing Gart’s Road, book 2 in my series. 24. How do you market your work? I have a wonderful lady, Aileen Aroma, who publicizes my work on social media, and I also post on Facebook and tweet when I remember to do so. I’ve done a book signing at a local bookstore, Katy Budget Books, and had a booth at Space City Comic Con, where I happily sold all of the copies of MB that I’d brought with me. Lastly, I have a website, www.jidaan.com that has links to the book on Amazon. 25. What would you say to readers? “Hello there! Read my book! I hope you like it!” 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise? Write. Just write. Write even if you don’t think it’s any good. Get something on the page and once you’ve started, just keep going with it. Write as much as you can and read as much as you can. You might be good at it, and you might not, but if you enjoy writing, then let nothing stop you. Get after it. 27. Where can one purchase your book(s)? My books are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Katy Budget Books in Katy, Tx, and Jade Mountain Martial Arts in Katy, Tx. If anyone wants a signed copy, feel free to contact me. http://www.amazon.com/Mages-Burden-Book-Jidaan-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00KUKV4WS http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mages-burden-whit-mcclendon/1120036885?ean=9781500237714#productInfoTabs Social Media www.jidaan.com www.facebook.com/whit.mcclendon www.facebook.com/fireofthejidaan www.twitter.com/whitmccauthor 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/
Welcome to author D.G. Driver. 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? I wrote for fun in school, just as a hobby to pass the time. In the summer between high school and college, some friends and I had a fun night exploring the spooky “Old Town” in Irvine, CA, and we created a ghost story to go with the setting. Inspired, and maybe possessed, I spent my breaks from school over the next four years writing that into a novel. I never published it, but I’ve been writing ever since. 2. What was the first thing you wrote? I started with short stories and songs. An original play I wrote was performed by my former high school when I was a freshman in college, and that was my first writing that had an audience other than a teacher or my parents. The first writing I was paid for was a children’s musical called A Pirate Tale that was produced in Los Angeles. 3. What inspires you? I get my ideas from all kinds of sources: dreams, news stories, tidbits I hear on the radio. I’m inspired to write when I read good books and celebrate the success of my author friends. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? Not actively. I tend to pull characteristics I remember from people I’ve known from my past, from work, or from my years doing theater. 5. Who are you favorite authors? Stephen King is my favorite author overall. I loved Judy Blume best as a child. My current favorite I-will-read-any-of-her-books author is Nashville author Sharon Cameron. 6. What is your favorite book? My favorite book is The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. 7. What genre do you most like to read? I mostly read Young Adult and Middle Grade, but it doesn’t matter which genre. I do favor plot-heavy stories over character-driven ones. Hit me up with some adventure, fantasy, dystopia, thriller, and I’ll be a happy girl. 8. What genre do you write? Is this reflective of what you read? I write YA Contemporary Fantasy. Some call it Urban Fantasy or Magical Realism. Basically, I like writing stories about regular kids in current times who encounter something fantastic that changes their view of the world. And yes, I read more fantasy and scifi than anything else. I’m also a nut for scifi TV shows. While everyone else is watching Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy, I’m watching The Arrow or Once Upon a Time. 8. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I’m not very good at writing mysteries. I wish I could write a good mystery with clues, puzzles, red herrings, and stuff like that. 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? I do quite a bit of research. For Cry of the Sea I had to do research on oil spills: how they occur, laws concerning them, how they are cleaned, how animals are rescued and rehabilitated, and so on. I had to do research into my main character’s American Indian heritage (and even more so for book two Whisper of the Woods), and I looked into the legends and mythology that might go well with the story I was creating. These are just some of the bigger things I researched. 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? No, not really. I work full time and have a family. I write when I can grab a chance. I don’t have time to have rituals. I do prefer writing on my laptop at my desk at home, but I’ve been known to scribble in a notepad while sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to come out from school. I wrote the first draft of my novella Passing Notes in a legal pad while my daughter was taking swim lessons. 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? No. Music is super distracting for me, even instrumental. 13. Introduce us to your current book. My novel is Cry of the Sea. It is a YA scifi/fantasy novel about Juniper Sawfeather, a teen daughter of environmental activists who discovers mermaids washed ashore during an oil spill. She soon finds herself in the middle of a struggle between her parents, a marine biologist and his handsome intern, the media, the kids at school, and the corrupt oil company over the fate of the mermaids. Can she keep them from being exploited or killed? 14. How long did it take you to write it? I originally wrote this story over the course of three months back in 2000. However, it’s been through many, many rewrites since then. The biggest overhaul, and I mean pretty much starting over, was in 2010, and it took me about half a year. The sequel, Whisper of the Woods, comes out in November. On and off, that novel took about eight months to write. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? I feel like I relate mostly to Juniper’s mother. I like to think I’m warmer than her, but I definitely struggle with daughters who fight against my advice or refuse to follow my example when it comes to work ethics and studying. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? My favorite character is Carter. He’s the potential love interest for Juniper. He’s a smart, caring guy in a beach boy’s body. He’s a freshman in college and doesn’t have much patience for Juniper’s high school friends and their drama, but he is very charmed with her because she more mature than the rest. My readers have all told me they have crushes on him, which thrills me to pieces. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? Juniper. She is incredibly smart and driven. She cares deeply about the environment and sea life. When she sets her heart on helping the mermaids (which are portrayed as real sea creatures), she will not be stopped. She struggles against her intimidating parents, but she still admires and loves them. 18. How did you decide on your cover? My book is traditionally published with Fire and Ice Young Adult Books. They provide the cover art for their books. Caroline Andrus did the art for both Cry of the Sea and Passing Notes. When I first saw the cover for Cry of the Sea, I got teary-eyed. I thought it was beautiful, and she capture Juniper’s face perfectly. I’m excited that we hired a model to be Juniper for the Whisper of the Woods cover, and I can’t wait to see how it comes out. 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? I hope they learn an appreciation for keeping oceans clean of pollution. I also hope they take away a desire to help animals and creatures that need it. I didn’t write Cry of the Sea to be an issue-driven book, but it does have a message in the theme. 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. My YA romance novella Passing Notes was published in January of this year. It is a sweet story about a ghost that is teaching a teen boy to write the perfect love letter to impress the girl he adores. It’s nostalgic and heartwarming. Whisper of the Woods, my sequel to Cry of the Sea, comes out in November. It will tell another story about Juniper Sawfeather encountering a magical creature, this time during a protest to prevent Old Growth trees from being chopped down. “The Jamaican Dragon” is a short story of mine that was published in the pirate anthology A Tall Ship, A Sail, and Plunder. I also have four non-fiction books (under the name Donna Getzinger) with Morgan Reynolds Publishers. 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? I don’t have a lot of time to write, so I am often like a pot boiling over by the time I get to actually work on my stories. However, I have stared at pages many times wondering how to get from A to Z. For me, I either have to work on something else for a bit, or I just power through and write a bunch of junk, knowing I can always fix it later. 22. What do you not like about writing? I have a hard time with first drafts. I’m excited about my story, but I get caught up with all the little sentences “he walked over to the door”, “she picked up the paper”, “he told her” that stuff. I love rewriting. Tweaking, cutting, changing. Fixing those horrible little sentences. I find that way more fun. 23. Are you working on anything now? Yes. Right at this moment I’m writing a romance story for an anthology that Satin Romance is putting out next year. I then plan to write a couple more ghost stories in the same style as Passing Notes to perhaps bundle into an anthology of my own work. When that’s all through, I plan to start writing book three of the Juniper Sawfeather stories. 24. How do you market your work? I do lots of social media stuff on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest. I LOVE doing school visits, speaking at conferences, and I try to have a space or booth at all kinds of local events. Follow me: Website: www.dgdriver.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donnagdriver Twitter: www.twitter.com/DGDriverAuthor Tumblr: www.d-g-driver.tumblr.com www.pinterest.com/dgdriver www.instagram.com/d_g_driver# 25. What would you say to readers? Take a chance and discover my books. They are appropriate for kids as young as twelve, and lots of adults enjoy them too. If you do like them, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It really helps other people discover the books. 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise? Take your time. It’s not a race. Make your book the best it can be before you start submitting to agents or publishers. And if you’re going to self-publish, hire and editor. 27. Where can one purchase your book(s)? Everywhere you can buy books online. But here are some links to get you started: Cry of the Sea: http://www.amazon.com/Cry-Sea-D-G-Driver/dp/1612357865/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419096316&sr=8-1&keywords=Cry+of+the+Sea+by+D.+G.+Driver http://www.lulu.com/shop/d-g-driver/cry-of-the-sea/paperback/product-21464813.html http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cry-of-the-sea-d-g-driver/1118708060?ean=9781612357867 http://www.bookdepository.com/Cry-Sea-Driver/9781612357867 http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/409843 Passing Notes http://www.amazon.com/Passing-Notes-D-G-Driver-ebook/dp/B00RMZBLJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420227403&sr=8-1&keywords=Passing+Notes+by+D.+G.+Driver https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/505480 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/passing-notes-d-g-driver/1121253580?ean=2940151542746 Author bio- my full name is David Mendonca, but I like to go by D. Manuel Mendonca as a tribute to my father who died when I was 18. I married my best friend, who is also one of my biggest supporters. I am a massive night owl, even preferring to do most of my writing at night. Among personal hobbies I am the lead investigator of SIGHT a paranormal group, and I LOVE movies. I currently I have over 1000 different titles in my collection and I’ve spent most of my summer inside a theatre. You can visit my site Dmanuelmendonca.com to see what is in the works and even whats on my mind with my weekly blog. Welcome to author David. 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? That’s a hard one really, because it was never really one thing that got me started. My mother liked to write and she really encouraged me to open up my imagination and find my own worlds. Once I found I could create and expand on world’s that were mine I was hooked! 2. What was the first thing you wrote? I don’t actually remember the first thing I actually wrote but I know the first thing I actually wrote and finished was my short story THE OMEGA VIRUS. 3. What inspires you? EVERYTHING! i find inspiration in everything, I actually wrote one of my books Jack Ryder: Soulless after joking around at work. The joke of a soulless man kept with me and like that I created the world around it. But I guess if I had to pick more traditional inspirations I would definitely have to go with my wife and mother, both who have helped me when I get stuck and both who allow me to flourish. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? Not just for my writing, I love watching other people. And if that sounds creepy, its probably because it is. No I just love watching how people interact with each other and then I think…hey what if that old lady became a zombie and attacked her grandchildren? 5. Who are you favorite authors? I am really fond of J.K. Rowling. Her ability to get kids of these days to read. I also like Suzanne Collins and her hunger games trilogy. 6. What is your favorite book? A child called it by Dave Pelzer. It is one of the most heartbreaking, inspirational books I have ever read. 7. What genre do you most like to read? I love reading Sci-Fi and Horror, especially dark horror. It really helps get my mind churning. 8. What genre do you write? Is this reflective of what you read? I like to write a little bit of everything. I have books in fantasy, horror, post-apocalyptic, thriller… I even have a children’s book out! But I guess they are kind of reflective on what I write because a lot of the time the themes go off fear. I just like to push myself and see what I can come up with. 9. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I seem to have a hard time working on anything with love or romance. Actually my wife loves those kinds of stories and I tried to write one for her birthday last year… yeah that was a disaster. 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? Most of my research comes from finding stuff online, where certain sites are, how far they are from others, certain mythologies. If something is close to me I sometimes like to go to that area and live out the scene I want to write to see if it makes sense. I’ve even had others ask what I was doing and if they could join in. 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? I am probably the worst person when it comes to paying attention to one thing at a time so usually when I write I like to have a big bag of pretzels near me and something on the television I can look at whenever. Usually I have the Simpsons running in the background or one of my favorite movies…most recently I had Jurassic Park running but I had to stop it because I spent more time watching then I did writing. 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? Music however is ironic for me, I can watch T.V and write but I can’t listen to music and write. I think its because I tend to become so wrapped up in songs that I mess up my stories. But I am partially inspired by songs, Revisited actually came to me when I was listening to Keith Urban’s song, for you. 13. Introduce us to your current book. My latest book is called Revisited: OMEGA VIRUS. This is actually a sequel, taking place sixteen years after the Omega Virus was created and set loose on the planet killing over 90% of the earth’s population, turning many of them into zombie like creatures. In Revisited Hope, the daughter of two former main characters has reached 16 which is considered adulthood on the island she lives on. She must figure out what she wants to do with her life which causes her to panic and offer to go back to the mainland on a rescue mission. Once there she is faced with more challenges then just zombies… 14. How long did it take you to write it? That is the scary thought, I wrote Revisited in about six weeks… six very long weeks. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? There is a character called The Major in Revisited that I kind of based off myself. At first he is seen as cold and uncaring but after getting to know him you realize that he actually cares and everything he does is more to protect the others. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? There is a character named Fanny who I rolled over from the original story that I loved. Her real name is Stephanie Goyer, and she is kind of the adopted sister of Hope. In the original story she was only about 11ish and I just really like what I did with her. Actually if any of my characters could come to life I would want it to be her. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? In a way I think all of them are good role models. Fanny is the character who goes out of her way, and comfort zone to make sure Hope is safe. Hope shows you that sometimes you need to be yourself, and so on… 18. How did you decide on your cover? I was actually looking for someone to help me design a cover, I love to write but I couldn’t draw to save my life. I ended up on Fiverr.com and found a graphic artist Fayefayedesigns who asked me what the book was about and if I had any ideas…I didn’t. it took her two days but when she sent me what she had I just loved it. 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? I hope people can realize that real character can’t be decided, especially young. Sometimes you have to go out into the world and have real experiences to help you discover who you really are. 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. Some of the stories I have written are Jack Ryder: Soulless, where a man has his soul stolen by the devil and he must fight back to regain his soul and finally move on. Strangers alone, is about 12 strangers are invited into a house and one by one are killed as they try to figure out who among them has staged this whole event. Siege of Ignottia, Hall of immortals, this is another series I really liked working on. My take on the fantasy world about a world parallel to ours inhabited with all kinds of monsters. And of course surviving the horror which is the story that leads up to Revisited. All of these stories actually have something in common, for each of those titles purchased I donate half of the proceeds to a charity…the charity of choice right now is Make a Wish. 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? I think every writer experiences writer’s block. Sometimes the day is too much or you just feel overwhelmed. That’s why when I get blocked I walk away from my writing and play a game, or whatever else I can find. 22. What do you not like about writing? I think the worst part to writing is finishing. Even now about three years after my first book A cursed earth I still have ideas on how I could make it better or improve something. 23. Are you working on anything now? I have about 15 saved files of stories I am working on right now. Among them are sequels to Jack Ryder which is entitles, the 4 reborn and the final book of the Ignottia saga tears of a god. 24. How do you market your work? I use a lot of social media. Facebook, twitter, whatever. I feel like that is a good way to spread a title around and get it going. 25. What would you say to readers? I hate to admit it, but I love to talk about my books. Like I said before I hate finishing and I always have other things on my mind, and if anyone ever wants to talk about them I always put an email address inside the book in case anyone has any questions concerns, critical advice…I welcome it all! 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise? There is a saying, write what you know. I hate that saying, I feel it’s better practice to write what you’ve experienced. As well as being an author and working full time and being a husband I’m also a paranormal instigator. And because of my experiences I feel I bring more into what I write. 27. Where can one purchase your book(s)? my books can all be ordered on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com CC Hogan is a writer and musician who loves growing hot chilies, cooking, and generally thinks that laughter is the best form of love. He spent many years in the media and entertainment industry but now enjoys peace, quiet, wine, and special moments. He is a very private person; he finds it cheaper. Welcome to author C.C. Hogan. 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? I find it very hard to pin point a time where I moved from not wanting to write to feeling I had to. I think I was probably very young. When I was older I moved into the media industry where words are the axis around which all ideas revolve. I have always been more creative than analytical so anything that moves ideas from my brain to someone else’s is very attractive. I find I get less headaches of frustration with words, so that is what I end up doing most. I am a little worried that it is becoming an addiction! 2. What was the first thing you wrote? I was trying to work this out the other day. Some years ago I made a conscious effort to chuck out all my school books which my parents had insisted needed to be kept for some unexplained posterity. Sadly, for you, this means that out went anything written when I was very young. It is probably a good thing, however. The earliest works I can remember, without the now discarded supporting evidence, tend to be poems. I love writing poetry, but I am not sure I am very good at it. It also can make me cry which is damned embarrassing! 3. What inspires you? This is an easy one: quiet moments. I come from an industry where the off switch is surgically removed from you as an apprentice; distancing myself from that world has allowed me to reinstall this vital human component and I can now find the time to sit, wonder and let what passes by inspire me in anyway it sees fit. If I were to try and find something in particular that inspires me, I think it would be what I call “natural comedy,” the ability for something to make you smile whoever you are and whatever circumstances one is in, however tragic. Seeing someone with a deadly serious face, trip very slightly and break into a tiny smile, can make my day very special. 4. Do you “people watch” for your writing? Oh, very much so, and so do my characters. People watching is something we all do all the time, it is a very important part of human communication. It is one of the problems with modern communications in that we remove some of the vital senses from our experiences with others like touch, smell, taste, and so end up with a very incomplete picture with our brains desperately trying to fill in the gaps from our library of experiences. Smell, the main character in The Stink, writes all his songs by watching others. He doesn’t try and second guess them or pretend he really knows them, he just watches and makes up a story. It can create the most beautiful moments too; lying next to someone in a park, making up stories of those you both can see, is probably one of the most romantic and sensory moments you can experience. 5. Who are you favorite authors? I struggle with this one often as I have the most terrible memory for names. However, a few authors I love, even though I rarely have time to read them: Charles Dickens, mostly for his wondrous character names, Peter Carey, for his strange and almost cartoon like characters, and Umberto Eco for just being too damned clever. 6. What is your favorite book? 21st Century Blues by Steve Walker. It is probably not the best book in the world, but it made me laugh in all the right places. 7. What genre do you most like to read? I think I end up with Fantasy rather too much. I am not sure why, but maybe because it sometimes offers a simpler view of a world, a simpler life. Let’s face it, when Tolkien invented Hobbiton, he described a village where he wanted to live. 8. What genre do you write? Is this reflective of what you read? At the moment I admit to two Genres. The Stink is set in London in the 1970s and is a young adult book about a young band. Dirt, on the other hand, is a huge, sprawling fantasy set on a world called Dirt. But really, everything is fantasy – even if I set a story around where I live at the moment, it would still be my interpretation of it, and that is going to be fantastical simply because it is not reality. 9. What genre do you have a difficult time with that you wish you could write? I fancy the idea of writing a mystery of some sort. I rather like Sherlock Holmes kind of stories, but I have yet to come up with a strong idea that doesn’t collapse in an illogical heap. “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever is left should probably be chucked in the trash!” 10. What kind of research do you do or have you done for your story? The Stink has a slight autobiographical streak running through it in that it is set in my own teen era, so the research consisted of sitting in the corner, getting drunk, and remembering me and my friends. I did phone a few people I haven’t heard from for forty years and quiz them. That was scary. Dirt has been quite different. Although a fantasy, I wanted to make the world feel real. Like many other fantasies it is set in a medieval kind of environment, just with dragons attached. I was very keen that there was no cheating so that when I needed people to get from A to B nice and quick, there was no convenient wizard that could make up for the lack of a jumbo jet with a wave of a wand. So, I have spent time reading up about how fast people can travel in a wagon, about infantry speeds and supplies, about coping with weather, lighting fires and all the other things that can trip people up in a real world without technology. My notes for the books are now novel sized in their own right. Note taking and research have not only become vital for the books, but fun too! 11. Do you have any writing rituals like eating chocolate or lighting incense? I like this question! Roald Dahl, famously, had his little shed with his favorite armchair where he wrote all his books. Environment is incredibly important and getting that right is what rituals are all about. I have yet to get that perfect and part of trying to become an author is about eventually earning enough money to find my perfect tiny cottage where I can be as ritualistic as I need and write every hour of the day. Part of that is accompaniments, like chocolate and incense. For me it is the espresso coffee machine that sits by my desk and the queue of cheap wine waiting to be consumed. Incense is good too! 12. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind? I do sometimes, but since I am also a musician, this can create a conflict of interests. I also speak out loud when I am writing, especially writing dialogue, and that can be a problem if the music is vocal heavy. I do like the atmosphere created by music, however, and will chose artists like John Martyn, JJ Cale and Ry Cooder to jolly me along. Such creative gentlemen! Oh, very partial to Melissa Etheridge too. She has a challenging streak to her words that wake me up. 13. Introduce us to your current book. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome onto the stage, The Stink! (Please stand up and cheer.) London in 1976 was an interesting place. Industrial strife was building, the National Front was spewing out their vile messages, our parents were finding homophobic comedians funny and the economy was in a really bad place. So what happened? Well, the sun came out and refused to go away for the entire summer. It was the longest, hottest summer on record and if you were sixteen and had just finished your O-Levels, you were in Nirvana! Smell, Aroma, Haze, Stench and Fart are five friends putting together a band and trying to get their first gig. They are young, crazy, silly and innocent and determined to have fun. Getting mixed up with a group of murderous tramps, lugging generators around to power rehearsals, facing racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia was not exactly on their to-do lists, but when you are 16, creative and adventurous, anything can happen. And then there is that falling in love thing! The Stink is nothing if it is not a comedy, but it is also about real people and if you laugh with them most of the time, don’t be surprised if suddenly you are crying with them. They are the teens we all were or wanted to be, living at a time that was fun, occasionally creative and totally lacking in mobile phones! Read loads more at http://thestinkbooks.com 14. How long did it take you to write it? I started writing it several years ago and struggled with the first fifty thousand words. But then last year I kicked myself hard and got down to it properly and finished the first draft in five weeks, loving every moment of it. 15. Which character(s) of yours do you most relate to? The five heroes are all people I remember from my own teenage years, but the two I am closest to are Smell and Aroma. Smell is not really me, apart from the writing songs bit, but I understand him and his confusion about the world. I want to sit down and tell him that he will work it out one day and it will be cool. Aroma is simply my first girlfriend and I love her like crazy. 16. Who is your favorite character in this story? I am very fond of Frank, the old Jamaican who gives Smell a job and helps the band out when it all goes wrong. He is a warm and strong man who accepts young people as they are and does not judge too quickly. Parents in the 21st century have different relationships to their kids than back in the Seventies. They listen to similar music, went to similar schools and had the same teen angst. Back in the seventies that wasn’t so, and the gulf between the young generation and the older generation was huge. Characters like Frank who could bridge the gap were rare and are fondly remembered. 17. Which character is the best role model for readers? Ooh, I am not sure. All my characters have faults so I would not recommend role model status for any of them completely. Perhaps Smell is the one I would like for others to follow just a little. He is incredibly creative and just a touch anarchic inside. In one scene, he sees a young boy playing with his food in a burger bar and being told off by his mother. The boy is looking at a tomato thinking that it is staring at him. As the friends leave the restaurant, Smell whispers in the boy’s ear, “Yeah, I thought it was staring too.” The boy then gives the tomato a vicious stab. When one of the other members of the band asks what that was about, Smell replies, “Someone had his creativity trodden on. I was just giving it a bit of first aid.” I like that Smell would take the time to think about that sort of thing. 18. How did you decide on your cover? This was purely financial – I didn’t have any money. So, I drew my own using photoshop. It probably is far from the best cover, but I hope it is at least distinctive. 19. What do you hope people discover while reading your story? This will depend on the audience. For people my age, in their fifties, I hope they will rediscover the world of their youth; a world where the teenager came into their own, but had yet to be ensnared by modern communications. When we left our front door, our parents had no way of tracking us down, had no computer to spy on and we could be as private as we liked. That was true freedom. For young people now, I hope they will discover that despite the lack of mobiles and the internet, us oldies were exactly like them. We struggled with love, with parents, with life and with friends and we fell in love/hate on a minute by minute basis. We were the original teens and the world the teen has now is our gift to them. 20. Have you written anything else? Tell us about it/them. The big book is Dirt which I am currently proofreading and working on the artwork for the first three books. It is immense and I have just finished writing book 5 plus a short story and a novella with another 7 in the pipeline. Dirt is a world of humans and dragons, but possibly not a world that many dragon lovers have encountered before. Like many fantasy dragons, my lot speak and have opinions, but it struck me that an intelligent dragon if she were real would be less than happy living in a damp cave. So dragons on my world have a culture, have opinions, have politics, sex-lives, families, villages and the rest. They are just rather bigger and can fly. The first three books tell the story of Johnson Farthing, a poor cart-pusher in a small coastal town, whose sister is kidnapped by slavers. What starts out as a simple chase across a continent slowly evolves into a huge political saga as Johnson and the girl he loves, try and transform their world from one of autocratic and tyrannical leaders to one where the ordinary person has a say in their own lives. The world is complicated, multi layered, detailed and as real as I can make it. The characters love and hate, laugh and cry, are heroes and are silly, and all, humans and dragons, have needs, fears, pain and sorrow. But despite the world encompassing story, the politics and the wars, ultimately this is a story about friendship and family and the need to find somewhere to call home. Like The Stink, it will have its own website where I will be putting up maps, background histories and much more over time. http://aworldcalleddirt.com/ 21. Do you experience writers block, how do you deal with it? I am not a believer in writers block in that I think it is rather a vague term to cover lots of other problems and not something to be dealt with in itself. The real problems can be anything from not feeling well to messing up the plot or creating a useless character. If you are suffering from “Writers Block,” maybe rather than trying to find some mad trick, try and work out what the problem really is. Loads more about this here: http://cchogan.com/i-dont-have-writers-block/ 22. What do you not like about writing? Quick and easy – my terrible spelling and occasional blindness to words. I am not dyslexic, but sometimes I think I am close and I get frustrated. Word processing has been my savior! 23. Are you working on anything now? I think “Dirt” is going to be my full time project for the next couple of years, but I also want to squeeze in a sequel to The Stink which will be set 2 years later when they are 18 and go on the road. It will definitely be naughtier and a lot less innocent. I also have a couple of other comedy ideas up my sleeve. 24. How do you market your work? At the moment it is down to social media since I am broke. So, wonderful ideas like this 27 questions is perfect for me! 25. What would you say to readers? READ MY BOOKS! Too subtle? One of the biggest kicks I get out of writing my books is reading them back which I do out loud, often standing up to get a bit of a performance going. I am a great believer that people are basically funny and even a psychopath will giggle at something silly. I try and get that into my books and my characters, so if you find that my characters are not “terribly dark” all the time, maybe it is because what they really are is real people; even my dragons. 26. What would you say to writers aspiring or otherwise? Aspire! I have written a million words over the last year and even if I only sell one book (which would be very depressing), I have really enjoyed the process of writing. The trick is to keep writing, even if it is rubbish. Make loads of silly notes, try not to make the process academic, and remember that in the end you are a story teller. You are the person sitting in that old tavern, telling a story to a group of people while drinking big pots of frothy beer. Make your audience laugh, cry, think, dream and, most importantly, want to spend time with you and your characters. Some authors love to talk about the “loneliness” of writing, the pain of being an author and so on. Well, load of self-indulgent rubbish, basically. How can one be lonely if you are spending time with such wonderful people like Smell or Aroma, or dragons in my Dirt books like Fren-Eirol and Mab-Onin? Get your pencil out, open your laptop, or however you are going to write, create your characters and fall in love with them. It is a complete joy! 27. Where can one purchase your book(s)? The Stink is available through Amazon at the moment in both Kindle and Paperback. Here is a link: http://getbook.at/the-stink-kindle Links Blog: http://cchogan.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/Its_CCHogan Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/cc-hogan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cchoganauthor Dirt: http://aworldcalleddirt.com/ The Stink: http://thestinkbooks.com/ Audio of The Stink, Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/gHpARYuWd_g The Stink Trailer: https://youtu.be/njIVj1ewwk8 |
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