Author interview: Samuel Bagby, author of Lily: A Fable

Hello readers! I have another author interview for you all! This one is with Samuel Bagby, the author of the new book Lily: A Fable. Samuel was kind enough to discuss his new book, why he chose self-publishing and the dangers in taking coffee from a writer! FYI, Lily: A Fable is available to download from Amazon and Smashwords for a measley $3.50! So if this interview grabs your attention, maybe take a trip over to one of those sites and get a copy for yourself!
__________________________________________

Lily: A Fable, a synopsis.

Stephen Flashman loves sex. As a womanizer, he’s been using women for sex all his life. But there are two women who leave an indelible mark upon Flashman’s life, two women whose memory he somehow cannot lay to rest in a sea of forgettable conquests. Diane Densher is one of those women: she is incredibly smart, savvy and ambitious, an Ivy League graduate and a successful executive with a budding career on Wall Street: when she breaks up with Flashman he treats it like just another breakup, but deep down her rejection of him conjures forth a terrible nagging feeling that he could not keep her because she recognized him as a failure and unworthy to be her mate, and he is tormented by the need to win her back.

Noelle Cummings is just the opposite of her ambitious and serious-minded predecessor: she is a free spirit from her head to her toes, carried along by an insatiable zest to live each day as if it were her last; she casts a wistful light into Flashman’s bleak inner world. After breaking up with Noelle, Flashman is torn between his affections for both women when Noelle reveals to him that she is pregnant with his child, but is anxious and fearful about raising a child on her own; she tells Flashman that she is thinking of terminating the pregnancy.

For Flashman it is the moment which sears his heart: with Diane—"the one who got away"—showing signs of renewed interest, should he continue to give chase to her, or should he devote his energies to Noelle and do all he can to ensure the birth of his child, while knowing his life will never be the same again?

About author, Samuel Bagby.

My name is Samuel Bagby: I am a bit taciturn speaking about myself in a blog like this. I was a student, a monk, a teacher, and now who the hell knows what--but none of that is really important. We are all vessels of love, of passion, of something on our own journeys towards a grand and surreal destination, and it is how we lift each other up, edify each other, and help each other along the way that matters: and I want to be that person that is lifting up, edifying, and helping other sojourners, because the road is no easy path; that much all of us know.

What will cause readers to gravitate towards Lily: A Fable?

I am hopeful that readers will laugh in reading the book: it is certainly offensive enough, I think, to at least render forth a few laughs, and if so, it will do itself the favor of rescuing itself from the rubbish pile. I say that because the character of the novel is patently unsavory—no, that's not quite getting it—he's a slimebag. That's encapsulating things in a nice, pithy word the man and more importantly the woman on the street intuitively understands. I say that because he is likely to be offensive to women; I suspect he will be simply familiar to the men. But I would be remiss not to cite also that while being slimy and having many slimy characteristics he also manages to be absurd in the midst of them, or perhaps I should say hindmost among all his traits stands his absurdity—which in some sublime way renders him in my eyes sympathetic and quite amusing—though I am certainly not every reader, it would be similar to someone remarking about his twin brother or doppelganger, "that guy is really amusing", but only to me, since I know him with an especial sort of intimacy not shared by others. The character is to me very human—he's certainly lecherous, that being the most obvious thing about him, but he is also opinionated, emotional, and sensitive—and while readers may not perhaps take a great liking to him, they may find his persona, and his journey familiar and hopefully compelling in some way because to me at least—and in this I do not think I am wrong—his journey is the journey we all share, the journey of the human condition which in its bare essence is what we all live and experience and struggle with, male and female alike.

What inspired you to write this particular story?

It astonishes me now to recall that I didn't feel particularly inspired to write a story those months ago; but I thought I would have something to share with people, as everyone has something of worth to share with me. I believe everyone is going through the same basic process of attempting to realize their humanity; that's why everyone has something to offer others through their writing if they make the attempt to be honest and genuine—except Henry James. He's a genius yes, but…the air his characters breathe is a bit too thin and rarefied for me I think; and I could say that about several other authors who are geniuses in their craft but whose narratives and their characters never quite seemed to penetrate deeply into the human spirit, at least not to me. I am given pause here however; my foot shrinks from stepping over a certain line from the knowledge that these particular writers command immense seas of devotees who waver on the cusp of being literally unhinged in their devotion—there is one in particular I am thinking of—and so I will restrain the comments about these holy ones bristling on the tip of my tongue with a sense of charity which smells more akin to self-preservation. Of course, there is one pass which can be extended to the disingenuous writer—that he or she is just so unabashedly, irresistibly entertaining that in the end, no one gives a damn that they shed not a tear or felt a movement of honest emotion in their heart, it's all just too much fun. Hopefully this little book of mine will be honest and genuine enough, but also melt in your mouth too like a sweet treat you want to last forever—something like that, anyway.

Why'd you decide to self-publish?

This is something I would encourage all writers to undertake, that is, if the sense of discouragement in them is becoming increasingly painful, not to say unbearable—which was true in my case, at least. Self-publishing, together with the internet, has changed the face of modern publishing, I think in a quite remarkable way that represents true progress for writers, for readers and for literature as a whole. The marketplace has opened up for a chorus of voices who all have something to offer—the public will then decide what is quality, where previously quality was a certain nebulous concept, some sort of abstruse notion floating in the ether grasped only by a small coterie of elite individuals wielding an almost absolute power without accountability. What was fair about any of this? Nothing at all—if the public didn't like the books chosen for them, they couldn't get works from unpublished writers, they had to wait for the "quality" cartel you might say to select what they saw fit for them: almost like parents choosing materials for children not mature or competent enough to do it for themselves.

What is most ironic about all of this—and most appalling to be sure—is that these agents and publishers themselves are often ruthless and cruel in their estimations of writers, they possess colossal egos with very little or any competence behind all the bluster; these people literally drip with hubris and dole out scorn to good writers while they themselves little comprehend what literature is—there is simply a formula in their heads, a kind of crude taste that one either corresponds with or falls shy of—and that either makes a writer acceptable or someone who should find something else to do with their time. But writers must never listen to these people; they must believe in their vision and persevere. Self-publishing is really the salvation of literature in my opinion: it is the true marketplace where artists can express themselves freely and receive the true judgment of the public, of the people they are really attempting to reach. Furthermore it can take years to actually get signed by an agent—meanwhile the writer is waiting and waiting for income, for the book to get turned out into the public—and it may never happen. Self-publishing and the internet, the blogs, thank God have changed all that.

What is your writing process?

I don’t know that I have a process really: I suppose I always start by sitting down and reading some literary genius for five or ten pages just to sort of quicken one's faculties for the work of writing. To learn to write well one has to read from someone who is a master of the craft; then the sentence structure, the grace and beauty with which he or she chooses and constructs phrases and sentences will be duly absorbed. I'm not saying that if one starts reading Hemingway that he or she will sit down and start writing five word sentences—though he certainly composed some rather lengthy and beautiful constructions as well—but it will have some sort of an effect on one's own composition. It’s when you get into an edit stage that I really don't read too much before I start work; you get to the point where you enter into that state of near drudgery which Flaubert complained of in his letters, when you want to be done with a work and there keeps cropping up little snags and imperfections which literally make your skin crawl when you see them—oh, and coffee. There is no writing process—and no writing period, at least in my world, without coffee. That statement on its face might sound vaguely humorous: I intend no humor in it. You take coffee away from a writer, it's like taking away the whiskey from a blues guitar player: it's not a pretty picture.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Author Interview: John Vorhaus, author of Lucy in the Sky

Gather 'round readers, I have another author interview for you! John Vorhaus is an interesting man and writer who has one of the most enviable jobs I can think of! Also, not only is he happy to share some advice for budding writers, as a writer, but he's also imparting some invaluable knowledge bombs as someone trained to help writers for a living. So take note, I think you'd have to be crazy not to take away some great little gems, whether you're a fiction, non-fiction or blog writer! Enjoy!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Short and fast:


Ebook or physical book: Lucy in the Sky is available in ebook, paperback and author-narrated audio
Classic or contemporary: The novel takes place in Milwaukee in 1969. That time and place sure ain’t classic, so I guess it’s contemporary by default.
Fantasy or reality: Reality, with just a soupcon of wish-fulfilment thrown in.
Traditionally or self published: I’m not a fan of the terms “traditional” or “self-published,” since neither seems to capture the current realities of book publishing and marketing. I use the phrase “indy publishing” to describe what I do.
Favourite Author: Tom Robbins.
Favourite Book: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Let's get a little deeper:

You've had quite an illuminating career working around the world in a myriad of positions relating to television. What have been some of the highlights?
J.V: Well, I’ve taught and trained writers in 28 countries on four continents (at last count). The most challenging gig was running the writing staff of the Russian version of Married… with Children, as my knowledge of Russian is nonexistent, and Moscow is, well let’s just say, not the happiest place on earth. My most gratifying experience was co-creating the social-action TV drama Contracorriente in Nicaragua. With its no-nonsense look at such tough issues as gender identification, sweatshop labor and commercial sexual exploitation of adolescents, it really did some good in a country that needs all the help it can get.

You’ve worked on a number of non-fiction, educational books such as The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even if You’re Not.” What pushed you to write fictional books, and what challenges did you find yourself up against?
J.V: My growth as a writer has been about trying progressively harder things. I started out writing songs and graduated from there to sitcom. From sitcom I moved to hour-drama and screenwriting. Then I tackled non-fiction – more words, bigger challenge. I’ve always seen long-form fiction as the hardest sort of writing there is, and so I pushed myself to be equal to that task. The biggest challenge was – and is – cutting through the clutter and helping my readers discover my work and my voice.

Would you like to tell us anything about your latest foray into the fictional world with your book Lucy in the Sky?
J.V: Lucy in the Sky is the coming-of-age story of Gene Steen, an earnest young striver who wants to be a hippie in the worst way. He doesn’t know what a hippie is, really, just knows that there are none where he lives, as far as the eye can see. Then one day into his life dances Lucy, his very hip, very wise, witty, spiritual, sensual, hot and sexy 17-year-old… cousin. Good news, she’ll teach him to be a hippie. Bad news, she’s his cousin. Good news, things are not always what they seem. But Lucy has demons of her own, and in helping her fight them, Gene learns that being a hippie is not about love beads and peace signs, but about the choices you make and the stands you take.

What did you learn from writing Lucy in the Sky that you didn't know before?
J.V: Well, I learned that I can use my own writing to exorcise the significant demons of my life. See, I always wanted to be a hippie, but I was born just a tad too late to ride that train, and this has always filled me with regret. After I finished Lucy, I was surprised to discover that the regret had gone away. In the world of my imagination I had finally had the transcendent “hippie experience” I had always wanted to have, and now need to chase that ghost no more. I’m excited to consider what other demons I might slay using this same strategy, and commend it to other writers’ attention: figure out what’s bugging you, then write about it until it bugs you no more.

Have you started or made any plans for your next fiction book? Any hints you’d like to share?
J.V: Right now I’m working on a short mystery called Secord and Smoke: Scream Bloodless Murder. It features a sassy young police detective, Anne Secord, and her curmudgeonly partner, police consultant Dave “Smoke” Sawyer. I hope to make it a series.

What is your writing process?
J.V: I start my writing day before nine a.m., but after the newspaper and coffee. I work until noon or until the dog demands a walk, whichever occurs first. After a break of fresh air and sunshine, I get back to my desk and stay there until the late afternoon. Eventually my brain turns to cheese and I can no longer think productively about the creative problems I’m trying to solve. At that point, I turn my attention to other aspects of my professional life, such as promoting my books, writing press releases, or doing interviews like this. Hope my cheese brain doesn’t leak through…

Since you have experience on both sides of the fence, so to speak, what advice do you have for any writers who may be reading this? Both as an author, and as someone who has advised others who write.
J.V: The secret to successful writing is really very simple. If you want to get better, write more. If you want to get a lot better, write a lot more. Here’s why that system works: because even a bad day of writing is a good day of writing, simply as a function of what we learn and how we advance our craft. It’s also useful to remember that “a writer is a subversive who uses entertainment to instruct.” Keeping that idea in mind will help you to inform your work with ideas that matter, and give you faith that it is exactly your job as a writer to do so. Finally there’s this: “Keep giving them you until you is what they want.” Each of us has a singular voice, a way of expressing ourselves that is easy and fun for us to write. That’s what we want to focus on, the organic path to an ever richer and more satisfying writing experience. Be the best writer you can be, according to your own vision, and then work to help readers discover and cherish this best version of yourself.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Thanks to John Vorhaus for taking part in this interview! His book Lucy in the Sky can be purchased at Amazon from here, and his full range of non-fiction books can be found here.

Author Interview: Michael Drakich, author of The Brotherhood of Piaxia

Hello everyone! Today's interview is with Michael Drakich, author of The Brotherhood of Piaxia, Grave is the Day and Vows Above. It's a little different in format this time. Along with the usual questions, I've added a few either/or questions to start with. I've found these are a pretty interesting way to get to know the author straight off, are they a lover of old physical books or are they firmly within the modern technological age? Are they advocates or self published or traditional publishing? Michael is the guinea pig for this new addition, and I think his answers are perfectly representative of the reader and writer that he is, which is only illuminated further in the longer questions that take place below. But enough about that, read on to get to know Michael Drakich!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Short and Fast:

Ebook or physical book: Ebook
Fantasy or reality: Fantasy
Traditionally or self published: Self published
Novella or epic: Epic
Stand alone or series: Stand alone


Let's get a little deeper:

Your author’s bio on Goodreads says “no awards, no accolades, no writing degrees or diplomas, only a deep rooted love of reading and writing”...Are you a writer full-time or is this something you’re juggling with another job?
MD:As a relatively new author, I am still employed in my thirty-two year career as a Realtor.

What pushed you to start writing your own novels, and what challenges did you find yourself up against?
MD: I have always been an avid reader, but the years of bringing up a family interfered with that love. As my kids became older and parenting requirements changed I found time again to read. I picked up a novel some six and a half years ago by a reputed author. It was a fantasy and part of a very successful series, even spawning its own television series. Having high expectations, I read it through and thought it was terrible. I believed I could do better. On Monday, February 20, 2006, at 5:23:53 PM I sat down at my computer and started writing. It took me ten months to bang out my first novel. When I showed it to a few friends, the lukewarm reception told me what I needed to know. It was crap. From there I joined a local writer’s group. Disappointed in how slow the pace was I joined an online workshop. From there I went to a different workshop, and then onto a third one. Through constant writing, editing, critiquing and discussion, I learned the craft. I began the querying process to agents but to no avail. Then a year and a half ago I landed a traditional publishing contract with a small publisher, a very proud moment. Again, my expectations were more than they should have been. As a result, I have chosen to self publish this latest work so that its success or failure can be laid at the feet of only one person, me.

What I love about that bio is the role your love of reading and writing obviously plays in your life. What are some of your favourite books and authors?
MD: As a youth, my passion ran for science fiction and fantasy. I loved all the old masters, Heinlein, Asimov, and Tolkien. I find my favourites by each, Stranger In A Strange Land, The Foundation series and Lord of the Rings as constant re-reads, each at least five times. In my middle years I began to buy books, not by the author, but by the blurb. If the blurb appealed, then I would chance it. I read some not so good books in those years, but discovered others by authors who since have gone on to great success, for example, Iain Banks. I am a great fan of his writing. The last six years have been dedicated to reading the works of unpublished authors in workshops as we collectively strive to improve our skills. There’s a lot of talent out there. It just needs to be discovered.

What is your writing process?
MD: I've read how new authors set goals of one thousand words a day. Hogwash. I’ve also still had to go to work and earn a living. When I decide on starting a new novel, it usually begins with a concept and I begin. As I go, start to calculate the plot twists and turns. I always leave my WIP up on my screen. As ideas arise, I bullet them at the bottom so that they are always visible and as reminders to incorporate as I go. I try to write a minimum of a paragraph a day, just to keep the project in my mind. At times, I’ll sit and pound out a couple of chapters at once. When the story reaches a turning point, I find myself immersed in its completion.

Your books fall within the fantasy and science fiction genres, what is it about these genres that inspire you to write?
MD: One word, escapism. One can argue that all books offer that, but in my opinion, speculative fiction offers the greatest amount.

Do you plan to keep writing within these genres or would you like to try writing within a different one?
MD: In all honesty, my next book is a thriller. But truth be told, there is a touch of fantasy in it.

Your latest book is The Brotherhood of Piaxia, would you like to tell us anything about it?
MD: Remember how I earlier said my first book was crap? This was it. I had put it aside and gone on a written two other novels in my quest to be an author when I decided to revisit this work. Needless to say, I did an absolute re-write. Along with the help of my superb editor, Kate Richards, (she deserves a plug) I am very pleased with the final product.

Are there any plans to turn it into a series?
MD: Not a series that requires all, no. I like books to stand alone. I’ve read many series over my years that required me to read them all to get closure and many that can be read separately. I think that readers out there should not have to chase down earlier stories to know what’s going on. Saying that, I do have another planned using the same cast and world, but it would not require the reading of this one to be enjoyable.

Reading your blog posts on Goodreads, it’s interesting to see an author navigate their way through the new world of online publishing, digital distribution and book blogs. What are some of the things you've learned and do you have any advice for writers who may be reading this?
MD: If you read them all, then you know the trials facing all new authors. I cannot think of any other advice today than of one of passion. As a new writer, passion will drive you to produce a better and better product. Passion will allow you to accept all criticisms as solid, concrete advice. Passion will lead you to research the industry and rely on yourself and not others. Passion will guide you to your goals.
_________________________________________________________________________________

A big thank you to Michael Drakich for taking the time to answer my questions! To get to know Michael even better, be sure to head over to his Goodreads page where he keeps a small blog.
Michael's book The Brotherhood of Piaxia can be found at: Smashwords, Amazon, Amazon.uk and Barnes and Noble

Author Guest Post: Theodore Weesner

Hello everyone! I know things have been quiet around here, but I think this post will make it all worthwhile! Below I have a wonderful guest post by Theodore Weesner, the author of The Car Thief. 

Hailed as a modern American classic, this coming of age tale is Theodore's fourth novel and just the tippy-top of his illustrious writing career. Before going any further in my introduction, I'm going to whet you literary appetites with a brief synopsis of The Car Thief;

It’s 1959. Sixteen year-old Alex Housman has just stolen his fourteenth car and frankly doesn’t know why. His divorced, working class father grinds out the night shift at the local Chevy Plant in Detroit, kept afloat by the flask in his glove compartment and the open bottles in his Flint, Michigan home. 

Abandoned and alone, father and son struggle to express a deep love for each other, even as Alex fills his day juggling cheap thrills and a crushing depression. He cruises and steals, running from, and to, the police, compelled by reasons he frustratingly can’t put into words. And then there’s Irene Shaeffer, the pretty girl in school whose admiration Alex needs like a drug in order to get by. Broke and fighting to survive, Alex and his father face the realities of estrangement, incarceration, and even violence as their lives hurtle toward the climactic episode that a New York Times reviewer called “one of the most profoundly powerful in American fiction.”

Do I have your full attention now? Good! I'll be posting an excerpt from The Car Thief for your enjoyment tomorrow, but right now I have a post that Theodore was kind enough to write about the making of The Car Thief. Below you'll be able to read about the inspiration that lead to The Car Thief and exactly how much of Theodore's own life is mirrored in this fascinating new novel.

Enjoy!
___________________________________________________________________________________

Theodore Weesner, author of The Car Thief

What was my inspiration for writing The Car Thief and how much of me personally went into the story? 


I'm working to answer those questions in a personal memoir I have underway called ‘Hoodlum Artist.’

 As a short answer let me say that I lived a stupid and ignorant life of deprivation that commenced on being abandoned at age one, with my brother Jack, age three, to a 550 pound immobile woman named Alice Sleeseman, who took in children from broken homes in Flint’s ‘Little Missouri.’ We may have been dirty and scrawny but ours was a ‘Summerhill’ life of almost total freedom (I recall nothing but happiness, exploration, adventure) and I’m not complaining. If I was damaged on having been abandoned by my mother, I’m not smart enough to say. She was fifteen when she gave birth for the first time, on proceeding into a life devoted to drinking, dancing and honky-tonking. She never visited, while my father stopped by every other weekend or so to see how Jack and I were doing. Grandma Sleeseman, as we called her, made her way each morning to a centrally-located rocker from which she issued instructions, sending Jack and me with some dollars and a rusty wagon to a grocery store on Fenton Road to buy food supplies, and instructing other children of the house in the preparation of meals in the kitchen. Jack and I always had an eye out for the appearance of our father’s green Chevy and the thrill we felt when it came into view.

(After an extremely rough childhood, Theodore (known as Ted) picks up his story in a defining incident in High School…)

Central High School. Working as a part-time carry-out boy at Hamady’s, minding my own business and striving to get my life on track, I wandered into the stands of a high school football game one Friday evening after work, only to find myself inexplicably charged, on Monday at school, with fighting in the end zone. The witness making the charge was the Principal himself, on having used binoculars from Atwood Stadium’s 50-yard line to make his identification. At a subsequent hearing attended by my step-mother as well as the Superintendent of Public Schools--where the Principal wept in the face of the terrible punishment he felt compelled to administer despite my claims of innocence--I was permanently discharged from Flint Central, never to be allowed to set foot on school grounds again.

Disturbed and cheated, needing at all costs to prove myself, I began to become an over-achiever. Having turned seventeen, enlisting in the army as a GED, I soon became a model soldier who—by the time my three years were up, spending all but six months in Germany—I had qualified for OCS (based on high test scores, ranked in the 99th percentile) and, as a decent athlete, had also been considered for appointment to West Point…which consideration was quietly withdrawn when my juvenile criminal history and time served came to added light.

Admitted by some quirk to Michigan State University, I continued as an over-achiever, giving my all to catching up with the proper kids who had left me behind. Qualifying for a newly launched Honors College, I also received Hinman Creative Research scholarships with which to supplement my monthly checks under the GI Bill. I was invited as well, as a junior, to represent the giant-sized University in competition for a Rhodes Scholarship. Not wishing to undertake the competition and interviews, having fallen in love by then—having been ‘called’—to be nothing less than an artist committed to creative writing, I went on in search of success in the craft…and never looked back. All along, in my writing, I had been exploring conflicts I had known before landing on my feet in the army and as a student. So it was that I called my first novel, which was inspired by need, experience, and artistic hunger, ‘The Car Thief,’ during the writing of which I drew on the guts of my own history in search of valid themes and exquisitely realistic details.

-Theodore Weesner
___________________________________________________________________________________

Be sure to keep an eye out for the excerpt from The Car Thief I'll be sharing tomorrow. Or if you simply can't wait, click through for all the purchasing options, and a more detailed run down of the book.

Author Interview: Robert Shields, author of Daphne and the Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society

Today I present you with an interview with author Robert Shields. I reviewed his book Daphne and the Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society on the blog yesterday and he was kind enough to answer some questions about the future of the series as well as the lessons he's learned through the writing process. Be sure to learn more about both Robert Shields and his book over at his websites, Fruitbat Books and Secret Girls Society.

K: Could you describe your book to us?
RS: It’s about a girl named Daphne who at first seeks revenge against her childhood enemy and in the process discovers that her enemy named Vivica is a witch. Daphne seeks to level the playing field as she belatedly enters the world of witchcraft. She becomes part of the Mysterious Girls’ Secret Bathroom Society and finds out that the politics governing witchcraft are daunting and sometimes deadly. She realizes she is aligned with the Daughters of Charm in this political battle with the Daughters of Spite led by her nemesis, Vivica. Along the way, she discovers that witches do not perform magic or witchcraft but a differentiated form of physics that only some women have mastered. The story deepens as she learns about the long history of witches’ domination and annihilation of wizards.

K: You have a background in legal and sports writing, how did you end up writing a novel about teen witches?
RS: I love this question. I cannot tell you how many fiction books I started and never finished. Then I started to write Daphne. I went to a parochial school like Daphne. The characters to a great extent have the strengths and weaknesses that I remember in my friends. It was not a stretch for me to imagine some of those girls when I was younger being witches. From there, the story was easy to develop.

K: Are you planning to expand this into a long running series?
RS: Yes. I am currently writing the second book. I hope to have it out in the next six months. I’m thinking of names for it and will take suggestions. Right now, I’m considering calling it the “Rise of the Red Hand.”

K: Any hints about what to expect from Daphne and her friends?
RS: Sure. Daphne as would be expected will grow stronger in her magic. The society will become more political between the Daughters of Spite and the Daughters of Charm. And not to give away too much, you will see more of the boys, which is somewhat predictable.

K: What was your writing process?
RS: I often have an idea in my head. Then I start writing it. This sounds simple enough, yet we all know when you start putting pen to paper it never ends up as it played in your head the first time. Or at least that is the case for me. I’m ready for them to develop the device that just allows me to download it directly from my brain to paper. I have a gift or curse depending who is around me being able to write anywhere. The downside for me is that I always seem to need at least an hour to write. It takes me longer than I would like to get my mind where the book is taking place. Or in other words, it takes me a while to get inside my mind’s eye. Once there, I can write for a long time.

K: Did you learn anything from your writing experience? Things you will do/did differently or the same?
RS: Yes, there is one thing that I might do differently. I first want to relay a personal story. When I was young some of my favourite books were written by SE Hinton. I loved Rumble Fish, Tex, and The Outsiders. Never did it cross my mind that the person writing them was a woman and that the S in the SE stood for Susan. If I had known that going into them, I might not have ever read the books and been robbed of some of my favourite books because of my own bias. Now with that said and if I had a chance to start over on Daphne, I might write under a pen name that would have been more nebulous such as R.T. Shields. To my surprise, I have encountered some bias. Some don’t want to read a book about girls that was not written by a woman, and I understand because I would have done the same thing but you might be robbing yourself.

K: Have you got any advice for any budding writers reading?
RS: One piece of advice I would offer is to write what you know. I fought this for years and it’s the reason why I started so many fictional stories and never finished them. It’s hard to create what you don’t know. I know that sounds silly. Daphne was easy to write because I knew the subject matter.

**
 A huge thanks to Robert Shields for answering these questions for me!

If you're interested in checking out Daphne and the Mysterious Girls Bathroom Society, it's now downloadable for $0.99 on the Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBook store websites.

Interview: Andrew Cyrus Hudson, author of DRIFT

Hopefully by now all of you have taken a look at my review of Drift by Andrew Cyrus Hudson. At only 24, Andrew has managed to do what so few of us could ever dream of. I'm happy to announce that Andrew has taken a few moments to answer a few questions I posed to him about his book Drift and some advice for budding young writers wondering how to make their way through the difficult world of writing and publishing. For more about Andrew and his debut novel, Drift, head over to his personal website and Goodreads page.

K: You’ve managed to release a book and you’re only in your mid-twenties, is writing something you’ve always known you wanted to do?

ACH: Yes and no.

I've always wanted to do something creative and often times it involved being a storyteller. Whether it was dreaming about being a video game maker (when I was a kid/preteen), songwriter (later part of my teens), or screenwriter (very early twenties). But after trying different writing mediums (screenwriting, comic book writing, etc.), I eventually fell in love with prose writing.

K: Was it something you studied at university? Is it something you see as necessary for a young writer?

ACH: I did indeed study writing at a university. Or rather, I took a course on writing and a few other courses on literature. The creative writing class may or may not be necessary. It all depends on the person. But it sure doesn't hurt. It forces you to write and go beyond your comfort zone. Not to mention that it focus on different aspects of writing (e.g a few classes on details, a few classes on voices, etc.).

Literature classes however, is something I think should be a requirement not just for young writers but for everyone. It teaches you that books and stories are much more than plots or simply having a cool idea. Those classes will also push you out of your comfort zone to read different novels such as The House of Mirth or Heart of Darkness.

K:What is your writing routine, if you have one?

ACH: There isn't a specific time/place I write other than I always try to write every day. Each week I increase the amount of time I spend writing. So when I start a new novel, the first week I'll write five minutes a day. Then the next week ten minutes a day. And so on, so forth I finally finish the first draft. For second drafts and subsequent ones, I write by words (500 words a week, then 1000 words a week, etc.). I know it's very unorthodox but somehow it works for me.

K: Who are your literary influences?

ACH: Well obviously there's Stephen King but there's a lot of other influences. Philip K Dick, Bret Easton Ellis, Neil Gaiman, William Gibson, Jay McInerney, and a whole lot of others (see my GoodReads for more books and authors I like). And although he's a screenwriter and director, there's no way I could talk about influences without mentioning John Hughes, who might be my biggest influence.

K: Are there any genres or styles you’d like to try in the future?

ACH: The upcoming anthologyStrange Happenings, is going to be modern day science-fiction. Then the next novel, Poem for the Wolves, is going to be a mix of science-fiction (very near future), action/war, and poetry. However, since they aren't too genre specific, I'm not sure what category people will put them under. When I did Drift, I thought it was drama with elements of horror and mystery. But most reviewers have labelled it as either thriller or horror. Ultimately, I'd like to try all sorts of genres and styles. Not just horror or science-fiction.

K: Where did the story for Drift come from?

ACH: It was more of a flash of inspiration than a complete idea for a story. I was driving one afternoon while listening to Pearl Jam's "The Fixer" on KROQ (Southern California's biggest rock/alternative station) and I had a sudden vision. The vision was of a young thirty something man in flannel driving a red truck down the highway. I wasn't sure who it was or what was going on in the vision but later on, I put the pen down on the paper to see where it all lead to. I think I put that in the afterword.

K:My favourite aspects of the story were those that centred around the killer, did you do any research into how a psychopath operates/thinks or did you just write until it felt right?

ACH: Actually, I didn't even know that there would be a psychopathic killer (see above). I knew that there was a good chance that something bad was going to be brewing once Travis reached his destination. At one point I thought it was going to be a big supernatural event. At another point I thought it might be two killer circus clown brothers. But once Travis reached Greenwood I realized it was the killer. Point is, because it was completely by the seat of my pants, I had no time to research or prepare for what happened next. However, some of it was influenced by interviews I saw of notorious serial killers. Regardless of how emotional or crazy they acted, they always seemed detached with an urge to kill rather than a logical reason. Ultimately though, I was more interested in the killer's story than writing a generic but realistic serial killer.

K: Were the characters based on or inspired by anyone you know in real life?

ACH: For me, writing characters is like walking into a bar/pub and chatting with random strangers. It's not that I base it on anyone I know in real life. However, just like talking to a stranger, sometimes I'll come across a character that reminds me a little of someone I know. However, there were no characters where I said "Whoa! He's/She's exactly like ______."

K: I was not a fan of Eileen (see my review for why). Were you expecting a reaction like this?

ACH: Actually, I don't expect any kind of specific reaction, since there's always reasons to love or hate a character. However, I was amused at your hatred of Eileen. When I was writing the book, I was trying to find out why Travis separated from her. I was afraid that there might not be much reason at all but then as I got further into the story, I realized they were both flawed people with a few important patches to fix in their marriage. However, I do have a lot of questions burning in the back of my mind about their relationship. Will it work? Will Eileen work on her temper? Will ______ be a successful ______? I would be lying if I said I didn't want to put the pen to the paper and find out for myself.

K: Was there any aspect of the novel that was especially hard to write, or to figure out?

ACH: Probably the hardest was figuring out a hook for the novel. Something that would grab people's interests from the get go and allow the story to properly set up without the fear of losing people's attentions. Ultimately my editor (Kristin Bomba) suggested that I move a chapter that was in the middle of the story, the bar murder scene, to the beginning of the story.

K:There’s a huge amount of music in this book, from Travis’s career, to the songs being played throughout the car rides, how important is music to you?

ACH: Before being a writer, I wanted to be a musician. I played the guitar and keyboard. And while I don't play those any more, I still do listen to quite a lot of music. Often times I'll get flashes of inspirations for stories simply by listening to music. Or I'll listen to certain music to help get into the mood for writing a specific story. Perhaps one day I'll figure a way out to incorporate song writing into a novel.

K: And finally, do you have any advice for any budding, young authors? 

ACH: I guess it depends where they're at in their writing stage. If they're starting, then take baby steps before big leaps. Begin with simple paragraphs, move on up to short stories, and naturally progress to novels. Rather than trying to write a novel right off the bat.

If you've already been writing for a while, I don't know what to say since we're both in the same camp. Other than if you feel ready for it, get a novel published. Whether it's through a publisher or self-published. Because there's a lot more to being a writer than writing. And you can only really learn the other half of the trade through publishing.

**
A huge thanks to Andrew C. Hudson for taking the time to answer these questions!

Author Interview: Sullivan Lee

I'm excited to introduce you all to the wonderful Sullivan Lee (aka Laura L. Sullivan) who will go down in Nylon Admiral history as the first author to be interviewed on this bloggy-wog! Sullivan Lee has just self-published her "criminal love story" Brightwing this year but she's no stranger to the world of writing. Under her real name she's released novels aimed at children and YA audiences through Macmillan/Holt and has several more books under her belt just waiting to be written. In order to whet your appetites for my review of Brightwing which will be posted on Thursday I give you my interview with Sullivan Lee, aka Laura L. Sullivan, where she discusses her new book, self-publishing and her writing process. There is some Brightwing related talk which may confuse those of you who haven't read the book or heard of it, so if you'd like you acquaint yourself with it check out the synopsis on Goodreads. Enjoy!

K: You’ve written books for a wide range of audiences (children, YA historical, adult etc) what draws you to such variety?

SL: I write a wide variety of books because I read a wide variety of books. I'll jump from reading historicals to fantasy to the Victorians, and though I'm probably not going to try to emulate Dickens any time soon, I think I'll eventually try my hand at every genre. I'm kind of a dilettante, and I like to dabble.


K: Are there any genres you’d like to try in the future?

SL: I have an idea for a great horror story, with a bad-guy I don't think anyone has used before, so I'm really anxious to start that after I finish a couple of other projects. And one day I'd like to write a true romance with an unequivocally happy ending. I usually have at least a little ambiguity in my finales, so I'd love to leave a couple at the altar and know I didn't have to worry about them any more.


K: What is your writing routine?

SL: Right now, I'm only guaranteed about two hours a day to write – during my Little Guy's nap time – and I feel like I have at least ten hours of work to do! Still, I get at least a thousand words in almost every day. I'm curious to see how my productivity will increase when he starts school next year. They say work expands to fill the time allotted for it, so it might just end up taking me eight hours to write the same thousand words!

K: You decided to self publish Brightwing. What were you reasons for stepping away from a traditional publisher?

SL: Let me first say I'll always write for a traditional publisher as long as they'll have me! But people shouldn't have to limit themselves, and I was excited to be able to explore a parallel career on my own.

Self publishing is particularly well-suited to Brightwing, I think, because it is in many ways a non-traditional book. Where would a bookstore shelve it? That's the first thing publishers ask, and if there isn't a clear-cut answer, they usually pass. Is Brightwing a love story for women, or an adventure for men? (There shouldn't be gender reading divisions, but when publishers market they consider those things.) It resembles a romance in many ways, except for the ending. And what about Mallory, the sociopath? I was told I had to either make him a clear-cut villain who gets his just desserts, or make him more sympathetic. But I knew there was room on the virtual bookshelves for Brightwing's kind of moral ambiguity. Brightwing is gradually finding its audience – which would be impossible on the narrow, contained bookshelves of a traditional store, but is highly likely in the very fluid world of self publishing and e-books.

K: In Australia there is a certain anxiety that plagues authors trying to write an Indigenous character. Your main character is a Native American, did you feel a similar anxiety or that you had a responsibility to present this character as accurately (in terms of history, lifestyle, voice) as possible?

SL: Oh, I was chock-full of anxiety! I cheated a little bit, because though Lucy Brightwing's tribe, the Tequesta, really existed, they've been gone for three hundred years, and very little is known about them outside of scant archaeological evidence. That gave me a lot of creative freedom, and made it less likely I'll offend any existant Native American.

I did tons of research, though, and (short of killing a raging wild pig with a knife) I've done, or attempted to do, a lot of the things Lucy does to survive in the Everglades. The legends of her people are fictional, but I created them after reading as many other Native American myths as I could, so they are realistic.

Several decisions caused me some anxiety, though. I decided to use the word “Indian” throughout the novel. In public I, for a variety of reasons, would always use the term “Native American” but every Native American I've known, every Native American I've eavesdropped on, every Native American in a book written by a Native American author, uses the word “Indian” almost all the time. (Except when trying to make a political point.) So when seeing the world through Lucy's eyes, I felt justified.

Names were another matter, and for the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes (both alive and well in South Florida) I did take some liberties with the names of the crime bosses, Lazarus Nighteyes and Billie Bald Cypress. They aren't entirely authentic, but since the characters are parallels with Mafia dons, I decided if a mobster can be Sammy the Bull or Baby Fat Larry, I could have a bit of leeway with my Native American criminals.

I could go on about the problem some people seem to have with authors writing outside of their race (or ethnic group, or gender, or orientation, or religion) but I won't use your blog as a soapbox! Suffice it to say that authors need characters who struggle, and I think anyone, or any group, with something to overcome is fair game. Stories need to be told, and it doesn't matter who tells them. The world is big, and we should be too. There – off soapbox.


K: Mallory is such a terrible person, did you feel dirty after writing some of his more shocking scenes?

SL: And how! Lots of cleansing bubble baths after writing Mallory's scenes! It was particularly difficult, coming from a law enforcement background. The cop in me wanted to hunt him down. The writer in me needed him to live. I felt so bad about it I wrote an apology to my law enforcement friends for his character.

The number one comment I get about Brightwing is, “I despise Mallory! How could you let him live?” The number two comment I get is, “I'm ashamed to admit it, but I found myself almost liking Mallory sometimes.” Readers were finding that they felt sympathy for him – if only for a second – and then felt absolutely disgusted with themselves.

Now that's the kind of reaction a writer wants to hear!


K: When can we expect the sequel to Brightwing and can you give us any hints about what it’ll contain?

SL: I have a ton of commitments over the next months, so it will be a while before I can really dig into it. It will be called Swamp Bordello, and though I'm still playing with ideas, I know there will be a whorehouse in the swamp, and Lucy will take in orphans – making her territory a candy store for someone with Mallory's tendencies! Lucy will be tempted by another man, and then betrayed by him. Edgar will salvage his masculinity in book 2, and by the end he and Lucy will truly be equals, and even more deeply in love.


K: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these!

SL: And thank you so much for having me on Nylon Admiral, Kayleigh!


If you want to get to know Sullivan Lee a little better you can visit her blogs, The Omniscient Third Person and Sullivan Lee Writes. Oh and keep your eyes peeled for the review due up on Thursday!