Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts

Tuesday 4 September 2018

Interview with... Dan Weatherer

The Dead Stage by Dan Weatherer, non-fiction book cover
Linzé: This week I am privileged to have a playwright on the Broomstick and he is telling us about his upcoming book.
The Dead Stage – the period of time between completing the working draft of a stage play and placing it with an interested party.”- Dan Weatherer

Dan Weatherer, an author turned playwright, learned quickly that there are practices playwrights can implement to dramatically increase the appeal of their work.
Inside, you’ll find advice that will enable you to better tailor your work to the needs of the theatre industry, without having to compromise on style, content or subject matter. Dan discusses his early mistakes, and presents the advice of notable theatre professionals including the award-winning playwright, Deborah McAndrew, noted actor Matthew Spence, and London Horror Festival producer, Kate Danbury (along with many, many more!).

You’ll also be able to read several of Dan’s completed stage plays, which are presented in a preferred industry format, and often contain side-notes detailing the success (and failures) of said pieces.
From budgets to set design, run-time to cast size, if you ever felt the desire to write for the stage, following the advice presented in this book will help improve your chances of pairing your script with an interested party, hopefully making The Dead Stage pass almost unnoticed.

Brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from The Darkest Depths.


Dan Weatherer
Interview with the author:

What makes this non-fiction book so special?
“Placing a stage play with a theatre company is (in my experience) more difficult than placing a book with a publisher. Open theatre calls are highly competitive, seeing hundreds of entries for a call that can possibly stage only three or four pieces. Quality of work is no longer enough to guarantee consideration for performance.
The tips and advice contained in The Dead Stage allowed me to build an impressive portfolio of theatre work in a relatively short space of time. I believe it is important to share experiences if they may be able to help others achieve success.”

Tell us more about why you wanted to write this guide.
“Throughout my career, I have worked to create opportunities for others, believing it is better to be a small fish in a thriving ocean, rather than a big fish in a stagnant pond.
This book is about sharing my experiences and mistakes, in the hope that I can help others avoid the pitfalls that I fell into.
Theatre, more than any other medium, is a tough industry to break into. Every piece a playwright will write will always be in competition with work from the greatest playwrights of all time. Theatre is a business: seats need to be sold in order to keep theatres running, and so often established pieces are booked instead of the work of what many might term the ‘New Writing’. This is because they are considered safe bookings, and the theatre will, in most instances, not lose money. New writing is considered a risk. Usually, theatres set aside a budget for new writing, but this is often small and tightly contested.
But theatre needs new voices and there are theatre companies willing to give new writing a chance. This book is my way of saying that yes, it is possible to see your work performed on stage, no matter your previous experience in the theatre industry.”
If you have a passing interest in the theatre industry, either as a playwright, director, producer, actor or working behind the scenes, then this book is for you. It includes insights and advice from an array of professionals working at all levels of the industry today. Their advice helped me see my work performed on stage, now it’s their turn to help you.”

The book is due for release in October 2018. We will update you closer to the date for a pre-order link.

Thank you, Dan. We are looking forward to another excellent book from the Crystal Lake stable.
~Linzé

Sunday 2 September 2018

Coursework, writing, blogging and life

Photo by Emily Rudolph on Unsplash
I was a bit quiet this week, and not entirely of my own doing. I am doing an online course in Training and Development Management and the homework this past week was a bit more challenging and required more of my time. It is one of those things that you cannot just email the lecturer and tell him: "Sorry, I need more time because my blogs required my attention."
But I have a sneak preview of a new book for you on Tuesday, an interview with author and playwright Dan Weatherer where he reveals the story behind his upcoming book, The Dead Stage.
If you are an author or working on your first book, make sure you bookmark the post, because I will give you a pre-order link very soon.
Speaking of books, I have not only been studying, and the first draft of my next book, Take Your Journal to the Next Level is now at 69% complete. If you are a journal writer, and you live in Pretoria keep a lookout for the Facebook invitation to take part in a special project involving this book. But I am not going to reveal all the details yet.
Another exciting thing that is in the making is the republication of Negotiating the Maze - from self-published writer to successful authorpreneur. The ebook was withdrawn after Pronoun went under, but I have found a new publisher and hope to tell you the good news on where to find the ebook again very soon.
The paperback book is still available for South Africans if you want a signed copy.
The library indie book fair will take place again in November, and my place is secured. But more on that closer to the date.
Enough of all the exciting things going on right now. I have a book to write and more coursework coming in the week ahead.
Until next time!

Linzé
PS: I have another blog about life, wellness and life coaching. Take a look here.

Saturday 22 July 2017

Q & A with...Russ Colchamiro

Book @ Goodreads
Today I welcome Russ Colchamiro to the Broomstick.

Q: What are your ambitions for your writing career?
A: To become a multiple best-selling author who can retire to a private island.  And, of course, to continue to write the best books I know how to write at the time that I write them. I want readers to have a great time with my books, eager to read the next one. I’d like to spin off into other mediums as well, getting back into comic books, and writing for TV. I’m working on it.

Q: Tell us about your latest release.
A:  Love, Murder & Mayhem is a new anthology from Crazy 8 Press, with 15 stories from 15 authors. While I’m typically a novelist, I served as editor for this one, and contributed one of the stories. Each tale contains at least one act of love or romance, at least one murder, with lots of mayhem, all in various science fiction settings. We have superhero and supervillain stories. Off-world and space cruiser stories. We’ve also got A.I., private eyes, sleep surrogates, time travel, an aliens/monsters mash-up and … one DuckBob!

Q: Give us an insight into your protagonist.
A:  My story is “The Hardwicke Files: The Case of My Old New Life and the One I Never Knew.” It centers on Angela Hardwicke, a private eye in that classic Sam Spade style, fedora, pinstripe suit, knows the angles. She’s appeared in two of my books already—first as a drop-in character in Genius de Milo, and then as being more substantial in Astropalooza—and I plan to write an entire series based on her. But I wanted to experiment first, getting a better feel for who she is, and her rhythms, with her in the lead. I also know her origin story, which I’ll write at some point, and I know where her personal arc is headed. I’m really into crime fiction these days and plan to stick with it for quite a while.

Q: Where do the ideas come from?
A:  Anywhere and everywhere. They usually just pop into my head when I least expect them. Sometimes I know the kind of story I want to write, so I’ll do some research, or just play around with the concept, but more often than not, one minute there’s no story, and the next minute there is.

Q: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
A:  The longer I’m at this the more I do a lot of ‘pre-writing’ and outlining. I usually take 2-4 weeks working out the plot, and putting the basics to paper, including dialogue, setting, and key elements, and then go back when I’m done and follow my own blueprint. It allows me to write with more assertiveness, but also leaves room for inspiration—where the magic happens.

Q: Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?
A:  Movement. Get up from your desk. Go into another room. Take a walk. Exercise. Just physically move around and change your physical perspective. I do some of my best writing while out walking my dog. I’m also a big believer in talking things out loud – to myself. The more I talk it through the more likely it is that I’ll figure out why I’m stuck. I’ll actually hear the problem. I’ll go through my story or scene and then go, “I really need … wait! Oh. THAT’S why it doesn’t work! I need to do this.” Motion is a remarkable catalyst.

Q: What can we expect from you down the line?
A:  I’ll be sitting down soon to write my first full-length Hardwicke book, and I’m currently about two-thirds done with a top secret project I can’t talk about yet. After that … I have about a half dozen projects in my queue; it’s just a matter of deciding which one to write next.

About the Editor: Russ Colchamiro
Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the hilarious sci-fi backpacking comedy series, Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, and is editor of the new anthology, Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy 8 Press.
Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two children, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, and Altered States of the Union, and TV Gods 2. He is now at work on a top-secret project, and a Finders Keepers spin-off.
As a matter of full disclosure, readers should not be surprised if Russ spontaneously teleports in a blast of white light followed by screaming fluorescent color and the feeling of being sucked through a tornado. It’s just how he gets around — windier than the bus, for sure, but much quicker.




Tuesday 18 October 2016

Author Interview: René van Dalen

Welcome to the sixth author who took part in our JOURNEY project, René van Dalen.

What made you decide to take part in the JOURNEY project?
I thought it would be a good experience as I’ve never done anything like it before.

What is the title of your story? How did you come up with the title?
Destiny. Every journey has a destiny at its end. My characters went on a journey to discover theirs.

JOURNEY buy link https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/669319
What inspired your story?
In my novel, Hard Rock Unrehearsed, the characters make a brief but important appearance. This project gave me the opportunity to write about what happened to them.

Please tell us about the journey of your character(s)
Rock drummer Richie Vierra is on a downward spiral. When he almost dies of a drug overdose his ex-girlfriend, Jennie Robson, comes back into his life and together they fight the demons of their pasts to gain a chance at a future.

What other things, besides writing, do you like to do?
I love reading, music, and exploring. I’m a gypsy at heart and would love to travel the world and see and do everything! Reading, music and travel doccies gives me that opportunity while sitting at home.

If the end of the world is about to happen, which person would you want to be with for those last minutes? Why?
You want me to choose one! Not possible! My three are the most important people in my life so I’d want to be with them when the lights go out. They are also funny and irreverent which would make for a hilarious rather than tearful ending.

What did you learn about yourself or your journey as a writer during this project?
That I can work to a deadline without pulling my hair out in clumps.

What do you see as your biggest challenge as a writer?
Conquering social media. I totally suck at it! But I’m getting better, slowly.

What tool/software/technique/process do you find the most valuable to you as a writer?
I’m a list-maker. I take copious notes as I write. I find that I need to put things down on paper to help me plan out the plot twists in a story. Recently I joined Pinterest and make storyboards for my characters using sourced images. It’s a visual aid to flesh out my characters.

Do you have another project in the pipeline that you would like to share with my readers?
I’m busy rewriting and re-editing Hard Rock Unheard, the first novel in my Hard Rock series and working on the second novel in the series. The working title is Hard Rock Unsung and follows Trace Hanover, the lead singer of Storm Front. After almost losing Richie, his best friend, and their drummer, to drugs, he makes sweeping changes to his lifestyle. Then he meets a woman who has no idea who he is or what he does for a living. Their road is not an easy one.
author, René van Dalen, Rene van Dalen
Author: René van Dalen

Find René on social media
Twitter: @RenVanDalen1


Thank you, René!

Tuesday 11 October 2016

Author Interview: Charmain Lines

I welcome the first JOURNEY author to my blog today, Charmain Lines. She is a return visitor and I am happy to have her back.


1. What made you decide to take part in the JOURNEY project?
I needed motivation to focus on my writing and from previous experience with a writing project run by Linzé, I knew the project was just what I needed. Furthermore, I had recently read a book that had left me with story ideas that were a perfect fit for the “Journey” theme.

2. How did you come up with the title of your story?
It is called “The wars of men” and I only came up with it after, during my final edit, the main character uttered these words.

3. What inspired your story?
A book I read about Eugene de Kock, a security police operative during South Africa’s apartheid years.

4. Please tell us about the journey of your character(s)
The main characters are a woman and her two sons who move from South Africa to Ireland to start a new life. The story is set some 20 years after their physical move and plays out on the day they are confronted with the past.

5. What other things, besides writing, do you like to do?
At the moment I travel! My husband and I are on a 3-month European adventure that is taking us from Spain to France to Ireland to Italy. My day job is freelance writing and editing for mainly corporate clients.

6. If the end of the world is about to happen, which person would you want to be with for those last minutes?
My husband. We’d be able to talk about what is happening, remind each other of the great memories we have made together, and comfort each other.

7. What did you learn about yourself or your journey as a writer during this project?
I was reminded, again, to trust the process and be ok with not knowing exactly where the story will go.

8. What do you see as your biggest challenge as a writer?
Spending more hours at the keyboard than what I already do as a professional writer.

9. What tool/software/technique/process do you find the most valuable to you as a writer? 
I don’t use any writing tools, but the most useful and valuable technique is to never start editing before the first draft is done.

10. Do you have another project in the pipeline that you would like to share with my readers?
I’m working on a full-length novel, this one in Afrikaans, which is my home language.

Thank you, Charmain. Enjoy your travels!

Tuesday 4 October 2016

Author Interview: Andrea Vermaak

Today I welcome Andrea Vermaak to my blog. Andrea's contribution to the JOURNEY anthology was invaluable. Not only did she contribute her own story, she was the editor for all the authors, and she let me bully her (okay, it wasn't that bad 😉) into mentoring Michelle's first forays into Young Adult stories.

author, editor, Andrea Vermaak, JOURNEY anthology
What is the title of your story?
Break Away

What inspired your story?
Other writers always tell me to write what I know. I've drawn from many aspects of my life to write Break Away: from people I have met to experiences I've had. The old man in my story is, however, inspired by a few lines in 'Kill your heroes' by AWOLNATION.

Please tell us about the journey of your character(s)
Jenna, my main protagonist, goes on both physical and emotional journeys. The two journeys are inseparable; metaphorically speaking, of course.

What other things, besides writing, do you like to do?
Read! All writers have to read! I go to an adult ballet class once a week despite having three left feet, and I try not to sound like a dying mosquito when I attend my weekly violin lesson. I guess I adore music and movement no matter how bad I may be at them!

What did you learn about yourself or your journey as a writer during this project?
When I am stuck, I must not give up! This particular project has been very challenging because my story is a bit too close to the bone. I am afraid of who will read it, so I try to veer away from the truth, but the story loses its backbone when I do. I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn't matter who reads it, I must just keep digging deep and keep on writing!

What do you see as your biggest challenge as a writer?
To write a great ending. My draft endings are always too obvious, too soppy, or both.

Do you have another project in the pipeline that you would like to share with my readers?
I have two short stories for which I would like to write better endings (told you so), as well as bits of a novel which I would like to finish during NaNoWriMo this year.

Thank you, Andrea! It was a pleasure working with you on this project.
Note from Linzé: Andrea has agreed to be my editor for Waiting for Adrian - yay!

😱 If you missed the interviews with the first two JOURNEY authors, Melissa and Michelle, just click their names 😎

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Author Interview: Michelle Kemp

Today I welcome Michelle Kemp to my blog. Michelle's JOURNEY story will resonate with young adult readers, but I am sure there are many adults who would appreciate the story too.

author Michelle Kemp, YA author
JOURNEY Author: Michelle Kemp
1. What made you decide to take part in the JOURNEY project?
I started writing stories when I was 9 years old so writing has always been a part of my life. I am a teacher so my passion has been writing children’s books and I have published seven books to date. However, I felt I was in need of a new challenge. When I heard about the Journey project I was very excited. I was eager to try my hand at writing fiction for someone older than 8 years. The concept of a central theme (as well as a set word count and deadline) really motivated me as I thrive on challenges. I was excited to be able to work with such an amazing, diverse group of authors and have really learned a lot.

2. What is the title of your story? How did you come up with the title?
The title of my story is Lonely. I have always loved writing poetry and as a teen it was a great way to express my emotions. I wrote a poem called Lonely as it was how I felt at the time. When I was writing this story, that poem was really resonating with me and my memories of being a lonely teen.

3. What inspired your story?
I actually wrote the first paragraph of the story years ago and never really did anything with it. One day I was reading through some of my old work looking for inspiration for Journey and I found this short text. It really struck a chord with me and I just started to write. I soon had a vision of this harsh bleak world; where the loneliness I had felt as a teen didn’t even compare to the loneliness found there. I realised that it is all about perspective. I wanted to share my story as it is a symbol of the journey that many teens experience.

4. Please tell us about the journey of your character(s)
My character is a teenage girl who goes on a journey to overcome her fears of loneliness. She is thrown into a world where she has no choice but to confront the harsh loneliness of life. Through this journey she learns that there are things that are worse than putting yourself out there and embracing life.

5. What other things, besides writing, do you like to do?
I own a school and teach one of the classes so that takes up a lot of my time. I also teach creative writing to primary school children on some afternoons. When I do have spare moments I love to read as much as I can. I live on a smallholding with my parents so I enjoy being out in nature and spending time with my family. I enjoy dancing and swimming to relax but am also partial to drinking hot chocolate on the couch watching an epic movie.

6. What did you learn about yourself or your journey as a writer during this project?
I have learned so much during this project. I think one of the greatest things is that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible. I have spread my wings as a writer and enjoyed every moment of the flight. I realise that my journey is far from over and that there is always a new challenge around the corner if I am just brave enough to take the chance.

7. What do you see as your biggest challenge as a writer?
I think my biggest challenges would be time and editing. I love the writing process and enjoy working on different concepts. As such I work better with a deadline, as it helps me focus and devote time to a project. I prefer to write rather than edit but I am learning to enjoy polishing my work.

Thank you, Michelle, and all the best with your writing!

You can learn more about Michelle online:


Tuesday 20 September 2016

Author Interview: Melissa Adendorff

Today I welcome Melissa Adendorff to the Broomstick. Melissa joined us at a late date, and still managed to complete her story ahead of time. Impressive!

1. What made you decide to take part in the JOURNEY project?
My friend Andrea told me that she was embarking on a new creative writing project, and I blurted out that I’d love to join. I have been writing my doctoral thesis for the last three years, so my creative juices desperately needed an outlet.

author Melissa Adendorff
2. How did you come up with the title of your story?
The title of my story is “I was just hungry.” It came about after a fight with my partner – I was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, and a myriad of emotions, but all I could say was that I was hungry. That excuse stuck in my mind, and it matched my initial story concept.

3. What inspired your story?
I didn’t write out of inspiration, to be honest. I sat down in front of the computer, typed “I was just hungry”, and just let the words flow. I needed to get something off of my chest, and that’s what ended up on the page.

4. What other things, besides writing, do you like to do?
I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Karambit knife fighting, ballet, and indoor climbing. I love to bake, and I can embroider … I am also in the final stages of my PhD, which, while not necessarily a thing I like to do, is a thing that I’ve been immersed in to the point where separation is difficult.

5. What did you learn about yourself or your journey as a writer during this project?
I gained some insight into my behaviour, in terms of the passive aggressive slips which arise from not just addressing a problem in the moment. I was reminded of the therapeutic value of writing down the thing that hurts, writing down my truth, in order to gain some distance from it.

6. What do you see as your biggest challenge as a writer?
I do not always trust in my own creative process. I have become so accustomed to writing in a formal, academic style, with references in order to justify my every thought; and I often feel “naked” without other experts to hide behind in my creative writing. I often write the first, visceral, honest draft, only to discard it in favour of something more remote and detached, because I am not really used to the emotive language anymore, and that hurts my process, because I can only write from a place of honest emotion.

7. What tool/software/technique/process do you find the most valuable to you as a writer?
I suppose my process is to have a “study buddy.” When I am working with another person, I am more motivated to complete a goal, and I have a resource right next to me for feedback if I need it. I struggle to work in isolation.

Thank you, Melissa!
Note from Linzé - Since doing the interview, Melissa has completed her PhD. Well done!

You can follow Melissa online:



Thursday 21 May 2015

Linzé Interviews: Massimo Marino of the Book Garage

I welcome my Facebook friend, Massimo Marino to my blog today to chat about his new business.

Linzé: Why did you start the business?
Massimo: We started BookGarage because we are convinced that self-publishing is here to stay, but we also think that successful self-publishing is not a do-it-alone thing. Rather, it requires the collaboration of professional experts, just like any other business venture. We do think that any committed author—no matter of how good he or she is—needs assistance with things like editing, proofreading, cover design, marketing, and the like. With BookGarage we want to create a community of like-minded people and be the one-stop shop for everything related to professional self-publishing.

Linzé: With all the publishing companies already in existence, what makes BookGarage unique?
Massimo: First, and just to be clear, BookGarage is not a publishing house, meaning we don’t publish books. Nevertheless, one of the services we offer is assistance with publishing. So, if a self-publisher needs help with the publishing of his or her book on, say, Amazon Kindle or Apple iBooks, we will do that, and we can take care of the technical details to make the book available on major retailers.
Regarding competition, other companies offering publishing services focus on authors and freelancers. Our business model is built on interaction between not only authors and freelancers, but also readers. This is important because bringing readers into the equation is about discoverability. And that is one of the main challenges for any author, with thousands and thousands of new books being published every day. Additionally, readers are frustrated for the same reason: it is difficult to discover authors who approach self-publishing in a professional way, we think readers will be pleased to discover authors who work a lot—and, thinking of Hemingway, bleed on the keyboard—and books that are polished.
In this sense, too, we think of BookGarage as a community of like-minded people, having a common goal, producing and enjoying well written books.
There are other features, too, which make BookGarage unique. For instance, the way we approach crowdfunding. We will discuss this more in detail on BookGarage.com closer to the launch of that particular service.

Linzé: What services do you offer for the author?
Massimo: The services we offer to authors are:
Editing
Proofreading
Translation
File creation and conversion
ISBN
Book cover design
Blurb and synopsis writing
Design and management of author websites
Video trailer production
Aggregated distribution
Marketing
Crowdfunding

We have just posted our first article on professional self-publishing, and why a committed self-published author needs a team to turn a manuscript into a book.

Linzé: How can an interested author get hold of you?
Massimo: An interested author can get hold of us via our website www.bookgarage.com, can register to our newsletter, and contact us directly via email. We are also reachable on our social media pages, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

Linzé: Thank you Massimo. My fellow authors it looks like the Book Garage might indeed be the one stop service you have been waiting for. Take a look at their website and share the news on your social media timelines.

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Interview: STORM Author Vanessa Wright

 
1. What inspired you to write your stories for the STORM anthology? 
Inspiration comes from many things, a word, an overheard piece of conversation, human pain and suffering, events in the news and even from a large, fat lady I call the Muse. For the Storm anthology however I relied on my own experiences with depression for Dandelions for Mother, while A Storm in a Teacup was inspired by flash fiction I wrote for a MASH competition, the characters just had to get another chance to be in the limelight.
2. Tell us what your stories are all about. 
Dandelions for Mother is basically about a ten year old girl who has lost her mother to cancer and is trying to cope with life as a orphan. It does not help that her father is also suffering from a form of depression and thinks she looks like her mother. The girl retreats into an imaginary world.
[Note from Linzé - I deleted some words here, as Vanessa gave the ending away, naughty thing!]
I did a complete 360 degree turnaround with A Storm in a Teacup which is a comedic, science fiction story about Oogithap and Ilgiprart who are sent to earth on a mission. They are Electrosquids of the Fungus Asteroid and the things they get up to are hilarious. You will have to read it to believe it.
3. What excited you about taking part in the STORM anthology? 
Getting to work with all my fellow authors and of course the exposure that one gains. The more books you have out there, the better the chances are that you will be recognised; a good friend taught me this valuable lesson.
4. What is your next project about and when can we expect it to be published? 
I am working towards a novel for NB Publishers’ novel of the year competition. Sadly, it will be in Afrikaans. The next big thing in English however is Something evil comes, a psychological crime thriller. I am planning on a release date in early November.
5. What is your biggest challenge in writing? 
Time, time, time. I never seem to have enough of it! I tried eating a gazillion Bar Ones as the advertisement claims that you would have a 25 hour day. It doesn’t work and all the extra kilo’s have been transformed into a flotation device around my middle.
6. How do you deal with this challenge? 
I don’t that’s why my family have to scrape me off the ceiling with a spatula every now and again.
7. What advice would you offer to other authors having to deal with this same challenge? 
Set up a routine and a timetable. Schedule writing for every day until it becomes a habit. Do as I say not as I do.
8. Please explain to my readers your writing process and how you manage your life to accommodate your writing. 
Writing for me, invariably happens in the early hours of the morning when everything is quiet and the pugs (all six of them) are snoring away. I am a pantser- no planning involved; I have a general idea of where I am going to and then the characters start living on their own and their decisions decide where the plot is moving off to next. Otherwise I apply ample butt to chair and bleed. I write, therefore I am sums it up nicely. I need to make time to write otherwise I might as well stop breathing. Dramatic? Sure, you’re talking to the ultimate drama queen.
You can find Vanessa's books here on Smashwords

Saturday 7 June 2014

Interview: STORM Author Natalie Rivener


1. What inspired you to write your stories for the STORM anthology?
Beyond and The Gravic Exacerbation are two stories I've used to discover a little more about a fantasy world I've been working on for over a decade. 

2. Tell us what your stories are all about.
Beyond is about a band of myhrr who have to overcome the impossible to save their people from extinction. Many have been sent before them, and none have returned. Dare they hope against hope that they might make it past the deadly Serpent Storm?

The Gravic Exacerbation - Jaten doesn't know why Mestrae Corvic is going on and on about greater castings being layered. Nothing seems to be going wrong...aside from the usual 'unforseen inconveniences' of the latest magical advances, like that tail he grew last week or the new lighting caused by Mestrae Yundra's shroud. Then again, his mestrae seems more worked up than usual. Maybe, just maybe there's something to old Corvic's rants after all. 

3. What excited you about taking part in the STORM anthology?
This is the first time I will be able to hold and smell a book that contains stories written by me. It's a life dream.

4. What is your next project about and when can we expect it to be published?
My next project is a fantasy, scifi and horror anthology called Flight of the Phoenix. If all goes well, it will be available by the end of September 2014.

5. What is your biggest challenge in writing?
Taking my dreams serious enough to keep writing. It's really easy to give into the world's opinion that writing isn't a real career.

6. How do you deal with this challenge?
I remind myself how absolutely awesome it felt to publish a short story on Smashwords and see my friends and family actually downloading it. And, then, I remember how fulfilling it is to use my gift and how no other high in the world can beat that.

7. What advice would you offer to other authors having to deal with this same challenge?
Don't let the world tell you that you can't make it work. If anything, remember that most people are insanely jealous of the fact that you are not afraid to live your dream.

8. Please explain to my readers your writing process and how you manage your life to accommodate your writing.
I can't really say that I have a standard writing process. Every time I write, I do it differently. 
I have a novel-length story I've been trying to write for a good 14 years and it's changed a lot. I guess, I started with a general concept of where I want to start and where I want to end up, but the middle has been a process of writing, tearing it all up and writing again.
When I started out, Beyond was a little piece of background to the story I mentioned above. The details came to me in a flood as I started writing.
The concept for The Gravic Exacerbation came to me in a rush one afternoon, but the first draft morphed and wobbled a lot. Then, I had to re-engineer most of it and change it far more than I had anticipated.
Who knows what will happen next time?

You can find all Natalie's books on Smashwords

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Interview: STORM author Charmain Lines


1. What inspired you to write your stories for the STORM anthology?
Sadly I don’t have an interesting inspiration story to tell this time! The first three sentences literally popped up in my mind one evening (it might have been while I was brushing my teeth – something about that specific action regularly triggers thoughts/reminders/ideas). I went to one of my favourite coffee shops the next day and by the end of the afternoon had completed about a third of the story.

2. Tell us what your stories are all about.
“Once upon a storm” is a story in a story. The setting is an orphanage where one of the older girls read a bedtime story – about a little storm – to four younger children. As the bedtime story unfolds, we learn more about each of the children: Twinnie who pines for his lost half, the 20 cheetahs in Vince’s garden, Maggie’s wish for a picnic in a park, the mystery of the new girl and, of course, Lauren’s encounter with the woman who wears wings.

3. What excited you about taking part in the STORM anthology?
It was my first foray into short story-writing, and also my first writing project as part of a group.

4. What is your next project about and when can we expect it to be published?
My next novel is in Afrikaans and deals with three generations of the same family. When grandmother Stella dies, her sons and grandchildren discover a secret she’s been keeping from them for more than 30 years. This changes their perception of who she was and all she stood for, and forces them to examine all the other truths on which they had built their lives. My aim is to enter the manuscript into a local competition that closes on1 September 2014.

I’m also busy with a non-fiction book that tells the story of how a small Irish community succeeded in saving their local wetland (bog) from being mined for peat. We are planning to publish the book by the end of this year.

5. What is your biggest challenge in writing?
The time I spend I front of my laptop. I earn my living as a freelance corporate journalist/business writer, hence I pound away at my keyboard for most of the day. Sometimes I literally run out of words, and other times I can’t bear to be in front of the screen once my workday is over. Having said that, corporate writing has taught me incredibly useful lessons that I apply to my fiction writing.

6. How do you deal with this challenge?
By doing my fiction writing before my workday starts. Early in the morning, when it’s quiet and my mind is fresh, I can easily knock off a thousand words in an hour.

7. What advice would you offer to other authors having to deal with this same challenge?

Find the creative writing time that works for you and guard it jealously.

8. Please explain to my readers your writing process and how you manage your life to accommodate your writing.
I try to write between 05:30 and 06:30 every weekday morning. The routine helps me and by writing every day, my head stays with my story. Writing with other people has helped me a great deal in the past, ie, getting together for a few hours to write. When I can, I like to write in a coffee shop – the activity around me becomes white noise and the fact that someone else brings the refreshments to me keeps me pinned to my chair! I also find that sharing some of my writing with people whose opinions I trust can be a great motivator when I run out of steam. Constructive feedback at the right time is an energy boost for me.

You can find all Charmain's books on Smashwords

Theme reveal: My A-to-Z blog challenge 2024

  It's been a while since I have taken part in the blog challenge. The problem is always coming up with new ideas so it isn't boring...