Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Syntell Smith's grey matter... Discover More About Syntell Smith HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
The journey of self-publishing was serious trek, I met some friends along the way and lost some as well. What is the first book that made you cry? Fearless Jones by Walter Mosley, Page 116. I have the scene memorized, along with the page. The protagonist, Paris Minton recalls an incident when he was six years old involving a racist schoolteacher taking Paris to a library and show him books he’ll never read in her eyes. It was heartbreaking but I’ll always remember reading it and being inspired to tell my stories one day. What is your writing Kryptonite? Video Games, they can be very distracting and addictive. Luckily, I maintain a balance of writing and gaming. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? I would like most of my works to reference each other in some shape or form. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? I learned from my mistakes, what not to do the next time. Each misstep is a choice I definitely won’t do again. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? If I had to pick, I’d say Bugs Bunny…every novel I plan to write will have at least one reference to him. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) There are several scenes and storylines I left “on the cutting room floor” they’re not forgotten however, I believe in using discarded material in future works (or even in film and TV adaptions!) What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? I guess Video Games? What is your favorite childhood book? Sam by Ann Herbert Scott. A story about a boy who was bored one day while the rest of his family were busy. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Finding time to actually do it. I really don’t have enough of it during the day. What is the easiest part of your writing process? In my opinion there really is no easy part when it comes to writing, every aspect is a challenge. How long on average does it take you to write a book? Usually two years, I wrote my first two back to back in a span of four. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? That sounds somewhat accurate. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? Back when I was blogging. My followers who read my posts said I had a great Stream of Consciousness writing style. Who are your biggest literary influences? Walter Mosley, Robert B. Parker, and James Patterson. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? Devil in a Blue Dress with Denzel Washington, the movie was as good as the book, I really wish they did more of Mosley’s novels on the big screen. How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? It was great, I published on my ten-year wedding anniversary and my wife and I celebrated all weekend. I treated myself to some Pizza Hut. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? How much pride we take in our work, we work hard and there are so many who tear us down, who think we’re not good enough because we’re independent. Can you tell us about your current projects? After starting the Call Numbers series last year, I have the second book in the series coming out in September. I’m working on the third book which I hope to release in 2022, then finish a standalone project that’s 60% done. I have so many books waiting to be written! Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. I wish there were some local book events around Detroit I could say I’ll be doing, but the pandemic has really limited those plans, I’m looking forward to getting back out there in 2021. Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. I have around 16 first-editions I’d love to sell to anyone interested through my author site I’ll setting up at the end of the year. Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Prepare for the uphill battle, nothing is ever easy; build a tribe around you, but be careful about who you trust. The industry is very Dog-eat-Dog.
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Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author A. Kidd's grey matter... Discover More About A. Kidd HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
When I was working as a full-time librarian, I went on an artist retreat. At that time, I had recently had a jogging accident where I literally fell on my face while running. It made me question my life’s purpose. This retreat helped me trust my feet again and my words. I decided to pursue writing and illustrating as a career after that. I also had the pleasure of attending the SCBWI summer conference in LA as well as other writing conferences. What is the first book that made you cry? Where the Red Fern Grows What is your writing Kryptonite? Summer, because I’d rather be outside playing. But mostly self-doubt (I constantly battle the inner critic). I even wrote a poem about it called The Panic Bird. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? I want each book to have its own journey and takeaway, but I’m interested in writing a series too. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? It gave me confidence, especially to take chances. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? The great horned owl or sea turtle. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) Clichés and happy endings. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? I don’t believe in giving things up for writing. I find a way to write no matter what and can’t stop even if I tried. But once again, I think letting go of self-doubt will serve me the best. What is your favorite childhood book? The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Magic, and Who Stole the Wizard of Oz. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Maintaining my vision while revising; listening to advice but trusting my intuition. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Ideas; coming up with characters. How long on average does it take you to write a book? One year to write. Revising time varies and can last several years! A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? I think writers are very busy creating worlds inside their head, so that the outer world or “real world” becomes secondary and sometimes even intrusive. I personally love to socialize but not necessarily in big groups. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? At age 3 or 4, I was telling my mom stories which she wrote down while I painted the pictures. I wrote my first dialogue in second grade. In 5th grade, I attended a young authors conference, and I also wrote my first complete story including making my own book with an author page. Who are your biggest literary influences? Toni Morrison, Francesca Lia Block, Sharon Creech and many others. I grew up loving all the portal stories like Narnia and Alice in Wonderland and was very captivated by The Wicked Witch of the West. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? Usually movies never live up to the books, but I thought Howl’s Moving Castle and The Never-ending Story were both better as movies. The same for Gulliver’s Travels and Wizard of Oz. I also enjoyed the Canadian miniseries for Anne of Green Gables and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? It was gratifying on a soul level to see my childhood dream come true. I celebrated with a trip to Portland and then again at my book launch at Baldwin Public Library. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? That a book is a process, not a product. It just doesn’t come into being. It takes years of hard work, thinking, contemplating, writing, and rewriting. It involves playing with words plus blood, sweat, and tears. A baring of the soul. Everyone thinks they can write a book. But it isn’t as easy as it looks. The effortlessness of reading some stories is the mark of a lot of effort on the part of the writer. Can you tell us about your current projects? I’m revising an environmental dystopian YA in dual perspectives. I also have another MG fantasy with a fairytale twist percolating about a girl born during a hurricane in search of her parents. Readers have been asking for a sequel to The Healing Star, so I’m considering that as well. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. I will be participating in a virtual author visit at Berkley Library for summer reading this Monday July 13th at 2pm. I also hope to be at Leon and Lulu’s Books and Authors in October and the Brighton District Library Author Showcase Sunday November 8 from 2-4, but it depends on how the pandemic progresses. Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. To purchase a signed copy, email me at a.kiddwrites@gmail.com or message me through my FB author page: a.kiddwrites. Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Don’t give up. Write what you want to write. What you know or what you want to know. How you see the world or how you wish the world could be. Write what lights you up or what scares you. Don’t be afraid to play with words and take chances. We are all at our very core a collection of stories. Write something that can lift someone else up or even change the world. Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Ian Tadashi Moore's grey matter... Discover More About Ian Tadashi Moore HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on? I wasn’t sure what this even meant. The closest I’ve gotten to something like this was the summers I spent in Lake Michigan, where I would dive to the bottom of the beaches and watch the waves. It was a big inspiration for parts of my second book, Tamaishi. But I have never gone on some deliberate trip with the purpose of writing enlightenment. What is the first book that made you cry? The first book that comes to mind is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, but that’s because it was recently when I read it to my son. It struck me that I can’t remember another book that made me cry, although that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen — I just don’t remember. But perhaps no other book really did, because I didn’t read very emotional books and/or I hadn’t lived enough. What is your writing Kryptonite? The internet. It’s a big rat hole of distraction. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? I like the idea of having things stand on their own — there’s something satisfying about writing a story that feels a perfect package all unto itself. Even so, my third book has connections to my second, and that was fun. But originally I didn’t set out with that intention. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? Getting the first book together made me audit my life and what was really important to me, and that instilled the sense that it was indeed possible, even with all the constraints I have. I learned that plotting can be your friend, although I’m still a pantser. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? I never really consider it, but since I’m thinking about it, a parakeet. He was my favorite pet as a kid and I can imagine him sitting on my shoulder as I write. I guess I have a ceramic bird perched my office, so that must be it. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) Boring plot points that that didn’t move the story along and confusing elements that didn’t make sense. So many unnecessary words. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? I’ve already “given up” a lot, because I realized I was spending my time doing a lot of meaningless things when I could be working on books. I can tell you what I would not give up: time with my family. What is your favorite childhood book? The Phantom Tollbooth. It’s what made me want to do this in the first place, however late I may have come around to it. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Finding an idea. When you begin with the thought that “it’s all been done” it’s difficult to avoid thinking what you’re writing is not worth writing about. I overthink this, and would be better off just writing something everyday. But I also realize my limitations. Right now I’m not a prolific writer, and I may never be. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Sketching images to go with the words. Refining them is another story, but the words always come with images for me. Then it’s a matter of realizing those images, somehow capturing them in “immortalizing” them on “paper”. How long on average does it take you to write a book? If you don’t include illustration it might take 6-8 months for me to write a draft, and revise, revise, revise. With illustrations it looks more like 18-24 months. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? I am borderline introvert, but still am extremely extroverted in most situations. I don’t not consider myself at all be socially inept. Awkward, maybe. I do see a lot of writers who are painfully quiet. But I still don’t call that “inept”. That assumes we’re a world of extroverts, and that introversion is the “wrong” way. The personality of a writer is different, and other writers I think understand it. We are perhaps lost in our own thoughts, always working, or dreaming up things. That this clashes with some of the world doesn’t make them inept. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? I suppose I may have thought about it as early as nine years old, but I gave up on it for other things. It dawned on me again when I was 38. Who are your biggest literary influences? This is a tough one for me, because I don’t consider myself to be widely read. I don’t voraciously read books like so many authors seem to do. Part of that is I’m a dilettante with varied interests that pull me from here to there. But I loved the work of Michael Bond, Peter Mayle, Haruki Murakami, Roald Dahl. I loved the art of Ron Barret, Maurice Sendak, and Richard Guindon. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? Also a tough one, as 1) my reading breadth isn’t terribly wide, 2) my movie repertoire is similarly limited. I’ve probably seen more movies than I’ve read books. I’m struggling to even think of all the movies I’ve seen, much less which ones were based off books — which isn’t to say that there have been none. I loved The Joy Luck Club however, but I never actually read the book. But the movie has stuck with me my entire life. I thought To Kill a Mockingbird was a fantastic movie and book — the characters were well played and the movie aesthetically was gorgeously shot. How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? I honestly don’t remember what I did. But it may have actually been the first book that made me cry, technically speaking, because I was so overjoyed that I had actually made the thing. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? Authors don’t just magically write books. They do not appear out of thin air and we write them in a day and make money. Not all authors care about making a living or a career out of it. Can you tell us about your current projects? II’m wrapping up my third chapter book, and I’m recording and editing the audiobook version. When that is done I don’t know what will come next. I may try more short stories, maybe take a break and illustrate a book for another author, dream up a graphic novel. Though I find as much as I like to draw, there’s something about how the art bridges the gap between the words that I enjoy, rather than using images to tell the story. I appreciate a good silent graphic novel (such as The Arrival by Shaun Tan), but it is definitely a different kind of storytelling. I can feel other books percolating. I may take a while, though to just read more. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. Just Christmas in Clawson in November 2020 currently. I’m planning on entering my book in some a couple of competitions, just to see what happens. Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. Iantm.com/books, and write me at me@iantm.com Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? You get to choose for yourself if you’d rather write for a living or write for other reasons. Don’t let anyone choose that for you. You don’t have to make a career to write. Be honest with yourself about what YOU really want, give yourself time and space to find your voice, and you will.
Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Jean Davis' grey matter... Discover More About Jean Davis HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
My pilgrimage is mostly to my writing room where I attempt to lock myself away for a few hours as often as possible so I can hang out with my fictional creations. I write most effectively on my own so I tend to be a solitary writer rather than seeking out the company of others during the creative process. I do venture out to a bi-weekly critique group though with other humans and beer. What is the first book that made you cry? Oh man, how can I forget. Orson Scott Card’s Songmaster. It is a terribly sad story...and yet so good. What is your writing Kryptonite? When I get stressed out I can’t write. Writing is often relaxing and therapeutic but there’s a threshold of when I can shut everything out and sink into the words. Thankfully I don’t get there too often. When I do, I usually turn to Netflix or reading other people’s books. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? My space opera series, The Narvan, takes place in a universe of its own and revolves around the same characters, but each book does have its own resolution. A couple of the short stories in my new collection, Dreams of Stars and Lies take place in The Narvan universe but are entirely unrelated to the series. The rest of my books fall under various Speculative Fiction genres and are entirely standalone. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? I’d already written twelve other books by the time the first one got published through a small press, so I can’t say that the stage of being published significantly changed my process. The one thing that it did change though was how I format my drafts so I save time later when it comes time to publish. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? My rat terrier, maybe. She gets very excited by whatever she’s playing with and blocks out everything else until she’s done having her fun. What did you edit out of your books?(keep it family-friendly, please) Out of my first book? So very much because I was learning to write as I went and there was so much unnecessary information. Weapons, characters, physical enhancements, world building, alien histories, it all went into a file somewhere on my hard drive, never to be seen again. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? Lima Beans. Oh wait, I’d give those up any day for no reason. I should probably give up the internet connection on my writing computer so I could be more focused, but I need it for research and book promotion. What is your favorite childhood book? I remember waiting for weeks between each book of the Chronicles of Narnia series because my elementary school library only had one copy of each book. I loved that series and I’d have to call that my point of no return for avid (rabid) reading. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Getting through the middle of a rough draft. Yeah, that’s the downfall to being a pantser, but I know I can do it so it’s just a matter of slogging through those spots where the creative engine cuts out. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Rewriting. Once I have the bones of the story nailed down with the rough draft, putting flesh on them and weaving it all together is where I really get excited and words happen fast. How long on average does it take you to write a book? A rough draft takes me one to three months. It’s the rewriting and editing that eats up another six to eight months. Sometimes a story just works and it’s ready to go to print from start to finish in a year to eighteen months. Other times it takes years for that editing phase to smooth out all the bumps or for the solutions to plot problems to hit me. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? Not very. While it is true that some authors aren’t comfortable with the idea of having to be a salesperson or even just talking to readers at a book signing, the majority of those I’ve met are okay with socializing and are more than happy to talk about their books. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? In elementary school. I was super shy and didn’t like talking to people but I could write and communicate that way. I was very fortunate to have several supportive teachers along they way that offered enough encouragement to keep me at it until the fires were fully lit. Who are your biggest literary influences? Frank Herbert, Steven Brust and Orson Scott Card, Mercedes Lackey and C. J. Cherryh. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? Dune. Love the movie. Love the book. The entire series, really, but I digress. Frank Herbert created an amazing universe and filled it with memorable characters. The movie brought it all to life. I’m cautiously optimistic about the new Dune movie. How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? Holding my first book in my hand was gratifying. I’d had several short stories published before the book so I wasn’t quite as when I’d held that first magazine with my name on the cover years before that, but I did have a definite sense of accomplishment. I used my advance toward buying my comfy writing chair to celebrate. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? If you’re going to make me pick just one I’d have to go with how little authors get paid. Not only do many readers want a free or .99 book but they don’t realize that creating that book may have taken months or years and countless hours, tears, and bouts of depression and frustration, or how much of a percentage retailers take. We greatly appreciate everyone that supports authors by buying their books. Can you tell us about your current projects? I’m currently wrapping up the final round of edits on Bound in Blue, the third book in the Narvan series, co-authoring a YA book, and ironing out the plot in a rough draft of a YA Fantasy novel I started last year. No time for boredom around here! Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. That’s all kind of up in the air right now but I hope so. I had book signing events scheduled all year and so far everything has been cancelled since February. If all goes well, I’ll be selling and signing books at the following events: August 8-9 at the Blueberry Festival in South Haven, MI August 21 at the Tulip City Comic Con in Holland, mI Sept 5-7 at the Newaygo Logging Festival in Newaygo, MI Sept 19 at the Monroe Pop Fest in Monroe, MI Nov 13-15 at the Grand Rapids Comic Con in Grand Rapids, MI Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. You can find information on all of my books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Jean-Davis/e/B00UY4XNEC If you would like to purchase signed copies, I sell them at the same price as Amazon and ship books direct within the US for $1 per book. You can contact me by email: jeandavis71@gmail.com. Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? You’ll never have the chance to publish anything unless you finish it. Don’t expect anyone to edit your work with as much care as you should before sending it to them. I’m always amazed by how many aspiring authors think they can just pound out a draft and someone else will be grateful to clean it up. You’ll either be paying an editor a fortune or be collecting rejections because no one will read past the first full page of typos. Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Cyrus Keith's grey matter... Discover More About Cyrus Keith HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
I have actually visited several critical sites from my series and taken pictures for photo tours of my books. What is the first book that made you cry? I got choked up in Black Beauty when Beauty sees Ginger being carted off on a wagon. What is your writing Kryptonite? That’s a pretty broad term. Closest I can come to, is this one: The word “just” sneaks in way too much, and I have to choke it off manually in edits. It’s verbal kudzu. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? I actually hate writing series. But I found myself roped into it by my characters. I firmly believe each book should stand on its own as a complete story, whether it’s part of a series or a strict standalone. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? It made me more conscious of my bad habits, through the lessons learned from my editing team. I pay more attention to those pitfalls and bad writing habits, and do my best to avoid them. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Dragon, of course. I like dragons, mainly the Western European variety of quadrupedal, winged creatures. No direct connection to my writing. But if I had a mascot it would be a dragon. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) Duplication of recurring, redundant repetition. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? Forty pounds. And if you think that’s a pat answer, think about it for a while. I would give up forty pounds to become a better writer. What is your favorite childhood book? I have two: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, and Have Spacesuit:Will Travel by R.A. Heinlein. They are both so vivid in their descriptions and dialogue, they sucked me in and kept me locked inside their worlds for the duration of the read. They are also the first two books I finished in one day each. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Generating a usable first draft. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Seeing the story in my head. How long on average does it take you to write a book? Too long. I want to get it down to one year, but I have a long way to go. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? *Mumbles incoherently, avoids first contact at all costs, fights panic attacks at all social events, sits against the wall hoping not to be noticed* I have no idea what you’re talking about. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? When I was seven years old, I wrote comic strips using my pet gerbils as heroes. So the writing bug has pretty much been with me all along. But it didn’t bite hard until I was forty-three. Who are your biggest literary influences? Andre Norton, Robert A. Heinlein, and Louis L’Amour. Their worlds are alive, the characters deep and honest, and they are escape artists par excellence. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? Yeah, it has to be The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson style. At the risk of being seen as going with the crowd, it came across to me as very true to the books without just being a direct quote. How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? Hopeful and enthusiastic. Little did I know there’s a huge difference between writing a book, and selling books. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? How blastedly hard it is to write a book, and how critical it is when one is in the groove. The immense amount of concentration it requires to get a thought in coherent form on a page. Can you tell us about your current projects? My current WIP is called Hush Little Baby. The title came as a study of taking innocent phrases and twisting the concept. So my main character is a schizophrenic homeless woman who has to keep a very special baby safe from an army of skinwalkers who are hunting him for a dark purpose. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. With all the cancellations in 2020, we’re pretty empty this year, save for the Mendon Farmer’s Market on September 7th in Reeds Riverside Park in Mendon, Michigan. After that, I’ll be at the Southwest Michigan Fandom Fest on April 17th, 2021: https://www.facebook.com/swmfandomfest/ Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. Thank you. You can download an order form at the following link (Instructions are on the form) https://cyruskeith.wordpress.com/book-orders/ Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Don’t quit, and don’t let any naysayers have the final word. You’re not everyone’s cup of tea, so don’t let someone else’s disapproval dictate who and what you are. Be that maverick, that rogue, that scoundrel that proves them wrong. And don’t you DARE quit! Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Chelsea Gouin's grey matter... Discover More About Chelsea Gouin HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
No official pilgrimages as I’m still so new at this! I have participated in the Pages Promotions Prose Procrastinators Anonymous Writing Group...getting together with other writers and working on our pieces at Panera Bread. It’s great to be surrounded by that creative energy! What is the first book that made you cry? Tough to think back that far but I think The Giver by Lois Lowrey? Christine Sparks’ novelization of The Elephant Man was the first book that completely had me break down though. I still cry over Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and I read that one every year...I’m just an emotional reader. What is your writing Kryptonite? I guess my writing process is its own Kryptonite? I don’t ever write in a linear fashion. I have a bunch of disjointed scenes I try to tie together and sometimes the “big picture” isn’t always clear. I outline before hand the “big scenes” so I have an idea of where I’m going and try to fill the spaces as I go, but the transitional scenes as it were often get neglected. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? Ultimately stand alones because I don’t know if I have the stamina for a series. I throw little nuggets throughout a story that have a “hidden storyline” if you’re paying real close attention. I would like to do little nods to my other works as I continue to write, like a passing reference but nothing too obvious. I guess we’ll see once I start publishing more! How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? It made it real! Publishing was always some unattainable dream of mine and now it actually happened! I also had to face my weaknesses, mainly setting a scene and describing settings. It was about compromise after working with an editor too and truly a humbling experience. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? A Moose! I have a picture next to my laptop I reference every time I type… it says, “Advice from a Moose: Think Big, Eat Plenty of Greens, Hold Your Head Up High, Keep Your Nose Clean, And It’s Okay to be a Little Wild!” What a great philosophy to live by! What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) I only have the one published but I got a little carried away with one of the side plots for a character...so I removed it and I’ll be using that same plot now in another book! I also had a rather graphic death scene, and while fun to write it was almost TOO much and just took away from the overall story. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? Writer’s Block? I get in my head a bit, especially when trying to work through a scene that just won’t work, and I give up and won’t go back to it until I can fix it just so. What is your favorite childhood book? As a real little kid I had all the Bearenstain Bear books and would also settle for Little Critter. And Dr. Seuss of course! When I became more of an independent reader it was always Molly the Brave and Me and the Amelia Bedelia books. Then at the tender age of eight, Harry Potter changed my life forever! What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Getting started and then staying organized. I have a rather stressful day job and it’s hard to shake that off and write sometimes. Or I have so many ideas and picking one to focus on can be an issue too. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Writing. Ha-ha, when I get going I’m in the ZONE. I see the scene and am in it while I write, I’m sneaking down dark corridors, examining blood stains, and running from boogeymen along with my fictional crew. How long on average does it take you to write a book? I only wrote one and with work, grad school, and well life in general...it took almost three years. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? I mean, I’m quirky but I don’t know if it’s because I’m a writer. I feel like I’m a decent speaker and can lead a thoughtful conversation depending on the topic. I do have anxiety so have a tendency to hang back in crowds and parties and observe...maybe string some stories along in my head while I people-watch...but it feels wrong to say writers are socially inept. I don’t like labeling though… :p When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? I was in second grade, a mere seven years old when I wanted to be a writer. I would write “stories” about superheroes and their continuing adventures. Who are your biggest literary influences? Mary Shelley, Shirley Jackson, and Agatha Christie. <3 Way to break the mold, ladies! What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? Toss up! First I’d say Lord of the Rings; I’ll admit I struggled to read the books...high fantasy is never my friend. But the movies were stunning! They turned fictional beasts into living three-dimensional creatures! The fantastical elements I couldn’t visualize were suddenly breath-takingly real! Second is The Hunger Games Trilogy because I felt they stayed faithful to the books and then expanded the lens by shifting the narration from just Katniss to the other behind the curtain players. How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? Pretty dang good! I think I cried a lot more than I’m willing to admit. It was very surreal. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? The amount of time that goes into the book. They see the final result but so much blood, sweat, and tears went into that baby! Research, editing, plotting...what a ride! Can you tell us about your current projects? Sure! Flip-flopping between two projects! One is a co-authored project with a friend that we’ve been playing with for a few years...we’ve decided to revamp it though and add more historical context. Based on the Michigan Legend of Morrow Road, we wanted to add to the mythos of the mysterious circumstances of a mother losing her child, what if there was more at play? Playing on a dark comedy/horror vibe and rich in Algonquin lore, it’s been a fun one so far! Also, my next solo project is one from my younger years. A more psychological horror about a new girl in a small town that comes under scrutiny when some accidents start up. It’s going to be a YA horror cause for whatever reason that trend died and I want to bring it back...I used to love the Fear Street books as a teen and I’d love to do something in that vein. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. Well...with the current pandemic I have no plans of Festivals. :/ I would have loved to go out and network (that’s the most fun!) but alas, I don’t think there’s anything really happening right now. Maybe in 2021! Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. Send me an email at chelseamgouin@gmail.com! Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Just do it! Keep reading what you love, keep writing! Whether it’s fanfiction, essays, short stories, poems, or the next epic...just do it! Share with your family, share with your friends, your teachers, your next door neighbor; let people read it and give you feedback! Don’t be discouraged if someone doesn’t “get it”; books can be pretty niche...you’re probably fine. Just do it because you love it. :) Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Elizabeth Wehman's grey matter... Discover More About Elizabeth Wehman HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
Oh my, there isn’t enough space to tell you! LOL! My pilgrimage started in 1991, just after the birth of my second child. I wanted to write a novel, but had to learn the in’s and out’s of doing that. Soon time became scarce as well as money, so I put aside my creative dream and got to work as a newspaper reporter to help pay the household bills. I did that for twelve years. I loved it. I thrived in the environment and soon went from proofreader to the newspaper editor in that time. As much as I loved it, I also wanted to continue my trek of writing the greatest all-American novel. I tried and in 2014, I published my first book. From there, I’ve quit the newspaper work, but have continued publishing novels and I’m now working on my sixth one. I’ve also started a writing group in my area for others seeking to do the same. We’ve published two anthologies. My journey has been long, but so worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing. What is the first book that made you cry? Reading...it was probably the Little House on the Prairie books. When the train finally came after The Long Winter. Writing, I make myself cry many, many times. What is your writing Kryptonite? I’m assuming this is a distraction or something to get you off track on writing. I’m not up on my super hero terminology. For me, it’s just sitting down to do it. I talk myself into doing most anything, on same days, than just getting to work and writing. Things like: I don’t have enough research done, OR perhaps people are just being nice with their compliments to my writing instead of believing they really think I’m a good writer. Etc...etc...etc... Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? For me, both! I have two stand alones and also one short series of two books and will be writing a second in another series soon. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? I learned many things NOT to do as a writer. I’ve actually learned many things with each book I write. What not to do, what to do in exchange. It’s definitely a learning process. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? I don’t really have anything like this. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) Words. Plain, ole’ familiar, used all the time...words! I love them and that can be a problem at times. There are scenes too, that remind me more of Hallmark movies and are typical and mundane. Those need to be edited out, too. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? Having to have an outside job! I have been able to sit and write all the time since 2019. This has been such a huge blessing. Although, I have to be very diligent of my time and work like I have a real job. What is your favorite childhood book? It would have to be the Little House book series. I loved them. I will occasionally get them out again and read through them from time to time. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Edits that seem to last for months. I always want to believe that every manuscript I write is better than the last and whenever my first edits return from an editor, I find out that I always gain new or other bad habits to replace the ones I believed to have conquered. It’s hard to be edited. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Sitting down and writing the initial story. I relish and LOVE this part. How long, on average, does it take you to write a book? I’ve done one in about seven months, but I do believe it is exactly a year for me to write a good one and to be confident in the finished product. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? I do believe there are some writers who do well to be inconspicuous and quiet, but in a self-publishing environment, this can’t be true or you’d rarely sell a book. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? In first grade. I was challenged to read 100 books and after doing it...I was hooked. Forever. Who are your biggest literary influences? Those who have succeeded and continue to do well in the publishing world. In the Christian fiction realm they include: Lynn Austin, Francine Rivers, and I also love the Mitford Series by Jan Karon. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? I don’t think any movie can be produced as well as in book form. In book form you have extreme ways of showing a scene with deep POV. That is lacking in movies. A character can show things on their face, grimace in pain or even shout for joy, but it is very hard to see an internal struggle or a character imagining something in their own head. Many movies have come close, but I always find the book to be better than the movie. Perhaps I’m a bit biased. LOL! How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? I was thrilled. I’ll never forget the moment of having it in my hands. Looking at the boxes filled with a book that was my own. To celebrate, I held my very own book signing party. I rented a historic depot in my hometown and sent out lots of invitations. It was epic and it was a celebration that I will never forget. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? At how hard they work to get a book out. They don’t see the frustrations, writer’s block, hair-pulling edits, nor the time it took to put out a book. If they did, they wouldn’t be upset to pay just $15 for a book. It’s hard to hear people say, “I’ve always wanted to do that” and not tell the person...”then go ahead and try.” No one really knows the process, unless they are a writer themselves. Can you tell us about your current projects? I have started a series on a pioneer family that settled in my county in 1833. I will soon be starting book two in a possible three-book series. I am also the President/Founder of the Shiawassee Area Writers and we put out an anthology every year. This is our third which will be published in September. I am in charge of putting it all together, with the help of a formatting friend. I’m also heavily into marketing my fifth book that came out in May, 2020. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. My books are available at Owosso Books & Bean, MI. Faith Christian Store in Flint, MI. Also, at the Durand Union Station in Durand, MI. All are available on my website at: www.elizabethwehman.com. I will be attending farmer’s markets in the area throughout the summer including Owosso and Durand. And all are available on Amazon. (I will also be doing a book selling tour in the next week or so, hopefully to add more bookstores that will be willing to carry my books.) Keep up-to-date with where I will be selling books on my Elizabeth Wehman/Author page on Facebook. Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. By going on my website, you can purchase an autographed copy. You can pay through PayPal and the book will be shipped to you. I will also sign books at any of the events listed above. Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Keep trying! Don’t give up! Find local writers in your area who you can team up with and get busy. Learn as much as you can, attend a conference, meet other writers. Then get busy. Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Kristoffer Gair's grey matter... Discover More About Kristoffer Gair HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
I’ve gone to see Robert Frost’s grave—he wasn’t very talkative. I’ve also stopped over at an airport in Maine and look for Stephen King’s home while we landed and took off. Beyond that, I’ve hung out with G.A. Hauser, who taught me how to drink Blue Moon with a slice of orange, Kiernan Kelly and her husband who taught me the proper way to lick the cover of cup of ice cream, and Patricia Logan, who showed me how to shop at Trader Joe’s, forget her PIN number, and the proper number of bottles of wine to buy for after a book signing at Book Soup. What is the first book that made you cry? Easy. Where The Red Fern Grows. The movie makes me cry too. What is your writing Kryptonite? Halo. I have to write in a place where I don’t see my Xbox or notice it. If I do, I feel the pull. You see, I’m a Master Chief in the Halo universe, an expert fighter pilot, driver, shot, and I enjoy blowing up all the… See? That’s why I can’t see the game system. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? My previous books stand on their own. I did write a sequel to A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To My Sexual Orientation, and that didn’t go over as well as I’d hoped. I figured I’d keep to one-off novels that stood on their own for a while. That didn’t work out either. I published Falling Awake and readers wanted more. I gave them one more, and they wanted another. So, we’ll see how this latest one goes over. The first two Falling Awake books stand on their own—for the most part—but the third one relies on your knowledge of the first two. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? Publishing my first book is about as close to a high as an author can legally get. It did change my process of writing, but only in that I’d co-written my first novel based on research by my co-author. I wanted my second book to be my vision, so I threw everything onto the page and went with it without worrying about making anyone else happy. I also learned to love the editing process during the second book because I saw the results of having talented editors who wanted the story to be the best it could be. It’s work. It’s torture. It’s amazing when it all comes together! As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? I think the choice was made for me. It’s a dog. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) Very little was ever edited out of the books save for two of them. The majority of what’s edited are long scenes that need to be tightened up. There were several tweaks made to the historical book, Honor Unbound, just to keep things moving. I did have an editor remove the Prologue and Epilogue from Gaylias: Operation Thunderspell, and that put me off writing and editors for a couple of years. I will one day republish the book with those sections added back in. For Falling Awake III: Requiem, I edited out 7-8k words. I can’t recall any entire scenes being removed so much as many scenes being pared down. FA3 is the longest book I’ve ever written, so if a scene felt long to me, chances are a reader is going to feel the same way. That’s when I’ll look for a way to keep things moving. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? The full time job. I’d rather go down to part time, but only if I could afford it. That would leave more time for travel once the COVID scare is over. It’s a pipe dream, but I’d have more inspiration by seeing more of life on this planet around me. My husband is an avid traveler and it would be great fun to continue our adventures, then figure out how they can work themselves into upcoming books. What is your favorite childhood book? The Gay Kamasutra. Kidding. It’s Lamont, The Lonely Monster. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Getting enough time set aside so that when I’m on a roll, I can go with it and see things through. I like to be comfortable, but my muse is a little fickle with the music. We need to choose something that works for us both for the sequences we’re working on. She whispers when she’s happy and I type away. And that frigging phone needs to stop ringing. What is the easiest part of your writing process? Dialogue. Writing dialogue is what brings a story alive for me as both the writer and the reader. If I can get the dialogue right, then the rest of it becomes filling in the blanks. Dialogue sets a scene for me, creates the mood, and the interaction between the characters is established through the dialogue. You can have the greatest descriptions and details in the world, but if the characters don’t feel real in how they speak, the whole thing is ruined. How long on average does it take you to write a book? 1-2 years depending on the length of the manuscript, and the amount of time I have available. I won’t rush a book. Rushing a story is evident and I’ll see the flaws as gaping holes. I don’t like that, not at all. So, a book will take as long as it takes to get right. A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? Inept? Naaa. Uncomfortable? Probably. I am. Writers are great around each other because I think we understand each other. We have a common love. My problem is that when I’m around people who I don’t know or who I don’t know well, I go into entertainment mode. I mask my discomfort by joking around or going into stand-up comedy mode. Co-workers and friends often don’t know what the heck is going to come out of my mouth. The bad part is I don’t know either. Hopefully what I say works. If it doesn’t, I try harder. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? Probably 1st Grade when I wrote my first puppet play. Nobody else was writing, and that gave me a leg up on something my peers couldn’t or wouldn’t do. I remember teachers reading several Judy Blume books to us, then I’d go off and try to write the sequel. I even tried to write the third Star Wars film. Mind you, I didn’t get very far, but there were no Ewoks in my story! Who are your biggest literary influences? Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Truman Capote jump to mind because they’ve given me something to aspire to. I think it’s fair to say that literary influences also include the friendships and feedback from some very, very incredible people who have opened their lives up to include me; Kiernan Kelly, Trish Gillham, G.A. Hauser, Patricia Logan, T.C. Blue, Brent D. Seth, Milton Ford, and many others. They keep me grounded and inspired while I aspire, which, now that I think about it, often makes me perspire. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? Why? It’s between Blade Runner and JAWS. Why? Because they’re frickin’ Blade Runner and JAWS! JAWS made me afraid to go into the pool for months. And Blade Runner? Talk about world building! Talk about details! How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate? I remembering thinking two things; I hate the cover (the original first printing of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To My Sexual Orientation), and I need to get cracking on another book. Publishing a book, especially the first, is like climbing off the best rollercoaster in the world and wanting to go right again! I celebrated by going to Friendly’s Ice Cream and getting a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup sundae. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? We’re deeply sexy people who enjoy free gifts. And free lunches. Sometimes dinners, too. Crap, that’s four things. Let’s just say that most folks don’t understand that writing for us is like breathing. We can’t “not” write. Our brains aren’t wired to stop writing. Relaxation for us means looking around at the world and asking “What if…” and plotting out a story in our head. It’s how we exist. Can you tell us about your current projects? I have 5 books in my head that are demanding attention. Unfortunately, I can only proceed with one of them at this time, and I’d rather not say too much about it at this point. Let’s see how things proceed over the next couple of weeks. I can say that, thematically, it’s almost a Western, which intrigues me because I think that adds a flavor to the story I haven’t seen in my writing before. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? I wish, but no. Welcome to COVID. I was waiting until I had more books published under my actual name, and now that I have, I can’t really take them on the road. However, once this has passed and provided the Zombie Apocalypse doesn’t happen, I really, really want to. Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. I suspect if someone wants a signed copy of a book, they can contact me through my website, www.KristofferGair.com, and we’ll figure something out. I don’t usually get many requests, but it’s always pretty awesome when I do. Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Don’t worry about writing what you think will sell. Why? Because you can’t be in this for the money. You’re in it because it’s what you love to do, so write what you love. Chances are if you’re happy with what you’ve written, someone else will be, too, and that’s how you start to build an audience. Also, if you’re looking to flatter an author—like myself for example—a good place to start is a box of cannollis from Tringali’s. Not that I wouldn’t share a box of cannollis from Tringali’s with my neighbors and husband. I would. It’s just the receiving part of the box of cannollis. You can’t go wrong with these. It’s tooooooootally sound advice. Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of Indie Author works? This is the place! Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside. We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff. Today, we thumb through the pages of Indie Author Ken MacGregor's grey matter... Discover More About Ken MacGregor HERE! What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
I went to a three-day writers’ retreat in Ann Arbor (not far geographically but outside my experience up to then). There, I met some fascinating people, caught up with folks I already knew, had some of the best conversation of my entire life, and came up with an entirely new book idea. Highly recommend seeking out something like that near you. What is the first book that made you cry? Probably Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. What is your writing Kryptonite? Overuse of character actions. Everyone is constantly nodding in my stories. It’s a problem. I’m trying to address it. (Nods) I’ll get there. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? I definitely try to write each book as a standalone story. However, I’m working on two sequels right now (for Devil’s Bane: Tales of a Fourth Grade Warrior, and my pending novel, Headcase) and I’d like readers to be able to see those characters grow and learn from one book to the next. Except maybe Gavin the Werewolf; I’m not sure he’s capable of learning anything new. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? Holding an actual book of nothing but things I wrote was a real eye-opener for me. It made me realize I could do more than just submit to anthologies and magazines. That I was more just a short story hobbyist who occasionally got paid for it. It was the first tangible proof that I could be a writer. It was powerful and emboldening. After that, I set my sights on bigger things, and I’ve achieved some of those already. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Honey badger. Keeps plodding along, eating and mating, creating more honey badgers, despite scorpion stings, porcupine quills, skunk blasts. Honey badger just doesn’t give a f*ck. What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please) Well, when I write horror, for adults, which I do pretty regularly, I don’t edit anything. I let the story go where it needs to go regardless of how awful and disturbing that might be. Now, when I’m writing for kids, obviously, I had to tone it way down. But I like to keep the tension high, and I like to keep it scary. I just do so in a more approachable, family-friendly way. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? Awards, I guess. Recognition. It’s far more important to me that readers are enjoying my work than to get a little statuette. Don’t get me wrong: I’d love to win one (especially a Stoker!). But you asked what I’d give up. I’d give that up. What is your favorite childhood book? Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Pfeiffer. It’s funny: he wrote it to explain math and English concepts in an approachable way, and it turned into this wildly imaginative, fun story. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? The waiting. Everything takes forever. Waiting to hear whether or not a story is accepted; waiting for edits; waiting to publication; waiting for the actual books you ordered so you can sell them to arrive (I’m doing all except waiting for edits as I type this). What is the easiest part of your writing process? The raw creation part. Sitting down and making stuff up. I love it. Especially when the characters take on lives of their own and start telling me how the story is supposed to go. You can’t beat that. It’s the best. How long on average does it take you to write a book? There isn’t really an average. Not for me anyway. My two story collections were put together using reprints and some originals that I wrote over a long time and compiled; the compiling part took a few months. The novel I cowrote in just under a year, I think (It was a while ago, and memory is a dodgy thing). The novella I just released was finished in about six months; however, with rewrites and edits, it took a couple years to get it publication ready. I’ve been writing the sequel to that one for the last few months now and am up to page 62 (handwritten: roughly 200 words per page, if you’re one of those who needs to know word counts). A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? For me? Not remotely. I’m ludicrously extroverted. I adore being the center of attention. Give me a spotlight and a microphone, a crowd and a stage, and I don’t even need to eat for days. It sustains me. Having said that, I do know quite a few authors who suffer from crippling social anxiety, so maybe there’s some truth to the stereotype after all. When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author? I’ve been making stuff up since I can remember. Probably before then. I wrote a poem that was published in the school newsletter in fourth grade. It inspired two other students to write poems on the same theme. But I didn’t really think about trying to get published for real until about 2011. I had been writing sketch comedy (performing too) for a few years, and I had been writing movie scripts for a local film company. In fact, I was churning those out so fast that one of the directors told me I should turn them into short stories, contact the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers and see if I can get published. That’s worked out pretty well, and that guy doesn’t have to keep telling me he can’t make my movies anymore. Who are your biggest literary influences? So many. Stephen King, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Roger Zelazny, Terry Pratchett, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Tolkien, Poe… What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book? This is incredibly difficult to answer. There have been so many good ones. I’m going to take a different tack: I absolutely adore short films and TV shows based on short stories. Black Mirror, Love, Sex & Robots, Twilight Zone, Night Gallery. That sort of thing. Why? – Because they allow the short form to be enjoyed by people in a more accessible format, and I think short stories are a deeply underappreciated thing. How did it feel when your first book got published? Like a god. How did you celebrate? Beer and cake. At the book launch. More beer after. What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors? I think there’s a commonly held belief that authors are unapproachable, that we prefer not to be bothered by the common folk. This is, for the most part, ridiculous. Authors are just people. If you liked something someone wrote, please tell them. We live for that stuff. Can you tell us about your current projects? I touched on this a little earlier. I’m writing two sequels now. I’m also working on expanding a short story into a longer format. I fell in love with this character and setting and want to make it a novel. It will likely be a series of individual stories (I mentioned that I love the short form, yes?) tied together by a single through-line. It’s a fun, if somewhat daunting project. No idea when it’s going to be finished. I also write whatever occurs to me as ideas pop up. I’m constantly doing that. Keeps me on my toes, let me tell ya. Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books? Please provide all the “find it” information. There’s a virtual book festival (with a horror focus) happening on September 5 that I’ll be part of. It’s part of the Flint Horror Collective. In all likelihood, I’ll be reading (along with several other writers) some of my stuff aloud. Should be fun. Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books. As much as I’d prefer to offer up a listing of independent bookstores and small presses (I strongly encourage you to buy books this way), the only comprehensive way to list the vast majority of my stuff is by pointing you to the corporate monstrosity that is https://www.amazon.com/Ken-MacGregor/e/B009MOY6KA?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1593121012&sr=1-1 Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors? Oh, I have so much to say on this topic. However, I’ll keep it relatively brief. I’m going to do this in list form because it seems apt:
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