Happy President's Day

Amazingly, today is a company holiday. So I'm not actually here. I'm at home, playing Lego Lord of the Rings with my nephew, in my pajamas. You can be jealous, go ahead.

Anyway, my dear friend, author of Rouge and The Truth about Faking, and co-contributor to The Kindness Project, Leigh T. Moore interviewed me a few days ago, and she's putting the thing up today, at her blog. Please go check it out, and leave a comment there. It should be pretty funny.

Also, I'm announcing my assistants for the A to Z April Blogging Challenge today. Please go visit all these blogs, and make sure you're following my assistants. You'll be interacting with them quite a bit during the challenge, if you're taking part.

Jay Noel

Sheri Larsen

Melanie Shulz

Josh Le Nerd

Deniz Bevan

I'll be emailing you guys with some more info tomorrow, but don't worry, it's gonna be pretty easy. If you have any challenge related questions, or just want to thank these awesome volunteers, you can do that here.

Please Help Me!

I know, this is lame. And it's a Monday, too. But I do need your help. I put a post up on YA Confidential on Friday, and it didn't get nearly the response I'd hoped for. It probably didn't help that I didn't link to it here, but I don't know whether that was the whole cause.

Please visit the post, and come up with a question for a college educator! I know, most of you are adults like me, but surely some of you have high school aged kids, or at least know some. Either way, we could us their questions!

There's also a free book involved, for anyone whose question is used, but surely the important thing is posterity, no?

Kristen Wixted Mini Interview

Man, since I've been on hiatus so long, I think I kind of forgot how to blog. I used to be so good at it, writing series, publishing flash fiction, featuring successful queries, along with critiquing good ones that needed just a little work. But now, it's all I can manage to eke out three or four sentences.

Well, I'm doing it to you again today. I'm over at Kristen Wixted's (an awesome writer and blogger I've actually met IRL). She has a new series she's calling Quick Questions with Kristen, which are basically just fun, light, mini-interviews. Here is the link to mine.

Happy hump day.

Friday Funneh

First, I didn't amend yesterday's post with this info until late in the day, so most of you missed this. Kim asked me some interesting questions.

And now time for something funny, to get you through your Friday. Actually, this isn't that funny. It's really stupid. After the Miami zombie scare, this moron decided to dress up like a zombie and pretend to attack people in some of Dade County's poorest areas.



If you look carefully, you might notice that at about the 2:00 minute mark, he gets a gun pulled on him. Man, some people are morons.

Alliteration Sensation

I was featured at Laura Barnes' blog this weekend, on a Saturday. No one reads blogs on Saturdays, so I thought I'd send you all over there now. Please go read Laura's feature/interview of me, which you can find: here.

Jury Duty

I've got Jury Duty today, so I'm not here. But I still have some great stuff for you guys.

First, go visit my friend, Shannon Whitney Messenger, she's got great news this morning.

Next, some of you may have seen it, but I know most didn't see me being interviewed, by my friend Amy.

Finally, I posted for Project Mayhem on Friday. If you missed that, please go have a look. The post includes a fun video.

Interviewed by Heather Kelly

Today I'm being interview by Heather Kelly on her blog, Edited to Within an Inch of my Life. Well, actually, technically, she interviewed me several days ago, but the post was put up this morning, so please go read it, here.

Thanks!

Interviewed by Michelle Merrill

Now that frogger blogger is back up, I can finally re-type this simple little post that I had already scheduled yesterday.

I'm being interviewed by Michelle Merrill today, so go here, to read it (and don't forget to follow her blog).

Thanks for a wonderful Friday, blogger!

Andrew Smith Interview

Today is the big one. This is my very first interview with a rock star of a published author.

But it's not about me. Hopefully I'm just a vessel through which as many readers as possible can discover this incredibly talented and amazingly courageous storyteller. Even if I didn't know him a little, he would still be the best young adult author I know of.

Okay. It's true, I'm not going to front. I've only read one of Andrew's novels. The Marbury Lens. And there are many other awesome young adult authors out there. But none of them write stories like Andrew. I'm not going to give anything away, but I will say this: if you don't read this tragic, heroic, inspiring, poignant, twisted and disturbing tale of Jack, Con, Seth, Griff, Ben and Marbury you're fucking missing out. Big time.

*i know i don't often swear on my blog, and least not in a hardcore punk rock kind of way, but this story truly deserves it. never have i felt so sickened by and inextricably connected to a character and a narrative as i have to this book. read it. steal it if you have to. in fact, if you're a young man, and you don't have the means to get this book for yourself, send me an email*

Now. Before I go on any longer preaching about things that don't really matter let's get down to it. This is probably going to be the best post you've ever read on this blog. It's also probably going to be the longest. Deal with it. It's worth it.

NOTE: The text in the answers below is Andrew's. Any hyper-links or other shenanigans are put there by me. He's not here to sell us anything, except maybe a love of language, and reading.

EDIT: Don't forget to visit Andrew's blog, and become a follower. I can't believe I forgot to say that the first time.

The interview:

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer, and how long did it take for that idea to blossom into authorship?

Believe it or not, writing was something I always wanted to do, ever since I was maybe about five years old. All my life I’ve written things. When I was younger, I wrote more poetry and short stories, but I also entertained the idea of one day becoming a playwright, so I have written plays, as well. I wrote novel-length stuff (science fiction and fantasy) when I was in high school, but I never seriously considered writing anything “real” until much later on in life.

How long have you been writing seriously?

Well, I’m not sure what “seriously” means. If it means to get paid for it, my first paid job as a teenager was actually writing (I was a stringer – the lowliest of all possible writing gigs) for a local newspaper. In those days, we got paid by the inch of copy. This encouraged me to write really long sentences, which some people have complained about in my first two novels, Ghost Medicine, and In the Path of Falling Objects.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

My favorite thing, of all possible “things” is making connections with readers – people whom I’ve never met – all over the world. That’s a real kick in the pants.

As far as the “process” part is concerned, I really like it when I’m working on something and it just totally consumes every thought in my head at every moment of the day… especially when I’m lying in bed trying to sleep. That part of the process is like a trip to Marbury, I guess: it puts me in another world, and I most often have no idea what to expect when I start navigating those new territories.

What is the most difficult part?

The difficult part of the external process is all the waiting, the not hearing from people like agents and editors, the wondering if I suck or not, the realization that, to everyone in my writing universe, the bottom line is that this is a business – while to me, the stuff I put out there is a force that can’t be constrained to markets and economics. That shit makes me crazy. Ask anyone who works with me, they’ll tell you – I am completely off the deep end.

Which brings me to the internal part that’s difficult: writing makes me go insane. Really. I don’t know how people put up with me at all.

What is your favorite genre to read?

I prefer realistic fiction. That said, anything that gets into sci-fi or fantasy has to hook me by getting into the internal psychology of the actors. That’s the only thing that will allow me to suspend my filters and get into something that can’t possibly be real. This is what I was trying to do with The Marbury Lens – make people say to themselves, this can’t possibly happen, right?

If you had to meet one of your characters in a dark alley who would you last want to meet, and why?

Mitch, from In the Path of Falling Objects, is a completely soulless and self-centered psychopath who has absolutely no capacity to experience compassion. He’s one terrible and frightening person.

And which character would you want there with you for protection?

For protection, Conner Kirk, from The Marbury Lens, or Tommy Buller, from Ghost Medicine. These guys are not necessarily fearless, but they’d fight to the death for their friends.

Do you stick to any kind of concrete writing schedule? If so how many hours a day do you write?

I begin every day with exercise, coffee, and writing. At 3:00 a.m. Seriously. When I’m writing something new (and, God help me, I haven’t NOT been writing something new since 2009, when I wrote Stick, which will be coming out this fall), I will write between 4 and 8 hours per day. But that writing time is all spread out between the hours of 3 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon, which is when I’ll usually quit for the day.

Do you prefer writing novels or short stories?

At the moment, I have a hard time keeping anything under novel length. So, I guess that means my preference at the moment is to write novels. I have been contracted to write a YA short story for an upcoming anthology, though.

Do you write poetry? Do you read it? Do you have a favorite poet?

This is kind of a tricky question. To be honest, the first three lines of most of the chapters in In the Path of Falling Objects are verse. There are going to be a lot of people who’ll say that parts of Stick are written in verse, too – but they are not. But people will use the “v” word about that novel.

And I think all my books have verse-like passages in them, and definitely verse-like sentences.

I am very picky about reading poetry. I do enjoy it very much, but it’s so easy to write (and publish) bad poetry. Sorry to say that. My favorite poet is Octavio Paz.

Do you outline, or is the plot all in your head? If you do outline how far you deviate from it?

Plots are generally all in my head. I know what is going to happen in the long run, but I usually don’t know every detail of the roadmap to that destination until the words come out on the page. Unfortunately, this method means that I will very often cut out thousands of words of the journey if I think a character has taken a detour that goes against the “big picture” of what I need him to do (ugh… this just happened to me yesterday in the novel I’m writing now). I keep scratch folders of all the stuff I cut out, though… and sometimes those passages will be used in other works.

The only kind of outline I keep is right at the end of what I’m writing. I’ll make a numbered list of what I want to happen. Usually that list will be about 15 points in length, and each point will only have 3 to 10 words about the “next thing” that’s going to happen.

How many novels have you written?

My fourth novel, Stick, will be published in fall 2011. I have three other completed novels sitting on my amazing editor’s desk, and I am working on my eighth novel right now, which I’m planning on finishing by April 22.

Do you have any that you’ve shelved or slipped into a drawer for good?

Only ones I wrote as a teenager. Goofing around stuff. Embarrassingly bad.

What is your biggest strength as a writer? Your biggest weakness?

I think my biggest strength is I make all deadlines my bitch. Everyone I work with knows that when they ask me to have something by a certain date, I always come through well in advance of the deadline. And what I give them is good, too.

My biggest weakness is that I take everything exceedingly personally. Everything hurts. Writing a book always feels like it’s going to kill me. One of these days, I think it really will.

Who is the best author you have only discovered in the last year?

Joe Lunievicz. Seriously. Joe contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in reading his forthcoming debut, Open Wounds. I totally love that book. It’s heroic, moving, and exciting. I can’t wait to see it in print.

I read somewhere that you coach a rugby team. How did you end up getting into that?

I was the first child in my family born in the USA (anchor baby). I spent a lot of years growing up with my family in Italy, where my cousin played rugby for a team in Trieste (hooray for Rugby Trieste). I fell in love with the sport. I also started coaching it when my kids were young and played it here in the states. I started playing more at that time, too. I still love the sport and believe it’s the greatest, most honorable sport ever created by human beings.

Are the All Blacks the greatest dynasty in that sport?

Eh… what can I say to that? I admire them tremendously. In terms of style, I like very much the way that Argentina plays the sport, and I just love to watch Ireland play, too.

I read somewhere else that you’re a fan of Cormac McCarthy. I’ve only read two of his novels so far, but I’ve never seen anything like his writing, and had no idea that simple prose English could be so beautiful. How do you feel about breaking “writing rules” and going off the deep end when it comes to formatting, grammar and punctuation?

You can only break the rules if you know them, otherwise, as my incredible managing editor and friend, Dave Barrett would say, “Sometimes a mistake is just a mistake.”

That said, I think there are some writers who are willing to experiment with their own interpretations of grammar and formatting. You will see this in my next novel, Stick, which was a very challenging book when it came to the copy-editing and set-up phase.

Do you believe novels can affect social change?

Hmm… no. I’m probably wrong, but I don’t believe they can. I don’t even think they should attempt to. I am definitely someone who bristles at prescriptive preachiness from any source. I think what novels do, though, is hold a mirror up to ourselves and society… and that sometimes they can make us aware of certain ugly blemishes which need our attention. However, the actual attention these blemishes are given is a real crapshoot, and the novel itself has nothing to do with it.

What it is like interacting directly with the young men and women who read your books and are your audience?

Well, as I said above, this is really one of the best parts of being a writer. I think that a lot of times, kids and readers in general feel a natural kind of reticence about sending a letter or email, or any other kind of communication, to an author. And I can’t speak for anyone other than myself, but it totally makes my day when I turn on the email and see I’ve got some message from a reader somewhere out there on the planet who made a connection to something I wrote.

It just doesn’t get better than that. And I answer every one I get, too.

In this day and age, the hand-written, on paper, letters are rare… but I have gotten some of those, too, and I have kept every single one of them. There really is nothing like getting a pencil-scrawled note from a kid I’ve never seen in my life, who lives a life that I’ve never had the slightest peek into, but who’s taken the time to reach out and make a connection with some guy who wrote some words that ended up in his hands and head.

And now we have a few questions from my readers:

Raquel Byrnes asked: Why did you choose the era you did for In the Path of Falling Objects? Why the Vietnam War for the brother’s setting?

Okay. A couple things about that book. First of all, and sadly enough, I’ve known a couple kids who’ve gone over to Iraq and Afghanistan for us – for the love of our country – and have sacrificed themselves. I was very small during the Vietnam War, but my eldest brother served in the Army there, and it made a lasting (and horrible) impression on me. I had horrible terrors at night, thinking I’d never see him again. So I wanted to write something about that experience, and something about brothers (there were only boys in my family) for the kids who have family members serving in the military. But I didn’t want to make the book about Afghanistan or Iraq because I don’t think we’ve all absorbed our lessons from that experience yet.

Also, the letters in the novel written between Matthew and Jonah were based very closely on the letters my own brother wrote home from Vietnam. I still have all those letters, by the way.

Marsha Sigman asked: (paraphrasing here) How long after deciding to pursue writing professionally did you manage to become published?

Well… it was a first-out-of-the-gate thing. But it’s a long story, too. I have a dear friend I went to high school with, Kelly Milner Halls, who is quite a successful author of nonfiction for young readers. Anyway, I think it was around 2004 or so, and Kelly was bugging me, saying, “Why haven’t you ever tried to publish a novel? You’re such a talented writer…” and blah, blah, blah…

So I told her, fine, that I actually was working on a novel (and I was… it was called Ghost Medicine), and that when I finished it, I’d try to get an agent and see what happens. So, I think around 2006 I started looking for an agent, and I was signed by the most incredible Laura Rennert of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She sold the manuscript at auction, and it was published in 2008.

Keep in mind, though, that I always had plans to be a writer. I studied writing, and actually worked in what I thought I wanted to do at the time – journalism. I didn’t like the profession, though. There was something about being assigned to write obituaries or do traffic reports on the radio that I found to be very dissatisfying. So I quit those jobs and wandered around the world and through all kinds of equally unfulfilling and dissatisfying occupations. But I never stopped writing, either.

And if it wasn’t for Kelly, I’d still be writing, but only for myself and my hard drive.

I honestly never once thought about getting published or being a “professional” until Kelly dared me into it.

Sarah Ahiers (Falen) asked: What is a typical day like for you as it pertains to writing?

Like I said, I start writing every day at around 3 a.m. After I write some “stuff,” I’ll go out for a run. Then, throughout the day, I’ll keep coming back to my computer from time to time and crank out more “stuff” until about 5 p.m. Sometimes, my sitting stretches into very long periods, and other times I’ll need to get out and move around.

I like to get about 1,000 to 1,500 “keeper” words per day. For me, “keeper” words have usually been written and re-written on the average of ten times. Maybe more.

Without giving too much away ... Emily White asked: What kind of world did the blue lens in The Marbury Lens lead to?

Okay… the blue lenses are mentioned just a couple times at the end of The Marbury Lens. Seth leaves them for Jack and the boys at the end, because they are going to need them in order to not get trapped in Marbury. Unfortunately, the blue lenses fuck things up really bad.

Oops. I don’t think I was supposed to say that.

J.M. Leotti Interview

It seems like this week is interview week here on The QQQE. Today I'm interviewing J.M. Leotti, and tomorrow I've got Andrew Smith. You guys remember Janice, right? She interviewed me last month. Anyway, today it's her turn, or my turn, depending on how you want to look at it.

These posts can get long, so let's just get right to it:

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been addicted to writing and painting since I was in kindergarten. I used to make books, write them and then illustrate them.

How long have you been writing seriously?

I didn’t take my writing seriously at all until I studied fiction at The Writers Studio in New York City in the late ‘90s. I was working as an assistant editor for a new company, and quit both my job and school about a year or so after the attacks of 9/11. It was a really scary time, and I remember the acrid smell of smoke during my classes. I published two short stories in literary magazines, but was unsure about the direction I wanted my life to take. I started sculpting and painting fairy subjects to make money, but continued to write novels and short stories in my spare time. I never finished them, though, and ended up with folder upon folder of unfinished writing on my desktop. A couple of years later I met up with a writing buddy I’d lost touch with, and the spark ignited again. This time, I intend to see it through.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

How words play against each other. I love the sounds of certain words like icicles and flurries and butter cream. They are notes, and sentences are measures of music. I like crafting sentences that give an image or make a sound. I love a story that leaves me thinking about it long after I’ve read it. This is something I strive for.

What is the most difficult part?

For me it’s figuring out how to pace a longer work. I tend to write everything quickly and then go back in and do surgery. Pacing, making sure scenes are balanced and interesting, that to me is tough stuff. I never know if I’m going too fast or too slow. At this stage, I have only my taste to rely on. Eventually, I’ll let others read my novel, but I would never bore them with a rough draft. Except my husband. He hears everything, poor man.

Have you completed any novels, even if only in draft form?

No. I have half of a middle grade novel that I started a couple of years ago, half a YA that I started years before that, and an adult novel that is almost complete. This is the one I’m working on now. Finally, I’m dedicated to finishing something! There will be hoopla and pilsners for all when I’m done. I’m actually looking forward to editing it. I like rewriting. I feel that’s when I construct my best sentences.

What is your favorite genre to read?

Literary fiction, fantasy and poetry. I also love books of facts, symbols and quotes. I’m a big fan of the Idiot’s Guide books. I tend to read everything, even YA and picture books. There is a lot of wisdom in some children’s literature.

If you had to meet one of your characters in a dark alley who would you last want to meet, and why?

Draven, one of my villain’s henchmen. He is completely devoid of compassion, charming and deft with a halberd—to me the deadliest of combinations.

And which character would you want there with you for protection?

Interestingly, not my main character. She is troubled and doesn’t always make the right decisions. I would have to say Pup, who is brave and loyal and has a knack for cutting through bullshit.

Do you stick to any kind of concrete writing schedule? If so how many hours a day do you write?

*She mumbles an answer into her hand.* Um, no. I’m trying to be better about that. I try to write at least one page a day in my novel. Sometimes this doesn’t happen. On my days off, though, I write a lot, sometimes ten pages or more. When I can afford it, I spend the whole day writing. I love those days, but they are few and far between. The days I don’t write at all tend to be days spent making money at other things.

Do you prefer writing novels or short stories and flash fiction?

Hard to say since I haven’t yet finished a novel. However, I’m really enjoying the process of working on something longer. To be involved in a story for over a year now has been a great joy. Flash fiction to me is the closest to poetry. Since I will probably never be a poet, I’d have to say I love flash fiction. The building of images to create a story in a short space is a fascinating process to me.

Do you outline, or is the plot all in your head? If you do outline how far you deviate from it?

I outline and change as I go. Sometimes something better comes along after the outline is done, so I just go with the flow.

What is your biggest strength as a writer? Your biggest weakness?

Not sure. I was told in writing class that I was good with dialog and description, so I’ll go with that. My weakness is getting my ass in the chair, and choosing titles for my stories. It’s just baffling to me. What the fuck do I call this thing?

Who is the best author you have only discovered in the last year?

Should I be embarrassed by this answer? Elizabeth Hand. She’s AMAZING!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Many thanks Matthew, for this interview. It was really fun, and I love your questions. Best of luck with all your writing endeavors!

Fun Random Questions for The End (I stole this interview idea from Jen at Unedited, though I made my own questions up). Which would you rather be?

Painting a landscape or a portrait?

Portrait. My husband is a landscape painter, and I could never do what he does!

A Vampire or a Werewolf?

Vampire all the way. Who wants all that hair on their legs? Vampires are sexier. (Although I loved Oz in Buffy. He was cool.)

Drinking a nice Chianti or a smooth Merlot?

Ah! Don’t say the words ‘nice Chianti’ around me! Totally freaked out by Hannibal Lecter. Merlot, merlot, merlot!

A rich and famous author or a poor but critically acclaimed one?

I think there are a lot of spaces in between being a rich and famous author and being a good writer. Hmmm. Jonathan Franzen or JK Rowling? Both good minds, both good writers (in their own ways) neither is starving (well at least we know Rowling isn’t)... I have my fantasies like everyone else, but the reality is I have no idea if I’ve got the ‘it’ factor. I’m hoping to be good enough to make a living from writing. Paying the monthly bills on time would suffice.

Partying with some Dryads or relaxing with some Nereids?

Tough choice. I love trees, but Dryads don’t seem much like the partying type. Some are shy, can’t leave their trees, you know, rooted to the spot. Maybe I’d like to share some ‘tales of old’ with Dryads, maybe some wisdom, but for partying I might have to go with Nereids. Maybe they can get me a backstage pass to a Poseidon ball!

Reading an e-book, a hardcover, or a paperback?

You evil man. How can you make me choose? However, if I must, there is nothing like a classic hardcover.

Great answers! If you would like to know more about Janice, be sure to visit her blog, but you can also read the flash fiction piece, through which I discovered her, here at The Alchemy of Writing.

Bryan Russell Interview

Today I'm interviewing Bryan Russell. Before I get down to it I want to say a few things about Bryan. I know that you all give me a lot of credit for being all about helping other writers, and I do try, and I appreciate your thanks and commendations, but I could blog for decades and never hold a candle to what Bryan does for the community.

Bryan has been the Chief Moderator of Nathan Bransford's forums since long before I met him. That would be achievement enough, but if you take the time to look at what he does there, you would see that this man, while yes, also one of the most talented writers in the world, is even more so one of the most giving. He gives advice free and easy, but more so he gives it with kindness and genuine compassion. This is a rare quality in a man with his level of skill and knowledge, and I urge you, STRONGLY, to get to know him better (as long as you don't take time away from my own milking him for advice and knowledge).

He also hosts one of the coolest blog features I have ever come across. The World in Miniature is a series of flash fiction stories, many by Bryan, a few by myself, and several by other featured guest authors. He'll take submissions from anyone, as long as you're willing to listen to a little editorial suggestion, if necessary (which trust me, is worth it's weight in gold).

Anyway, that's probably enough of kissing Bryan's ass, but I would just like to add one more thing: Thank you for all you've done for me B.

Now on to the interview:

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer, or rather an author?

Well, the writing thing just sort of happened. Once I started reading a lot as a kid, I just started writing, too, utterly fascinated by stories. But I don’t think I really thought seriously about authorship until I was in grade seven or eight. Then it really started striking me how much I loved this writing thing, and also that people actually did this in the adult world – they made a living writing stories.

So this understanding of possibility mixed with a couple of my fledgling efforts in this period helped foster that goal. Having fellow students respond to my writing was really important, too – a sense of the possibility of what I could do with words. I wrote a Halloween story in which an evil spirit murdered all my classmates. And, for whatever reason, they all loved it. There was utter excitement to see what would happen next, who in the class would be knocked off. I mean, luckily I was a likeable and well-adjusted kid, so I got a great grade rather than a trip to the principal’s office and psychiatric counseling. Maybe it was because I killed myself most gruesomely of all…

Or maybe people simply like getting murdered. Who knew?

How long have you been writing seriously?

Well, that youthful seriousness started then, back in grades seven and eight. I started writing real stories, 30 page stories with real plots and characters and themes. But I was young, and it was still sort of haphazard, and that continued through high school. But I read a million things, and I kept writing a bit, and by the end of my time at Banting Secondary School I knew this was what I wanted. I went to University and got a BA and MA in English and Creative Writing, and obviously by that point I was taking it pretty seriously. Wrote a ton, and churned out my first novel attempt for my Masters thesis.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Well, I’m absolutely a sentence junkie. I’m obsessed with words, with the rhythm and flow of sentences. There’s something inherently fabulous and beautiful to me about great prose. I mean, the uniqueness of it! Style and voice are like fingerprints, singular marks on the worlds they touch.

But, even deeper than that, is the obsession with story. My brain revolves around story, and there’s something intensely explorative about writing. I don’t write to share something I know with others; I write to discover something I don’t know. Writing, for me, is a curious act of exploration. I think my brain is tuned to narrative, and it’s how I come to understand and experience the world around me. It’s made understandable by story, by trying to understand the connection between people and events. My brain makes stories of everything – they sort of swim around inside my head non-stop. And writing is just a deeper and more focused attempt to understand and explore the world.

What is the most difficult part?

Well, I think it used to be revision, because I wasn’t very good at it. I mean, I could polish a sentence fine. But deep story revisions? No. And part of the problem was that my first drafts were pretty good. Lots of clean, (hopefully) interesting writing. And when something is pretty good it’s easier to leave it alone, to accept it. If you realize something is crappy, it’s easier to take the axe to it.

To self: “Oh shit, that’s terrible. Bloody delete the whole thing, moron.”

But if something’s pretty good?

To self: “Hey, that’s okay. On to the next thing…”

But pretty good is often not good enough. Sometimes you need great. And to get to great you have to push past “pretty good”. And that means understanding how to revise. That means challenging yourself, pushing yourself. Don’t stop at the easy spot. You gotta get to the summit. And make it down alive.

Now, I’ve gotten better at revision, and so maybe it’s now… story? The intricacies and subtleties of it, how it’s all tied together and flows along with the rising and falling of tension. It’s funny, because story is the thing we usually think we master first. We have these cool ideas, these stories in our head. Awesome! But we realize our craft isn’t there yet, and so we go about learning all sorts of things. And then we finish and our skills are dope. But we realize that this whole idea of story is trickier than we once thought, and far more complex.

Anyone who uses the word dope to mean cool and has a Master's degree in creative writing is pretty cool in my book.

Other than your current fantasy novel have you ever written any novel length works in any other genre?

Four, actually. The first was a literary novel. It had some great writing, and I like the characters and ideas and themes of it… but it was really more like a skeleton of a novel than a novel itself. I’ve thought about rewriting it at some point, using those bones as the basis for a new book.

The second was also literary, but a sort of surrealist war novel set in the near future. What would you call that? I don’t know. I still love this book, and once had a lit agent for it (she passed away from cancer), but it needs to be rewritten/revised. Which I’ll do, at some point.

The third was a literary novel as well. Pretty straight literary. But it sucked. Okay, there were a couple good points. It should, really, have been a longish short story rather than a novel. Oops. It’s trunked. And trunked to stay.

The fourth is a literary/crime novel about a woman who is kidnapped and trapped in a makeshift cell. I love this one, also. It’s more recent, and I’m still revising, but my focus is on my fantasy novels first and foremost. My goal is to be a fantasy novelist, so I want to treat that ambition in the most professional way possible. It comes first. These other books are on a catch-as-catch-can schedule

What is your favorite genre to read?

Well, I’m a bit of an omnivore, really. I read just about everything, as I have eclectic tastes. I read more literary than anything, but I also read a lot of fantasy, crime, memoir and history. Plus all sorts of odds and ends, from science to religion. I read a lot about virology. Don’t ask me why.

Did you ever play Dungeons and Dragons, the real pen and paper tabletop game?

Indeed I did. I had a vast collection of multi-sided dice. My d30 was like a best friend. It practically glowed.

I must admit I don't remember ever seeing a d30. d20, sure, d100 even, but never a d30, and I should point out, even though I look up to Bryan a lot, and consider him a bit of a mentor, I'm actually about a year or so older than him, so it's not like a difference in histories. Maybe d30 was a Canadian thing.

So I looked it up. Bryan isn't full of shit. See the beautiful, multi-colored glowing proof to the right over there. See it and marvel in the wonder that is a 30 sided die. Ahem, anyway . . .

What about computer or video games based on Dungeons and Dragons?

I’ve never been a big gaming sort of guy. We had a Commodore 64 growing up, and so I played some Gyruss and Aztec Challenge and Summer Olympics and Joust. Ah, the Commodore… I think electronic dayplanners have more power and memory now. And I played my best friend’s Nintendo some, too. Double Dragon. Gotta love some Double Dragon.

Yes, yes you do.

But that’s about it. No D&D video games. I suppose something like Zelda would be the closest.

If you answered no to those previous two questions, what first made you think of writing Fantasy? A book? A film? If you answered yes to either, did they play a part in your decision to write fantasy?

I don’t think D&D led to my writing at all. More, I think it was a writing outlet in and of itself, satisfying many of the same urges as writing a story. I mean, that’s what we were doing, really. I think my best friend and I both liked creating the interesting characters and planning adventures more than actually role-playing them.

I think my desire to write came out of reading. It started with The Hobbit in grade three, followed by Lord of the Rings and then a million other things. I devoured books. The desire to create my own stories came out of the love of the stories I read and an active imagination. Plus, I was a good student and always had extra time in class. Reading and writing were safe activities to keep me out of trouble (mostly successful… but not completely).

If you had to meet one of your characters in a dark alley who would you last want to meet, and why?

The Orchard Keeper, the antagonist from my literary crime novel. For more reasons than I could count.

And which character would you want there with you for protection?

The Ghost King, a mysterious figure from my current fantasy novel.

This is so cool, because based on the names of those two characters, I would initially assume the opposite. Very interesting.

Do you stick to any kind of concrete writing schedule? If so how many hours a day do you write?

Well, I try to write regularly, but what “regularly” means will vary depending on circumstance. Work, family, etc. Life changes, and I allow myself the freedom to change my writing schedule accordingly. The key is to do what you can. For part of this last year I was working and commuting between 80 and 100 hours a week. I had one month with only a single day off. And I have a wife and three small children at home. So obviously trying to write a ton of pages was unreasonable. Work and family had to come first. I did a bit here and there. Not much, but that was all that was available. I believe in goals and schedules, but I’m also very practical. A goal that harms you isn’t a good goal. As long as I’m not simply making excuses (and this is key), I give myself the freedom to be flexible.

Do you prefer writing novels or short stories and flash fiction?

Novels, definitely. Most of my ideas are long ideas, suited to the novel. It’s what I like most to read, and what I like most to write. I love that engagement, that submersion into a story. I certainly appreciate short stories and flash (which I write regularly for my blog), but my true love is certainly novels.

Do you outline, or is the plot all in your head? If you do outline how far you deviate from it?

I do outline, though the looseness varies. I’m never a particularly tight outliner. I have a rough plot in mind, though lots of elements will simply be discovered in the draft process. I tend to have a timeline of scenes, but also blank places that will be filled once I get there. I give lots of room for deviation. First drafts usually stay roughly on the track of the outline. Revisions, however, can take the story far afield. My current novel has changed drastically from its original incarnation.

How many novels have you written?

Seven, all told. My first novel was a fantasy that was almost as long as yours, which I wrote for my Masters thesis. And then I have the four Lit novels I mentioned earlier, and the two books of my current fantasy undertaking.

What is your biggest strength as a writer? Your biggest weakness?

Always hard to evaluate yourself! I try to convince myself I’m becoming a well rounded writer. I’m confident in my writing on a sentence level, in terms of prose style. I’m confident in dialogue. I’m confident in my imagination. And I’m always trying to work on story, on crafting something better. Pacing, conflict, tension. What will make a story better? How do we put all the great parts together and make it work?

I can't vouch for Bryan's novels, but if you go read his flash fiction and short stories you will find a master of diction, rhythm, cadence, and style. He clearly puts a lot of thought into his wrangling of language, and it will leave you awed.

Who is the best author you have only discovered in the last year?

Ryszard Kapuscinski. He’s a Polish journalist who traveled the world and wrote about what he saw, often putting himself in the middle of wars and hotspots and revolutions. A brilliant observer, and an elegant and incisive writer. His work, simply put, is great literature. I wish there were more such writers following in his steps.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A plug! Over at the Alchemy of Writing I publish flash fiction every week, and I’m always looking for great new submissions. Any kind of story. Under 500 words. The world in miniature…

The link is www.alchemyofwriting.blogspot.com

Okay, I know I already promoted it a few times, but I will take one last opportunity to strongly urge you to go follow this blog. You will NOT regret it.

Fun Random Questions for The End (I stole this interview idea from Jen at Unedited, though I made my own questions up). Which would you rather be?

A Jedi or a Ninja? A Ninja. With a lightsaber.

That's actually hilarious. I was asked a similar question once, I think it was whether I would prefer a lightsaber or a Katana, I replied that I wanted a curved lightsaber. You can read more about it here.

A Tolkien Elf or a Martin Maester? Elf. I like immortality. Think of all the stories I could write just hanging out at Elrond’s house?

Drinking a Labatt’s or a Molson’s? Labatt’s, though I can’t drink either of them anymore. More’s the pity.

Damn. These questions were supposed to be funny. Sorry Bryan.

A rich and famous author or a poor but critically acclaimed one? Hmmm. I don’t need to be famous, but an end to my flirtations with poverty would be nice. Critical regard is also nice, but if I write the stories I want to the best of my ability, and I’m happy with them… well, that’s all the critical regard I really need. Though if someone wanted to give me a Nobel I’d take it.

So wealthy but obscure then? Nice, I could deal with that.

Watching Hockey, Football, or Futbol? Futbol, most certainly. I’m odd. A Canadian sports lover who doesn’t like Hockey all that much. But I’m sort of addicted to futbol and basketball. I like football a lot, too. But my wife doesn’t. This, um, curtails my viewing.

I forgot about Basketball. You'll learn more about the trinity that is Basketball, Bryan Russell and Nathan Bransford tomorrow, when Bryan shares his query with us.

Running or Hiking? Running, but I’m all up for hiking, too. Give me a mountain. Okay, a small hill.

Reading or writing? Two sides of the same coin. Flip and we’ll see.

Thank you so much for answering my questions Bryan, it's really been a pleasure knowing you this last year now, and having you visit my blog.

Readers please say hello, and let Bryan know in the comments if you have any questions!

Interviewed by J.M. Leotti

Morning readers. As promised the interview of me by Janîce Leotti (that's pronounced like Janeese) is up on her blog. Before you go visit I just want to say that Janîce is an amazing writer and relatively new blogger who I only discovered recently.

It was her short story, flash fiction really, The Prop, which I first saw, where else? On The Alchemy of Writing. Anyway it was this wonderful little bit of creative writing that introduced me with to her with a bang. I would suggest you go read the story, it's great.

Once you're done, you can go read the interview. You can find it here. Don't forget to comment and then follow her blog when you're done.

Thanks!

Disappointment

The title of this post has nothing to do with writing, thank god. I'm just disappointed by a terrible weekend of NFL football. Only one of the four teams I was pulling for actually won their game. And it's especially sad that I was only pulling for the New York Jets because I hate the Patriots.

Oh well, moving on before I make any enemies. I've got some great things coming up this week. I'm going to be interviewing Bryan Russell, who is the closest thing I have to a mentor in my so called writing career, and he is going to be sharing and analyzing his query as well this week.

Then, at some point, as soon as I can respond to her questions, I will be interviewed by JM Leotti, over at her blog, Restless Spirit. I intend to interview and promote her as well, over here, but I don't think I'm going to be able to fit that post in this week.

Anyway, I'm off to do some writing before I have to get to work. Scroll down for an awesome drawing of me by Vic if you haven't already seen the post from this weekend.

P.S. I notice I've gained several new followers over the weekend. Welcome! I will try to make it to all of your blogs as soon as I can.

Katie Mills Interview

Welcome back readers! Thanks so much for all your help with Katie's query. Now we're going to get to know her a little better, but don't worry, she's still working on the query and will let us know when she has a new version to share.

So here is an interview Katie so kindly agreed to give me, even while I am stuck here at work on an overnight shift, monitoring the new hires. Hey, at least it gives me a chance to write and blog, even if the sleep deprivation is starting to make me hallucinate a little.

*was that a hummingbird?*

Sorry. Enough about me. Here's the interview, thanks Katie:

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer?

It was kind of a natural progression for me. My first love is reading but during various periods in my life - the kind of books I wanted to read weren’t available (either because I read everything in my bookstore/library or, like in the last few years, I’m living in a foreign country where it’s slim pickins for books in English). When I don’t have something to read - I write. In 2009 I finished my first book and just thought ‘If I could do this and earn money, I’d be one of those lucky few who actually love their job’.

How long have you been writing seriously?

Since June 2008. That’s the date I started my first finished manuscript.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Writing the first draft. I write an outline but when characters start becoming real and situations pop out of nowhere - it feels so magical to me.

What is the most difficult part?

I think all my followers know - revision and editing are my weaknesses. No magic there.

Did you ever play Dungeons and Dragons, the real pen and paper tabletop game?

Um... *looks around self concisously* No?

*did you just answer a question with a question?* Nice.

What about computer or video games based on Dungeons and Dragons?

I refused to be anyone but the Princess in Super Mario Brothers 2. (She could fly!) This might say something about my inner workings …

If you answered no to those previous two what first made you think of writing Fantasy? A book? A film? If you answered yes to either, did they play a part in your decision to write fantasy?

Well, when you think about it - pretty much all fiction is fantasy in some sense, even if you aren’t inventing new worlds. This is my first attempt at a label ‘Fantasy’ book and I have to admit I had a blast just letting my imagination run free - I get to make the rules about how things work and where things are. I don’t know any other activity that can give creativity and my manic control freak side a common goal.

If you had to meet one of your characters in a dark alley who would you last want to meet, and why?

Oooh, good question. I’d have to say ‘Mr. Harold’. He’s a malevolent spirit in my first book who likes to take on the image of a decaying corpse with red eyes. Yum.

And which character would you want there with you for protection?

Probably the MC – Gretchen from that same book. She’s got some warrior spirit guides that would kick Mr. Harold’s ass.

Can you tell us a little more about FOSSEGRIM than what is revealed in your query? For example, a little about your characters, where the idea of them came from, what sparked your initial idea, and how you decided what genre it would be?

Well, I’m one of those people that subconsciously keeps info at the back of my brain. While searching for agents, there were so many who said they want something from a male point of view. And while I didn’t write this ‘for’ the market -- when the idea for a delinquent teenage boy who turns into a stereotypically ‘feminine’ mythological creature came to me, I decided ‘why not just go with it and see where it takes me?’

I’m glad I did. Sage was a blast to write - he’s really jaded and has such a hilarious take on turning into a mermaid. But the book also let me write a lot of action/fighting sequences that I’ve never written before. Fossegrim have some serious enemies - Namely the Fiskari; an organization of Norse fisherman who capture and torture Fossegrim into controlling the weather and migrations in their favor.

Are you working on any other projects right now? If so, could you tell us a little about them? If not, have you got any ideas marinating?

I’ve had this idea in mind for a while that I might start working on; about two rival circus families. One is destroyed in a fire in the 1800’s only to have its members reincarnated and reincorporated over time. A young girl discovers an uncanny talent for the trapeze and is caught up in this ancient war between the two families.

That sounds strangely awesome.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Just that, after reading the above - I sometimes feel like a crazy person sharing my delusions. Where do we get this stuff?

Tar-jay? *asked with a cheesy French accent* Man I'm tired.

Fun Random Questions for The End (I stole this interview idea from Jen at Unedited, though I made my own questions up). Which would you rather be?

A Mermaid or a Faerie? Ugh … Faerie. Again … they can fly?
In Monaco playing craps or in Nice drinking wine? Nice drinking wine. :)
Sailing or skiing? Skiing (If I were good at it, which I’m not).
A rich and famous author or a poor but critically acclaimed one? Does that exist? I know I’m supposed to say poor but I’d rather be rich and famous …
Watching True Blood or reading Twilight? TRUE BLOOD!!
Yes ... TB FTW!
Visiting New Zealand or Japan? Japan. I love sushi.
Ooh. Me too. I wrote an awesome Sushi post here.

Thanks so much Katie! That was lots of fun. I'm glad it's already after lunch in France and you could share this with me tonight (or last night now). It made the hours zoom right by ... with little squiggly lights.

Emily White Interview

Whew. It's been a long week. No I'm not that upset by the Vikings loss last night, just a little worried about some major holes in the offense. We don't appear to have a single viable number one receiver. TE Visanthe Shiancoe is awesome, but a TE getting double covered is pretty much gonna get shut down. At least the Defense looked pretty good, even with several backups starting in the secondary.

Anyway enough about football. I would like to thank Emily very much for letting me feature her here all week. It takes a lot of courage to put your writing out there for others to judge. She deserves all our respect.

Now, let's get to know her a little better, the interview:

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer?

I think I was born wanting to be a writer. In fact, my mother gave me and my sisters pretty names she could imagine gracing the cover of a book. Writing is just one of those things I can’t honestly remember NOT wanting to do.

How long have you been writing seriously?

I dabbled with writing (and considered myself serious) when I was about thirteen, but I didn’t really get into doing it consistently until a boyfriend in college ticked me off and I decided he’d make a good villain. I actually finished that book, but it’s been permanently shelved.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Falling in love with my characters. I feel like each new book is the start of a relationship. The moment I earn my characters’ trust and they start sharing all their little secrets I feel like I’m staring into my child’s eyes for the first time. It’s amazing.

What is the most difficult part?

Accepting the fact that the first draft is going to be horrible. I keep wanting to go back and edit while writing. It slows me down considerably and I end up having a hard time finishing.

Did you ever play Dungeons and Dragons, the real pen and paper tabletop game?

Haha! Um…no. I honestly had never even heard of D&D until college and I must admit my friends didn’t look upon it very favorably. I probably would have loved it because I love all that role playing stuff, but alas, I never did get to experience it.

What about computer or video games based on Dungeons and Dragons?

I’m obsessed with Civilization. Does that count? How about CIV III Gold Edition? There are magical lands on that one! No?

My husband and I thought about getting into WoW, but I’m so intimidated by it. It seems like such a close-knit community of people who know exactly what they’re doing. I would feel like a dumb butt.

If you had to meet one of your characters in a dark alley who would you last want to meet, and why?

Ooh! This is a hard one! I’d probably have to go with the Kofra (leader of the evil people) because he’s not necessarily evil even though his society is. He honestly believes in what he’s doing and he’s really convincing. He’s one of those guys you’d hate to have to debate unless you didn’t mind questioning every last thing about yourself.

And which character would you want there with you for protection?

Without question, Malik. He’s probably the only person in the book who wouldn’t fall for the Kofra’s brainwashing. He’s one of those guys who just doesn’t care. He knows who he is, what he wants out of life, and doesn’t let anyone or anything else define him.

Can you tell us a little more about ELEMENTAL than what is revealed in your query? For example, a little about your characters, where the idea of them came from, what sparked your initial idea, and how you decided what genre it would be?

You are probably going to learn more about me than you wanted to if I answer this question, but okay.

ELEMENTAL lived as a pretty little fantasy for about 12 years in my head. I always loved fairies and imagined what it would be like if I actually was one. Even in my imaginings, fairies came from some far off planet, so I think it always wanted to be a sci-fi. I loved everything having to do with science, so I tried to think of how fairies COULD exist without all the magic and what they would be like. Even the ability to control the elements is explained scientifically. Actually, when I came up with that concept, it created a whole slew of problems that I think added a few nice plot twists. And yes, I’m being secretive.

When I decided to turn it into a book, the MC was still a lot like me. Now, though, the only thing we have in common is the blonde hair and blue eyes. Ella is a lot cooler than I could ever be. She’s also a little crazier than I would prefer to admit I am.

In fact, the whole idea around ELEMENTAL is completely different compared to how it started out in my head. The only things that stayed the same are the races of Auri (alien fairy race). They had always been split up into the Windbringers, Watergatherers, and Firestarters. Now, though, the story has been influenced by my time in the military and been morphed essentially into a military sci-fi with elements of magical realism.

Wow. That was a long answer. :o Sorry.

Are you working on any other projects right now? If so, could you tell us a little about them? If not, have you got any ideas marinating?

I’m working on two projects right now:

Hansel and Gretel is about a company (Gretel) that creates a community in Hansel Valley, Utah for its workers and their families. When the children start going missing, Sebastian is the only one who remembers they existed at all. There are zombies, dinosaurs, self-aware computer programs, and even some mention of Roswell.

Army Strong is a book I’m toying around with about my career in the Army. At this point I’m writing it as an autobiographical novel, but I’ve heard those aren’t entirely popular, so I may just write it for my family.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I just wanted to thank everyone again for all their help with my query. There’s no way I could have gotten it as good as I did without such great feedback.

Fun Random Questions for The End (I stole this interview idea from Jen at Unedited, though I made my own questions up). Which would you rather be?

Wielding a Lightsaber or a Katana? Lightsaber! I’d take that mind control gift, too. ;)

On a Freighter running from a Fallen Angel or stuck in a prison ship? On the Freighter, definitely. There are horrors in that prison ship I would never want to come across.

In the middle of a desert or the middle of the ocean? Desert. The whole vastness of the ocean has always terrified me.

Reading The Hunger Games trilogy or Writing The Lord of the Rings trilogy? Oh boy, can’t I have both? Actually, if I had written LOTR, I would have butchered it and that’s just not a nice thing to do. So I will happily take reading The Hunger Games.

An Elf or a Dragon? Hmm…a dragon. I’ve always wanted to be able to fly!

A Dwarf or a Hobbit? Hobbit! I used to have a crush on Frodo Baggins. :D Me too ... well, more of a brush (that's a bro crush)!

Thanks so much Emily, this has been great fun. Any other questions readers? Thoughts? Don't forget to visit Emily's blog and become a follower!

Katherine Camp Interview

I can't believe this week is over. I've had a great time hosting Katherine and her query for DRAGONSAYER and my hope is that she's learned a lot. I know I have.

Now we're going to take a little time to get to know Katherine better. By way of author interview. If this happens to be your first day here this week be sure to visit Katherine's blog and become a follower.

Now, to the questions!

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always loved storytelling. I made up my first story when I was 6 about these people who lived on a prehistoric island with dinosaurs, and they had to hide in a network of caves and store up food for the winter when the T Rexes attacked. I started writing stuff down and telling people I wanted to be a writer at age 8.

How long have you been writing seriously?

I began writing with the intent to publish about 3 years ago. DRAGONSAYER is the 4th novel I finished, and the 2nd I queried.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Being finished with the book… haha. Actually, I love creating worlds and characters and then seeing how other people breathe life into those things as they enjoy them. Someone cried once reading something I wrote, and that stunned me. It was amazing to move someone that deeply. That’s my favorite part.

What is the most difficult part?

Probably the writing itself. I am a champion procrastinator and I have a very, very short attention span, like a squirrel.

Did you ever play Dungeons and Dragons, the real pen and paper tabletop game?

My husband used to be a devoted D&D player in college, but I’ve never played. We haven’t been able to get a group together. I get to keep my geek card though b/c I have a WoW account. Also I play a lot of geeky board games like Settlers of Cataan.

What about computer or video games based on Dungeons and Dragons?

I played a lot of PC games as a kid, but I’m actually more of a sci fi person than a fantasy person. I played a lot of Star Wars PC/video games … I really like technology and the challenges it introduces.

Ooh I hope you played Knights of the Old Republic. Both iterations are two of my favorite all time games, on X-Box, PC or anything.

If you had to meet one of your characters in a dark alley who would you last want to meet, and why?

Anabis, one of the Seekers. They’re like evil Jedi/wizards plus mind control.

And which character would you want there with you for protection?

Kael, the leader of the Monarchist “task force.” He has enough magical ability to give him an edge in his reflexes, and he’s an excellent physical fighter. But he acts bookish and quiet, so people underestimate him initially and that gives him the advantage. Also he’s a good-looking dude.

Can you tell us a little more about DRAGONSAYER than what is revealed in your query? For example, a little about your characters, where the idea of them came from, what sparked your initial idea, and how you decided what genre it would be?

I first made up Kael and Briand when I was 17, and since then the story’s evolved a lot. There’s a bunch of characters… Kael is a member of the Monarchists. He’s made some mistakes and he’s sort of in trouble, so he’s been sent on this crazy mission to find this person who can control dragons.

Briand is this kid who Kael & Co knew while they were looking for the dragonsayer. Then she turns out to be the dragonsayer, much to everyone’s surprise/dismay. In my mind, the story is both about Briand finding her own strength/figuring herself out as well as being vindicated in the eyes of the group who doesn’t trust her or like her at first.

There’s a bunch of other characters—my favorite is Tagis, a snarky, insult-wielding fencing tutor/Monarchist rebel who HATES Briand but ends up having to teach her to fight.

Eventually when the Seekers ambush them, Briand has to make some choices about whether she’s going to save her own skin or help these people who used her. I really like stories about enemies who become friends, so that’s sort of what I’m going for with DRAGONSAYER.

Are you working on any other projects right now? If so, could you tell us a little about them? If not, have you got any ideas marinating?

After writing DRAGONSAYER I wrote three other books while I was query/waiting on replies, one of which is a DRAGONSAYER sequel called CROWNBRINGER. I tried to make DRAGONSAYER stand-alone since I have no guarantee I could sell 3 books even if I sold the 1st one, but ideally it would have sequels, so I plotted them out and stuff. I am currently working on a sci fi dystopian thriller and another fantasy that’s more of a secret spy/court intrigue involving shape shifters and assassins.

I tend to write very fast and then take much longer to edit and revise, that’s why I have all these MSS lying around. I’ve been told to work on other projects while I’m querying, so that’s what I’m trying to do. But querying is a long process.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

THANK YOU everyone who offered comments and especially to everyone who said they liked my idea! It’s very encouraging to see interest. Sometimes I feel horribly depressed because the kind of things I want to write (steampunk, blended fantasy, crossovers) aren’t seen much in the market. I’m just writing the kind of books I want to read. Hopefully other people like them too.

Fun Random Questions for The End (I stole this interview idea from Jen at Unedited, though I made my own questions up). Which would you rather be?

Wizard or Warrior? Wizard. Magic is cool and I’m a total wimp when it comes to hacking people’s limbs off. Blood of any kind scares me, really.
Airship Captain or Dragon Rider? Dragon rider. I guess either way you get to fly, but hey, dragons are really cool and I imagine the whole process of dragon riding is a lot more autonomous than having command of a ship.
At the Lake or In the Woods? Woods.
Reading Harry Potter or Writing Twilight? Ahahaa … Harry Potter. I’m a pretty shy/reclusive person, and the idea of being Stephenie Meyer with all the negative attention and rabid fandom … that terrifies me.
Drinking a Fine Wine or Eating a Gourmet Cheese? Ooooo cheese. It’s my favorite food.

Fun! Katherine and I would both really like to thank Candace, who made this all possible with her amazing Joy to the World Contest. The contest is over but you can still get t-shirts!

I would also like to thank Katherine for being such a good sport. It's scary putting you artwork out there publicly for people to judge, especially if you're relatively new to blogging and all the judges are going to be complete strangers.

Any questions?