Blooming Author J.W. Ocker!

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” ~ George Sheehan

 J.W. Ocker's book The New England Grimpendium was published by Countryman Press, a division of W.W. Norton and Company, NY, this month.

Tell us about The New England Grimpendium. What is it about and where will it be available?
It’s basically a personal travelogue of some 200 macabre sites, artifacts, and attractions all over New England. Stuff like Claude Rains’ grave, the Edward Gorey House, a book made of human skin, the Zaffis Paranormal Museum, the Black Dahlia Memorial, the town where they filmed Beetlejuice, unique grave stones and cemeteries, weird collections, mummies. Anything creepy and Valley of the Shadow of Death-ish that I could find in New England. The book is part guidebook on how to find these things and part a collection of essays based on my firsthand experience at each location.

It’s available in all the usual places, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble. I have a few copies in my study.

What were your inspirations for The New England Grimpendium? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?
Two main ones, I think, for the book. First, New England itself. My wife and I moved to New England from the Mid-Atlantic region for no other reason than that we both love New England. We love how old it is. How great its Falls and Winters are. The fact that every three blocks, you can find a centuries-old graveyard.

Second, the entire horror genre was the foundational inspiration for the book…movies, literature, art. In fact, I sought out physical New England connections to the genre just as much as the historical gruesomeness. For instance, there’s a whole section on horror movie filming locations and another on legends and personalities of the macabre. Everybody from Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and Henry James to Aleister Crowley Rob Zombie, and the guy who wrote the Monster Mash have left traces in New England. Ah. That was a very masculine list. Shirley Jackson, Edith Wharton, and Bette Davis are also featured.

As to the actual writing, the inspiration came from actually seeing and experience these places. So not only do I get to tell readers about the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, but also what it’s like to stay the night there at that murder scene turned tourist attraction.

In general, I don't know. I guess I’m not much of an inspired guy. Always looking for places to go, though.

Let's talk about your process. How do you approach a story, do you start with outlines or something else? Where did you work when writing The New England Grimpendium? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?
Writing experiential nonfiction is a pretty lazy process for me, especially this kind where it’s less a continuous book and more a collection of articles. Of course, going to the place is half the writing. From there I just need an idea for the context (basically the introduction), and off I can run. In fact, I probably spend more time coming up with the angle than actually writing the piece. Also, since most of the book is written in a casual tone, it’s just a matter of “talking” rather than “composing.” All in all, it’s a pretty undisciplined approach and I’m totally hurting myself as a writer because of it.

I wrote most of the Grimpendium in my study at my house. It’s my favorite place in the world, full of my books and all the things I’ve collected over the years. And there’s this big window that looks out on my neighborhood just behind my computer monitor, in case I want to get all voyeur-y on the world.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."
For the past 3.5 years I’ve been writing for my site O.T.I.S.: Odd Things I’ve Seen, where I visit, photograph, and write about whatever oddities of art, culture, nature, and history stick out to me as interesting. Stuff like L. Frank Baum’s New York birthplace (they have yellow-bricked sidewalks there, you know), drive-through animal safaris, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial. Whatever sticks out to me as something that will make my life better if I see it firsthand.

Although the tone of the oddities varies wildly, a recurring them on O.T.I.S. is definitely the macabre. I originally put together a book proposal based on the overall O.T.I.S. concept, but after a couple of rejections decided to refine it. I then focused the concept a bit more, picked New England because that’s where I live, and created two proposals, one a literary tour of New England sites, the other the Grimpendium. The first publisher I tried picked up the Grimpendium. They also turned down the literary idea, by the way. Spooks beat books, I guess. The website was the important part, though. It gave me the appearance of an expertise on a topic and the illusion of a following, and it helped me develop and refine a style for this type of writing.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?
I’ve already done some speaking and have a few book store appearances lined up, some guest blogging, a few newspaper interviews and photo ops. As we get into October, I’m expecting the interest to increase since ‘tis the season and all that. I’ll be posting updates on events and press attention on my author site jwocker.com as they happen. And, of course, I’m beating the book mercilessly on O.T.I.S. with photo essays based on the book. It’s like Shakespeare said, “Sell yourself.”

Odd Things I've Seen
J.W. Ocker
J.W. Ocker on Twitter

Blooming Author Lea Ryan!

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” ~ George Sheehan

Lea Ryan's book MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth was published by CreateSpace this week.

Tell us about MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth. What is it about and where will it be available?
The novel is about a nineteen year old girl named AnnaBeth who inherits her grandmother’s Victorian mansion. The house comes complete with a cat, a crow and a ghost.

She becomes involved with the most powerful family in town, the MacDowells. The two elderly matriarchs, Vestra and Madeline, act as ‘fates’ or witches who control the lives of almost everyone around them. They take AnnaBeth under their wing as a sort of fate in training.

She, of course, gets in over her head. They make her do things she doesn’t really want to do. They turn her into a person she doesn’t really want to be.

She falls in love with their son, Justin, too. The romance between Justin and AnnaBeth is a big part of the story. When she wants out of the whole witchcraft situation, she refuses to cut ties with the family out of fear for him.

It is currently available in print on Amazon (ISBN: 978-1453787397) and on ebook at www.smashwords.com.


What were your inspirations for MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?
MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth began as an idea I had for a short story. I wanted to write a story about witches who used parts of the dead to make potions that kept them young looking. I started making notes, and the story turned into something else entirely.

As far as my inspiration, it can really come from anywhere. I get inspiration from books and movies. My surroundings inspire me too. I get ideas for stories when I visit places I think are interesting.

Dreams have inspired me a few times as well. Sometimes I have these really crazy, vivid dreams. Then when I wake up, I have to grab a piece of paper and write the dream down before I forget it.

Let's talk about your process. How do you approach a story, do you start with outlines or something else? Where did you work when writing MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?
I usually start with some vague idea for a conflict, and then I brainstorm until it turns into a story. I always use outlines. I need to know where I’m going before I start writing. The story can sometimes take on a life of its own though.

When writing MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth, I worked anywhere and everywhere I could find a free moment. I carried around an IPaq PDA and wrote on that or notebooks during lunch breaks at work and any time I had some quiet. As long as I'm in a place in which I can hear myself think, it's the optimal environment.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."
I didn’t go the traditional route when it comes to publishing. The whole agent/query thing wasn’t for me. I think I knew that from the beginning. I sent a letters to a few agents with no luck and then decided not to waste any more time with that process.

I do have an editor/sometime publisher – Dee Armstrong Crabtree. Her website is www.simplywonderfulbooks.com.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?
I’m having an online release party this week and next on my website. There will be a drawing for some free ebooks and one signed print copy of the book. I am also releasing a short story called Mischief in Reau Garden that features some of the adult characters from MacDowell Sisters & AnnaBeth as children. The link to the free download will be on my website.

I’m writing a guest post on the Miscellaneous Moments blog. I have an interview on my publisher/editor’s blog http://simplywonderfulbooks.blogspot.com/ . I believe that one is scheduled for next week.

My website is here: http://www.LeaRyan.com

Fresh Voice Amanda Alley!

"we do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit." - E.E. Cummings

Welcome to the latest edition of Fresh Voices. We are delighted to share with you the voice of Amanda Alley!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
You know, I just won’t be happy until I’ve published a novel, but I am realistic enough to know that I need to take it slow. Insert “baby steps” cliché here, right? For now, I’m content to tweet, blog (http://athenasden.com) and toss around a few short story ideas. Blogging has actually been much more difficult than I anticipated, partly because I spent so many years focusing on non-fiction and partly because that “publish” button just frightens me. With one click, I’m on display. It’s an frightening and amazing prospect for me.

Why do you write?
I’m one of those ridiculous people who has been writing since childhood, and no matter where else life has taken me, I’m always playing with words. I was the kid who loved essay tests and composed poems while walking the dog. And when I was a manager, I’m pretty sure even my month-end reports had a narrative arc! You get the idea.

I am also a naturally introspective and bookish gal, but it’s more than that. As the baby of the family, I’m awfully fond of attention. I don’t think I even admitted it to myself until I joined twitter and felt a sincere urge to entertain my followers. They didn’t click “Follow User” just for me to talk about what color – usually taupe – I painted my toenails today. What a shock to think that I spent thirty years in wallflower mode, aka denial!

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
Oh, I have definitely struggled with voice over the years. I’ve spent a great deal of time researching ancient cultures and studying the social sciences, but facts not voice are the focus of that type of writing. And that is part of what’s been so difficult about my blog. I would write out these very sober but technically sound essays and think Where’s the joy in that? Delete. Delete. Delete. It’s only recently that a different voice has emerged and it’s one that wants to laugh a little more. Once again, I was caught completely off guard.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
Hermann Hesse is one of my biggest influences because he really struggled to reconcile his rational nature with his earthy, or sensual, impulses. It was so difficult for him to be a sexual being and erudite man and he taps into the darker side of our psyche in a very positive way. Growing up in rural Virginia, I really needed someone like him.

I also love Paul Auster and Milan Kundera for the way they challenge traditional story-telling. They blur the boundaries between author, protagonist and reader. They are intellectually demanding without being obtuse.

On a more personal note, I have had the privilege of knowing Elizabeth Eslami, author of Bone Worship (Pegasus 2009), since I was an awkward college student. Her unwavering dedication to the writing life is such an inspiration. Knowing her and seeing what she’s been through makes me feel like “real” people can be writers too.

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
My mother recently asked me, “When did you know you wanted to be a writer?” There never was a moment when it wasn’t what I wanted. So many of the people I admire throughout history and in pop culture are writers. It takes me back to all those cheesey college entrance essays. “Who do you most admire and why?” Excluding the time I told one extremely snobbish college the tramp from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp just to make them uncomfortable, my essays were always about big thinkers and great authors.

I sincerely enjoy researching, thinking, corresponding and writing, so all the daily tasks associated with being a writer are things I would be doing anyway. The lingo is just different now. Instead of going to the bookstore, it’s market research and instead of messing around on twitter, I’m networking. Oh, and instead of doodling, I’m brainstorming. I especially love that one.


If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what would you choose?
With my hobbies, my options are writer or college professor. I always have to be studying something new. One time in Washington, my roommate came home and I had books sprawled all over the coffee table and was making comparative religion charts. I wasn’t in school at the time so he looked at me bewildered and asked what I was doing. “Well, I didn’t have any homework, so I gave myself some.”

If you had to describe your writing in one word, what would that word be?
I don’t know if it’s there yet, but my goal is to be unpretentious.

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
In his book Palm Sunday, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. wrote, “I think it can be tremendously refreshing if a creator of literature has something on his mind other than the history of literature so far.” Vonnegut gave me permission to have and pursue interests other than writing and literature and while it hasn’t been the most linear of paths, I feel like I still ended up in the right place and at the right time.

Amanda Alley is an aspiring writer who adores coffee, words, aromatherapy, mythology, wine and nature walks. She enjoys stacking wood, washing dishes, making outlines and giggling like a school girl. She divided her youth between Maryland and Virginia but did most of her growing up in the Pacific Northwest. Please join her in Athena’s Den where sometimes the sacred actually meets the profane, but mostly she compiles quirky lists. Check out http://athenasden.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/and-now-class-its-time-for-the-essay-portion-of-this-blog/

Blooming Author Laura Harner!

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” ~ George Sheehan
 
Laura Harner's book Whiteout was was published by Cobblestone Press in August 2010.

Tell us about Whiteout. What is it about and where will it be available?
Whiteout is about three perfectly ordinary people trapped together in a cabin during a monster winter storm. By the time the storm is over their lives won’t be considered quite so ordinary anymore.

The two men, Cade and Carter, have been roommates for years and have shared everything from team sports to their law practice. They’ve both known Christina since second grade, but neither man has ever asked her out.

Christina has never been able to make her mind up about which of the two men she’s most interested in, and never found a man that interests more than either Cade or Carter. When Cade sees Christina making a purchase clearly designed to keep a lonely woman warm as the storm approaches, he takes matters into his own hands and the men show up on her doorstep to ride out the storm. It’s a contemporary erotic romance, a ménage story, and it will keep any one warm.

Whiteout is the first book of the Three’s Allowed series and it’s available right now from Cobblestone Press.

What were your inspirations for Whiteout? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?
One of the major digital first publishers had a call for submissions for an upcoming winter anthology and they were looking for something to heat up cold winter nights. The idea appealed to me but I didn’t have much time before the deadline. I spent the last seven winters in a very cold and sometimes very snowy northern Arizona, so it wasn’t hard to picture a winter storm that would keep everyone shut in for a few days. The idea grew from there.

In general, I get my inspiration from relationships and odd situations. I love to put good people into an awkward circumstance, throw in a little misunderstanding and watch them work their way through it. One of the common threads in all of my books is a strong female main character. No matter how sexy the man, or in this case, the men are, it takes a strong woman to bring about the right element of romance.

Let's talk about your process. How do you approach a story, do you start with outlines or something else? Where did you work when writing Whiteout? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?
I rarely use an outline. Generally, when I start a book, I know who my main characters are and I know how I want the ending to turn out. Then I just start writing. If the characters are right, the story flows for me because I can live it through their experiences and ideas.

I follow a lot of other writers on Twitter and I see them post about their five page outlines and it makes my hands twitch and my brain itchy. I tried that once and spent a week creating a beautiful outline for a book. Less than two chapters into my writing, one of the characters took a definite left turn from where I thought he would go and it turned the whole outline on its ear. The characters really do come alive for me and as their personalities grow through the story, the way they interact or the choices they make also change.

I want to write, not plan to write. I know that doesn’t work for everybody, but it’s how it works for me.

As for where I write, I have a spare bedroom in our house I’ve taken over as an office. I have an old dining room table as a desk. I used to write on a laptop in the living room, but now I really enjoy the quiet space.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."
As I mentioned earlier, I wrote Whiteout for a special call for submissions, but after a month of waiting I received the dreaded “No thank you” letter. I had spent the month while I was waiting polishing the manuscript and immediately sent it out again. That was on a Monday. By Thursday of that same week, I had signed a contract with Cobblestone Press. I had also submitted it to two other publishers at the same time and both had expressed interest. It was a matter of getting the right story, to the right publisher, at the right time.

I just signed a contract for another book in the Three’s Allowed series called Rescued, which is due for release in November from Cobblestone Press.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?
I am just starting get the hang of this publicity stuff. To tell the truth, I just want to keep writing. Thanks to you and other wonderful bloggers out there, plus social media like Twitter and Facebook, I expect to make more appearances to talk about Whiteout and the upcoming Rescued.

Fresh Voice: Jay Eckert!

"we do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit." - E.E. Cummings

Welcome to the latest edition of Fresh Voices. We are delighted to share with you the voice of Jay Eckert!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
My ultimate goal is to be published and have enough repeat success so that I can make writing my full time job. I can't imagine this is an uncommon goal. It's one heck of a stretch, of course, but to some degree it's in my hands. How so? I have to write. A lot. I have to continually improve as a writer. If I'm able to dream up characters and stories about which I'd like to read, then I'm heading in the right direction. And if my writing group and my family like them, then I know I'm improving my chances for success. I have some brutally honest beta readers.

Why do you write?
Frankly, it started as a hobby, and then I found it helped me reconnect with a creative side that had been underused for a while. I actually did an entire blog post about this very topic on SM Blooding & Crew - http://smblooding.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-do-i-write-jay-eckert.html

In the end, I write because I like to write. It certainly fulfills many needs, but I'm not one of those people who writes because I can't help it. I certainly don't write for free coffee. You have to be careful with free coffee. Once in a while, you'll work in some office where they're using starbucks, but most often, it'll be some packets of Krusty's recycled grounds sent through an industrial coffee maker that adds a foul odor and taste to everything with which it comes into contact.

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
I think every novel or series has a distinct voice. In my case, my first two novels didn't have a particularly compelling voice. They were far more plot driven and I didn't connect particularly well with the characters. As the author -- the supernatural force pulling the strings -- if all I do is like or dislike my own creations, it's a problem. After those two novels, I decided I needed to switch things up and took on a new project -- Urban Mythos -- by writing in the first person POV. This was a total breakthrough. As I wrote, I found that I fell in love with each and every one of my characters. Well, okay, just the "good guys". I have a son in high school, and I see and hear a lot of teenage attitude. Despite what my kids say, I'm also not so old that I've forgotten what it was like to be them, albeit with archaic video games and a complete lack of texting. On top of that, I read a ton of YA and Middle Grade fiction to make sure my voice is honest. My characters are often an amalgam of other fictional folk, with the occasional nod to a family member or friend.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
There are a ton, but here's a shortened list.

JK Rowling - The voice. The fairytale feel. It would be easy to say that it's because I can read all seven Harry Potter books over and over and never tire of them. And while that's true, it's not the real reason. Simply put, she motivates me. If I can make others feel about my characters the way she's made me feel about the characters in her world, I will feel like I've accomplished something great.

Neil Gaiman - Because he wrote Neverwhere and the Graveyard Book. But mostly because he wrote Neverwhere. His imagination is all over the page for the reader to see.

Stephen King - I don't think anyone needs an actual reason to like Stephen King. Here are some of my own, however. The Stand. The Talisman. It. More recently, Under the Dome. There are few writers that can make me stick with a 1000 page tome as consistently as he can. Only he could have concluded the Dark Tower they way he did. You want to talk about brutal honesty and total fearlessness? Uncle Stevie will go anywhere and do anything. Is it occasionally a bit much? Sure. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child - Because they've created a detective series featuring the strangest hero ever - Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. And because I generally learn a little something new about New York City or some other locale.

Suzanne Collins - Another fearless author of both Middle Grade and YA. Mockingjay is a brutally honest ending to a fantastic series that captivated everyone.

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
I love spending hours each night living in a fantasy world of my own creation, forgetting about my professional responsibilities. I like sharing those stories and characters with others. Personally, I'd prefer to actually spend more of that time during the day, as opposed to after dinner hopped up on Cafe Americano's struggling to stay awake.

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what would you choose?
Good question. I used to think that if I won the lottery, I'd move to a college town and teach. But I'm not sure I'm suited to teaching. Maybe an ice road trucker. You know work is tough when you think being an ice road trucker seems like a relaxing profession. Since you say I'd have guaranteed success and wouldn't drive off a mountain, maybe it's an option.


If you had to describe your writing in one word, what would that word be?
Plain

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
From literary agent Donald Maass in Writing the Breakout Novel -- "As authors we like our protagonists. We are tempted to protect them from trouble. That temptation must be resisted."

I agree. You need to be merciless with your babies. What doesn't kill them will make them stronger.

There's also this one other bit of advice I've seen repeated a number of times. "It's okay to write crap in a first draft." It helps me tune out that evil inner editor and get to the end of the story.

Jay Eckert is a writer of YA fiction, including his YA Urban Fantasy, Urban Mythos and his YA contemporary fantasy, The Children of Midian. He is also an active member of SCBWI. He posted a series of blog entries entitled, "Birth of a Novel", in which he chronicled the development of Urban Mythos. Here's a sample - http://jayeckert.blogspot.com/2009/08/birth-of-novel-chapter-2.html - you can link back and forth from there.

Blooming Author: Benjamin Rogers!

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” ~ George Sheehan

Benjamin Rogers' book Faith and the Undead was published by Library of the Living Dead Press in May 2010.

Tell us about Faith and the Undead. What is it about and where will it be available?
FAITH & THE UNDEAD is the story of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse.  In FAITH and the rest of the Trilogy of the Undead when it’s completed, I’ve used a throwback method for the creation of the undead.  The story is about Good vs. Evil as most zombie novels are, but The Creator and Satan (Shaitan, Lucifer…) are finally battling it out for the souls of mankind.  Satan creates the zombies to carrying out his evil deeds on Earth, specifically terminate the good.

FAITH & THE UNDEAD is available on Amazon.com in both trade paperback and Kindle formats.  You can also check out my website at http://benjamincrogers.com for more information on upcoming appearances.

What were your inspirations for FAITH & THE UNDEAD? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?
There were many inspirations for FAITH & THE UNDEAD.  A lot of the more realistic portions are based on experiences I had or friends of mine had while in the military.  Much of the more ‘fictional’ pieces came from ideas that I’ve had running through the dark recesses of my mind for years.  Much of the concepts though come from things that just irritate me about current world politics or the idea that we as humans have a serious problem with accepting each other for who we are.

The actual impetus stems from a conversation I had with the 12 year sister of a girlfriend many years ago.  She looked me square in the face and told me that all Buddhists would go to Hell.  That has bothered me ever since.

Let's talk about your process. How do you approach a story, do you start with outlines or something else? Where did you work when writing FAITH & THE UNDEAD? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?
I actually use a method that I would never recommend to anyone else but it works for me.  There are no outlines or any documentation typically.  I have a story arc in my mind that I want to write about.  When I started the idea of the Trilogy of the Undead, I had a beginning and ending point.  From that I said ‘What am I going to do to these characters?’  I then molded the characters around what was occurring in the story.

FAITH & THE UNDEAD was written on a Toshiba laptop anywhere that I found time.  Parts of it were written in bed or in my family chair in the office. This wasn’t necessarily the optimal environment, but I have this dream concept of a writing room that faces West with large windows so I can write and watch the sunset, storms come in, or the snow fall.  One of these days I’ll have that.  If everything goes well that is!

Tell us about your "story of getting published."
A few years ago I stumbled across the Library of the Living Dead which is headed up by the infamous Dr. Pus.  Through their forums, I began to meet different authors, many of which I had read, including Stephen North and David Dunwoody who really encouraged to get my stories down on paper.

My first published piece was poem through a now defunct horror magazine and things progressed from there.  I started and stopped multiple novels which are now waiting for me to finish them.  Last year I went to Horror Realm in Pittsburgh, PA and a few of the authors there read some of the work in progress I had taken with me.  Evidently word got back to the publisher because when I was part way through FAITH I sent him a synopsis.  Got a quick acceptance and we’ve gone on from there!

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?
I’ll be appearing at various conventions through the fall including Horror Realm (Pittsburgh, PA) and Horror Hound (Cincinnati, OH) along with a signing at That Book Place in Indiana.   Actually quite busy for the first major con season, but I was careful not to overload myself because I’m working on the second book in the Trilogy of the Undead entitled ‘CRUSADES & THE UNDEAD’ which I hope to have released next year.