Well, little pretties, it's not Wednesday, but we're welcoming author C.S. Splitter, author of the Crayder Chronicles, The Reluctant and his new release, The Willing.
Splitter is one of the funniest guys I know; he really comes up with some hilarious shit. I know I chuckled once or twice during the interview, so sit back and have a laugh or two as Splitter reveals some interesting things about himself and Tom Crayder.
If you could be any fruit, what would it be and why?
That's a dangerous question to ask a guy with my inappropriate sense of humor.
I am officially going to say pineapple. Sort of prickly on the outside with a tough husk, but sweet on the inside. I also like tropical climates, so that fits.
Or, a banana...
(Any inappropriate jokes are solely the responsibility of the reader and their own warped mind...)
Tom Crayder is not your typical hero. How did you come up with the idea of Tom? Is he based on someone you know?
Tom is based on a lot of people. Some are real and some are characters from TV shows and movies. He is an “every man.”
Tom wants to be John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, but he ends up being a combination of Jack Tripper, Tim Allen, and Hawkeye Pierce. If you know who all of those people are, you watch too much TV! He would like to be the “cool guy,” but he is just not equipped to make that happen.
I think that is part of the reason why so many people, men and women, can identify with him. He is like someone you know...maybe even you.
I believe that ordinary people can be heroes. The single mom who holds down two jobs to support her kids is a hero. That soldier who is scared to death but storms the beach anyway is a hero. The list goes on. Most heroes are not born, they are self-made because of the choices they make.
Now...that does not mean that Tom is always a hero. He does some very questionable things. He has weaknesses that get exploited and has his own opinion of right and wrong, law and justice included.
Those weaknesses also make him very real to people. At least that is what they tell me.
Along the way, he shows that his mouth sometimes works faster than his brain and he has a bad tendency to make jokes that are not appropriate to the situation. Personally, I can relate to that.
Do you plot your books, or do you write by the seat of your pants?
Yes!
I want to be the architect of my stories so I do a lot of outlining. I even write backgrounds on all of my characters so that they remain consistent and believable.
Then, about half way through the actual writing process, I start getting better ideas about how to get to the end of the story. The ending does not change, but how I get there does. Not to sound like one of those “artist” type writers, but I end up grooming the stories and trimming them.
I want to be an architect, but I end up being a gardener.
What was the first book that you read that inspired you to read and/or write?
The first book I ever read was “The Pokey Little Puppy.” I fear I have taken on some of his characteristics as I have gotten older.
The first “real” book I ever read was “The Riddle Maser of Hed.” That was the first time a book whisked me away to another world. After that, I devoured Pierse Anthony, Zelazny, Eddings, Cook, Tolkien, and other gifted authors.
It is interesting....I do not read the genre in which I write. I think I read one Clive Barker book way back and I read the first Patterson “Alex Cross” novel, but my favorite genre is fantasy. I used to read a lot of Clancy, but I stuck to the Jack Ryan character.
So much for writing what you know, huh?
These days, my favorites are Jim Butcher (Dresden Files) and Michael J. Sullivan. I also love the first three books that George R.R. Martin wrote in “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The man writes beautiful prose and the story telling in those books saved fantasy for me.
If anyone influenced my writing, it was Glen Cook and his “Black Company” books. His characterization was unique and his were the first “gritty” fantasy books that I remember reading.
This question is directed to Tom: boxers or briefs?
Tom would tell you that briefs are too restricting. He would say that he is more of a free spirit and wears boxers when he has to wear underwear. Bow-chicka-wow-wow.
How did Tom learn the skills he needs to make it through some of the dangerous situations in which he finds himself?
Tom is faking it. Don't we all do that sometimes?
He grew up on TV and movies so when he finds himself faced with danger, you can almost hear his brain going through its files to figure out which boyhood hero he should be imitating. He tries his best not to show fear, but we know that is only a facade (facade is my word for the day).
As for the gun play, Tom likes shooting and practices often. I haven't revealed it yet in the books, but he competes in some competitions.
Tom has bad habits which include junk food. But, in “The Willing,” we find out that he is actually trying to get into better shape for his new role in life. In the future, we are going to find out that he is taking self defense classes, too.
How does Tom keep such a cool head when his world crumbles?
Tom is a pilot. Now, I don't know what it is about pilots, but they always sound like they are in complete control of the situation.
Back the the late 90's, I was on a flight where the pilot came on the intercom and announced that anyone who felt the need to smoke could do so out on the wing. He also said, “In the event of a water landing—well, let's be honest, there is no such thing as a water landing—if we crash into the water and you survive, the person next to you may be used as a flotation device.”
While a pilot could not get away with that today, it gave me complete confidence in his abilities because he was comfortable enough to joke about such unlikely events.
Tom thinks pilots are cool people. I don't know if that is true, but every one of them I have known acted “cool.” Tom acts cool even though his brain is whirling.
Are we going to see more Lorena?
Lorena is a character that many people, including me, want to know more about. She is not the typical femme fatale. She is a real woman with a hard edge. She comes off as very hard hearted, but we start to see a different side of her in “The Willing,”
The third book is going to be Lorena's story. “The UnMasked” is planned for a June 2012 release and it will tell the story of how Lorena's character was formed and how she came to be involved with an organization that dispenses justice outside of a broken system.
What is the most important thing a good book must have?
I think the most important thing a writer can do is make the reader care about the characters. Strong characters were always the thing I looked for as a reader and that is where I start as a writer. Even my “good guys” are more than a little gray and some people do not like Tom at the beginning of the first book. But, as the reader gets to know him, they come to like him even if they do not agree with all of his decisions.
I take pride in turning questionable characters into favorites. Lorena is another good example of that because she starts out as a home wrecker who might even be a sociopath and, by the end of the second book, most readers have come to really enjoy her.
There is probably a lesson there about not judging books by covers and how that applies to people...
The second critical element to a good book is the story. The story has to be good and it has to have some surprises here and there to make the reader keep turning pages to find out what happens next. There are many theories about what makes a good story. I think that as long as you make the reader feel like they are “there” experiencing the story, you are most of the way to having a good story to tell.
In the thousands of books I have read, those with compelling characters and stories are the ones I remember most fondly. Writing styles and techniques might vary, but I think readers are more flexible on those points.
Tell us about “The Crayder Chronicles.” Why should we read your books?
The books are full of action/adventure, thrills, suspense, and some mystery. There is also some humor mixed in there to keep things from getting too heavy. Two books have been published in the series thus far.
“The Reluctant” introduces us to Tom Crayder and centers around several moral dilemmas he faces. It asks the question: If you were asked to do something really bad for very good reasons, would you? Could you? (ok, that might be two questions...).
In the book, Tom must decide whether or not to become an instrument for delivering justice to bad guys who are beyond the reach of the law.
The second book, “The Willing,” is really about the relationships he has developed and we learn more about some secondary characters we met in “The Reluctant.” Lorena has a lot of “camera” time but we also get glimpses into Tiny, Jake, and other familiar faces. Some of those returning will surprise you.
Think of “The Willing” as “It's a Wonderful Life” meets “Deathwish.” I know, that sounds funny...you should try writing it!
I am so thankful to my readers that I cannot adequately express it. “The Reluctant” went nuts on Amazon in January and reached #24 over all in free eBook fiction and #2 in both Action/Adventure and Contemporary Fiction. Did I take screen shots? You bet! My favorite has my book right there next to James Patterson's latest release and I have requested that the photo be displayed on my casket in the event of my untimely death.
I owe any success I have had, or will have, to the readers and those that have become honest to goodness fans. I put my contact information in the back of my books and love hearing from them!
Thanks for having me here, Dale! And thank you for taking the time to read and review my books.
But the fun isn't stopping now that the interview is over. You can tweet Splitter, check out his blog, visit his author page on Amazon, facebook him, and most important, check out his books!
The Reluctant:
Action, adventure, suspense, and thriller in one story told with a liberal dose of humor.
Tom’s problems are not unique. His business is failing and his wife has to work too many hours to make ends meet. He is under some rather large financial pressures and wants more from his marriage and his life.
He finds his respite in the air as a private pilot. Unfortunately for Tom, he is behind on payments for his plane and is forced to take odd jobs from a local crime boss. Tom is no criminal, but the errands he is running are just slightly on the wrong side of the law and the money is almost good enough to allow him to make his plane payments.
Just as things begin to come under some semblance of control, he meets a woman who just might represent the adventure he seeks. He soon discovers that appearances, and beautiful women, can sometimes be deceiving.
“The Reluctant” is the first in the Crayder Chronicles series and yet is a stand alone story with a satisfying conclusion of its own.
The Willing:
Book Two in "The Crayder Chronicles"
How far would you go to protect your friends and family?
Tom Crayder is the All-American guy next door with a business, a wife, a son, a mortgage, and an expensive hobby. He is also a politically incorrect, wisecracking operative working for a shadowy organization dedicated to administering justice outside of a broken system. Not even his wife knows of his other life when she finds herself unwittingly involved in a drug war.
Strap in with Tom as he navigates his way through the strata of a drug cartel. Lock and load with Lorena, a hard-hearted assassin, as she lends her deadly skills to Tom’s fight for his family. Sit back to watch Tom and Lorena figure out how to work together without killing each other.
Join the rest of the cast from "The Reluctant (Crayder Chronicles)" as they pitch in to track down the hitmen that threaten their associate.
Some mysteries are solved. Some questions are answered. Some live. Some die.
Splitter's Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/C.S.-Splitter/e/B004XD8XS6
SplittersWorld Blog: http://splittersworld.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.amazon.com/C.S.-Splitter/e/B004XD8XS6http://www.facebook.com/people/Cs-Splitter/100002241805910
Twitter: @SplitterCS
Showing posts with label Welcome Wednesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Welcome Wednesday. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday Welcomes JA Clement!!
Okay, okay, I effed up JA's interview. Well, not the interview, but her name! When you have 2 authors whose initials are JA, that can't be hard to do, right? I mean, I can't be the only one who mixes people up, can I?
Um...maybe you shouldn't answer that question!
Anyway, both the authors took the mix-up very graciously and with good cheer and humor...or it could be that they were being nice about so I'd get my head out of the oven...
Let's not go there.
I'm not totally over my shame and embarrasemet, but let's move on!
Welcome JA Clement, who is just as mah-velous as that "other JA".
1. If you could be any character from any novel for a day, who it would it be and why?
Oh, I’d love to be Jane Eyre; my all-time favourite book. Obviously the happy ending is a bonus, but her journey from being “little, poor and plain” to a fully confident and independent woman in her own right is such a joy to read and experience, especially if you consider the time in which it was written – full kudos to Charlotte Bronte, on several counts!
The poise and self-knowledge Jane has achieved by the end of the book is wonderful; she has been through a lot and discovered her own strength and self-worth in the journey, but has also kept her joy in people and her sense of what other people are worth. I wish it were possible to say the same for all of us! Oh, and I’d quite like to have some words with St John Rivers on the difference between priggish bad manners and what it means to be a good person. I’ve been itching to slap his self-righteous face since the age of seven.
2. Do you plot your novels in advance, or write by the seat of your pants?
Elements of both! I know the start and the end, and a couple of pertinent points in between, but the action has to evolve out of the characters or it doesn’t work for me. I can make them do things but then they go like puppets and all the life comes out of it. No good at all, that. After a while you have to let them do it their own way and sometimes they go somewhere else completely; so I know where I think the story is going to go – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to!
3. What is the first book you remember reading that totally took your breath away?
Jane Eyre, again – such vivid emotions and images! I couldn’t believe it. After that, maybe LOTR because I’d never read anything so long and all-engrossing. It wasn’t so gripping and vivid, but I loved the more formal storylines, and the landscapes, which seemed so familiar and like the hills of my childhood. Turns out that Tolkien’s son went to school really near where I grew up, so it’s not impossible that the hill my family refer to as The Lonely Mountain might actually have inspired The Lonely Mountain!! Though I’m not sure that The Hobbit wasn’t already written when the boys got to that school.
4. If your novels were adapted for the silver screen, who would you cast?
Hmmm, interesting. That’s difficult to answer because I don’t have full visuals of their faces in most cases. The characters are too much themselves for me to put someone else’s face on them, I think.
However, I do know where they would need to film.
Although Scarlock itself is a melange of many places, a bit of landscape from Cornwall, a street I saw in Hampshire, a pier and docks from the Yorkshire coast etc, the mood and the feel of it is based on a little fishing village in Northumbria where I’ve spent a bit of time. There’s this beautiful, bleak coast; some of the beaches are smooth white sand, and others dark, pocked pebbles. The village has a little curved harbour, built out of great blocks of stone and huge old beams of wood, all be-greened by the sea. The houses are long and low to the ground, grey limestone walls and roofs of dark purplish slate that shines like silk in the rain.
It’s a landscape of greys and blues and greens and purples, all cloud-colours and sea-colours and harsh grass on the sand-dunes. There’s one particular house whose garden gives onto the beach; when it’s sunny and warm, it’s so beautiful - but mostly it’s misty and a bit chilly and beautiful in an entirely different way. The beach curves round and at the far reach of it, a red stone castle is silhouetted against the silver of sunsparkling water, and there isn’t anything else for a couple of miles at least.
If I could pick up that house and that stretch of beach and the empty fields behind, the harebells on the sand-dunes and the little hardy ponies that wander along the shore; if I could pick all of that up and put it down somewhere less far from my family, that would be my ideal house. The writing I could do there! It would be wonderful...
But I would have to situate it so that the sea didn’t come into the kitchen in the winter storms – I guess that could get old fast!!
5. Nereia is a character who seems to speak to a lot of readers. Will she feature in future books?
Goodness yes! Nereia (pronounced Ner-RAY-a in case you were wondering!) is the pivot on which the whole series swings. She was the character who first came into my mind along with that initial emotion, and “On Dark Shores” is partly the story of her progress from hopelessness to her full potential. There are a lot of other stories going on at the same time, of course – many characters are making their own journey to a better or worse life – but primarily she is the kingpin.
In the first book of the series, “The Lady”, we see Nereia scrabbling to provide a living for herself and her lovely younger sister whilst paying a significant amount of what she earns to the ruthless Copeland, who dominates the entire town and beyond. Nereia’s life is hard and desperate, and Scarlock is in many ways a fairly merciless little town, so it’s all rather bleak and complex at the beginning.
Oddly, although I always knew that there would be a lot of characters and the action would range over a wide area, I never planned that this was going to be such a bleak little book; it was quite a lot darker than intended, by the final edit. The idea is that though Nereia has a long journey to undertake before she reaches fulfilment, that at each stage her circumstances will get a little better in one way or another, so I’m hopeful that future books will have more lighter parts than “On Dark Shores: The Lady”. There is one part in particular, which at the current rate of writing will probably be about Book 5, which will be moderately frothy in places, so I’ve a bit of work to do in order to graduate the mood so that that isn’t too sudden a transition!
But on the plus side, feedback so far is that though book 1 is bleak, it’s intense but not without hope or too dour to read, which is something of a relief!
6. Who is the “On Dark Shores” series written for?
I hope it will be accessible to everyone; but if I had to specify an audience, I’d say it’s written for people who have fairly wide tastes and read in a lot of genres but have never read any fantasy because they think it’s all elves and dragons and magic wands. I’ve tried to make it as gritty and “true” as possible, and I’m hoping that if these readers realise that there is a much wider range of tales in the genre and a much greater variety than basically fairy-tales for grown-ups (which seems to be the predominant stereotype), then maybe they’ll try some of the superb authors whose books are firmly on my shelves, and who have given me so many hours of happy reading.
The idea of introducing people to something new that they wouldn’t otherwise have tried really appeals to me – it’s like opening the door to a treasure-house and saying “Help yourself!” My Mum said for a long time that fantasy just wasn’t her thing. I was reading Robin Hobb’s “Assassin’s Apprentice”, and it was excellent – it felt so visceral and real, that I figured it might appeal to her. Mum agreed to read the first 30 pages, with the proviso that that if she didn’t like it, I wouldn’t be in the least offended if she then left it. Nine books later, she was on Amazon trying to find when the next one was due out, and since then has read and really enjoyed all sorts of stories that she would never have picked up before.
Though I make no claim to be as accomplished a writer as Robin Hobb, I’d love “On Dark Shores” to be one of those stories; and so far I’ve had some very pleasing feedback along those lines. A lot of people have said lovely things about it (and some have hated it, of course) but three or four of my reviewers have said that before they picked up mine they didn’t think they liked fantasy but that having enjoyed “On Dark Shores: The Lady” they are thinking of exploring that genre a little. If 3 people edge into new literary territory because of something I wrote, then I’m over the moon!
7. If you get stuck when writing, how do you get past the problem?
Firstly, sleep on it; you’d be surprised just how much the subconscious mind can sort out when you’re not getting in the way, angsting about not knowing what to do next. It may be a cliché but often I wake up thinking “Of course, the answer is [blah]”.
However, if that doesn’t work I’ll probably go and write something else, or cook something complicated or do some gardening or something of the sort; it has to be slightly complex and require concentration and creativity but not really be mentally taxing. If you go do something creative, it somehow frees up your mind a bit and when you go back to it, the problem will have sorted itself out while you weren’t looking.
Lastly, if it’s a real stinker of a problem and I’m truly stuck, I’ll sit down and discuss it with someone. Usually these are the “why would they do that” problems where a character has to do something which is a vital plot point but it just doesn’t quite chime correctly with their character. As the author it’s very easy to get fixated on the fact that it has to happen in just such a way, but you can’t make the character do something they just wouldn’t or the reader will throw the book across the room in disgust. Either there has to be some kind of human, understandable reason for it; or the plot point needs to go. I’ve had both of these happen. One time, my sister suddenly said “What if he was in this situation?” which then threw everything into a new light and solved the issue – I had to go back to the beginning and rewrite some sizeable chunks to insert that trait, but it enabled a whole new plot strand later on. The second time, I had to scrap the plot point and let the characters do their own thing, but that took it to a really interesting place too, so as long as you follow your instincts it seems to sort itself out and often the problem bits end up being the most fruitful, a little further down the line.
8. Do you write in any other genres?
Yes, I do. I write a lot of poetry, some short stories, and have ventured upon texts of varying lengths (and indeed varying readability) in sci-fi, modern fic and humour. I did try writing romance once but I really am no good at that – you have to be able to do the melodramatic bits without sniggering. In real life it’s the same; I have to make a real effort to not turn a romantic gesture into something a bit embarrassing by making some daft joke about it. Fortunately my partner has a very good sense of humour, so we laugh a lot together. I love that.
I do have several projects on the To Write list though; the next most likely one is fairly gentle village humour, though there’s going to be a lot of “On Dark Shores” to write before I reach the end of the storyline, so I shouldn’t hold your breath waiting for that one... Various odds and sods of my other stuff is up on my Wattpad page at http://www.wattpad.com/user/JAClement though, so if you can’t imagine me writing something less bleak and gritty, there is at least one humorous short on there. You’ll know which from the cover, I’d imagine! (There’s also a snippet of Chapter 2 of “On Dark Shores: The Lady” that you won’t find anywhere else, as it happens).
So check out JA, and applaud her for her good humor and graciousness for giving me a second chance to make things right!
Here are the links...except my "links" don't seem to be functioning today:
Link to Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Shores-Lady-ebook/dp/B004S7JCYG
Link to Website: http://www.ondarkshores.com/
Um...maybe you shouldn't answer that question!
Anyway, both the authors took the mix-up very graciously and with good cheer and humor...or it could be that they were being nice about so I'd get my head out of the oven...
Let's not go there.
I'm not totally over my shame and embarrasemet, but let's move on!
Welcome JA Clement, who is just as mah-velous as that "other JA".
1. If you could be any character from any novel for a day, who it would it be and why?
Oh, I’d love to be Jane Eyre; my all-time favourite book. Obviously the happy ending is a bonus, but her journey from being “little, poor and plain” to a fully confident and independent woman in her own right is such a joy to read and experience, especially if you consider the time in which it was written – full kudos to Charlotte Bronte, on several counts!
The poise and self-knowledge Jane has achieved by the end of the book is wonderful; she has been through a lot and discovered her own strength and self-worth in the journey, but has also kept her joy in people and her sense of what other people are worth. I wish it were possible to say the same for all of us! Oh, and I’d quite like to have some words with St John Rivers on the difference between priggish bad manners and what it means to be a good person. I’ve been itching to slap his self-righteous face since the age of seven.
2. Do you plot your novels in advance, or write by the seat of your pants?
Elements of both! I know the start and the end, and a couple of pertinent points in between, but the action has to evolve out of the characters or it doesn’t work for me. I can make them do things but then they go like puppets and all the life comes out of it. No good at all, that. After a while you have to let them do it their own way and sometimes they go somewhere else completely; so I know where I think the story is going to go – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to!
3. What is the first book you remember reading that totally took your breath away?
Jane Eyre, again – such vivid emotions and images! I couldn’t believe it. After that, maybe LOTR because I’d never read anything so long and all-engrossing. It wasn’t so gripping and vivid, but I loved the more formal storylines, and the landscapes, which seemed so familiar and like the hills of my childhood. Turns out that Tolkien’s son went to school really near where I grew up, so it’s not impossible that the hill my family refer to as The Lonely Mountain might actually have inspired The Lonely Mountain!! Though I’m not sure that The Hobbit wasn’t already written when the boys got to that school.
4. If your novels were adapted for the silver screen, who would you cast?
Hmmm, interesting. That’s difficult to answer because I don’t have full visuals of their faces in most cases. The characters are too much themselves for me to put someone else’s face on them, I think.
However, I do know where they would need to film.
Although Scarlock itself is a melange of many places, a bit of landscape from Cornwall, a street I saw in Hampshire, a pier and docks from the Yorkshire coast etc, the mood and the feel of it is based on a little fishing village in Northumbria where I’ve spent a bit of time. There’s this beautiful, bleak coast; some of the beaches are smooth white sand, and others dark, pocked pebbles. The village has a little curved harbour, built out of great blocks of stone and huge old beams of wood, all be-greened by the sea. The houses are long and low to the ground, grey limestone walls and roofs of dark purplish slate that shines like silk in the rain.
It’s a landscape of greys and blues and greens and purples, all cloud-colours and sea-colours and harsh grass on the sand-dunes. There’s one particular house whose garden gives onto the beach; when it’s sunny and warm, it’s so beautiful - but mostly it’s misty and a bit chilly and beautiful in an entirely different way. The beach curves round and at the far reach of it, a red stone castle is silhouetted against the silver of sunsparkling water, and there isn’t anything else for a couple of miles at least.
If I could pick up that house and that stretch of beach and the empty fields behind, the harebells on the sand-dunes and the little hardy ponies that wander along the shore; if I could pick all of that up and put it down somewhere less far from my family, that would be my ideal house. The writing I could do there! It would be wonderful...
But I would have to situate it so that the sea didn’t come into the kitchen in the winter storms – I guess that could get old fast!!
5. Nereia is a character who seems to speak to a lot of readers. Will she feature in future books?
Goodness yes! Nereia (pronounced Ner-RAY-a in case you were wondering!) is the pivot on which the whole series swings. She was the character who first came into my mind along with that initial emotion, and “On Dark Shores” is partly the story of her progress from hopelessness to her full potential. There are a lot of other stories going on at the same time, of course – many characters are making their own journey to a better or worse life – but primarily she is the kingpin.
In the first book of the series, “The Lady”, we see Nereia scrabbling to provide a living for herself and her lovely younger sister whilst paying a significant amount of what she earns to the ruthless Copeland, who dominates the entire town and beyond. Nereia’s life is hard and desperate, and Scarlock is in many ways a fairly merciless little town, so it’s all rather bleak and complex at the beginning.
Oddly, although I always knew that there would be a lot of characters and the action would range over a wide area, I never planned that this was going to be such a bleak little book; it was quite a lot darker than intended, by the final edit. The idea is that though Nereia has a long journey to undertake before she reaches fulfilment, that at each stage her circumstances will get a little better in one way or another, so I’m hopeful that future books will have more lighter parts than “On Dark Shores: The Lady”. There is one part in particular, which at the current rate of writing will probably be about Book 5, which will be moderately frothy in places, so I’ve a bit of work to do in order to graduate the mood so that that isn’t too sudden a transition!
But on the plus side, feedback so far is that though book 1 is bleak, it’s intense but not without hope or too dour to read, which is something of a relief!
6. Who is the “On Dark Shores” series written for?
I hope it will be accessible to everyone; but if I had to specify an audience, I’d say it’s written for people who have fairly wide tastes and read in a lot of genres but have never read any fantasy because they think it’s all elves and dragons and magic wands. I’ve tried to make it as gritty and “true” as possible, and I’m hoping that if these readers realise that there is a much wider range of tales in the genre and a much greater variety than basically fairy-tales for grown-ups (which seems to be the predominant stereotype), then maybe they’ll try some of the superb authors whose books are firmly on my shelves, and who have given me so many hours of happy reading.
The idea of introducing people to something new that they wouldn’t otherwise have tried really appeals to me – it’s like opening the door to a treasure-house and saying “Help yourself!” My Mum said for a long time that fantasy just wasn’t her thing. I was reading Robin Hobb’s “Assassin’s Apprentice”, and it was excellent – it felt so visceral and real, that I figured it might appeal to her. Mum agreed to read the first 30 pages, with the proviso that that if she didn’t like it, I wouldn’t be in the least offended if she then left it. Nine books later, she was on Amazon trying to find when the next one was due out, and since then has read and really enjoyed all sorts of stories that she would never have picked up before.
Though I make no claim to be as accomplished a writer as Robin Hobb, I’d love “On Dark Shores” to be one of those stories; and so far I’ve had some very pleasing feedback along those lines. A lot of people have said lovely things about it (and some have hated it, of course) but three or four of my reviewers have said that before they picked up mine they didn’t think they liked fantasy but that having enjoyed “On Dark Shores: The Lady” they are thinking of exploring that genre a little. If 3 people edge into new literary territory because of something I wrote, then I’m over the moon!
7. If you get stuck when writing, how do you get past the problem?
Firstly, sleep on it; you’d be surprised just how much the subconscious mind can sort out when you’re not getting in the way, angsting about not knowing what to do next. It may be a cliché but often I wake up thinking “Of course, the answer is [blah]”.
However, if that doesn’t work I’ll probably go and write something else, or cook something complicated or do some gardening or something of the sort; it has to be slightly complex and require concentration and creativity but not really be mentally taxing. If you go do something creative, it somehow frees up your mind a bit and when you go back to it, the problem will have sorted itself out while you weren’t looking.
Lastly, if it’s a real stinker of a problem and I’m truly stuck, I’ll sit down and discuss it with someone. Usually these are the “why would they do that” problems where a character has to do something which is a vital plot point but it just doesn’t quite chime correctly with their character. As the author it’s very easy to get fixated on the fact that it has to happen in just such a way, but you can’t make the character do something they just wouldn’t or the reader will throw the book across the room in disgust. Either there has to be some kind of human, understandable reason for it; or the plot point needs to go. I’ve had both of these happen. One time, my sister suddenly said “What if he was in this situation?” which then threw everything into a new light and solved the issue – I had to go back to the beginning and rewrite some sizeable chunks to insert that trait, but it enabled a whole new plot strand later on. The second time, I had to scrap the plot point and let the characters do their own thing, but that took it to a really interesting place too, so as long as you follow your instincts it seems to sort itself out and often the problem bits end up being the most fruitful, a little further down the line.
8. Do you write in any other genres?
Yes, I do. I write a lot of poetry, some short stories, and have ventured upon texts of varying lengths (and indeed varying readability) in sci-fi, modern fic and humour. I did try writing romance once but I really am no good at that – you have to be able to do the melodramatic bits without sniggering. In real life it’s the same; I have to make a real effort to not turn a romantic gesture into something a bit embarrassing by making some daft joke about it. Fortunately my partner has a very good sense of humour, so we laugh a lot together. I love that.
I do have several projects on the To Write list though; the next most likely one is fairly gentle village humour, though there’s going to be a lot of “On Dark Shores” to write before I reach the end of the storyline, so I shouldn’t hold your breath waiting for that one... Various odds and sods of my other stuff is up on my Wattpad page at http://www.wattpad.com/user/JAClement though, so if you can’t imagine me writing something less bleak and gritty, there is at least one humorous short on there. You’ll know which from the cover, I’d imagine! (There’s also a snippet of Chapter 2 of “On Dark Shores: The Lady” that you won’t find anywhere else, as it happens).
So check out JA, and applaud her for her good humor and graciousness for giving me a second chance to make things right!
Here are the links...except my "links" don't seem to be functioning today:
Link to Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Shores-Lady-ebook/dp/B004S7JCYG
Link to Website: http://www.ondarkshores.com/
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Welcome Wednesday welcomes Haley Allaire, from Fire in the Blood
Today I have a guest interview with Haley Allaire, from Fire in the Blood.
In celebration of the release of my book, Fire in the Blood, in paperback, I globe-hopped to Eyidora and pressured a shy and somewhat resistant Haley Allaire into giving me an interview.
**********
I tap my pen on my desk, sip my coffee, and glance at my watch. Haley’s a few minutes late, but I’m not worried that she’s bailing on me. I know that she’s doing some last minute packing for her mission to find another lost Eyid stone.
Haley flings open the door and rushes inside in a burst of winter air, dropping into the chair across the table from me with a loud sigh. Her cheeks are rosy from the cold, but her eyelids droop and her hair looks like she’s just run through a tornado. She tosses her coat onto a chair, not seeming to notice that the cream-colored tunic she’s wearing over black leggings is wrinkled. She drags another wooden chair closer to her in order to prop her knee-length fur-lined boots on it. She runs her hand through her hair and masters a small, tired-looking smile.
Dale: Glad you made it.
Haley: Yeah, sorry I’m late. Uncle Sal was getting all kinds of annoying. He’s still not cool with me leaving.
Dale: Why?
Haley: He thinks I’m too young.
Dale: You are only seventeen. Most kids are still in school at that age.
Haley snorts: Yeah, well, after the last few months on Eyidora, I’d say that honestly, school is the least of my worries. And I’m old enough to take whatever crap is chucked at me. I’ve had people lie to me, kidnap me, and try to kill me. I think I proved I can kick ass, don’t you?
Dale: Touche. Anyway, are you okay?
Haley rubs the back of her neck: Just tired. I had a dream last night and, you know, those dreams kind of drain me.
Dale: Want to tell me about it?
Haley glances at the table: Maybe later.
Dale: I thought we could break the ice a little by playing a game. I say something, and you say the first thing that comes to you mind. Ready?
Haley nods.
Dale: Eyidora.
Haley: Beautiful.
Dale: Earth.
Haley: Danger.
Dale: White or milk chocolate.
Haley: Milk.
Dale: Beach or mountains.
Haley: Mountains.
Dale: That's enough ice-breaking for me. So you grew up on Earth. Do you miss it?
Haley: Some of it. Not all.
Dale: What don’t you miss?
Haley lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug: It’s hard to explain. I just never felt like I belonged.
Dale: Don’t a lot of teenagers feel that way?
Haley: It’s different for me. I felt like I was playing a part, you know? I did my hair like the other kids, dressed like the other kids, talked like the other kids, but it never felt natural to me. And no one really noticed me no matter what I did, even though I was trying to emulate everyone else. It just didn’t seem to work.
Dale: You sound as though you’ve had an epiphany.
Haley gestures to her clothes: I don’t know about that, but this feels right. I don’t feel like I’m pretending to be someone I’m not.
Dale: You’re saying you feel more comfortable as an Eyidoran?
Haley nods, slowly: Yeah, I think I am.
Dale: What do you miss the most from Earth?
Haley laughs: Chocolate. Got any?
Dale: Sorry, I’ll bring some next time. So on your 17th birthday you get the surprise of your life when you’re tumbled to a parallel globe called Eyidora. How did you feel when that happened?
Haley: It was unreal, I honestly thought I was dreaming, or that I’d somehow been drugged and was hallucinating. I mean, seriously, who would believe that parallel worlds actually existed?
Dale: If it had happened to me, I’m pretty sure I would have thought I’d gone just a tad off my nut.
Haley: Exactly. It took me a while to figure out my life had totally changed.
Dale: Tell us about the Eyids. What are they like?
Haley: They’re a strange bunch. They’re these gods of nature, right? And they’re supposed to act all goddy, but they don’t: Nala acts like she’s twelve, Nomer’s kind of blunt, Soltar has a big head, and Sylpha’s bossy as hell. And they argue like kids. You’d think they’d be a little more respectable, being gods, but they’re kind of not.
Dale: Sounds bizarre.
Haley: I know, right?
Dale: Is the war getting worse?
Haley: It really depends on the day. You never know when the Eyids are going to get into it. It’s not like a regular war, where you know which side you’re on and who the enemy is. With the Eyids, they’re not even enemies…they just don’t have any harmony between them. A battle can happen at any time, anywhere, and people are collateral damage. If you’re around, say, when Soltar starts throwing lightning at Sylpha because she’s done something to piss him off, you can get zapped in a heart beat…wrong place, wrong time kind of thing…but yeah, the battles seem to happen more often.
Dale: Speaking of the Eyid descendants, how does it feel like to be a descendant of the Air Eyid?
Haley pauses for a long moment before answering: It’s hard to explain how it feels. I mean, it’s sort of like me asking you how it feels to have hazel eyes. It’s just a part of who you are. At first, I didn’t believe I had any kind of power, but when I started actually using that power…well, let’s just say it’s easy to see how people can let power go to their heads.
Dale: What are your thoughts about the Fire Eyid descendant?
Haley: I’m…conflicted.
Dale: Seriously? He tried to kill you…among other things.
Haley: I know, but…part of me thinks that there’s good inside everyone. No one can be all evil all the time. Can they? I mean, maybe there’s bad stuff going on that I don’t know about. Maybe he’s a good guy that bad things have happened to, you know?
Dale: You mean nature vs. nurture?
Haley: Yeah, that’s it.
Dale: Are you saying you want to save him? Some people just can’t be saved.
Haley shrugs and studies her boots. By the set of her mouth, I’m thinking she’s not going to say more. Time to move on.
Dale: What about the mentas? Good or bad?
Haley’s shoulders relax: That’s the question of the century. When someone has the power of persuasion, it’s hard to trust them. How can you be sure a menta isn’t bending your mind into doing something you don’t want to do? It’s all kinds of scary. Personally, I think they started out good, but then like most political parties, the power went to their head and their good intentions got twisted.
Dale: Do you think mentas and Eyid-emos struggling for power is like Earth’s politics?
Haley: Well, yeah. First you had the Eyids running the show, until they corrupted themselves with greed and power. And then their descendants…the Eyid-emos…took over, and ditto the corruption. And then the mentas took over, and they’re not exactly jumping up and down now that they know some of us Eyid descendants are back, and they don’t seem eager to give up any of that power. In fact, some people think the Mentas started the war in the first place so they could take control.
Dale: Do you?
Haley shrugs: Who knows? Everyone from that time is dead.
Dale: What’s your gut tell you?
Haley licks her lips: That the mentas did start the war.
Dale: Part of the Eyid-emos power is the power of persuasion, like the mentas have.
Haley nods.
Dale: Do you ever worry that the same power that corrupted the gods, your ancestors, and the mentas will corrupt you?
Haley: Of course. Anyone would be lying if they said they didn’t.
Dale: Elana’s a menta. Do you trust her?
Haley: Absolutely. Even though she’s a menta, she’s very open and I don’t think she has a secretive bone in her body. She’s my best friend. She has my back, you know?
Dale: Any romance in your future?
Haley raises her eyebrows: You’re kidding, right?
Dale shrugs.
Haley runs her hand through her hair: First, I’ve never even had a boyfriend because of that whole invisibility shield kind of thing I had going for me on Earth, and second, I don’t seem to be a great judge of character when it comes to guys…they always seem to want to kill me…so I’d say definitively that there’s no romance in my future.
Dale: It’s getting late and you have to finish getting ready for your trip, so we’ll just end it at that. Can we talk again when you get back?
Haley pauses at the door: You seem to think I’ll be coming back.
Dale: I should hope so.
One side of Haley’s mouth lifts in a tired half-smile: Not everyone hopes I do.
Dale nods: I know. Have a safe trip, and good luck.
Haley: Thanks. I’ll need it.
*********
Haley’s full story can be found in Fire in the Blood, available now. You can read about her next adventure in Strong Blood, coming out in 2012.
In celebration of the release of my book, Fire in the Blood, in paperback, I globe-hopped to Eyidora and pressured a shy and somewhat resistant Haley Allaire into giving me an interview.
**********
I tap my pen on my desk, sip my coffee, and glance at my watch. Haley’s a few minutes late, but I’m not worried that she’s bailing on me. I know that she’s doing some last minute packing for her mission to find another lost Eyid stone.
Haley flings open the door and rushes inside in a burst of winter air, dropping into the chair across the table from me with a loud sigh. Her cheeks are rosy from the cold, but her eyelids droop and her hair looks like she’s just run through a tornado. She tosses her coat onto a chair, not seeming to notice that the cream-colored tunic she’s wearing over black leggings is wrinkled. She drags another wooden chair closer to her in order to prop her knee-length fur-lined boots on it. She runs her hand through her hair and masters a small, tired-looking smile.
Dale: Glad you made it.
Haley: Yeah, sorry I’m late. Uncle Sal was getting all kinds of annoying. He’s still not cool with me leaving.
Dale: Why?
Haley: He thinks I’m too young.
Dale: You are only seventeen. Most kids are still in school at that age.
Haley snorts: Yeah, well, after the last few months on Eyidora, I’d say that honestly, school is the least of my worries. And I’m old enough to take whatever crap is chucked at me. I’ve had people lie to me, kidnap me, and try to kill me. I think I proved I can kick ass, don’t you?
Dale: Touche. Anyway, are you okay?
Haley rubs the back of her neck: Just tired. I had a dream last night and, you know, those dreams kind of drain me.
Dale: Want to tell me about it?
Haley glances at the table: Maybe later.
Dale: I thought we could break the ice a little by playing a game. I say something, and you say the first thing that comes to you mind. Ready?
Haley nods.
Dale: Eyidora.
Haley: Beautiful.
Dale: Earth.
Haley: Danger.
Dale: White or milk chocolate.
Haley: Milk.
Dale: Beach or mountains.
Haley: Mountains.
Dale: That's enough ice-breaking for me. So you grew up on Earth. Do you miss it?
Haley: Some of it. Not all.
Dale: What don’t you miss?
Haley lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug: It’s hard to explain. I just never felt like I belonged.
Dale: Don’t a lot of teenagers feel that way?
Haley: It’s different for me. I felt like I was playing a part, you know? I did my hair like the other kids, dressed like the other kids, talked like the other kids, but it never felt natural to me. And no one really noticed me no matter what I did, even though I was trying to emulate everyone else. It just didn’t seem to work.
Dale: You sound as though you’ve had an epiphany.
Haley gestures to her clothes: I don’t know about that, but this feels right. I don’t feel like I’m pretending to be someone I’m not.
Dale: You’re saying you feel more comfortable as an Eyidoran?
Haley nods, slowly: Yeah, I think I am.
Dale: What do you miss the most from Earth?
Haley laughs: Chocolate. Got any?
Dale: Sorry, I’ll bring some next time. So on your 17th birthday you get the surprise of your life when you’re tumbled to a parallel globe called Eyidora. How did you feel when that happened?
Haley: It was unreal, I honestly thought I was dreaming, or that I’d somehow been drugged and was hallucinating. I mean, seriously, who would believe that parallel worlds actually existed?
Dale: If it had happened to me, I’m pretty sure I would have thought I’d gone just a tad off my nut.
Haley: Exactly. It took me a while to figure out my life had totally changed.
Dale: Tell us about the Eyids. What are they like?
Haley: They’re a strange bunch. They’re these gods of nature, right? And they’re supposed to act all goddy, but they don’t: Nala acts like she’s twelve, Nomer’s kind of blunt, Soltar has a big head, and Sylpha’s bossy as hell. And they argue like kids. You’d think they’d be a little more respectable, being gods, but they’re kind of not.
Dale: Sounds bizarre.
Haley: I know, right?
Dale: Is the war getting worse?
Haley: It really depends on the day. You never know when the Eyids are going to get into it. It’s not like a regular war, where you know which side you’re on and who the enemy is. With the Eyids, they’re not even enemies…they just don’t have any harmony between them. A battle can happen at any time, anywhere, and people are collateral damage. If you’re around, say, when Soltar starts throwing lightning at Sylpha because she’s done something to piss him off, you can get zapped in a heart beat…wrong place, wrong time kind of thing…but yeah, the battles seem to happen more often.
Dale: Speaking of the Eyid descendants, how does it feel like to be a descendant of the Air Eyid?
Haley pauses for a long moment before answering: It’s hard to explain how it feels. I mean, it’s sort of like me asking you how it feels to have hazel eyes. It’s just a part of who you are. At first, I didn’t believe I had any kind of power, but when I started actually using that power…well, let’s just say it’s easy to see how people can let power go to their heads.
Dale: What are your thoughts about the Fire Eyid descendant?
Haley: I’m…conflicted.
Dale: Seriously? He tried to kill you…among other things.
Haley: I know, but…part of me thinks that there’s good inside everyone. No one can be all evil all the time. Can they? I mean, maybe there’s bad stuff going on that I don’t know about. Maybe he’s a good guy that bad things have happened to, you know?
Dale: You mean nature vs. nurture?
Haley: Yeah, that’s it.
Dale: Are you saying you want to save him? Some people just can’t be saved.
Haley shrugs and studies her boots. By the set of her mouth, I’m thinking she’s not going to say more. Time to move on.
Dale: What about the mentas? Good or bad?
Haley’s shoulders relax: That’s the question of the century. When someone has the power of persuasion, it’s hard to trust them. How can you be sure a menta isn’t bending your mind into doing something you don’t want to do? It’s all kinds of scary. Personally, I think they started out good, but then like most political parties, the power went to their head and their good intentions got twisted.
Dale: Do you think mentas and Eyid-emos struggling for power is like Earth’s politics?
Haley: Well, yeah. First you had the Eyids running the show, until they corrupted themselves with greed and power. And then their descendants…the Eyid-emos…took over, and ditto the corruption. And then the mentas took over, and they’re not exactly jumping up and down now that they know some of us Eyid descendants are back, and they don’t seem eager to give up any of that power. In fact, some people think the Mentas started the war in the first place so they could take control.
Dale: Do you?
Haley shrugs: Who knows? Everyone from that time is dead.
Dale: What’s your gut tell you?
Haley licks her lips: That the mentas did start the war.
Dale: Part of the Eyid-emos power is the power of persuasion, like the mentas have.
Haley nods.
Dale: Do you ever worry that the same power that corrupted the gods, your ancestors, and the mentas will corrupt you?
Haley: Of course. Anyone would be lying if they said they didn’t.
Dale: Elana’s a menta. Do you trust her?
Haley: Absolutely. Even though she’s a menta, she’s very open and I don’t think she has a secretive bone in her body. She’s my best friend. She has my back, you know?
Dale: Any romance in your future?
Haley raises her eyebrows: You’re kidding, right?
Dale shrugs.
Haley runs her hand through her hair: First, I’ve never even had a boyfriend because of that whole invisibility shield kind of thing I had going for me on Earth, and second, I don’t seem to be a great judge of character when it comes to guys…they always seem to want to kill me…so I’d say definitively that there’s no romance in my future.
Dale: It’s getting late and you have to finish getting ready for your trip, so we’ll just end it at that. Can we talk again when you get back?
Haley pauses at the door: You seem to think I’ll be coming back.
Dale: I should hope so.
One side of Haley’s mouth lifts in a tired half-smile: Not everyone hopes I do.
Dale nods: I know. Have a safe trip, and good luck.
Haley: Thanks. I’ll need it.
*********
Haley’s full story can be found in Fire in the Blood, available now. You can read about her next adventure in Strong Blood, coming out in 2012.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Giveaway with Guest Author Lena Hillbrand, author of The Superiors
A special treat today! Today, Lena Hillbrand, author of The Superiors, is a guest on my blog which features an inteview. But wait! There's more! If you jump from my blog to hers today, you can enter the giveaway she has posted on her blog. So check out my interview with Lena, and then see the links at the bottom for more information. Enjoy!
How long did it take you to write this book?
Great question! I'm not sure I could say what took took my breath away, but I remember the book that opened my eyes. I'd been reading a lot of Fear Street and Christopher Pike and Sweet Valley High books in middle school, and then I picked up Tommyknockers by Stephen King at a garage sale for a quarter. I know, it's cliche to pick Stephen King. But going from Sweet Valley High to Stephen King was a definite turning point in my reading life! I can't remember what book first took my breath away, maybe Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
How long did it take you to write this book?
About a month for the first draft and a year of editing.
Are you a more character-driven or plot-driven writer?
My books focus more on characters, their relationships, their journeys.
What makes your characters unique?
In The Superiors series, I tried to stay away from paranormal tropes. The hero, Draven, isn't supermodel gorgeous with a bulging six-pack. And he's not the reluctant, mysterious hero, since the books are mostly from his point of view.
Which character do you like best?
I can't really choose a favorite character, since they are all sprung from my imagination and therefore special to me. The most fun character to write was Marisol, but she's only a minor character in the first book. Writing very ambiguous characters is always fun!
If you could be any character from any book for a day, who would it be and why?
That's a hard question! Most of my favorite characters have difficult, tragic lives. So I don't think I'd want to trade places with them. I'd probably pick someone with a really cool superpower or who could do anything he wanted and he chose to do good in the world. But I can't think of a character like that right now!
What motivated you to write this current novel?
After reading a few fantasy novels involving vampires, I wanted to write something different and more 'realistic,' if you can call a vampire novel realistic. I know it's not the current trend to have flawed heroes, but there you go. I wanted to focus on a very unexceptional person who goes through extraordinary circumstances that test his limits. I've also been bothered by fantasy heroes who seem static and never change throughout the books, while the woman changes to accommodate him. Draven goes through a lot in the series, and he's a changed man at the end. The heroine grows, too, but in different ways.
Do you plot your novels in advance, or do you write by the seat of your pants?
I'm a 'pantser,' through and through. I've written outlines, but I ended up changing them so much they hardly resembled the story I began. I like to start with an idea (for the beginning or end of a tale, usually accompanied by a character but not always) and then let the characters go and see what happens. The idea for The Superiors started out something like this: "Vampires rule the world and keep human as livestock. One vampire guy meets this human and wants to buy her and goes through all this stuff trying to get her." Then I just started writing. I had no ideas for other characters or any of the challenges they face.
What is the first book you remember reading that totally took your breath away?
Great question! I'm not sure I could say what took took my breath away, but I remember the book that opened my eyes. I'd been reading a lot of Fear Street and Christopher Pike and Sweet Valley High books in middle school, and then I picked up Tommyknockers by Stephen King at a garage sale for a quarter. I know, it's cliche to pick Stephen King. But going from Sweet Valley High to Stephen King was a definite turning point in my reading life! I can't remember what book first took my breath away, maybe Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Links:
You can find Lena online everywhere, but these are the sites she frequents the most:
Lena's blog: http://lenahillbrand.blogspot.com
Facebook (www.facebook.com/LenaHillbrand)
Twitter (@lenahilbrand)
You can also find her book here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZGB2I4
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