Kim Harrison 'Ever After' signing & Q&A

For those who don't know, I'm originally in Scotland, but I'm studying abroad in North Carolina this year. I got to experience an unexpected bonus of that this weekend - one of my favourite authors, Kim Harrison, is doing a tour for the release of her latest book 'Ever After' and one of the tour stops was in Raleigh. Most of my favourite authors are from the US, Australia or New Zealand, so on rare European  tours they tend to only come to London - still too far for me to get to! This is a long way of saying, I was very excited to hear she was going to be less than an hour away from me.

The signing was in Quail Ridge Books, an independent bookstore that has been there for almost 30 years! I'd never been before, so it was good to find, and they were super helpful when I was ordering my copy of the book through them. I got there to find a large seating area around a podium, and I was glad I'd got there early because it was already pretty busy!

Kim came up and read a couple of page from the book, a nice little teaser from those who hadn't read it yet, and then started taking questions. I tried to take notes, but there were a couple I skipped over because the answers are on her website and things like that. This is SPOILER FREE for 'Ever After' but may have one or two spoilers for books earlier in the series, so if you aren't up to date, be warned!


Q. When a character dies, do you suffer as much as we [readers] do?

A: Yes! She said if someone like Nick died, she wouldn't mind, but Kisten was very upsetting. She also said that she still can't read the scenes where Matalina dies, because it feels to personal as a mother.

Q: Why did certain deaths in Ever After [you'll know which ones if you've read the book] occur 'off screen'?

A: She said this was too hard to answer without spoilers, but she would answer if you asked in person, so maybe this will be answered on the website at some point.

Q: How does she keep things straight in her head, and not get details and character personalities mixed up?

A: Partly from the number of edit rounds that each book goes through means she knows the story pretty well by the time it's done. When she was putting together the 'Hollows Insider' she had to reread the whole series, which also helped. She also works a long way ahead of her publication schedule, about 2 books ahead, so she can go back and change things, or add foreshadowing. She said she's never had a long range plot for the series on paper, just in her head.

Q: Did she always know details of what happened between Trent & Rachel at camp?

A: No, not at all. There was some shared past between them, and Trent remembers a lot more from camp than Rachel does, but no, she hadn't always known.

Q: Is every child with Rosewood syndrome actually a demon?

A: Yes, a Rosewood kid is born a demon.

Q: There seems to be a lot of science in the books....

A: Kim did a bio degree at college, and finds genetics really interesting, hence their inclusion in the books - she likes to bring the logic from science into magic systems and thinks it gives them some more grounding in reality.

Q: Will there be a happy ending? 

A: Rachel wants a happy ending, and Kim is working to give her one. She also said that she is "working for happy endings for all the characters who survive!"

***

I was lucky enough to be in te front of the line for signing because I bought my book early on, which was lucky since there must have been almost 100 people there!

It was very exciting to be there, and meet her, and get my book signed! :D

~Ailsa

CHLOE NEILL: 'HARD BITTEN' blog tour - author interview

Ladies and gentlemen, today I am honoured to welcome Chloe Neill to the blog!

Chloe is the author of both the YA 'Dark Elite' series, and the 'Chicagoland Vampires' series, and is here today to talk a bit about book 4 in the series, 'Hard Bitten', which is released May 3rd.

So without further ado, let's get started!

Ailsa: Welcome to the blog Chloe! I really love the series, so it's great to have you here. How did you first come up with the idea for Merit & her world? Was it Merit first?

Chloe: Merit was first, but her name was Katie and she was in a band with her best friend, Mallory. She was attacked by a vampire in a club, and saved by Morgan (who owned the club). I thought that was a little silly, so I put the pages aside. And then one day I had a mental image of Ethan, and the rest flowed from there.

Ailsa: It's interesting that Ethan wasn't there straight away. Do the characters ever do things that you aren't expecting, or do you have things pretty tightly planned out?

Chloe: A little of both. I generally know where I want a book to go, but sometimes the characters surprise me. The antagonist in DRINK DEEP, the fifth book (Nov. 2011) was a complete surprise to me!

Ailsa: Ooh, I'm intrigued! And I'm very glad that Drink Deep comes out relatively close to Hard Bitten. So can you tell us a little bit about your journey to publication - did it take you a while, or was it fairly quick?

Chloe: SOME GIRLS BITE was the second manuscript I wrote. I received one rejection for my first manuscript, then sent SOME GIRLS BITE to one publisher--Penguin. My editor bought the first two books, and the rest is history! I consider myself very lucky to have had such a quick route to the shelf.

Ailsa: That does sound very quick! Has your life changed much since the books were published?

Chloe: I have a full-time dayjob, so it's mostly become much busier with writing, editing, marketing, blogging, interviewing, etc. I don't get many days (or hours) off.

Ailsa: Twice Bitten was a bit of a rollercoaster ride for my emotions - can we expect more of the same in Hard Bitten?

Chloe: I hope that readers think all my books include a good emotional rollercoaster and with some resolution at the end!

Ailsa: They do, but I thought it was especially true for Twice Bitten! I can't wait to see what happens next! Finally, I know I'm going to love HARD BITTEN - can you tell us one reason why you think readers will love this one?

I think we see Ethan's and Merit's relationship grow, and we see Merit really dive into her position as Sentinel. I'm very

proud of her!

Thanks for having me today!

Ailsa: You're welcome! I'm so excited to read the book now!

HARD BITTEN comes out on May 3rd in the USA, and 11th May in the UK.

For more information about Chloe Neill and all her books, check out her website or blog.

Exciting Announcements, and a winner!

There are some very interesting things coming up on The Book Bundle in the next few weeks!

Before we get to them, though, I need to announce the winner of the 'Witch & Wizard' giveaway. I put the number of entries into a random number generator and the winner is: Diana!
Congratulations Diana, I'll get it in the post to you at the end of the week. Keep an eye on the blog for more giveaways and contests soon!

First bit of exciting news: on April 19th, Chloe Neill, author of the Chicagoland Vampire series & the Dark Elite series, will be here for the first day of her blog tour, for the release of Hard Bitten, book 4 in the Chicagoland series! You can find out more about Chloe on her blog, here. Chloe will be doing an interview. I'm very very excited to be participating in the tour - I read the first three books in the series in January, and absolutely loved them.

Secondly, towards the end of the month we will have another author interview, this time with Karen Mahoney, author of The Iron Witch which came out earlier this year. Again, I'm very excited about this, and I hope you will drop by to read and leave comments :)

Finally, if you want a sneak peek at some of the things coming up on the blog, check out the widget on the right hand side of the page where we've got a list of just some of the things coming up in the next few weeks. If you have any questions, suggestions of things you'd like to see on the blog, or just want to chat about books, I'm always happy to hear from you - my e-mail is on the right hand side of the page.

~Ailsa

An Interview with Eros (Cupid)

I'm kicking off my Blog Book Tour today here at my favorite book review blog, The Book Bundle! To celebrate I've lined up a little Q&A with one of my favorite characters from my new book. So without further ado, please give a warm welcome to Greek God Eros, from the new YA novel, FORESIGHT: Book 1 of The Gods of Fate trilogy.

~

Me: Hello, Eros. Thanks for joining us today.

Eros: Yes, well, I lost a bet.

Me: Er, really? Well, thanks just the same. So out of curiosity, who did you lose this bet to?

Eros: My wife. She finds amusement in my discomfort.

Me: I see, well, let’s get started. So I see you also go by Cupid? May I call you Cupid?

Eros: Not if you want to survive this interview.

Me: Oh, alright. Why don’t you want to be called Cupid?

Eros: *growls*

Me: Moving right along… How did you first meet Christopher LeFey?

Eros: I went on a surfing trip with Hermes during Hurricane Camille. Great swells. Christopher was there also. That night he taught me a card game called Texas Hold Them. It’s rare for Gods to mingle with Fae, but he seemed alright, for a Faerie. We have a standing Thursday night poker game in Vegas.

Me: What was it like growing up on Olympus?

Eros: Boring. Opulent. Though my father once gave me a Risk game as a gift. I didn’t realize until the fall of Rome that it wasn’t just a board game. I burned it.

Me: You like games?

Eros: I do.

Me: What is your favorite game?

Eros: Twister.

Me: Twister? Why?

Eros: Ask my wife.

Me: Oh. Um, so tell me about your parents. I mean who were they? I’ve heard you were the son of Gaia and Uranus but I’ve also heard you were the son of Aphrodite and Ares. Which of these is true?

Eros: Neither. I am a child of Chaos.

Me: That’s interesting. I thought you were the God of Love?

Eros: Misconception. I’m the God of Lust.

Me: I see. Do you have any children of your own?

Eros: Two. A daughter, Bliss, and a son, Dizasteron.

Me: Dizasteron? Isn’t naming your kid that sort of, like, asking for trouble?

Eros: You have no idea.

Me: When I see depictions of you, it’s usually a winged baby. But you look more like the Old Spice guy. What’s up with that?

Eros: Yes. In my youth I spurned the attentions of Athena. Besides being the Goddess of Wisdom she was also the Goddess of the Arts. On a side note, she should have added “the Goddess of Vindictive Clingy Women” to that list.
Also, I hate the Old Spice guy. So what if he can ride a horse backwards? I can make Simon Cowell make out with a mime.

Me: What do you do for fun, besides board games?

Eros: I enjoy most water sports. I also enjoy watching the Bachelor.

Me: The Bachelor? Why?

Eros: It reminds me of my childhood.

Me: Oooookay. Well, thanks for that disturbing mental picture. I have a few fan questions for you are you ready?

Eros: Shoot.

First, Nikki asks: “Did you make gay guys? If so, were you trying to be funny or were you high?”

Eros: I did not create sexual preference. It has existed in humans (and animals) forever.
However I believe if women weren’t so crazy, there would be more straight men.

From Pam: “How can he make / or allow us to make so many mistakes when it comes to finding true love?”

Eros: I have nothing to do with true love. It exists; it’s just not my specialty. I deal in more carnal things. However I will say that it is not the gods, but your own free will that causes the majority of your pain and confusion.

From Rebecca: “Is there a 1 true love? Or many that you could have gotten along with okay?”

Eros: I believe there is only one person in all of existence who is truly the perfect match for one’s soul. However the odds of meeting that person and recognizing them when you do? Ha. Good luck. But in the immortal words of Stephen Stills, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”

From Richard: “When do I get my turn?”

Eros: When you take it.

From Pat: "What are your magic arrows made of?"

Eros: Adamanteum. Like Wolverines claws. No, kidding. Trade secret. Though all our weapons are created by Hephaestus.

From Nikki: "Do you smoke?"

Eros: Only when I'm on fire. Don't laugh. It happens surprisingly often.

From Beverlee: “When are you gonna ditch that diaper?”

Eros: Keep it up human.

Me: Um, is that a pistol crossbow you’re holding?

Eros: *smiles*

Me: Um, er, okay. Here's your chance to ask Eros a question of your own! Leave a question in the comments and he'll swing by for the next few days and give you the answer! At the end of the week I'll choose a random questioner to win a cool FORESIGHT prize pack! You have till Monday Aug. 30th to enter! Good luck, and happy reading!


*Shameless Plug*
FORESIGHT is now available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com!

http://www.amazon.com/Foresight-Gods-Fate-Book-I/dp/0984098070/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279942497&sr=1-2

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Foresight/Sherry-D-Ficklin/e/9780984098071/

An interview with. . .

Leigh Russell

Leigh Russell, is author of the successful debut book Cut Short (published in June 2009), and sequel Road Closed (published in June 2010). The series centres around D.I. Geraldine Steel, a detective seeking answers to both crimes and her personal life. The first book in the thriller series, Cut Short has received great reviews, being stated as "a stylish, top-of-the-line crime tale, a seamless blending of psychological sophistication and gritty police procedure. And you're just plain going to love DI Geraldine Steel" (JEFFERY DEAVER).

Today, Leigh Russel has been kind enough to provide us with an interview:

When did you realise that you wanted to become a writer?

There was no Grand Plan. I had an idea, started writing, and found I couldn’t stop. Six weeks later I’d written about 85,000 words and realised that I’d written a book.

Can you tell us where you got the idea for Cut Short and the story behind how you became published? And how your life has changed since its publication?

The idea for CUT SHORT came into my head quite by chance. I was walking across my local park on a rainy weekday morning and happened to pass a man on the path. There was no one else in the park I began to speculate about him. Suddenly my imagination was racing. 'What if . . . ?' I thought, and the story of a crime thriller began to form in my mind. The story stayed with me and when I went home I began to write. That was three years ago and I haven’t stopped writing since.
I sent my manuscript to a publisher and it’s no secret that I heard from them two weeks later and shortly after that they signed me up for three books. So I became a writer without any planning or forethought. I wrote somewhere that I fell into writing like Alice falling down a rabbit hole.
CUT SHORT was a runaway success with three reprints in under a year, ROAD CLOSED has just been published ahead of schedule as WH Smith’s selected it for a June promotion, and I’ve just finished the first draft of DEAD END which will be published in 2011. In addition to writing I’m busy with book promotion. Meeting an author is an experience readers can’t find online, and I’m passionate about supporting real bookshops in this way, so most weekends I’m out in bookshops signing. I also visit libraries and colleges to talk about my writing, and appear at literary festivals, give radio interviews and online interview like this one. So life has been very busy since my first book was published.

Of all the characters in Cut Short, which do you think resembles you most? And why?

I don’t really think any of my characters resemble me. I’m a workaholic like my detective, but the resemblance ends there. I don’t base any of my characters on people I know, although I suppose they must be composites of people I’ve encountered or read about.

How did you create your character Geraldine Steel? Is there anyone you modelled her on? And if they were to make a TV series of your books, who would you think would best portray her?

When I started writing, I was fascinated by my killer. The villains are so much more fun to write than the good guys! My editor pointed out that my detective needed to engage my readers’ interest so they would want to follow her through the series, so I worked on Geraldine. She is introduced in CUT SHORT and in ROAD CLOSED readers discover more about her as her story begins to unfold.
I think my books would lend themselves very well to being televised as I write in very short chapters, like scenes on television. I do have an idea of who I would like to see playing Geraldine, but if my books were ever televised I doubt if I would have a say in how the series was adapted and produced - and that’s as it should be. Writing books requires a particular set of skills. Writing a screen play and producing a film or television show is quite different.
In Cut Short, Geraldine works for the first time with MIT in Woolsmarsh, in the next books will she continue working with this police station and its staff?

Geraldine works with the same Murder Investigation Team in ROAD CLOSED and DEAD END. In the fourth book in the series there is going to be a huge change for Geraldine which I think will be quite exciting for readers as well as for the character.

In Road Closed, will we see more of Geraldine’s personal life/love life? Specifically in Cut Short we see that Ian Peterson seems to be protective of Geraldine, will there be hints of more between these two in the future?

ROAD CLOSED reveals more about Geraldine with a story line that develops further in DEAD END. I gave my first talk shortly after CUT SHORT came out. At that point I had written Ian Peterson out of the series and introduced a new sergeant in ROAD CLOSED. That first audience had read CUT SHORT and they all said they liked the character of Peterson and wanted to see how his working relationship with Geraldine was going to develop. In response to their comments I wrote Peterson back in and he’s now in ROAD CLOSED and DEAD END. I like the idea of this interaction with my readers.

Perhaps you can tell us a bit about Cut Short’s sequel ‘Road Closed’?

Geraldine’s character is brought out more in ROAD CLOSED but it’s hard to tell you about it without giving too much away. I can tell you what the early reviews have been saying about ROAD CLOSED: “tense and gripping... well-written and absorbing right from the get-go, with just the right amount of guess-work for the reader.” (Eurocrime) “a gripping, fast-paced read, pulling you in from the very first tense page and keeping you captivated right to the end with its refreshingly compelling and original narrative” (New York Journal of Books, reviewed by award winning author Sam Millar) “This novel keeps you guessing until the end and packs some powerful surprises” (Bookersatz) So I think it’s fair to say that it’s a gripping and exciting plot. But I hope you’ll read and make up your own mind about it.
Do you have any tips or suggestions for aspiring [crime] writers?

I always give the same three pieces of advice to aspiring writers: Work hard, be brave, and be lucky.
The more you write the better your writing will become, so keep writing, and don’t be put off by rejections and don’t take them personally. Agents can receive as many as 50 submissions in an average day so they genuinely can’t give much time to any manuscript, and most publishers won’t even look at unsolicited submissions. Being published is a thrill, but the real buzz is writing. So my final piece of advice is: write because you love writing. Anything else is secondary.

Thank you very much for interviewing me here, with such interesting questions.


I hope this interview has been helpful, it was wonderful to interview Leigh Russell, who has been kind enough to offer signed copy of her new book ROAD CLOSED for a COMPETITION here on Book Bundle. . . stay tuned I shall be posting about how to enter later this week!

Interview: Jaye Wells

I'm thrilled to welcome Jaye Wells to the Book Bundle today! Urban fantasy fans will recognise her as the author of 'Red-Headed Stepchild' which was released earlier this year (you can read my review of it here).

Without further ado, here is the interview:

Ailsa: First of all, could you tell us a bit about your journey to publication, getting an agent etc? Did you ever have doubts about or trouble getting published?

Jaye Wells: I started writing fiction about four years ago. I took a writing class at a local community college and started my first book there. Red-Headed Stepchild was the third book I completed. I found my agent through the traditional route--by querying, sending a partial (50 pages of of the manuscript) and then a full. He read the full overnight and offered the next day. About a month later, after some revisions, he sent it out to several editors. About a week and a half later, there was an auction and I ended up signing a three-book deal with Orbit.

I don't think any writer goes through the path to publication without doubts. It's kind of part of the deal. It doesn't end once you get published either. Even published writers deal with rejection--either from editors or fans. The hardest part is to keep writing anyway. You have to have nerves of steel in this business.

A: Woah, so that was pretty quick once you queried that agent! That's great! Plotter or pantser? If you're a pantser, how far ahead do you plan things?

JW: I'm kind of both and neither. ;) My process is confusing even to me. But generally, I start out with a situation and a few scenes. Once I figure out what the story's about, I plot it out all the scenes, leaving myself enough room to pants it as I go. That sounds a lot easier than it is.

A: Do you use beta readers, or have a trusted critique partner who's with you all the way, or does it very with each project?

JW: I have beta readers who read the manuscript once I've done a couple good passes. They catch the high level story and character issues and I fix them. I've used critique groups before, but I found having someone read an almost-finished product is more effective for the way I write.

A: Did you make any rookie mistakes while you were submitting that you can look back on now and laugh about?

JW: Oh yes. One particular issue happened with a query letter. I'd seen a male agent speak at a writing event, and when I queried him I went on and on about how I saw him speak. It wasn't until after I sent the query that I realized I'd addressed the letter to "Mrs. (Agent's last name)." Not surprisingly I never heard back from him.

A: Oh no! Did you query widely, or were you targeting specific people/agencies?

JW: I'd queried a couple of projects before I submitted RHSC, so I had detailed notes on which ones seemed receptive, which ones got back in a timely manner, etc. From that list and further research, I queried about fifteen agents for the book. So I queried quite a few agents, but they were chosen for specific reasons.

A: Sabina was a fun character to read about - how much is she, or are any of the other characters, like you?

JW: All of my characters are like me in some way. Sabina's personality is probably most like mine, but there are some major differences and area where she's more exaggerated. I'm probably best described as a combination of Sabina and Giguhl. Yes, I understand this brings my sanity into question, but I'm okay with that.

A: Lol! Related to that, who was your favourite character, and who did you love to write about most?

JW: Obviously, I love Sabina because it's her story I'm telling. She's such a complex character to write. But I probably have most fun writing Giguhl. He gets the best lines and gives me a break from the heavy stuff Sabina's going through.

A: Can you tell us a bit about The Mage In Black? I'm really hoping for lots more Adam!

JW: The Mage in Black is much more magic-focused than Red-headed Stepchild, and it takes place in New York. Sabina's struggling to deal with the stragne mage culture and come to terms with the fall out from the betrayal of the first book. Giguhl gets involved in a special club and might find a love interest of his own. As for Adam, well, let's just say things there might be a few wrinkles coming in that relationship.

A: Argh! You're making me even more impatient for that book. Maybe I just shouldn't have asked. Finally, then, I know you have some great advice for writers on your blog. Could you share a couple of the most important things here for us?

JW: That's a toughie. I've got four years worth of unsolicited advice on that thing. ;) For aspiring writers, I recently listed my top ten tips for when you're just starting out. It's here: Click

A: Thank you very much for answering our questions!

Jaye's website can be found here, along with her blog.

Please leave a comment if you enjoyed the interview, or if you have any other questions for Jaye!

Also, remember that you still have time to enter our contest! See the post below this one for details.

Interview: Ripley Patton

This Friday, we've got short story/flash fiction writer Ripley Patton. With almost 20 shorts published, she has a lot of helpful insight into this area.

1) What made you go for short stories and how long have you been writing seriously? Did you ever consider writing novels?

Ever since I could write, I have. For me writing is a necessary process in making sense of the world and my own inner landscape. I write to find meaning and, where none can be found, to create it. However, I started pursuing writing as a serious career in 2005. Stories came to me, and I wrote them down in as many words as it took to tell them. I had no real designs as far as length. If they were short, it was because they wanted to be. That being said, I have always loved short forms of both poetry and prose. There is something about capturing the precise and poignant moment; about creating the most lasting impression in the fewest words that I find wholly gratifying. I do periodically try to manifest a novel, mostly after having been asked again when I am going to write a novel. Conversely, I don't know that I have ever heard a novelist asked when they are going to start writing short stories. To date, all my attempts at novel writing have resulted in more short stories. I think if I wanted to force the issue, I could, but I doubt I'd be proud of the results

2) How do you go about finding markets for your stories? Do you start with one in mind, or look once the story is finished? If both, which do you think is the more successful method?

I write the stories that come to me, the things that inspire and interest me and clamor in my head to be told. There is a quote attributed to the Aborigines of Australia that says, "The big stories are always hunting the right person to tell them." I believe that and I tend to think of stories as gifts, rather than commodities. I always write and fall in love with my stories first. The marketing comes afterwards, and it is a matter of finding the right home for each beloved story, rather than trying to fashion a story to fit a particular kind of home

The question of success is an interesting one. I am notoriously awful at writing to a theme or to preset parameters, because for me the process of writing is much more organic than mechanical. Writing for a specific market isn't particularly successful for me because I end up with a story I'm not that passionate about. I wrote it for someone else, rather than myself, and as a result, it isn't that good.

However, when I write for myself, to tell myself the story I want to know the ending to, and then look for a market, I have great success in placing it. Initially, it may take more effort to find a market that fits, but the results are almost always a sale. I consider writing what I want and selling it much more successful than writing what someone else wants and selling it. And yes, I still feel that way even when I get paid less for not writing whatever is the trend in the more popular markets

3) Where do you get your inspiration from?

It might be easier to answer "Where don't I get my inspiration from?" I have more ideas tucked away in notebooks than I could write in ten lifetimes. It is a rare day that passes without giving me some idea for a story. However, some of my favorite sources for inspiration are my kids, life experiences, nature, fairy tales, ancient mythology, reading, travel, and my dreams

Dreams are an especially lucrative mode of inspiration for me. Many of my short stories were written after just waking up from vivid dreams. Off the top of my head, "A Speck in the Universe," "The Moth Collector's Daughter, "Sheep Women and Dog Boys," and "The Bus to Nostalgia" were all inspired by dreams. Stories born out of dreams often fall into the category of magical realism, which is a genre I very much like to read and write. Dreams work in archetypes and symbolism, just as storytelling does. Joseph Campbell wrote that "Dreams are private myths. Myths are public dreams."

4) Tell us a little bit about why you like writing about magical, mythical themes.

I think of myth and magic as the hieroglyphics of the human psyche. They are a special language that circumvents conscious thought and goes straight to the subconscious. Non-fiction uses the medium of information. It tells us what we need to know. Science fiction primarily uses the medium of physics and mathematics. It tells us how things work, or could work. Horror taps into the darker imagery of the psychology, telling us what we should fear. Fantasy, magic and myth, however, tap into the spiritual potential of the human life. Their medium is symbolism, truth made manifest in word pictures, and they tell us what things mean on a deep, internal level. I have always been a meaning-maker. I have always been someone who strives to make sense of everything and perhaps that is where my life as a storyteller first began. Life doesn't always make sense, but story must. And so I write stories, and the world comes right again.

5) Is it hard for you to keep the stories short?

No. In fact, lately I've been writing and publishing quite a bit of flash fiction, which has helped me learn to better hone and edit my longer works. I haven't yet written any twitter fiction, but there are some great new markets for it out there, and I hope to try my hand at it soon

There are those who argue that short stories and short forms are a dying breed, but I would disagree. I think with the popularity of reading over the internet, shorter forms, which are easier on screen-weary eyes and appealing to a fast-paced electronic culture, are probably more in demand than ever. I am also repeatedly told that no one can make a living writing short stories. I suppose that depends on how you define "a living." It is generally very difficult to become wealthy writing poetry, or painting, or dancing, or even writing novels, for that matter. Thank goodness artists for centuries have been ignoring that brutal fact and creating what fulfills them anyway.

Bio: Ripley Patton is an American writer of speculative fiction happily living on the South Island of New Zealand. She writes fiction because truth has always fascinated her more than fact. You can get a glimpse into her mind and writing at http://rippatton.livejournal.com .

This interview was brought to you by GapYearGirl123

Interview: Will Lavender

The other week, I reviewed 'Obedience' by Will Lavender. He's now very kindly agreed to do an interview for us. I asked him about things from plotting, to how he became a writer, and his new project, Dominance.

1) First off, when did you decide you wanted to write, and how did you come to write this novel? Where did you get the idea for Obedience from?

I knew I wanted to be a writer early on, after I read the Bunnicula books by James Howe. I remember thinking how cool it was that people told stories for a living, that there were folks out there who were making books and providing them to people for enjoyment. I've always had an affinity for books and an aptitude for writing--and so it was natural that I got into this. I got the idea for Obedience from the Mt. Washington McDonald's case, which was well-known in Kentucky for a couple of years earlier in the decade. The scientist Stanley Milgram's name was mentioned in the newspaper account of the case, and I got to thinking about how far someone might go only because a person in authority tells them to go there. I was a college instructor at the time, and I wondered how far I might be able to go with my students. I couldn't go that far, obviously, and wouldn't for ethical reasons--but Professor Williams does.

2) The plot twists are great - how hard was it for you to keep some information hidden, and lead the characters where they are supposed to go? I'm guessing you must have had a very good plan. Were there times when you missed things, or did most of it come out right first time?

A lot of what you see in the book came to me when I was writing the first draft. I did not have a very good plan, in fact I didn't have that much of a plan at all. I had three main scenes: the very first scene of the novel, one of the middle scenes, and a late scene that allows things to start moving toward the climax of the novel. That was it. It's an age-old battle in novel writing: Should one write with or without an outline? I always choose to write without, because I need those plot twists to surprise me. If they don't surprise me, then they won't surprise a reader. The plot twists in Obedience continued to surprise me, so I just kept on going and kept putting them in. My editor helped a great deal with consistency and coherence after the first draft was done, but at least 75% of the book you see now is pretty much how I conceived it.

3) Can you tell us a bit about your next book? Is it in any way a sequel to Obedience?

My next book is called Dominance. My deadline is October 1st. It isn't a sequel per se, but I do use some of the same themes. The book is another college novel, this one set in upstate Vermont. It's about a class of English majors that is taught via satellite by a convicted murderer. As the class gets into the syllabus, they discover that the murderer may not be who he says he is--in fact, he may not even be guilty of the crimes he was convicted of. It's been a difficult book to write, probably because I'm working with different timelines and time sequences. (Part of the book takes place in the present, with the students from the original class grown up and the novel's heroine investigating a murder that looks shockingly similar to the ones her old professor was accused of.) But if you enjoyed Obedience, you'll like this new one as well.

4) I'm dying to know - what happens to Brian after the end of Obedience?

The novel pretty much ends for me where it ends for the reader. I've been asked a hundred times about Brian, and I really couldn't tell you what becomes of him. I would hope he is granted some leniency for what he did, because he was of course driven to that point by the class. Brian was a tough character to write in general; he comes to Winchester sort of a broken soul and then has this bizarre class that he really doesn't even want to take come along. You feel more sorry for him--at least I do--than the other two main characters. But essentially he chose to do what he did at the end of the book; I believe, though, that a jury would agree that he was manipulated in some pretty profound ways.

5) Did you ever have doubts about or trouble being published? How did you get your agent & publisher?

I didn't really have too many doubts about Obedience because I knew it was different, and I was pretty sure it was a book that would appeal to people who read thrillers. I found my agent on a Web site called PreditorsandEditors.com. From there she helped me clean the manuscript up, and then she sent it off to a few publishers. Before long we had some interest and then, eventually, a few offers. The book has been published in eleven or twelve foreign countries and was a pretty big seller in China. Movie rights have been discussed, etc. None of that happens without a good agent--and I definitely have one of those.

6) What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read. Read a lot and then continue reading and finally read some more. And not only that: read like a writer. Read with an eye toward how published writers do things. Not just big things, either--I'm talking about the "little" things as well. (Though they are in no way small.) How do writers use tags in dialogue, for instance? How do they get characters from place to place? How do they write action sequences? How do they make their characters come to life? All these things can be picked up if you go out there and try to find them. I'm not talking about stealing--I'm talking about picking up the essential pieces of writers' styles and then making them your own. I try to learn something from every book I read, good or bad.

Thank you very much, Will!

Will's website can be found here: Click, where you can learn more about him, his books, and his influences. Please leave a comment if you enjoyed this interview!

Posted by Gapyeargirl123

When Writers Blog: an Interview With Jon Gibbs

WHEN WRITERS BLOG: An interview with Jon Gibbs by gapyeargirl123

On January 11, 2009, novel and short story writer, Jon Gibbs, made the debut post on his online journal. Aside from his long-suffering wife, Denise, only one other person read the entry.

Now, thanks to features like the regular Friday links to interesting posts by writers, agents and editors; oddball competitions like the Meager Puddle of Limelight Awards, and tongue-twisting acronyms like the one for IPAFPFYOJOJB (International Pimp a Favorite Post From Your Own Journal on Jon’s Blog) Day, An Englishman in New Jersey, receives over 1,000 visitors a month. Not bad for a virtually unpublished writer.

After much begging and pleading, we finally agreed to ask Jon a few questions about his work, his blog and why he believes most writers should have an online journal too.

TBB: Wouldn’t a writer’s time be better spent working on stories and books rather than on a blog?

JON: It’s true that developing an online journal takes time and effort, but in my opinion, the benefits are well worth it. Aside from the fact that a blog can help you get your work seen by new readers, there’s a wealth of knowledge and writing know-how on the web. How much would you pay for helpful advice from successful authors, agents and editors in your genre? An online journal gives you access to people from all around the world. Many of them share their knowledge and experience on their blogs, for free.

TBB: When should a writer start blogging, and which service should they use?

JON: It’s never too soon to start. As for hosts, I use LiveJournal, but whichever provider you choose, you can keep in touch with people on other blog sites via things like RSS feed.

TBB: How often do you post entries?

JON: I try to post a minimum of four times a week.

TBB: Most entries on your blog are about writing. Where do you get your ideas?

JON: All writers have thoughts and experiences worth sharing, whether the theme is ‘Don’t make the same dopey mistake I did’ (like a lot of my own posts), or about how he/she approaches the craft. I also get ideas from my friends’ blogs. The inspiration for one of my most visited posts came from reading about someone else’s bad experience at a critique group.

TBB: What can someone do to get more people reading their blog?

JON: I’d say the most important thing is to write about what interests you. Different things work for different people, but if you have a passion for something, coming up with good posts on that subject shouldn’t be hard.

Invite discussion. Let’s say you’re a writer, blogging about your latest work-in-progress. Try adding “How about you?” at the end of the post. Those three little words make a world of difference to a blog entry. They show readers you want to talk to them, not at them.

Have fun! If you don’t enjoy writing your blog, how can you expect people to enjoy reading it?

TBB: What shouldn’t a blogger do?

Don’t be boring. Better no post at all, than a procession of uninteresting entries. That particularly applies to writers. If people find your journal dull, they may assume your writing is too.

Don’t ignore people. You’d think this was obvious, but a surprising number of bloggers seem to feel they don’t need to acknowledge those readers who take the time to post a comment on their journal. Maybe it’s just me, but for a writer, I think that’s the equivalent of saying, ‘Please don’t ever read a story or buy a book of mine.’

Don’t be afraid to post off-topic once in a while. My journal is mostly about writing, but I often throw in something on a different subject.

TBB: Which of your writerly blog posts are you most proud of?

JON: Hmm, I got a lot of good feedback for ‘The Critiquee’s Charter’ so let’s go with that.

TBB: What’s happening with your novels?

JON: I’m currently putting the finishing touches to my sci-fi thriller, Waking up Jack Thunder. My MG urban fantasy, Fur-Face, is under consideration with a publisher at the moment.

TBB: Most of your short stories are flash fiction (less than 1,000 words), is that deliberate?

JON: Yes. More and more people read (or listen to podcasts) on the web. With that in mind, it’s good for writers to have their stories available at the click of a button. I do submit to print markets, but for me, I’d rather sell my flash fiction to an online publisher.

TBB: Where can people find your writing on the web?

JON: I only have two 100-word stories online at present. They’re linked from my website, A Cat Of Nine Tales.

TBB: Final question: Where do you find time amongst all the things you have going on in your blog to actually write stories?

JON: I’m supposed to write stories too?

My old gran used to say, ‘You don’t find time, you make time’. Writers make time for pitch/query letters. They do that because they want people to read their work. A good blog will help you achieve that too. Rather than ‘Where do you find the time?’ a better question would be ‘Is it worth the time?’ to which my answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’

An active member of both The Garden State Horror Writers and The Monmouth Creative Writing Group, Jon Gibbs is the founder of the New Jersey Author’s Network. He can usually be found hunched over the laptop in his kitchen. One day he hopes to figure out how to switch it on. If you decide to visit his blog, tell him we sent you.

Interview: Jocelynn Drake

I (Ailsa/gapyeargirl) was so please when Jocelynn agreed to do an interview with us! I hope you enjoy reading it.

1) Could you describe your journey, from the idea for Nightwalker to getting your agent (and maybe to getting published, if it's not too long)?

Nightwalker started a little differently than most of the other stories that I worked on. Nightwalker started as a writing experiment where I was playing with point of view. I wanted to tell a story about a vampire hunter through the eyes of his prey. Unfortunately, from the moment that Mira opened her mouth, she immediately dominated the story and it became harder to bring Danaus into the limelight.

When I started working on Nightwalker, it was nothing more than a short story and I never intended it to be more than that. However, a good friend read it and liked it so much that he demanded that I keep writing. So, I did. It took a lot of careful planning, but after getting about half of the book written I discovered that I had ideas for several other books that I was dying to tell about Mira and all the other characters in her world.

It wasn’t until I actually finished writing the first book that I considered trying to get it published. Prior to that, I was writing for myself and my friend. After finishing it, I went through several drafts of polishing it. After working on it for several months, I started sending out query letters to agents. I got a few good nibbles, but nothing definite. The most common comment was that they liked my voice, but the book just wasn’t there yet. One excellent agent complained that it was too long. I cut the book in half so that I now had what would become Nightwalker and Dayhunter already written before I even sold the series.

I remember that it had been two years of rejections and I was getting worried. It was the week before Mother’s Day and I sent out five electronic queries to agents. I swore that if I didn’t get a serious bite from this group, I was going to pack the book away and work on another project. By the following Monday, I had an agent, and she’s everything that I’ve been looking for in an agent. She’s amazing and she loves my work.

From there, we spent a week tweaking the book before she blasted it out to several publishers. Three weeks later, we had a contract offer from an amazing editor at Eos/HarperCollins. I was in heaven. It took me a while the land an agent, but getting a publisher was extremely quick.

2) Your vampires often seem quite a lot darker than in many other urban fantasy books at the moment. What led you to writing such a dark book, or was Mira's story always like that, since you first thought of her?

For me, I’ve always preferred my vampires to be dark, vicious creatures. I tend to look at the dark side of humanity when I am writing. I like to wonder what would happen if you gave a human awesome powers, strength, beauty, and immortality. Would they retain that moral fiber they had during their human years? Or would it be worn away with time? Would the power go to their heads and would they abuse it? We’ve seen that kind of abuse through the years and it’s not such a stretch to believe that vampires would react the same way.

Another thing that was key to me was that I didn’t want a bunch of sad vampires, complaining about their lot in life. “I never wanted this.” That was something my vampires would never say. Each creature had to make the conscious choice to become a nightwalker and they had to fight death for it. If the human didn’t truly want to become a vampire, he or she would just die during the process of rebirth. My vampires want to be vampires. They enjoy their powers and they enjoy the thrill of the hunt. They had strong instincts for survival, and the vampirism really taps into their more animalistic emotions and urges.

3) How has life changed for you since Nightwalker and Dayhunter were published?

I guess the biggest thing for me that has changed is writing on a deadline. Before, I wrote stories whenever I felt like it. Most never were finished. I would write until I got bored with it and then I would start something else. Now, I have a strict deadline of when I have to turn in my next book, so that means that I have to keep a regular writing schedule and I have to stick to it, even when I don’t feel like working.

The other thing is that writing used to be time for me to play and daydream. In many ways, it still is, but I am now more aware of the fact that it is also work. When I start working on a story, now I have to seriously consider whether this is something that I want to have published. If it’s not, I typically have to push it aside. My time is very limited and I have to stay focused on pieces that I think are publishable. I hope to one day get back to playing a little bit when I write.

OK, this is where the spoilery-for-book-2 questions start - you have been warned!

4) From the end of book two, it seems like we're going to be seeing a lot more of the coven now. You have some great info on your website about the formation of the coven, but I was wondering if there's anything else you could tell us about the members of the coven, maybe things that Mira knows that just won't be in the story, or a little of their history, or any stray tidbits?

Hmmm…. That’s a great question. I have to say that pretty much everything that Mira knows about the Coven has been presented in the books. The Coven takes a backseat to the story in Dawnbreaker and Pray for Dawn, but they have a larger presence in Wait for Dusk, which is the fifth book in the series.

The Coven is a dark place in my world. It is where the true violent nature of nightwalker society originates. The one thing that I’m hoping to take a deeper look at is the various alliances that exist on the Coven. By the end of Dayhunter, there is a definite shift in power that will only help to prolong Mira’s life, but the other vampires are not about to sit idly by and allow it to happen without some kind of challenge.

One character from the Coven that I haven’t had the chance to introduce is Our Liege. The true ruler of the nightwalker race has sat back and been content to watch everything that has been happening. I will admit that I’ve known this character since Nightwalker. I know his name, his appearance, his mannerisms. Unfortunately, there are too many powerful characters already in the story. I need to strike a balance and not throw too much at Mira all at once. So, I’ve put off introducing him. However. I do have plans for his appearance late in the series. Don’t worry. He’s coming and he is his own ball of trouble.


5) So, Mira is Tristan's 'owner' now. Can you tell us anything about why she was reluctant to do that to anyone before, or what it means for them now? What does it actually involve for her?

Mira has always been reluctant to be the “owner” or parental figure in a nightwalker family. Her own experiences with Sadira were extremely bleak. She lived with Sadira for several years as a human and then another hundred years with her as a nightwalker. Sadira was very controlling, monitoring all of Mira’s movements and actions. Mira is very independent creature with a mind of her own. She chafes under too much restriction, so she never wanted to be in a position where she would have to restrict the movements of another creature.

Mira and Tristan’s relationship is very relaxed. It is partially a mother-son relationship and partially a brother-sister relationship. He is both younger and weaker than Mira, so she feels the need to protect him at all time. And yet, because Sadira is their maker, she is his sister in a way. Because Mira is his “owner” she is responsible for his safety. Should he get into trouble, Mira could step in and protect him if she wanted. Of course, she could also leave it to him to take care of his mess himself.

Tristan is one of my favorite characters. His weakness is not a detriment as it might seem in their violent world. It means that he is more in tune with his emotions, with the frailty of humans, and the general frailty of the world. He had a softening effect on Mira, which she needs. When things get bleak, Mira tends to become very hard and distant. Tristan’s presence will help her retain her hold on her humanity a little while longer. On the other hand, Mira can teach Tristan to survive.

6) I don't see how anyone can read these books and not love Danaus - is there anything at all that you can tell us about him? Any teeny-tiny little bits of information?

I love Danaus too. He’s one of my favorite characters ever. I’ve had a lot of trouble getting into his mind because he doesn’t always like to talk. He’s strong, brave, honest, and reliable. He is also sarcastic, with a sharp, dry wit. I adore him.

Secret Danaus tidbits? Let’s see. Danaus was born just outside of Rome nearly two centuries ago. His mother was a witch and his father was a senator. To keep his family beyond the reach of Roman politics, he kept his wife and son outside of the city in a rambling estate. His wife didn’t like the arrangement, so she called on a demon to give her more power so she could seek her revenge on her husband. In exchange for the power, the demon claimed part of the soul of her unborn son.

Danaus didn’t discover the arrangement until he was in his early twenties. He had been mortally wounded in a battle not far from Rome. The medics looked at him and shook their heads, confident that he would die. But, by morning, he was up and walking around, almost completely healed. Everyone proclaimed that it was a miracle visited on him by the gods. Danaus was skeptical. That night, he rode to see his mother at the estate that he grew up at. She confessed that she had made a deal and that he had been blessed with amazing strength and healing powers. Danaus was enraged that his soul no longer belonged to him. In the blindness of his rage, he killed his mother by boiling her blood. Afterward, Danaus left the city of Rome and has never set foot in the city again.

7) Last one! Can you tell us a bit about Dawnbreaker, in your own words? What do we have to look forward to when that comes out at the end of the month?

Dawnbreaker takes place a couple months after the conclusion of Dayhunter in Savannah where Mira is being hunted by the naturi. They are desperate to capture and destroy the vampire, as she and Danaus are the only ones that could potentially stop the naturi from freeing Aurora, Queen of the naturi, and the rest of the naturi people. While fighting the naturi, Mira is lucky enough to take a hostage that could help her turn the tables on the naturi when she and Danaus finally go to the final showdown at Machu Picchu, Peru. The dawn lies just over the horizon and Rowe is desperate to finally free his wife-queen. The time has come to face the past.

***

Thanks so much for some great answers, Jocelynn!

Jocelynn's website

Nightwalker, by Jocelynn Drake

Nightwalker, by Jocelynn Drake

From the website:

For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker -- an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed...and may be all that prevents her doom.

The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt or be hunted.

But in a dimension just beyond the worlds boundaries, a banished race stirs dangerously, hungry for power, for domination, for vengeance. Already a protective seal has been breached: already blood flows like a river through the world's great cities.

And only the collaboration of two sworn enemies can save humankind...and its feral brethren.

***

I’ve lent my copy of Nightwalker to a friend at the moment, so I hope this review is still ok!

Nightwalker begins with Mira stalking Danaus through Savana, her city. You see straight away how skilled a hunter she is, and her feisty personality come through very strongly. Very quickly, Mira is forced to postpone Danaus’s death and trust him as he shows her an enemy from her past who she thought was long dead. The feared Naturi are back. Mira and Danaus must head to Egypt to warn vampires & others alike, all the while wondering whether they can trust each other.

It’s very interesting to see how being around Mira is forcing Danaus to reconsider his notions of vampires, and his agenda against them. Mira, too, is changed by being around the hunter. I loved all the interactions between them – one moment bickering, the next fighting back-to-back. It was great to have such strong characters.

Another thing that I really liked about this book was that the two main characters didn’t jump in to bed with each and fall madly in love. It’s something that really annoys me in a lot of books – characters who’ve known each other for less than a week deciding that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. There is some chemistry between Danaus and Mira, but I liked that the author doesn’t just disregard all the mistrust and stereotypes that they are carrying around with them, in the week that ‘Nightwalker’ lasts.

The plot was excellent, it pulled me in right away and didn’t let go. The ending was maybe a little abrupt, but the second book, ‘Dayhunter’, picks up right where ‘Nightwalker’ leaves off.

‘Nightwalker’ is also a lot darker than many vampire novels these days – there is a lot of fighting, and never much rest for Mira.

I’d strongly recommend this book, and the third book in the series comes out at the end of the month.

Stay tuned to the blog, because tomorrow we are very privileged to have an interview with Jocelynn Drake, the author! I was very fangirl-happy about this opportunity, and I hope you enjoy reading her answers as much as I did.

Interview: Bosley Gravel

This week we've got an interview with novelist and short-story writer Bosley Gravel. I hope you enjoy reading it!

1) How long did it take from you deciding to write with the intention of being published, to getting your first story published?

I informally studied fiction for about two years back in the mid-90s. It took about a year to publish my first short story, a literary piece titled "Stafford's Hands". I believe the magazine was called "Show and Tell" and I was paid two whole dollars plus the (handmade) contributor's copy. I was absolutely thrilled. I continued to write
for another year, I rarely submitted and no more acceptances. The pre-Internet submission process was far more involved, every submission cost you at least two stamps, and typically a sample copy of the publication. All of this works out to two or three months of time per submission. Eventually, as often happens, life got in the way and I abandoned my efforts for over a decade.

Fast forward to 2006, I dusted off some manuscripts, fixed them up the best I could, and started subbing them to on-line markets. As luck would have it, an e-zine named "The Deepening" liked my short story, "The Hanged Man" and decided to run it. That was encouragement enough to begin redeveloping my writing skills.

After some success (and a lot of failures) with the short form, I moved over to novels. Three failed manuscripts later I produced a story about an independent filmmaker in a small town. The novel is titled, "Cannibal Lesbian Zombies from Outer Space --verses-- Doctor Clockwork and his Furious Plastic Surgeons of Doom: The Movie". Despite being written in only 24 days, and starting with nothing but the title, it ended up a fun, and relevant little squib of Americana.

A year or so later, after minor revisions, I started peddling it to small presses. It was accepted on its second or third time out by Mr. Neil Marr over at BeWrite Books, an independent press based in Europe. I'm told it should be available at the end of the year as a paperback and e-book, directly from BeWrite and various other on-line retailers. The final revisions were painless, and even fun, under Mr. Marr's
expert editorial guidance.

Most of this was dumb luck, getting the right manuscript to the right publisher at the right time was crucial. In case I've made it sound like I've been magically blessed with fairy dust and all this just kind of happened, my records indicate an average of a ten to one ratio of rejections to acceptances.

2) Did you start with short stories or novels? Do you prefer one over the other? Why?

I started writing short stories with the idea that it was good practice for writing novels. It turns out, at least for me, this is really two different skill sets. Traditional short stories require tight focus on a single perspective of a theme to be satisfying. Novels, on the other hand, can incorporate multiple perspectives (even
multiple themes). This gives the reader an in-depth look at the theme from all different angles. In a novel, all those perspectives have to be subtly linked through a whole mesh of techniques. So while there is overlap, there is quite a bit of difference too; it's mostly one of scope, in my opinion.

With that being said, moving over to novels was not too difficult, just a little perplexing at first. I tried a couple of novellas, and then moved up to a short novel manuscript, then onward to full length novel manuscripts. I am still a bit intimidated by the commitment it takes to produce a novel.

As for preference, short stories are great for prototyping a concept or character, but due to their inherent brevity they don't allow for much depth. I do enjoy writing them, and will almost certainly continue to do so. However, I've focused on novels for the past year, as I continue to try and get a good grip on the form.

3) How do you go about finding places to have your short stories published? Do you write with a specific place in mind, or do you wait until a story is finished to work out where it's going?

I've always written the story first and then looked for a venue. Being something of an eclecticist (read that as hobbyist-hack), I've never learned any particular genre inside and out. As a consequence I've produced manuscripts in everything from Christian morality tales to visceral slasher horror. And because of this range, it's been difficult to chase a particular niche anyway.

There are some good reasons to write with market guidelines in mind, though. Keeping within a particular word counts and avoiding certain content makes a story much easier to place. For new authors anxious to see their stories published, it makes sense to shorten the wait by drawing inspiration from existing publications, or responding to a call for manuscripts.

4)What are the main differences, for you, between the processes for writing a short story, and writing longer pieces?

I typically produce a short story in one or two sittings. They are almost always incident driven, and show a narrow perspective on a particular theme. My habit for stories of the 2-4k word range is to write about half of it, take a break for a day or two, then finish it up. Flash, on the other hand, I write in one shot, let it rest, and then revise it.

Novels, of course, require stamina and a bit more planning. So I typically do a page or two a day, and a whole lot of day dreaming about the details. I'm much more willing to let the characters drive the story with longer fiction because there is room to guide them gently back on track if it becomes clear the story is heading in the wrong direction -- with short fiction you have no such luxury.

I follow the same pattern with novellas and novelettes as I do with novels; I rarely plan the length, I tend to go slow, and focus on staying one step ahead of the story.

5) Tell us a bit about one of your stories.

The most interesting manuscript I produced this year, I think, is a short novel titled "Servant of the Mud". The story is a dark mythic fantasy that deals with Pauly, a reluctant Christ figure, who must come to terms with not only his responsibilities as a human being, but his responsibilities as something far more. I really let my imagination go wild, and despite being somewhat out of my comfort zone
with the genre, it ended up being a lot of fun to write. The research was a blast; I deconstructed classic myths and then put them back together with contemporary twists, and what I hope was in unusual and interesting ways. The story really has it all: love, lust, betrayal, fist fights, ghosts, djinns, sorcery, angels, hidden worlds, earth, wind and fire elementals, and even a meeting with the Big Guy himself.

I was lucky enough to get Shadowfire Press interested in the manuscript, and it should be available at the end of the year as an e-book. The Shadowfire staff are a great bunch of talented, professional, and friendly folks and I look forward to seeing the final product.

6)Finally, a lot of the blog readers are aspiring authors - what advice would you give us?

You've heard it all before. ;)

Be yourself, learn the craft of fiction, don't be afraid to take chances and have some fun. The only writers I know that have failed, are writers that gave up. Read broadly, write every day, and take part in a writing community. Don't worry about rejection, believe in yourself and your stories; have fun with your fiction. Write for yourself -- don't take acceptances or rejections too seriously, after a certain degree of expertise it's all just a matter of taste anyway.

The is only one rule of writing: be engaging. Follow that and you'll find yourself with an audience.


Bio: Bosley Gravel, eclectic hack writer, was born in the Midwest, and came of age in Texas and southern New Mexico. He writes in a variety of genres. His fiction focuses on the absurdly tragic, and the tragically absurd. He likes good black coffee, nightmares, Billie Holiday, and that hour just before the sun comes up.

Coming soon: his debut literary novel "The Movie" from BeWrite Books (for pre-Christmas Release).

Credits: http://www.ripcot.com

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