Fresh Voice Emily Cross!

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





What is your ultimate writing goal?

My ultimate writing goal at the moment is to actually be published, whether it's an e-book or physical book - I'm not fussy :)

Beyond that, I'd hope to just keep writing (and hopefully keep getting published!)

Why do you write?

Such a good question. Honestly, I'm not sure!

The only reason I can imagine that anyone would want to write and pursue writing as a career is because they love it. I mean, I don't know about other writers, but writing for me is an emotional roller coaster where I could be skipping-down-the-street happy one moment and then filled with complete and utter despair the next. . . but despite these ups and downs, I still keep writing.

That has to be love, right?

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?

As an aspiring writer I have agonised over what is voice and how I get it. Can you develop it or is it natural? I'm not sure as to the answer, I think its a combination.

For me, it hasn't been a conscious effort. What I do know though, is that people notice when you lose your 'voice'. For instance, for some insane reason, I decided to rewrite my first chapter of my YA WIP. I was really concerned that it wasn't right for the market. So I sat down, reread my favourite YA books and rewrote the chapter. I submitted it to my writers group. I'll always remember, my friend who critiqued it, turning to me and saying ""Yeah, this was a good chapter for somebody else to write, but it isn't you. What makes your writing yours is not in there"".

So I learnt that I must have some sort of voice and that you have to be true to it.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?

I've a really eclectic taste in books. It really depends on my mood or what genre I'm in at the moment.

So right now, I'm on a serious historical romance binge, so one of my many favourite writers in this genre would be Lisa Kleypas. She's an all round great writer with tight plot, believable and lovable characters and effortless-to-read writing style. I don't know how many times I've reread "Devil in Winter"! Mr. Darcy move over, here's Sebastian!

Another writer I absolutely love is Gail Carriger. Rereading her parasol protectorate series makes me cry with joy (as a reader) and cry with envy (as a writer) because they are just brilliant!!

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?

Probably the freedom, the control over how you work and the idea that you're creating something that will (hopefully) still be around once your gone?

I'm not sure to be honest, I do have this lovely image in my mind of sitting in a parisienne cafe sipping hot chocolate, jotting in a notebook as I watch the world go by. . . but this is probably as realistic as being hand fed bonbons by Richard Armitage!

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what would you choose?

 I think it would be photography. I'd love to be good at this (but I'm utterly useless!) As the old adage goes "Picture is worth a thousand words" and good photography tells a story so I think like writing, you have to be a storyteller.

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

Lyrical

aka having crazy grammar ?? ;)

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten? 

500 words a day. No matter what write 500 words a day.

AND

There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting!!

Emily Cross is a pseudonym aspiring to be a published and (hopefully well) paid author. By day, she is an unnamed mild-mannered if not neurotic PhD student. By night, she is Emily Cross, a blog hopping chocoholic with delusions of literary grandeur, who procrastinates her time through tweeting, blogging and posting random thoughts across the blogosphere. Check her out on her blog,  Twitter @crossemily or friend her through Facebook.

Pie: An Old Brown Horse

When I was growing up I had a thing for horses. Like a really big thing. And of all the types of horses in the world my particular weakness is for cowponies. That's why I love, love, LOVE Pie's story, written by Kandy Kay Scaramuzzo. Watch the video, but more importantly READ THE BOOK. If you are an animal lover, especially a horse lover, it's a must.

Pie: An Old Brown Horse (on Amazon)




You can also connect with Pie on Facebook and Pinterest.

Perennial Author Pam Stucky!

Pam Stucky's "Letters from Wishing Rock" won both the B.R.A.G. Medallion and the Awesome Indies Seal of Approval!

What have you learned that seemed completely unrelated to writing at the time but has influenced your writing career?
I was listening to a podcast recently, a self-publishing podcast, where the podcaster (is that the right term?) said that he seriously wanted to know from an accountant, isn't his whole life tax-deductible? It feels like that sometimes! Everything works its way into writing in one way or another. In my lifetime I've worked as a web designer, marketer, fundraiser, in contracts and insurance, so many things that I would never have guessed would help me out in a writing career, but which have been priceless to me. I'll go to the fundraising history for a more specific example. In my time in fundraising, I learned the idea that it never hurts to ask. People often want to give or help, but you have to ask them first. The worst they can do is say no! Working in fundraising either gave me a fearlessness, or enhanced it, and I think that fearlessness has been invaluable to me in working in a field where it is so easy to give in to fear. Fearlessness, perseverance, determination. I'm not sure you can succeed as a writer without these.

A toy manufacturer has decided to make you their new superhero action figure. What is your superpower and what are you wearing?
Oh my gosh. I want to have multiple superheroes! Actually, just the other day someone asked what superpower I'd want, and my tongue-in-cheek response was that I want the ability to fold and put away my clothes fresh out of the dryer, just by blinking. I hate folding and putting away clothes! But if I had the chance to have a real actual superpower, I'd say .... oh, gosh, I can't choose just one. I'd want teleporting superpowers, because I love traveling but I hate the getting-there part. I'm so impatient on airplanes, and I fall asleep in cars. For my teleporting action figure I'll wear ... well, whatever it is that would hold all my atoms together because I'd like to be there in one piece. I'd also love the ability to fly, because obviously, awesome! For that I'll wear something warm, because of the wind chill, you see. Sometimes I wish I had the ability to read people's minds, but that one is a double-edged sword, just like invisibility. Although clearly what I'd be wearing as a superhero with the superpower of invisibility would be INVISIBILITY. Awesome.

Do you ever regret deciding to become a professional writer?
Never. Never!! I can't wait until I have more time to write. When I wrote my first book, it was all new and unknown, I had no clue what I was doing or what would come of it. But I so clearly remember that when I finished my second book I had this really deep, emotional moment where I thought, "This is it. This is what I want to do with my life." For a person who had spent the previous XX years trying to figure out what the heck she wanted to do with her life, it was huge, powerful. I get Oprah's e-newsletters, and there was one not long after my second book that came out with an article "How to figure out what you want to do with your life." Out of habit, I clicked on it. And then I thought ... wait. I know. I'm there. I can't wait for the day when I can more easily support myself through writing alone, but I'm so happy to be doing what I'm doing.

What is the best part of being a professional writer?
One time, years ago, I was in this self-help phase. I decided for some reason that something I needed to do was to go away for a weekend and do all these self-help exercises, one of which was to figure out the ONE WORD that summed me up. Now, obviously none of us can be summed up in one word. However, I do think the word I came up with is pretty good. After much thought, I settled on CURIOUS. Discovery, learning, all that. I live to learn. I want to know. At the end of my days, my dream is that I get to know EVERYTHING. How awesome would that be? And writing, well being a writer is like having a passport into everything. People will share their lives, companies will share their business, everyone is just so willing to share when you tell them you're a writer. Writing gives me access and credibility. And stories! People trust me with their stories, which is the most amazing thing. In fact, I'm starting to think of myself less as a writer and more as a person who connects others through stories. Whether fiction or non-fiction, real worlds or made-up worlds, all of it rings true in some way.

Give us a quick overview of what you write and where we can find it.
"Whether you're looking for an escape to a small island town filled with quirky, lovable characters, or hoping to find adventure around the world through the eyes of a curious adventurer, you have come to the right place! The books I have out currently are fiction - novels with recipes. The Wishing Rock series begins with Letters from Wishing Rock, continues with The Wishing Rock Theory of Life, and finishes in The Tides of Wishing Rock. These books take place in Wishing Rock, Washington – an island town where everyone lives in the same building. Letters between the neighbors and their friends chronicle the twists and turns of the characters' daily lives, and are interspersed with recipes tried and tested by the characters themselves, in these witty and wise novels that explore community, relationships, hope, fear, forgiveness, risk, dreams, trust, and love. Coming this Fall, I will launch a new series showcasing another of my loves: travel! The Pam on the Map series will bring readers an intimate insight into my adventures and misadventures as I travel around the world, near and far, meeting new people and discovering new cultures. These books, filled with wit and wanderlust, are the embodiment of my passions of curiosity and connection. The series will launch with a new look at Iceland, plus retrospective looks at past trips I've taken to Ireland and Switzerland. You can find out everything you need to know at www.pamstucky.com. The first in the Wishing Rock series is Letters from Wishing Rock (a novel with recipes), available in both print and ebook. At Amazon, print is http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Wishing-Rock-novel-recipes/dp/1460960122/ and ebook is http://www.amazon.com/Letters-from-Wishing-Rock-ebook/dp/B004SD2JEK/. Read that first, then move on to the rest of the books in the series! To stay up to date on what's going on with the Pam on the Map series and other publications, follow me on Facebook Pam Stucky, Author, and on Twitter, @pamstucky. I also have some great boards on Pinterest for those who are interested!

Fresh Voice Jamie Righetti!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
Sustainability. I think as a writer you constantly examine the world in terms of stories to be told. But even still, my biggest fear is that one day I'm going to run out of ideas and have nothing to write about. This keeps me reading, pushes me to learn more and in turn, helps me continue writing.

Why do you write?
As a kid, I would pencil my name into my Nancy Drew books and pretend I had written them. Glaring plagiarism aside, I felt there was sense of pride in being an author. The more I read, the more I yearned to create. When I was 12, I stumbled onto my dad's old H.P. Lovecraft books and I was done. I started writing; I haven't looked back since. I think I write in part because I've always felt the pull, but also because I can't turn off my mind. I see my world as a something ready to be described, a story itching to be told, voices waiting to be heard.

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
Writing has always come so naturally to me so I've never had to consciously craft a voice, but I have learned how to adjust the tone of my writing simply through practice. Although I do believe that great writers have a gift, writing is also something that gets better with persistence. The more you write, the better you become.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
I'm a huge fan of Russian literature, specifically Dostoyevsky. For me, no other writer has truly mastered such complex, dark, psychologically tormented characters. There are scenes in each of his novels that still haunt me, even when I've read them numerous times. I take my lessons from between his pages and do my best to apply them in my own work.

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
I think it's twofold: first, the love of books has been with me since I was a child. And I think the more you read, the more you yearn to create. And so you do.
But writing can be a very lonely pursuit. There are times when you stare at the computer screen and reach an impasse. What keeps me coming back are those magical days where your hands can barely keep up with your creativity, when you sit back and know you've just written the best sentence of your life and yearn to write another.

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what would you choose?
I think writers, much like actors, have a visceral need to crawl into someone else's skin and find out what makes them tick. Before I start to write, I sit down and think about who my characters really are because for me creating a character is becoming that character. So even though a life without writing seems impossible to me, I think acting would be the closest thing to it and something that I might have gravitated towards. Then again, I do have a degree in human evolutionary biology, so who knows?

If you had to describe your writing in one word, what would that word be?
This is such a tough one but 'honest.' I hope that when people read my novel they are able to relate and commiserate with my characters. I hope this story breaks their heart. To me, that's achievable if honesty pervades the work. If you can sense how much I love these characters and how much I poured into each of them, then to me I've achieved something special.

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
I had a writing professor at Columbia who once told me that no matter what I pursued in life, I would always be a writer. There was a beautiful duality in that for me. I think all too often writers are dissuaded from pursuing their passion because of money. But the soul of a writer isn't something that can be easily deleted from the equation. No matter what your day job, a writer will always be a writer.

Jamie Righetti is a writer, journalist and musician from New York City. After graduating from Columbia University in 2009, she spent two years as a freelance journalist with CNN. Jamie is currently completing her first novel, a female adaptation of Cain and Abel set in 1960's New York City.

Follow Jamie on Twitter: @JamieRighetti
To read some of Jamie's work, please visit: http://jamierighetti.tumblr.com/

Blooming Author Sue London!

Sue London's book Trials of Artemis was published by Graythorn Publishing on May 12, 2013.

Tell us about your book. What is it about and where will it be available?

Trials of Artemis is the first book in a Regency romance series called ""The Haberdashers."" Our narrative starts in London in 1815. Currently you can buy it on Kindle or in a variety of ebook formats via my website.

The "blurb" for the series and first book is:

In 1805 three little girls decided to create a “boys club” because boys have more fun. Their childhood was filled with sword fighting, horse racing, and archery. Now in 1815 they are all grown up and expected to join Society. Who will marry such independent and deadly misses?

Trials of Artemis
Loving Lord Lucifer...
An independent bluestocking sneaks into a library to read rare Greek texts and ends up with a husband instead.

Jacqueline “Jack” Walters loves archery and Greek military history. In her third season she has failed to inspire so much as one marriage proposal and is planning to settle into the quiet life of a spinster.

Gideon Wolfe, Earl of Harrington, has been avoiding marriage but a case of mistaken identity in the library has left him saddled with an argumentative and unwilling fiancee.

What were your inspirations for your book? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?

I've been reading romance for about twenty years and since discovering Mary Balogh have been principally interested in historicals. Entertainingly, one of the reasons I preferred Regencies at first is that they were often ""sweet,"" meaning much more like a straight up Jane Austen with nothing explicit or naughty. Well, the genre has gotten naughtier and I hopped right on board. Please be aware that this book is, um, explicit. Recent authors that have particularly inspired me include Diane Farr (her Fortune Hunter is my favorite), Grace Burrowes, Danelle Harmon, Rose Gordon, Elizabeth Rolls, and Lauren Royal. All fabulous.

Everything inspires me as a writer in general. Doing things, not doing anything, thinking, not thinking...

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 your book? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?

I approach it quietly. They spook easily. Then I lay a trap around it, common referred to as an "outline." And then, if it's still there, I TYPE AS FAST AS I CAN TO COMPLETELY CAPTURE IT BEFORE IT ESCAPES.

The answer to "where" is almost anywhere. In front of the tv at night, at the cabin on vacation, in the bedroom late at night, at the coffee shop on the weekend. My mom gave me a tiny Toshiba netbook that has been my savior because I can take it anywhere and it is easy to use in bed at night.

If I think about the "optimal" writing environment I can come up with all sorts of fabulous ideas, but honestly it doesn't matter where I am or what's going on around me. The whole point of reading and writing is escaping from what's going on in the environment. What's the point of wasting a beautiful interior design on my writing area? 90% of my first book was written while other things were going on. The other 10% I got to sit on the porch staring at the river and enjoying the beautiful nature. The fact that I can remember that means that I WASN'T WRITING ENOUGH. See? Nice environment might equal bad writer productivity."

Tell us about your "story of getting published."

I wrote a blog post about that on one of my blogs. Basically last year I decided that author Sue should query publisher Sue and see if they couldn't get together and make this thing happen. Although they've had their moments of frustration with each other it seems to be working out.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?

I've done a few things (interviewed on Lindsay Buroker's blog about it) but for the most part I plan to stay quiet until the third book comes out. The most fun thing we've done so far is doing a livetweet with @erinscafe May 19th on the #haberdashers tag. Hilarious.

Fresh Voice Gretchen Rily!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
Creatively, to make people say, "I want to live this book!" Practically, to earn a living. I've tried being "something, anything, else" and well...nope. It always comes back to writer.

Why do you write?
The snarky answer is because I don't work well with others, but that's not really true. I can and do love to work with others, especially if it's writing related, but I'm most productive when I can turn off all the distractions and just let my creativity take over. I'm happiest that way too.

I've been creating stories since I was old enough to talk. Maybe even before then! Storytelling truly is what makes humans, human. It's part of our evolution, how we've survived as long as we have. And possibly, how we'll continue to survive.

If I don't tell stories, even just making them up in my head for my own amusement during a long day at the "day job," I go a little nuts.

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
I've worked to harness my voice, to use it in different ways depending on the story I'm telling. Luckily, I've gotten very supportive feedback (and okay, a few gasps and side-eyes) about my voice and how to use it. Also, when to rein it in.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
"Too many to mention! Here's an idea, let me tell you which authors I've studied the most and what I've learned from them. I'm going to include other types of writers as well, because the key for me is storytelling. How different storytelling mediums do things can be very informative and build craft skills no matter what you write.

First off, Shakespeare: character archetypes, how to tell an entire story only in dialogue (comes in handy when revealing bits of backstory!), blocking, how to entertain both the balcony and the groundlings with the same story

Book authors:

Anne Rice - lushness in setting
Lauren Dane - how to switch pov several times in a scene without confusing the reader
Jill Shalvis - humor

TV/Movie screenwriters:

Joss Whedon - This is obvious, but dialogue and world-building. And how to let your geek passion for the subject make the work that much better.
Kevin Smith - Also dialogue, but how even the raunchiest of plots can also be full of heart.
Kurt Sutter - Again, dialogue. World building as well. But what I've really learned from him has come mostly through his insight into how to structure a series. Check out interviews or his wtfsutter clips on You Tube.
M*A*S*H - Lots of writers for this one. How to make subversive humor so funny, so smart, and so heart wrenching all at the same time.

Songwriters: If ever there was a place to go to learn how to evoke a setting, emotion, character, or time in just a few words, songs are it. Some of my favorites are Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo of Skid Row, Billy Joel, Pink, Rolling Stones, and way too many more to mention."

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
I'm a homebody, so being able to work from home without a schedule. Not having to wear shoes. Sitting on my balcony at 3:30 in the morning with an adult beverage and letting the goons in my head run amok. Being able to entertain people without really having to show up anywhere and perform. Stage fright, you see.

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what would you choose?
Rock star pirate. All day, I'd sit on the deck of my beached ship in a hammock throwing up the devil horns at passing ships. Oh, that's not a career? Darn.

Interior designer. Photographer. Hot rod and motorcycle painter. Still something artistic.

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

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamont. The entire book.

As a child, Gretchen Rily thought the vampires hiding under her bed were there to protect her. As a teenager, she got in the mosh pit with her inner rock star. As an adult, she rides a motorcycle and writes romance novels. Often about vampires, rock stars, and motorcycles. Whether it's contemporary, paranormal, or post-environmental apocalypse, she believes falling in love is the most madcap adventure of all.
Twitter: @gretchenrily
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gretchenrily

Blooming Author Amylynn Bright!

Amylynn Bright's book Miss Goldsleigh's Secret was self-published May 2013.

Tell us about your book. What is it about and where will it be available?

This is the second in the series - a Regency romantic comedy involving gunshots in the night and high seas rescues. There is some play on regular gender roles which is unusual for historical. The official blurb is:

When Henry Cavendish, Marquess of Dalton, leapt to catch the fainting woman before she hit the cobblestone, he never thought that one chivalrous act would set his well ordered life on end. His ingrained need to protect her has every bit as much to do with her enchanting beauty as it does his desire to wipe the hunted look from her startling blue eyes.

He thinks he has everything in hand, but the lady has secrets that put everything he loves at risk.

Olivia Goldsleigh just wants to live without terror, but a gunshot in the night proves things can always get worse. The beautiful and god-like Lord Dalton swears to protect her, to make the danger go away. She wants the man, the life, the family, the bliss he promises, but her secrets are certain to destroy them all.

What were your inspirations for your book? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?

Everything inspires me - songs on the radio, movies, nonsense my kids say. I've been writing since I was a little kid. Miss Goldsleigh's Secret wasn't originally part of the plan as the series was originally conceived. But after I finished book 1, Lady Belling's Secret, I was in love with the jilted fiance so he became the hero of book 2. The poor guy really deserved his own happy ending. 

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 your book? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?

Well, with my first book I started by picking up my laptop and banging out 80,000 words of the most charming story you ever saw with no conflict whatsoever. After a zillion rewrites I think I've learned my lesson. I stupidly clung to the idea that I was a pantser and didn't want to be hindered by no stupid outline. You have to read that line like a Mexican bandit. Thank God, I learned that I'm a hybrid, a plantser. I get together with my sisters (writers too) and we hammer out the story in the broadest strokes. I write the high points on sticky notes and put them out on a poster board like a road map. That way I know where I need to get to but I have the freedom to allow myself a lot of creativity as to how I get there.

I work mostly on my spot on the couch. I have an unruly pile of stuff on the end table next to me and cats and dogs who pester me after my family has gone to bed. I have a regular job and kids and a husband so really the only time I have to write is late into the night when the vampires are up. I rarely sleep. Is this optimal? I seriously doubt it, but I don't have many other opportunities.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."

My story begins with the call from my dream agent asking to represent me. Then we went on submission for two years. I got a ton of fabulous attention and some great feedback, but no offers. There have been so many success stories with self-publishing, that my agent encouraged me to try that route on this project. She put me in contact with some excellent editors and we beat the manuscripts into publish-ready shape. Then, with her assistance, I put the first two books of this series out through the Amazon White Glove program. So far, things have gone really well. I have more projects in the works - book 3 of the series and the first in a contemporary series that was requested by my agent and already been requested by a publisher.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?

I'm buying the Jumbotron during the playoffs, a skywriter on July 4th, and the space shuttle.

Or - I'm going to appear on every blog that will have me and plan strategic sales and use social media until my hands bleed. This marketing thing is really hard.

One of my biggest strategies was given to me by Tina Folsom - the goddess of her own self publishing empire - is building my newsletter list. Won't you please sign up?

You can check in with Amylynn on her blog The Quill Sisters, like her author page on Facebook, and tweet with her on Twitter.

FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY: One lucky random commenter will win an ebook copy of Miss Goldsleigh's Secret! Comments must be posted by 2am eastern time on Wednesday June 25th in order to be eligible. Check back at 10am on the 25th to see the winner announced!

Fresh Voice Kris Silva!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
I won't be happy until I know that the work I send tottering off into the mist is absolutely the best I could make it. And then I'll need to do something even better.

Why do you write?
Why do you breathe? It isn't really a choice for me. If I stop writing, my gills will seize up and I'll drown...wait. No. Sorry, that's sharks.

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
It took me years to learn to avoid being influenced by whomever I was reading and develop a style which works for the stories I want to tell. Of course every story's tone depends on the minds of the characters.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
Neil Gaiman, because he can give you a surreal case of the giggles on one page and then throw a sobering left hook. Ambrose Bierce, for cynical humor so dry it has to be the clacking of a laughing skull. And Ray Bradbury because F*ING RAY BRADBURY, people!!

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
We get lives?? News to me! ...There was never a decision point, where I weighed the obstacles to publication against my meagre talent. It's just what I'm driven to do. Which means the old moth-battering-itself-against-a-lightbulb analogy is fairly accurate.

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what
would you choose?
My degree was in tech theatre, and I do sometimes miss lighting design. The subtlety and ephemeral nature of that art still appeals to me.

If you had to describe your writing in one word, what would that word be?
Do the Germans have a word that means drysillyhorrifichumor? That. They're good at that kind of wordmashing.

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
Eliminate the words "got," "like," and "that" from your vocabulary unless necessary for a character's dialect.


Kris Silva has only once achieved national publication, but hardly anyone still has that issue of "Playgirl." She prefers high body counts, deep intrigue, low morals, and shallow graves...and also enjoys reading and writing about such things. She is currently working on a novel about a clueless, loveable cyborg who has been programmed to destroy civilization. Pie is involved. Find Kris on Twitter @gravewriter71. Her art is on DeviantArt and RedBubble. She's also your girl for Muppet and Inspector Gadget fanfic.

Fresh Voice Sue London!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
To be the new Nora Roberts and Stephen King, rolled up into one. I want to write in a wide variety of genres and have a fabulous time doing so - in such a way that readers will connect with my work.

Why do you write?
Why do I breathe? But if what you really mean is why do I want to be published, well that's because I want to be immortal.

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
Only if you count reading a billion books and trying different things out for writing as "working." As a book nerd I just call that "entertainment."

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
Let me flip that on you. I have REASONS I like books and certain authors align with them.
Funny, insightful: Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, G.K. Chesterton, Douglas Adams
Mind-expanding, interesting: Spider Robinson, Harry Harrison, Alan Dean Foster
Fun, inspirational: Nora Roberts, Martha Beck

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
Working in your pajamas. Having cats. Drinking as much coffee as you want. Meeting and talking to other readers and writers.

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what
would you choose?
CEO of a major business. One of my very favorite books as a child was "If I Ran The Circus." I just really love running the circus. Close runner up is cartoonist (of the Berke Breathed variety.) In case it seems confusing to say writer, CEO, cartoonist - those are all places where you can be the benevolent ruler of your realm. You know, since "Queen" isn't so much an option.

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

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
Keep writing.


Sue London began writing short stories about horses and teen sleuths when she was seven years old. After that she traveled to distant worlds, fought with swords and sorcerers, and played with a few undead things. As you might have expected, this means she went into accountancy. Well, alright, maybe that was an odd plot twist but that's the difference between real life and fiction - fiction has to make sense (thanks Mr. Clancy). She's on twitter as @cmdrsue and a million other places that you can find via her Sueniverse.

Fresh Voice Beth Bartlett!

What is your ultimate writing goal?
Ultimate. That sounds so final. In the end, I want to make people laugh and leave my mark on the world. I’d prefer all that happen with a few books. Okay, a lot of books. After I’m gone, my ghost would be happy if people downloaded my writing into their brain, and it made them snort caffeine-free coffee substitute all over their virtual monitor.

Why do you write?
Because I must! If I were ever in a 12-step Writers Anon program, I would be the jittery one with noun patches all over my arms, scribbling ideas on my jeans with the tip of my finger. I started writing stories in chalk on the underside of my father’s desk when I was four, and I’ve never stopped. Soon I’ll need a new desk.

Have you worked to achieve your voice or is it just a natural style for you?
It’s a natural style that evolves with time, depending on my interests and influences at the moment. I’ve always had a strong and slightly bizarre voice. When I was younger, I stifled that and went through the typical phase of imitating great writers. I think ever y writer has to go through that to find his or her own style; it’s like trying on everything in the second-hand store before you go home and cut your own patterns. Once you learn from the masters, you know how to bring your own honesty out and slap it on the page.

Who are your favorite authors and why do you like them?
The names carved into my heart are Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. They have the ability to take
words and turn them into the craziest, most delightful balloon animals. I’m also hooked on Gini
Koch’s “Alien” series and Kevin Hearne’s mythologically lush “Iron Druid” series. Koch’s books are fast- paced, funny and sexy. I have to own each one as soon as they’re released. Hearne’s books pile in magic, history, religion and the paranormal. Each one makes me slap my head and say “Of course! That’s how the universe really works.” Even though he’s only written one novel so far, Craig Ferguson’s “Between the Bridge and the River” inspired me for an entire summer. He broke the rules in ways I’d never seen before, such as turning throwaway moments into tiny side stories.

What most attracts you to the life of a writer?
The solitude. I’m a hermit at heart. I also enjoy sweatpants. In my day work as a freelancer, I’ll
occasionally stop and giggle, because I’m making a living by pulling words out of my head and building an article someone wants to pay me for. For my own interests, it’s the urge to create, to take the demons and angels in my mind and wrap them around the wire forms of language. If all goes well, those works stand on their own and provoke a reaction in the reader.

If you couldn't be a writer but knew you were guaranteed success at a different career, what
would you choose?
I can imagine a lot of crazy things, but I can’t imagine my life without writing. What’s success without being stressed over deadlines, worried about contracts, scared of writer’s block and frustrated by blog stats? That’s writerly happiness, right there. If I had to pick something, it would be 1970s pop culture television historian, and I would write about it in secret so the universe would never know.

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

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?
Never give up. Never. Give. Up. NEVER GIVE UP! If you give up, the terrorists win. If you give up, every person who said you couldn’t be a writer will be right. I’ve heard that from so many writers, and it’s true. If you give up, Muppets sob in dark corners with stripper glitter matted in their fur and half-empty tequila bottles between their knees. If you give up, you have to go back to being normal, and none of us are really equipped to do that.


Beth Bartlett is a freelance writer and humorist. Her work has appeared in such publications as
Writer’s Digest, mental_floss, Country Extra, Meetings South and American Profile. She writes a
weekly humor horoscope column for the Lovely County Citizen newspaper and for her own site,
WisecrackZodiac.com. In her spare moments of sanity, she also contributes to the Bombeck-style humor site AnArmyofErmas.com and indulges her nerdy side at PureGeek.me. You can also catch her discussing Wonder Woman and writing on Twitter as @plaidearthworm.

Blooming Author Rick Gualtieri!

Rick Gualtieri’s latest book, Bigfoot Hunters, was published on February 2, 2012. Bigfoot Hunters is self-published, as are all of Rick’s books. Since I'm the Blogsquatcher's sister I knew this was one to check out.

Tell us about your book. What is it about and where will it be available?

Bigfoot Hunters is my first foray into full blown horror.  If Jaws made you afraid to go into the water, then my goal for Bigfoot Hunters is to make people think twice about stepping into their own backyards. 

Sasquatch is usually considered a shy, curious creature. However, something is wrong with this particular clan of them and it’s causing them to go nuts...murderously so.  The only thing standing between them and killing everyone, in a remote little town in the backwoods of Colorado, are some college kids on a camping trip and a film crew from a MonsterQuest type TV show.  However, this last group isn’t quite what they seem, hence the book’s title.  The only question is...who are the hunters and who are the hunted?  The book is available now as an Amazon Kindle exclusive.  The Paperback version will be available the week of February 13...just in time for Valentine’s Day (awwww!)."

What were your inspirations for your book? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?

I have to admit, the original inspiration for this book came from the SyFy channel.  I love their Saturday night original movies.  Unfortunately, most of them are bad with a capital B.  Bigfoot Hunters was originally conceived as a manuscript in my attempt to make a better monster movie.  However, after a while I realized it could be a movie script that nobody ever saw or I could make it into a novel that hopefully a lot of people could enjoy.  Aside from that, I took inspiration from shows such as the aforementioned MonsterQuest and Destination Truth.  The final bit was my overall love of a good monster rampage and desire to give back to a genre which has entertained me so much over the years.

As for the rest, I try to take inspiration from anything and everything around me.  Little touches of life spark my imagination.  When that happens, the “magic” flows forth.

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 your book? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?

My writing style is still evolving.  My comedy/horror books: Bill The Vampire and Scary Dead Things; are mostly written like a college road trip.  I know where I am and I know where I want to be, but I have no idea how I’ll get there until I start driving.  It works for them because I find that humor is best when it’s spontaneous.  Some of the best jokes in both of those books didn’t exist before the day I sat down to write a particular section and suddenly *BAM* they were there.

Conversely, Bigfoot Hunters was more or less fully formed when I finally sat down to write it.  I jotted down notes before and during writing, but truthfully I only used outlines if I needed to work through a difficult section of the book.

Most of my writing time is during the evening at my dining room table, banging away on my iPad.  It’s kind of a necessity.  It puts me in the center of the action, so I can write but still keep an eye on my kids if needbe.  It’s chaotic, but I’m used to it and the background noise really doesn’t distract me...although my word output does go up a bit after their bedtime.  As for the iPad, I love it.  I pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and the battery life lets me write for hours (when I can) without needing to be anywhere near an outlet.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."

I used to write a LOT back in college: short stories, plays, manuscripts, everything but full blown novels.  Afterwards, though, I sort of fell away from it.  Life, career, and family took over.  A few years back, I bought my wife a first-gen Kindle as a gift.  Believe me, it got used...to death!  Some time later, I began to notice a lot of ebooks showing up in the Kindle store that were written by authors I had never heard of and were at prices that were insanely low.  Coming from the world of paperbacks, finding a $2.99 novel was a steal.  Eventually I came to realize that a lot of these books were self-published.  That got the gears turning.  Suddenly, that sleeping writer in my head woke up from a decade long slumber. If they could do it, so could I.  Once the floodgates were reopened, the story ideas just started flowing.  I’ve been at it ever since: three novels, a novella of short stories, and counting.

The self-publishing route was an easy choice...timing.  I could write dozens of query letters in the hope that someone liked my stories and then I could wait a year or two to see if they actually published me...or I could get my stories out there now and let the readers be my judge. Some authors worry about the legitimacy of being traditionally published. I’m more concerned with entertaining people.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?

My publicity efforts are ever evolving as I add more books and gain more self-assurance in this field.  To date, most of my efforts have been online.  There’s no faster (or cost effective) way to get in front of so many people.  I’m very active on Twitter.  The main character from my comedy/horror series has his own Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BillTheVampire).  I am also working on increasing my presence in various other online communities such as Kindle Boards and Goodreads.  There are also author interviews on wonderful blogs such as this (suck up alert!).

This year my goal is be more aggressive (albeit not obnoxiously so), not only online but in the real world too.  While I’m not sure I’m ready for full-blown book signings yet, I do plan on targeting libraries and book clubs as well as anywhere else I think I stand a shot.  I guess we’ll see.  Much like a lot of authors out there, I’m still looking for my silver bullet.  I’ll let you know when I find it.

All the while, though, I plan to keep writing and churning out more fun stories.  So stay tuned, there’s more to come...hopefully much more.

Don't miss Rick's other book, Poptart Manifesto. It's 99 cents on Amazon, or free for Amazon Prime members with Kindles. Bigfoot Hunters is also currently promoted as free to Amazon Prime members with Kindles. Apparently it's time for me to upgrade from a Kindle app to a full-blown Kindle! Who can turn down free books? You can get a Kindle for as little as $79! Or a full-color Kindle Fire for $199 (that's the one I want).

Blooming Author Myke Cole!

Myke Cole's book Shadow Ops: Control Point was published by ACE yesterday, January 31, 2012! I'm so excited about this book coming out it has pulled Writing Insight out of a six month sabbatical.

Tell us about your book. What is it about and where will it be available?

CONTROL POINT is a novel that asks the question "what if the modern military had a magic-using arm?" What would that look like? How would it operate? What would its impact be on society? Those are some deep questions, and I do my best to tackle them honestly, but there's plenty of geek-out action where you get to watch modern military hardware (tanks, helicopter gunships, direct action teams) go up against the fantasy monsters you know and love from D&D. The book is officially available on 31 JAN 2012, but I am hearing that folks are getting copies shipped in the mail to them already.

What were your inspirations for your book? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?

I told Black Gate magazine recently: "It’s ironic that mashups seem so popular lately, since I’m kind of a mashup myself. I’m a warrior-nerd blend of a military officer and committed fantasy/SF geek. I’m fortunate enough to make my living in both camps and those influences greatly inform my writing. My new novel Control Point is a fusion of influences: 3 tours in Iraq and a life spent perusing the fantasy mass-market wire racks and comic book shop display stands."

That warrior-nerd blending I described is the biggest inspiration in my writing, creating what I hope is a unique fusion of military and geek culture.

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 your book? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?

George R.R. Martin describes writers as "Gardeners" or "Architects." I've also heard that described as "Planners" or "Pantsers." I'm an UBER-Architect/planner. I typically do 100-150 pages of outline before writing a word of prose. I get feedback on that outline too, so I know that I'm not starting off in a bad direction before I begin to move.

I write in public (coffee shops or libraries) listening to movie soundtracks that put me in a cinematic mood but don't distract me with lyrics. This allows me to be around other people (I'm intensely social. I get lonely/maudlin writing at home alone) without having to interact with them.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."

I told this story to The Founding Fields. "When my 3rd tour came around, I had a manuscript called LATENT 75% written about a military unit that used magic. I thought it sucked. But hey, I could die in Iraq, so I sent it off to Joshua with strict instructions. “If you like it, I’m going to be all worked up and unable to concentrate. If you don’t like it, I’m going to be depressed and unable to concentrate. I’m off to war and I need my head in the fight. Do NOT tell me what you think until I get back, okay?”

Joshua agreed and I spent the intervening months dodging 107mm rockets and sleeping with camel spiders in a converted connex box. But I did keep my head in the fight and made it home with a Joint Service Commendation Medal and citation signed my Admiral McRaven himself (admired the hell out of that guy, so it meant a lot to me). My fiance had dumped me just before I left, and I got off the plane to see all these other servicemembers’ families greeting them, and I was depressed as hell. Nobody came to pick me up at the airport, and I actually had to take a cab home. You can imagine it was a low point.

I got home, grounded my gear and started calling folks to let them know I was home safe. Joshua was high on the list (we were good friends, and to be honest, I’d forgotten that I’d even given him a book). He answered the phone and I said “Hey, man! It’s Myke. Just wanted to let you that I’m ho . . .”

“Finish the book,” he cut me off.

“What?”

“LATENT, finish it. It’s fantastic. I didn’t want it to end.”

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?

Folks can check out my SITREP page on my website at http://mykecole.com/category/news, which includes all my upcoming promotional events. I've already said that I'm intensely social, so please throw me a bone and come on out. Nothing is more depressing than sitting around by yourself in a bookshop next to a pile of your books waiting to be signed, or reading to an empty room :)

Perennial Author Matt Forbeck!

Matt Forbeck has been nominated for 26 Origins Awards for his games and books and won 13. He has also won a number of ENnies for his gaming work. His tie-in novels have earned four nominations for Scribe Awards and won one, although he's still waiting to hear the results of the nominations for Guild Wars: Ghosts of Ascalon, which he co-wrote with Jeff Grubb.

What have you learned that seemed completely unrelated to writing at the time but has influenced your writing career?
The most valuable class I ever took in high school turned out to be typing. This was back in the days before computers were common, and half my class had to work on manual typewriters, while the others were blessed with electrics. You could tell people who worked manual typewriters back then because their fingers had to be strong and sure to make the words happen fast.

Learning to touch type made me a much faster writer than I would otherwise be, and that in turn now allows me to write fast enough to make a living at it. At the time, I hated it, and I got the worst grade in that class of my entire high school career, but it paid off in the end.

A toy manufacturer has decided to make you their new superhero action figure. What is your superpower and what are you wearing?
I'm an immortal traveler of both time and space, who peeks into the lives of other people in fantastic worlds and reports on their most exciting tales. Because of this, I'm dressed in a set of clothes filled with anachronisms that work together but don't quite match up: a bulletproof trenchcoat that projects full-body protection against biological, chemical, and radiological dangers; boots that provide bursts of speed; gloves that are invulnerable to anything; and a hat that links me mentally to a plant of hyperintelligent supercomputers that guide me on my way—when I let them.

Do you ever regret deciding to become a professional writer?
Only when my bills come due.

Honestly, no. I love being a professional writer, and I've been at it full-time now for over two decades, which means I've ruined myself for anything else. There's little like getting paid to make things up for a living, and I'm grateful to all the people who buy my books and games so I can keep doing it.

What is the best part of being a professional writer?
I enjoy the challenge of new and exciting projects, and the chance to entertain people for a living. I love going to conventions and meeting with gamers and readers and other people who do the same kinds of things I do. But on a personal level, the best part about this life is the flexibility it offers me.

As a father of five young kids (a 12-year-old and a set of 8-year-old quadruplets), my children place a lot of demands on my time, but because I work at home and set my own goals and hours, I can always be there for them when they need me. That's worth a lot more than money to me.

Give us a quick overview of what you write and where we can find it.
"I started out as a tabletop game designer, but these days, I mostly write novels and work on computer games. I've had two novels published this year through Angry Robot: Amortals and Vegas Knights. Both have been getting rave reviews.

I have two nonfiction books due out later this year: Star Wars vs. Star Trek and Book of Extreme Facts. Plus I have a novella in G.I. Joe: Tales from the Cobra Wars, a short story in Hot and Steamy: Tales of Steampunk Romance, and a short story in The New Hero 2. On top of that, I wrote the story for the Conduit 2 game for the Wii. I also cowrote and helped produce a film called InSpectres, based on Jared Sorsensen's roleplaying game of the same name.

For details about all this and the rest of the things I'm working on, stop by Forbeck.com or follow me on Twitter at @mforbeck.

Blooming Author Rose Gordon!

Rose Gordon's debut book, Intentions of the Earl was published February, 2011; followed by Liberty for Paul, in March and To Win His Wayward Wife in April.

Tell us about your books. What are they about and where will they be available?
Intentions of the Earl kicks of the Scandalous Sisters series with an unusual plot:

When the impoverished Andrew Black, Earl of Townson, hits rock bottom, he makes an agreement that will end his eight year poverty streak once and for all. In order to gain his fortune he must do but one simple thing: ruin an innocent girl’s reputation enough to make her flee to America.

Brooke Banks isn’t interested in marriage, or so she thinks. She came to London to have a good time, and that’s exactly what she’s doing. Widely known for her tendency to flout the rules, she suspects nothing when a handsome stranger appears on her doorstep.

Thirteen days, a handful of kisses and one scandalous situation later, Andrew and Brooke will have to choose to stick to their original plans, or decide if a life together is worth the risk.

Liberty for Paul comes next and is written about two secondary characters from the first book who met at a house party and took an instant dislike to each other:

Liberty Banks loves revenge almost as much as she hates one Mister Paul Grimes, who, she considers to be the most improper creature she has ever clapped eyes on. But when her plans for revenge against Paul go bust, she suddenly finds herself walking down the aisle to him.

Once married, a battle of the wills breaks out as each tries to reform the other. Liberty wants nothing more than to have a proper husband. Much to Liberty’s dismay, Paul will stop at nothing to have is all too proper wife do something--anything--to break the rules of society, specifically do the most improper thing which is to fall in love with the most improper man: her own husband.

And finally, the third book, To Win His Wayward Wife, is about the last unwed sister, the one who is in for a surprise nobody saw coming:

Not to be outdone by her sisters' marriage-producing scandals, quiet and withdrawn Madison Banks quickly finds herself walking down the aisle to a man who has secretly loved her for years.

Her groom, however, has no idea how to show his new bride that he truly loves her and following a bungled wedding night, finds himself in a position to either win his wife once and for all or lose her forever.

Can he prove himself worthy of her? Will she accept his love? Or will jealousy and past insecurities tear the pair apart?

All three of these books are currently available in digital format at Amazon, Barnes and Noble as well as Smashwords and their distribution channels which include Apple and Sony.

What were your inspirations for your book? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?
To be blunt, my first book was inspired by boredom. In the genre I read and write a common plot formula is an impoverished gentlemen, usually one of rank, is in desperate need of funds so he sets out to trap an heiress into marriage and without realizing it, he falls in love with her.

Bored of that scenario, I decided to go the other way and create a story where a man will gain his fortune by not marrying her. Instead he's being paid to ruin her reputation without offering marriage.

Going at it from this angle brought in a lot of conflicts the traditional plot doesn't contain. One of which is moral dilemma where the hero has to decide between doing what he knows is right where someone is concerned or keeping his word and following through with the agreement he made. Also, as love does come into play later in the book the feelings change from is he following his scheme through as a way to benefit himself or will he carry out the plot as a way to protect the girl from the villain who arranged the whole thing to start with.

In the end, he truly is made to choose between love and poverty.

The following books were inspired by the first. Before I finished the second chapter of the first book I already had ideas for plots for the following books--with one tiny exception. I was originally going to have Paul and Liberty have a spell of love at first sight but have to deny their relationship to the public because of Paul's close relationship with her father; but then, Liberty took charge of that situation and decided she hated the man, thus a new plot with the same characters was created.

As a writer I get inspired by dreaming up different stories or new twists on old, repetitive plots. I personally like to read about real characters with real problems. Not every hero should be a wealthy lord who can do whatever he wants; nor should every heroine be a damsel in distress. I like conflict--both physical and emotional--so knowing what I like and having a hard time finding it, I get inspired to write 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 your book? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?
I'm a pantser in the worst way. I have in my head how I want the book to start and end, but how it goes from A to B is determined by the characters. That said, if I do have something I think needs to happen I'll try to work it in. For example, in my second book, I thought the two of them needed a second ""first"" meeting where they could get past the unflattering first impressions they had of each other. So I did have to figure out how to work that in, but what happens leading up to them finding each other at the masquerade and immediately afterward was following what the characters were telling me to do.

I write one of two places: the dining room or outside. I have two young children who aren't quite yet school aged so I stay home with them all day and in between Hot wheel races and Lego towers, I slip off to the dining room to tap out a few paragraphs. If it's a nice day, I'll take them outside and let them play on the swing set while I type in the shade.

The optimal writing environment for me would include my children keep their voices at normal level without yelling, crying or screaming and it would be nice if I was only hit with five flying projectiles each day instead of dozens.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."
I'm not traditionally published, but I almost was. Last year I wrote all three books and shopped the first one around by itself for a while then all three as a series. A lot of agents were interested in the writing and the plots of the second two books but said the plot for my first book was unmarketable. One even said, ""Nobody in their right mind would want to read such a book.""

Finally, I had a small publisher make an offer if I would change a detail in my first book. I didn't want to change that detail because, to me, it would have ruined the entire book. I said no and walked away.

A few weeks later I proofed them all once more and decided to see how they'd do as a self-published eBook. For me, and these books, it was the right choice.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?
I do a lot of Author Interviews and Book Features. I have one lined up every two weeks or so between now and July. Some of the places include: Coffee Time Romance, Written in Blood, Lady Silk, My Eclectic Bookshelf and several others.


Check in with Rose on her website http://www.rosegordonromance.com/

Perennial Author Dayton Ward!

Dayton Ward started writing professionally after entering a Star Trek writing contest for unpublished authors. He had stories selected for each of the first three annual contests, which along with the other winning entries were published in that year’s edition of the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthology. After he became the first contestant to disqualify him/herself from entering future contests, the editor called him up and asked him if he was interested in writing a Star Trek novel. The rest, as he likes to say, is a frappin’ mystery.

What have you learned that seemed completely unrelated to writing at the time but has influenced your writing career?
It’s going to sound simple and perhaps even a bit trite, but one skill which I already had developed thanks to my prior military and corporate careers and which has been of enormous help to me as a professional writer is time and task management. The ability to juggle multiple projects, each with its own deadline and master and set of issues or hurdles to overcome, is of prime importance if you’re looking to be a freelance writer. Often, you’ll be working on a handful of different assignments and a couple of them will have deadlines that are either relatively close together or even on top of one another. The ability to divide your time and energy so that each project gets the attention it deserves and you hit all your marks is what will distinguish the working professional from the rest of the pack. And in case you’re wondering, editors absolutely value this skill in the writers they hire.

A toy manufacturer has decided to make you their new superhero action figure. What is your superpower and what are you wearing?
Everybody always wants to fly, right? I’ll go with that. No more long lines at the airport! As for the outfit, if it has to be tights, I just want them to give me something that’ll showcase the six-pack abs I’m hoping they’ll mold onto my stomach.

Do you ever regret deciding to become a professional writer?
If I have any regrets about writing professionally, it’s that I haven’t yet found a way to earn a full-time living at it. My next major writing goal is to do exactly that, but I’m a realist. Most writers have some other source of income or support system, so I know it’s not an easy goal to reach. I could spend more time writing, but I prefer not to take that much more time away from my wife and kids, who already put up with me working the equivalent of two jobs, one of which—when you boil it down—is an ongoing passion project that happens to generate a bit of side income.

What is the best part of being a professional writer?
Are you kidding? I get to just make stuff up out of thin air, and people pay me for it! Wait. I suppose I could go into politics and get the same sort of rush, but that’s another subject. Anyway, I love telling stories, be it writing them or even just sitting around a table in a bar or a campfire, and getting reactions out of people. Writing just formalizes the process. In the case of my media tie-in writing, I get to play with characters I already love, and in some cases have loved since my childhood, and share the resulting stories with people who share that affection. And somebody gives me money to do that? Gravy; thick, brown, tasty gravy.

Give us a quick overview of what you write and where we can find it.
I write and co-write a lot of media tie-ins, mostly of the Star Trek variety. I also manage to get some original science fiction published here and there, along with being a regular contributor to Star Trek Magazine and Tor.com as a guest blogger.

Some of my more recent publications include:

• Star Trek: Typhon Pact – Paths of Disharmony – January 2011
• “Into the Abyss,” in Full-Throttle Space Tales #4: Space Horrors – October 2010
• “One Small Step for Bubba,” in A Bubba In Time Saves None! – June 2010
• Counterstrike: The Last World War – Book II – May 2010
• The First Peer, in Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins – March 2010 (with Kevin Dilmore)
• Star Trek: Vanguard – Open Secrets – May 2009
• “A Fresh Perspective,” in Full-Throttle Space Tales #3: Space Grunts – May 2009 (which I also edited)
• The 4400: Wet Work – November 2008 (with Kevin Dilmore)

Blooming Author Sean Hayden!

Sean Hayden's book Origins, Book 1 of the Demonkin Series, was published by Echelon Press, February 2011.

Tell us about your book. What is it about and where will it be available?
Ashlyn Thorn was born different. Born with all the characteristics of a vampire, she lives in a world where vampires, elves, and werewolves work, play, and die side by side with normal humans. But everyone knows vampires aren’t born, they’re made. The only thing she wants is to know her true origins.

Ashlyn’s quest to discover the truth of her differences is all that matters. But with every answer, she uncovers more uncertainties. To make things worse she has found herself an enemy of the most powerful vampires of the city who fear her powers are too dangerous to let go unchecked.

Salvation comes at the hands of the government, or does it, who trains her in the ways that best serve their purposes. Ashlyn is torn between two worlds. She can either be a monster, or she can help destroy the monsters.

That's the official description. Mine is, one seriously fun look at what life would be like if vampires, werewolves, demons, and just about everything else you could imagine worked, played, and died right beside everyday mortals.

Right now Origins is available as an eBook from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Omnilit in just about every format you can imagine. I'm expecting a proof of the paperback version this week, so it might be on sale as early as next week! I'm a little excited.

What were your inspirations for your book? What sorts of thing inspire you as a writer in general?
I've always been fascinated by vampires. Of all the creatures of fantasy they have always had a special place in my heart. It's amazing how interests get passed down through the generations. My daughter (she's 9 going on thirty) is the same way. No matter what it is, if it's about vampires we'll go see, watch, or read it. (Yes, I've read the twilight series ~wanders off and crawls into the box of shame~) Well one thing that always bothered my daughter was why vampires are so different in every book, show, and movie. Why do some sparkle, some have fangs, some walk in sunlight, and some have severe allergic reactions to wooden stakes through their heart? Those differences provided some of the inspirations for Origins. I wanted to explain why vampires were so different.

As for what inspires me as a writer...That's easy. Everything. I suffer from an extremely overactive imagination. I can turn anything into a story. I actually wrote a five thousand word essay once on the sex life of a ping pong ball (not by choice. Got in trouble in school, long story, go figure!). Inspiration doesn't just hit you. You have to play the what if game. Look down at your coffee mug. There it's sitting on your desk all innocent like. You're never going to get inspiration from that. It's an inanimate object. Here's where the what if game comes into play. Now look at your coffee mug and think, "What if?" What if it weren't made out of ceramic like everyone thinks. What if it was made from the ground bones of innocent victims of a local serial killer who used a pottery shop to dispose of the bodies? Hmmmm? Now you know how to play the "what if" game. We meet on Tuesdays.

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 your book? Do you think it was the optimal writing environment for you?
I usually approach a story from behind. It can't see you that way and you have a better chance of catching it. "Outline" is a seven letter, four letter word. It's dirty. They frighten me. If somebody forced me to sit down and plot a book from soup to nuts before I wrote it, I would be forced to retaliate by doing bad things to their slippers. It's just not in me. I write as I go.

I have a laptop. What does that mean? It means I write wherever and whenever I can. I have a wife, two kids, 3 ducks, 2 bunnies, a dog, and fish. I also have a full time job as a fiberoptic engineer at a local cable company. I also am now Senior Editor for the publishing company that published my book. Writing is so dear to me, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night when things are quiet, just to get the stories out of my head.

Tell us about your "story of getting published."
The planet I came from was being torn asunder by violent earthquakes. Our sun was going supernova. My parents put me in a crystal ship...WAIT! Wrong story.

Oh, yes. I remember. I had just finished Origins. I had no idea what to do with it, so I did what everybody else does when faced with a situation they have no idea how to overcome, I googled it. "I wrote a book, what now?" I typed into the search bar. Miraculously I was inundated by adds and spam. That almost never happens. I pulled out my virtual machete and started hacking through the forest of information and found a few things called "Blog Posts." I giggled at the name. "They said blog," I said. I started diving into the real information on my screen. Step one: Find an agent. "Hmmmm," I said. "I can do that." And so began my quest for the elusive literary agent. Know what they didn't tell you in their "blog posts"? If you're an unpublished author, the odds of any literary agency even READING your novel, ya, Not So Good. I queried over 100 agents. Want to know how many read Origins? Zero, Zip, Zilch, nada, nein. squat.

Disenchanted on the whole literary agent dream, I did what any enterprising youth would do. No, I didn't self publish. I refused to give up. I started looking into the possibility of finding a publisher on my own. I didn't know anything about slush piles or the differences between independent publishers and big publishers. I didn't have a clue that big publishers won't look at your work unless you have an agent. Anyway, I lucked out. I found Echelon Press. They invited me to send in my work and voila. I have a novel in publication. And a short story. And another short story series. And I'm part of an anthology. Happy ending.

What are the publicity plans you have coming up?
Well, I plan on dating one of the Kardashian sisters. I plan on getting into a bar fight with Justin Bieber. I thought I would hang out with Charlie Sheen for a few weeks, and then go jewelry shopping with Lindsay Lohan. If that doesn't work, I'm going to give the whole book signing, blog tour, post some ads thing a shot.

I also have a contest going to generate some buzz about Origins. So far it's working great. I'm giving people the opportunity to be one of the main characters in the third Demonkin book. They get to be a vampire, werewolf, or anything they want. They can be the good guy or the bad guy, and as special thanks, they will be in the dedication of the book as well. It's all on the Demonkin website. www.demonkin.com