Andy Rane

Fan Fiction Gets A Venue - Amazon Announces Kindle Worlds

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Fan fiction's new best friend.

Amazon has announced a new platform available to authors called Kindle Worlds. "Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. for Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries, with licenses for more Worlds on the way."

Definitely an interesting development and another sign that Amazon is doing all the right things for independent authors. While I don't personally have an interest in fan fiction, I can see this being HUGE for those who started their writing this way. It will be interesting to see what other licenses Amazon acquires for Kindle Worlds in the future.

What do you think?

Let's Tell a Story

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:23:00 +0000

A while back, I wrote a piece about how to plot your novel. Well, today, we're going to break that down
even further into its basic elements. How do you go about the “simple” process of telling a story. I've read and seen a lot of answers to this question, but we're going to keep it as simple as possible.

At its base level, there are 5 parts to a good story; foundation, change, significance, culmination, and purpose. That’s not to say that these are the only parts or the order in which they must appear. However, take any one of these away and you might be left with a story that doesn't feel whole. And starting to write before fully understanding what makes your story complete can make the experience harrowing. Writing can be challenging as it is. Let’s go through the parts and see what we have.

1. Foundation – This is the “Once upon a time…” or “A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…” aspect of the story. What’s the norm? What’s the average day-to-day like in your story? Even if it’s just a glimpse, providing this information gives your story a platform on which to build. We don’t always need to put this up front, but we need to know it’s there. No character should live in a bubble… unless your story is about a character in a bubble… so, show the life that goes on around him/her/it. Bob was a hard-working man who loved life and his family.

2. Change – Something needs to change the status quo. You’ve established the norm, so now you need to introduce the catalyst that induces a change to which your main character(s) needs to react. The extent of the change need only be relative to the main character’s need to be affected. Folks have a tendency to assume that big things need to happen in order to invoke change in a story (eg, death, cataclysm, zombies). However, sometimes the smallest stones make the largest ripples. Bob loses his well-paying job.

3. Significance – The change has occurred. What does this lead to? How is your main character’s daily life affected? In life, as in the stories we tell about it, events aren’t usually cut and dry; Bob can’t afford food anymore and is forced to kill his neighbor. Hmmm…seems like we might be missing something. Like maybe some details? Bob can’t afford food anymore; Bob’s neighbor offers to give Bob help, but he wants something in return (a night with Bob’s wife); Bob’s got nowhere to turn and is running out of options; Bob’s sadistic neighbor taunts Bob and threatens to… and we could go one, but you get the point. A series of events then leads us to the…

4. Culmination – …and in the end, Bob and said neighbor struggle in a fight to the death before Bob comes out on top. Extreme? Yes. Overly simplified? Indeed. But, you get the picture. You’re significant events must lead to a focal point, or climax. This is where everything comes together and the conflict that has propelled the story to this point is resolved, one way or the other.

5. Purpose – Why did the character just go through all of that? What’s the resolution, or the new norm? Essentially, what’s the moral of your story? I would argue that this is the most important part of your story. What is it that you’re trying to tell the reader? When Bob is arrested, the police discover that his neighbor is a wanted serial killer and Bob is exonerated and they all live happily ever after (except for the neighbor, obviously). The moral? Don’t mess with Bob.

These 5 points create the thread of your story. While the order of the story thread can vary, it’s rare to find a good story that doesn’t incorporate each one of these. If you have an idea for a story, determine which of these parts you know and which you don’t. I often have 1, 2, and 4 in mind before I ever start writing, but 3 and 5 can often be the most difficult to put together on the fly. Starting your next project with all of these pieces in place can make the story-writing experience that much more enjoyable.

My $0.02 on the Boston Marathon Bombing

noreply@blogger.com (Andy) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Let's get something out of the way. I'm not going to pretend for a moment that I have anything new or insightful to say about the who, what, and why of the Boston Marathon incident. But, I have to say something. As Anne Morrow Lindbergh said, "I have to write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living."

So, what do I know of terror? What can I add to this story that has any sort of relevance? I honestly don't know. My wife said to me, "Why would someone attack a marathon? It's not like they're affecting the people who make the decisions." True, but that's not what they're after, is it. They didn't strike at the infrastructure of the industrial machine. They struck a blow at the heart and soul of what makes America a wonderful place to live; that sense that you can stand on a street corner and watch something as simple as a footrace and not fear for your life. When I use "they," I mean terrorists. But, don't get me wrong, I believe terrorists and terrorism are a means to an end, not some poor generalization of a particular group of people. Timothy McVeigh was just as much a terrorist as any of the men who perpetrated 9/11.

The Boston Marathon attack is so hard for those of us in the United States to grasp, but it should look very familiar if you simply compare it to the many attacks that occur in Middle Eastern countries. A marketplace, a place of worship, a police recruitment center. Someplace where people have gathered in a place they believe they are safe. The significant difference here? The attackers walked away from the bombs. Instead of strapping themselves to the devices and going out for their chosen god, they dropped and ran. To me, that says a lot about who these people are and who they aren't. I might be wrong, but this seems to me to be a politically motivated attack carried out by people who want to make a statement and instill fear, but aren't willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. That may seem to blur the line, but there's a very clear difference between someone who has no regard for life (including their own) and those who simply have no regard for the lives of others. As a sidenote, I find it interesting that Massachusetts has no death penalty, though capital crimes are prosecuted by the federal government, so that might be moot.

In the end, 3 people died (as of this writing on 4/18) so that someone could be heard. That someone made the decision that this was the only way to get their message across and be heard. Blunt, cowardly, and destructive violence perpetrated at a moment of least expectation against people whose only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. An 8-year-old boy, a 29-year-old young woman, and a grad student whose age was not disclosed. Three people and countless others who more than likely thought they were safe. Three people whose lives were cut short. Countless others who will never look at a crowd of people, or a man with a backpack, the same way ever again. This is how it begins. They've planted the seed of distrust and fear. Just like they've done before. Killing the seed is impossible. It's there; it's taken root. We can't fight it either. That just makes it spread; violence begets violence. We simply have to refuse to let it grow. Refuse to fuel the flame. At a time when it seems an impossibility, the best thing we can do is put this in the darkness of the past and move on.

Update: Just a note that, despite the post time being 9 AM, this was written on Thursday night, prior to the manhunt that occurred Thursday night and is currently in progress.

Amazon Buys Goodreads!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:43:00 +0000

Nom nom nom.

This is fresh off the presses, folks. That's right, Amazon.com has purchased Goodreads. If you don't know what Goodreads is, it's only one of the biggest social reading networks around. This purchase raises some very interesting questions. What will happen, if anything, to Shelfari? Does this blur the line between Amazon book reviews and Goodreads book reviews? Safe to assume that Goodreads book pages will no longer link to other book sales sites? Will this cause an exodus of readers from Goodreads? Is this a good thing or bad thing for independent authors? Does it make Goodreads a more valuable tool to the indie author (and does it make the top 10 now)? Would love to hear your comments below.

My Book is Becoming an Audiobook!

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:26:00 +0000

And, I have to say, I'm pretty geeked about it. Back when I first published Multiples, a few friends joked around with me that they'd buy it when it was available in audio format. I never thought they'd have to follow through on that promise. Creating an audiobook even just a few years ago cost serious money. But, as technology has become more accessible, so has the process for creating an audiobook.

I am book, hear me roar!

ACX.com is a division of Audible.com which, in turn, is a subsidiary of Amazon.com. They've essentially created a place for authors, narrators, and producers to come together and make audiobooks. As an author, You simply sign in with your Amazon account and create projects based on your books. You upload a sample that you want to have read and, eventually, you may receive an audition or two. You can also browse through auditions from their library of narrators and request to have them work with you. The best part, at least from the indie author perspective, is that it can cost as little as $0. With their 50/50 contract, and exclusive distribution through Audible, Amazon, and iTunes, you can have your book narrated for no cost at all to you.

I recently received an audition from a career voiceover actor and was absolutely blown away. I had uploaded my Prologue several months ago and had sort of given up hope of ever hearing back from someone. And, to be honest, I hadn't really put much effort into finding a narrator. It seemed like a superfluous thing to have. I mean, it's not like every book has an audio version, right? Well, after listening to the audition, I think I'm changing my tune. Get the right narrator and your story takes on a whole new life.

It was both terrifying and exciting to listen to my own words come back at me, acted out as I had heard them in my head. He had really nailed the intended voice, which made me feel pretty good about how I'd written it. I can only imagine what it must be like for someone to watch a movie based on their book. Listening is one thing; watching is a whole other story. It's still early yet, but I hope to follow up with more details and perhaps a sample chapter.

Have you used ACX, or are you considering it? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Top 10 Social Media Sites for Authors

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:53:00 +0000

...and Whether You Should Be There

You can't turn around on the internet nowadays without running into some form of social media. As you read this, you'll see cues in the sidebars of my blog (as well as in the article itself) directing you to connect with me here, there, and everywhere. You can like, tweet, pin, plus and...ummm stumble to your heart's content. That's just how things work nowadays. So, let's take a look at some of the top social media sites, as well as some of the others I specifically recommend for authors. We'll look at the opportunities and challenges of each.

1. Facebook - Despite its recent poor history in regard to stock prices, Facebook is still tops when it comes to social media, connecting people around the world.

The Social Media Juggling Act

Should I be there?: According to the data, >40% of global internet traffic is through Facebook. Global! And the average user spends almost a half hour there. If you or your books are not on Facebook, you're missing out on what potentially may be your largest source of an audience. Their integrated advertising system is fairly simple and it's even easier to "promote" individual posts now. More likes = more chance for viral reach.

Challenges: Be sure to separate your author business from your personal account. Create an author page and invite friends to like it. You don't want to alienate friends with repeated calls to "Buy my book!"

Connect with me on Facebook.

2. YouTube - From cats playing patty cake and staring ground hogs to car accidents and behind the scenes videos. If a video isn't on YouTube, it's not being watched.

Should I be there?: Book trailers are not unheard of. Whether or not they lead to success is another story. However, the potential virality cannot be denied. Make the right video about your book and you might

Challenges: The tutorials on how to make a trailer for your book are out there, but in order to make something truly special, you either need to have video-making talent, or know some. While that shouldn't deter you from trying, I wouldn't put in the effort unless I knew the end product was going to be something to be proud of.

3. Twitter - Changing the world 160 letters at a time.

Should I be there?: Definitely. Revolutions have begun through Twitter. It would be foolish to think it couldn't help your branding or book sales. It can be hectic though and you've most often only got a small window of opportunity to make a good impression.

Challenges: There are millions of people on Twitter and they all have something to say. That means you have only a small window of opportunity to be heard. Pick up a Twitter tool like TweetDeck to help you sift through all the noise and find your crowd. Don't underestimate the power of tagging (#). And don't get overwhelmed. You don't have to spend all day in order to see an impact. 15-30 minutes of focused interaction every other day can make a world of difference.

Connect with me on Twitter.

4. LinkedIn - Looking for a job? Or looking to hire someone? This is the place to be.

Should I be there?: This one is two-fold. If you're a job candidate, there's no better place to be. With just a few connections, you may find yourself indirectly connected to someone who may have the opportunity of a lifetime. As an author or writer, it also provides another avenue for viral communication of your books and writing.

Challenges: While good for connecting with other writers, I'm not quite sure it's the place to be trying to sell a book (unless you're going the traditional route, in which case it might be a great place to meet up with potential agents). While I have connected my personal profile, I have not yet set up an author profile.

5. Tumblr - A blogging tool that allows you to customize your own stream with a variety of tools.

Should I be there?: Well, if you don't already have a blog, consider using this. It combines the possible virality of a social media site into the blogging mix. It also allows for more simplified posting.

Challenges: Less control of content. Personally, I use Blogger and I can code it just like a web site. I know a lot of folks also use WordPress and a handful of others.

6. Pinterest - Ask nearly any woman aged 25-44 about Pinterest and you might hear it's great for fashion, cooking, and interior design. Well, it's way more than that.

Should I be there?: Pinterest is simple. You visit a web site and "Pin" images to boards you create. Book covers are images! By pinning your book cover, you can link pinners directly to the point of sale, or to your web site. If the image catches on, with almost 21 million monthly active users (as of 01/24/13) there's great potential for viral takeoff.

Challenges: It's addictive! Don't get sucked into the pretty pictures. Allot yourself a little time each day, but don't let it break into writing time!

Connect with me on Pinterest

7. Reddit - Reddit's tagline is "The front page of the internet". It's a forum for posting links to interesting articles and conducting discussions about topics from memes to politics to writing and books. Readers (or redditors as they're called) can vote items up and down depending on their like or dislike of a subject matter.

Should I be there?: The Writing forum is a great place to pop in a see what's going on. It's also a great place to make connections and get the word out on your work. Don't hawk your book there, but engage in conversations and, if you post writing related articles to your blog, you may find that posting it here drives additional traffic. You may also want to check out the Books forum.

Challenges: Did I already say don't hawk your book there? Ok. Don't expect anyone to put the kid gloves on if you ask for a critique. And don't expect them to flock to your new ideas with praise and adoration. It's a cruel world out there, kid, and this corner doesn't pull any punches. While folk are generally cordial, you have to be on the up and up, or you'll hear about it.

8. Stumbleupon - Another ~~addictive time waster~~ tool for finding new stuff on the internet, Stumbleupon allows you to enter a subject matter and then "stumble" from site to site (supposedly at random) that fits that category.

Should I be there?: Another chance for viral recognition. I'm not completely sold on this one. While I've had some visits directed to my site from Stumbleupon, it's been a bit hit or miss. In my mind, I've simply added it for the sake of adding it, but I don't do much stumbling myself.

Challenges: Another potential "time suck." Don't get caught up in it.

It's been so long, I can't even remember my StumbleUpon password... yeah.

9. Google Plus - Google's valiant attempt at one-upping Facebook. Not quite there.

Should I be there?: There's still a lot of active users having a lot of conversations about books and writing. It's certainly got the potential for getting your name out there. The ability to group followers into categories and reach out to them directly via email has its advantages. Hangouts are also a potentially great tool for interacting. Just make sure you've got pants on when your web cam kicks in.

Challenges: No one is exclusive to Google Plus. If they're having the conversation there, you can guarantee they're having it over on Facebook or Twitter as well.

Connect with me on Google+.

10. MySpace - OMG! They're still alive? Yep. Alive and kicking.

Should I be there?: Well, to be honest, the answer might be "No." While they still make it into the top ten, MySpace has had to remake itself over the past couple of years in order to remain relevant. They recently rolled out a new design, but I closed my account years ago and have no intention of going back at this point. It might be the perfect opportunity to get a foothold when there might not be a whole lot of competition, but I'm not sure it's the right venue for books. Now, if you also have a band, it might be the perfect place.

Challenges: Well, the challenge is, it's MySpace, which has become the punch line to a few jokes. Not sure the ship has completely sunk, but I'm not planning to get back on board. And, unless they show me something that Facebook can't compete with, I don't see that changing.

Honorable Mentions for Writers and Authors

These are some of my personal favorites that I recommend for authors:

11. Kindle Boards - A great place for the writing community, the Writer's Cafe is an invaluable resource for the fledgling independent author.

12. Goodreads - Possibly the largest reading community on the internet. Authors can create their own profiles, make sure their books are searchable there, create advertising campaigns, and join the conversation about great books and great writing. You can check out my profile here. [UPDATE: On 3/28/13, Amazon announced that it had purchased Goodreads. This definitely changes their importance, from a self-publishing perspective, and position on this list.]

13. Triberr - It took me a while to understand exactly what was going on here. Essentially, you join "Tribes" in order to promote blog posts. Get in with the right crowd and you may find your reach spread to as many as 600,000+ as I've seen in just a matter of weeks. Tribes consist of people willing to tweet, repost, plus, like, etc your blog posts all in an easy and automated fashion. Beware the automatic feed tribes. These are groups that remove the choice of whether you want to post the subject matter or not. Check it out and join my tribe.

Thanks for taking the time to read through. Did I miss any of your favorites? Post in the comments below!

Plotting Your Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:08:00 +0000

Four Steps to Putting Your Plot in Order

I've spent a bit of time on Reddit's writing forum over the last couple of weeks. One of the recurring questions I kept seeing was about plotting (or outlining) a novel before starting to write. To be honest, I was never a big proponent of plotting. Until, that is, it worked for me.

Do you remember the movie How to Train Your Dragon? Well, the morning after seeing that movie with my then 4-year-old son, I woke up with a name in my head and the title of a book on the tip of my tongue. While the title quickly died (for being a bit too similar to an existing series), the character thrived and within 48 hours I had plotted out the first book of a proposed trilogy. Six months later, I had translated that outline into a 55,000 word YA novel (which is still on the proverbial shelf). As soon as I finished that book, I sat down and plotted book #2. I was thrilled at how easy it came to me. But, it doesn't always work that way. Let's take a look at some of the key points to successfully plotting your novel:

1. Know where your story begins

When I sat down to write my suspense thriller, I cranked out 40 pages of writing. It was the least suspenseful pile of drivel ever imagined. I shelved 98% of it. It was back story. I had spent ~10,000 words trying to build up a sense of who my character was, without realizing he had accomplished absolutely nothing in that time. You need to establish your starting point. If you're protagonist is a 24-year-old, the reader doesn't need a detailed description of the 24 years that preceded the story's starting point. These are details that can be infused throughout the rest of the story (y'know, the one you really want to tell?). Don't be afraid to throw your characters immediately into the fray. Whether it's drama, fantasy, suspense, or sci-fi, nothing will tell the reader more about your character than seeing how they react when the pressure is at full tilt. Finally, don't be afraid of being vague at this point. We're not writing yet, we're plotting to write. A sentence will do if it conveys Who, What, Where, and When (Why can wait a while). When you recognize your starting point, give yourself a pat on the back. You've found the starting line. Now, stop the self-congratulations and move on.

2. Know (roughly) where your story will end

This one can be tricky for a number of reasons, but it's possibly the most important part of the whole process. Why? Because knowing the ending allows you, as the author, to seed the path with the kinds of things that readers eat up. Nothing impresses me more as a reader than when I get to the end of a book and find that the author has tied together little bits and pieces of the story that were sprinkled throughout. Plus, as a writer, it gives you a point of focus (we'll talk more about focus in step #3). So, where do you want your characters to be at the end of your novel? Can't see it? Imagine the end of your five favorite movies. Happy endings, sad endings, poignant endings, doesn't really matter. But, the best endings are those that show how life has changed the characters involved, for good or bad. As fiction writers, we're conveying a series of events that happened to people. And, despite what some people may believe, life changes us (if it didn't we'd all be pretty damn boring). So, what are the results of the events in your story? What sort of consequences do your characters have to deal with? This is where you may discover the "Why" of your story. When you find that, you'll have found your finish line.

3. Know where the middle point of your story is

Scranton, home of The Office and... not much else.

Consider this a way point in your plot development. We're trying to get from the start to the finish, and a good plot rarely takes a straight line to get there. If it does, it probably won't be very entertaining. But, there's a difference between a plot detour and a major plot detour. Sure, we could just jump on the Jersey Turnpike to get from Philly to NYC, but it might be more interesting to take a detour through Scranton. Essentially, don't be afraid to take side routes to get to where your going. But, it's important to keep your middle point within shouting distance of your proposed ending. Go to NYC from Philly through Cleveland and you're going to lose readers (and potentially drive yourself insane). Why? You're prolonging the trip. Readers aren't dumb; they can often see where you're going. And, even if they can't, when you do finally get where you're going, you may leave them scratching their heads. Why the heck did he walk around the block to visit the neighbor?! So, what is the middle? Well, in my mind, it's the part of the story that leads right into the climax of the story. Your characters have been introduced and the catalyst of the story has been introduced. The middle is where it all begins to come together and it's a straight shot to the end game.

Your riders (ie, readers) might be a bit ticked at your "short cut."

4. Fill in the gaps of your story

Now, comes the hard part for some folks. You know your beginning, middle, and end, but now how to get from one to another. Well, this is where your ability to build a story shows itself. Here's what I do. Thirty is my magic number. It's the number of chapters I start with. I jot down my starting point at #1, my middle goal around #15, and my finish line at #28 (I like to have some room to let things settle at the end). I then mark out the first 5 chapters, the next 10, and the final 15.

The first 5 chapters are character development and initial action. It's in these chapters that you will capture your audience. Some writers will argue that it has to happen in chapter 1, which is true, but you can't place all of your hope on one chapter. Give the reader 5 strong chapters at the beginning of your novel and they will let you take them on whatever journey you want. Grab their attention and empathy for your character in those chapters and you'll be set. No empathy = no care for what happens to the characters = no reason to read on.

The next ten chapters are entirely a setup for the end game. This is where your characters are challenged, poked, and prodded into their point of no return. The reader should be able to look back at this point of the story and say, "That's where it could have changed." If he had only taken the blue pill!

The final 15 chapters are are where the roller coaster plunges over the precipice and the laws of gravity take over. This is where the novel should run at full speed to the climax of the story. Everything chapter should have a distinct effect on how the story will end. Anything else is just slowing the coaster down.

Now, obviously, 30 is just a number I like. You might have 50 chapters or 20. Either way, you should be sure to balance out the plot so that it makes sense for your story; beginning, middle, and end. End too soon, without enough transition, and you'll leave your readers feeling short-changed. Put too much filler into the "middle" and your readers will get bored before they can get to the end. And, a weak beginning won't stimulate the reader to continue reading about your characters.

Would love to hear your opinions on the subject! Questions? Suggestions? Best practices that have worked for you?

Resolutions Shmesolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:45:00 +0000

It's that time of year. You know. The last day of the year as determined by a certain group of little beings that populate the third planet from the sun (that's us, btw...unless you're some of those other little beings that have a different New Year...rebels). It's a time to raise a glass of (alcoholic or non) beverage of choice and say one of two things "Here's to a better year" or "Here's to a year as good as the last." And it's also that time of year when people make promises to themselves (and sometimes others) about the coming year (promises may vary depending on alcoholic content of aforementioned beverage).

Being a writer, you can imagine that most of my previous resolutions involve, well...writing. And, this year is no different, but it occurred to me today that it's a waste of time to make a resolution today just because everyone else is doing it. What we should really be doing, whether you're a writer or not, is to stop making promises of what we will do and commit to taking action every day to reach our goals. So, join me in making a promise to stop making promises we can too easily ignore. Let's change our attitude. Let's make a commitment each day to do something that will make a positive impact on the things we want to change. So, here's my top five daily "resolutions."

1. Work on my novels every day, even if it's only a paragraph.
2. Read more.
3. Spend less time procrastinating (eg, surfing internet, playing video games).
4. Work out at least 3 days a week.
5. Eat out less.

Comments are very much welcome and feel free to leave your own daily resolutions! Happy New Year everyone!

Stop Pointing the Finger

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:43:00 +0000

An event like the recent shooting in Connecticut will stir emotion from the coldest heart. I have seen the argument begin with gun control, shift to mental health issues, and land with conspiracy theory. And it all comes back to the fact that, as human beings, we need to justify what happened, even if it's on the most base level. We have a need to try and make sense of the senseless. And, the problem is, no matter how many details come out, we'll never truly understand what led a young man in Connecticut to gun down his mother and then proceed to an Elementary school and kill small children and educators.

People want to blame guns. Being a liberal, I'll admit to leaning in favor of gun control myself. I understand that guns don't kill people, people kill people. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I understand your desire to hunt. I understand your desire to protect your family. But, you know what? There needs to be a limit. I don't care who you are. You shouldn't be able to walk into a store, or shop online, and purchase a fully automatic weapon. Bambi isn't that fast/stealthy/monstrous. You don't live in a war zone. And collecting? I don't know. I think collecting anything in such a quantity that it could be used to wipe out a battalion is a tad excessive, to say the least. And don't give me that bullshit about the Second Amendment being in place in case the government needs to be put in its place. No matter how bad you think it is, we don't live in that country. Get over it.

People want to blame mental health care, or the lack of ease with which it can be obtained. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about that topic. Mental health is a slippery slope at best. It may seem obvious when someone has a history of mental health problems, but it's not something that can be "seen" in most cases. And, even if it is something that’s being dealt with, as in the case of the Colorado movie theater shooter, there’s nothing to stop the individual from taking action. Mental health care is only going to work if it’s being applied to an individual who is willing to be cared for. Its usefulness ends the moment care stops.

People want to blame the media. Well, they want to blame the media for a lot of things. But, we only have ourselves to blame for that one. The media simply feeds the beast what it wants. If we didn't want interviews with 6-year-olds about the horror of what happened, they wouldn't occur. If the websites that had these stories were getting no hits, you wouldn't be reading about how frightened little Tommy was, or how one child was "heroic," or the gorier details of how the six kids who ran got mown down. But, we want to know the details, don't we? We can't help but try and look into death's eyes and see ourselves or our children. What would we have done in their shoes? Would we have thrown ourselves in harm’s way? Or prayed for divine intervention? Or stared in the face of a crying child and told them it would be alright even when we knew it would not? And, for those of us with children, the toughest questions of all: What would your son or daughter have done? What if that was your son or daughter? That is when I have to turn it off, for I have no desire to imagine the possibility. So, blame the media all you want, but they are only giving you what you want, what you've asked for. We cry out "Why?" and they answer. Personally, I agree, in theory, with keeping the killer's name out of the media. I haven't mentioned it here because I don't want to contribute to his historical record. A part of me does believe that these people do such heinous things in order to leave a mark on a world that would have otherwise forgotten them the moment they passed. In a world that glorifies so many for so little, the average person is made to feel inconsequential. To the irrational mind, what better way to make your mark on the world?

People want to blame a God-less society. Please, don't get me started. I'm going to tread cautiously here because I don't want to really offend anyone. But, if there's one thing this world could use, it's a little less God-based judgment and a little more open-minded common sense. The things that have been done in the name of God (whether Christian, Muslim, Jew, matters little) over the years is shameful. And just because your religion has found some semblance of humanity in the last 50 years or so does not wipe away hundreds of years of oppression. So, don't dare tell me that having a God, any God, in his life might have changed his actions. God's "will" has been manipulated to justify cruelty to man a million times over. When 9 men flew planes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania, they did so with the understanding that it was their God's plan. 'Nuff said on that point.

I think it's important to talk about things like this. However, I think it's more important to understand how it happened and not who perpetrated it. What, as a society, can we do differently today that will make something like this a thing of the past? It will happen again, we know this much. There are horrible people in this world and all the rules, regulations, and prayers will not stop them. A knee-jerk response is the easiest. The tough part is taking a good look at who we are and what we can do to make a change. Because, in the end, the killer was a product of the society in which he lived. This society. Our society. We made him. We have only ourselves to blame. So, there you have it. Stop asking why. Stop trying to point the finger. Change what you can. Have a positive impact on those around you. Don’t expect others to step up and take responsibility. Do what you can to craft an open-minded society that takes care of its own without shutting out what we don’t understand. Do what you can to make sure that we never have to ask “Why?” ever again.

Yes, I'm Still Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 19:31:00 +0000

It's been a very distracting summer. But, more than likely, I've sought out distractions because I haven't been happy with my writing. Part of that was due to the fact that I'd never truly pinned down an ending to my trilogy. Kind of hard to get somewhere when you don't know where you're going. Well, I've pinned it down. I know how book #3 of the Trilogy of the Six will end. Now, it's a matter of un-distracting myself and finishing the job. I hope I'll still have a few readers left when I finally release book #2. It has now been over a year since Multiples was released, and the excuses are starting to wear thin. I hope your writing is going smoothly.

Cheers,

Andy

The Same Six Questions - C.W. LaSart

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hello there, and welcome back to The Same Six Questions! Today's guest is C.W. LaSart. In her own words:

A lifelong horror fan, C.W. LaSart resides in the Midwest with her beloved Lou, 3 young children, and 2 neurotic dogs. A mother with a love for horror movies and a father who read her Poe from an early age, fostered in her a love for the horror genre and she has done her best to do the same for her own children, often warning teachers at conferences that it's Halloween at her house every day of the year, and not to worry too much about their gleeful darkness.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Yes I have. My first collection of short stories,
Ad Nauseam: 13 Tales of Extreme Horror, was released in early March by Dark Moon Books and is doing quite well. I entered a contest for extreme horror and the publisher liked my submission so much that he closed the contest and contracted me for the whole book. I'm excited by the responses I've gotten from it, and it's just fun to be able to share my stories with so many others. The stories are extreme in nature, so they aren't for everyone, but if you're tired of the same old slasher/
zombie/vampire stuff, it may be just what you're looking for.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I can't remember a time when I didn't want to be a writer. I didn't necessarily dream of being an author when I grew up, but I always enjoyed writing and planned to continue on. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I even entertained the thought of publishing what I wrote. Until then, I wrote just for the fun of it.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

I think it was probably an essay in Jr. High School. Something dreadful about teen suicide and depression. Before that I only wrote poetry. I have a folder full of everything I've ever done, but most of it is embarassing in its immaturity. I used to make little books for my mom in elemetary school. They were blatant plagiarism, but I think she still has them somewhere.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

I submitted my first short story about two years ago and it was accepted at the first place I tried. Over the next twelve months, I had a phenomenal acceptance rate wherever I tried, but it wasn't until I got contracted for Ad Nauseam that I started to think I may be able to actually do this for a living. I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the three winners of the Cemetery Dance Amatuer Writing Contest, which qualified me to become an Affiliate member of the Horror Writer's Association, which also cemented my resolve that I may be able to do all right.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Oh lord. None of them! They are all such twisted and miserable creatures. I suppose in a way I have already met all of them, since I tend to borrow bits and pieces from people I know, but in their entirety, they are a bit too horrific for my tastes. I would much prefer to meet someone else's characters. Maybe someone from Stephen King or Robert McCammon.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A huge spider, selling Avon and wearing toe-socks. I hate toe-socks!

__________________________________

LOL...thanks for sharing with us today! For more of C.W. and her writing, be sure to check out her Web site, Facebook page, and Twitter profile.

The Same Six Questions is always seeking independent authors to interview. If you're a fan and you know someone who might be interested, please be sure to send them my way.

The Same Six Questions - Aliya Anjum

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hi there and welcome to this special birthday edition of The Same Six Questions. Whose birthday, do you ask? Why, mine! :D Give a warm welcome to today's guest, Aliya Anjum.

Thank you, Andy! Thank you for this opportunity to engage readers on your blog. As for me, I am from the coastal city of Karachi, Pakistan, which happens to be quite like NYC as it's the commercial capital of Pakistan, oozing with diversity. As of now, I am a full-time author, but I have briefly owned the avatars of an international banker, university lecturer, and government employee. Wanderlust runs in my blood and I simply love to travel. I love cats, shopping, chocolate, and reading. I am an avid swimmer and I enjoy the outdoors a great bit. One day I hope to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, explore the Amazonian rain forests, and see Yeti on Tibetan mountains!

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

I have published more than one book, but since I am to discuss one of them I'd talk about my short story An Arranged Marriage. It is based on true events in the lives of four Pakistani women Physicians in the US. The story is close to my heart because it was the first adult fiction I wrote. It touches upon many themes, including immigration, diversity, assimilation, diaspora socio-economics, and, last but not the least, relationships.

Its available through Amazon, Smashwords, Apple iTunes, Barnes&Noble, Sony Books, and Kobo books.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I was always the writer. I used to write short snippets and poems when I was barely seven years old. They did'nt make it to print, but my family did appreciate my efforts. I wish I still had those small notebooks but, unfortunately, I don't. Till recently, when I was pursuing a regular career, I did write for newspapers as a freelancer and I had plans to one day write books, after retirement maybe. Then, one day, after a tiff with my boss in 2008, I got motivated to write fiction and I wrote 8 horror short stories for YA. I sent them off to the National Book Foundation's Competition and ended up receiving a Commendation Certificate. I was then encouraged to write more and ever since then I have penned down adult fiction and non-fiction. I am now a full time author.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

As I already mentioned, my first piece was a horror short story for YA. Titled The Farmhouse, I plan to publish it on Amazon soon and it may be available in print by the time this interview is published. I find that when I write about a character, I find myself playing that character in my head. In this story, the protagonist is a 14-year-old boy and I could feel his adventurous spirit enter me as I wrote about his tryst with the supernatural. I may add, that I borrowed a part of the story from two real unexplained encounters I had heard from a friend and an acquaintance, respectively. Quite likely they were making up the stories, but even then it's good matter for my story.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

I never had a Eureka! moment, as far as writing fiction is concerned. However, I have been a creative person all my life. I could improvise stories that I would tell my younger cousins when I was 14. During my undergrad, my advertising project was top rated, so much so that years later my professor remembered me and my project, when I ran into him. Even my graduate thesis in the US was linked to animated characters, and the thesis committee was impressed with my creativity. As I stated that I had a tiff with my boss, and it stoked the flames of creative expression in me, as I felt I was not being appreciated. In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise, since now I do what I enjoy doing!

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

I am writing my first novel these days. If there was one character I could meet in real life, it would be the hero of my novel. I am in love with him! He's just so likable! :)

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A mouse or, even worse, a wet rat! I can see myself not just screaming, but also quickly shifting on my feet, lest it touches me. Its a black rat, I see its eyes, they seem to be looking at me. Eeek! its moving towards me at lightening speed. Good God! how can such a small thing move so fast. Better close the door before he comes in. Hurry! hurry hurry! Still shifting on my feet *phew* door closed. Safe at last!

_______________________________

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Aliya! For more of Aliya and her writing, be sure to check out her blog!

Stop back in on Monday, when my guest will be C.W. LaSart! See you!

The Same Six Questions - Jennifer Word

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome back everyone! I just spent a week in sunny Arizona. Beautiful state, but we were running around like crazy and I'm glad to be home, sleeping in my own bed.

Jennifer Word is an award-winning poet and editor inSouthern California. She holds a B.A. inPsychology from Pepperdine University. Her short fiction and poetry has been featured in The Storyteller Magazine, The Klondike Sun, Dark Moon Digest, Dark Eclipse e-Magazine, and the Frightmares and Slices of Flesh anthologies. She is also the author of The Poe Toaster, All Because of the Cat, and Higher Love.

Jennifer lives with her two beautiful children. When she's not busy writing, she enjoys Yoga, and taking care of her two cats, two guinea pigs and a plecostamus in a homemade aquarium.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

The Society - Book One: Genesis is my debut novel. It is a Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction novel, and it's book one of a trilogy now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I have also published three separate stories through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I knew I wanted to be a writer from about age nine or ten. I had a fourth grade teacher tell me I was a writer, and it inspired me to dream big. It was a teacher that started all my dreams of wanting to be a writer.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

My first story, I wrote in the fourth grade. It was a horror story about a black cat and a curse. I'm not certain how many words long it was, but it won first place in the Make-A-Book contest in my elementary school. Later, I just jumped in and began writing, at age 34, and I wrote five novels in four months!

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

When I received a publishing contract through Stony Meadow Publishing for my trilogy, I said, "Wow, I can really do this!" It was so unexpected, but I was floored! My debut novel is so meaningful to me, and the series means a lot to me. I hope it will inspire many readers to realize that there are no insignificant people in this world. Everyone is here for a reason, and everyone plays an important role in the lives of others, simply by existing.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

I would like to meet my main character from my trilogy, Jessica Wembly. She is so lost, yet so important in the role of humanity. I wouldn't mind meeting all the characters from The Society. They are all amazing people, and I have wished so many times that they were real. My children think I am crazy, because I talk about my characters as if they are real people, but to me, they are. They are a conglomeration of people I have met in real life, friends, family. They are everyday people that anyone can relate to.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

Vampires, werewolves, all the B-movie monsters. I would say, "Bring it on," and I would have the Monster Squad to back me up, including Rudy with his bow and arrow!! And Stephen King would be right there to chronicle and write about the War that would ensue.

________________________________

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Jennifer! For more of Jennifer and her work, be sure to check out her Web site.

Stop back in on Thursday when my guest will be Aliya Anjum! See you then!

The Same Six Questions - Axel Howerton

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:44:00 +0000

Welcome to today's edition of The Same Six Questions! Give a warm welcome to author Axel Howerton!

Author. Film reviewer. Music writer. Time Lord. Bookhouse Boy. Coffee Addict. Dudeist. Sox National. Enmascarado. Reformed pugilist. Ink Monkey. Best known for his work as an entertainment journalist, Axel is thelong-time Managing Editor of www.eyecrave.net. Axel also recently acted as Associate Editor for the first four issues of the horror fiction quarterly Dark Moon Digest. His work has most recently appeared in Kitschykoo Magazine, Dark Eclipse #4, EWR: Short Stories, Fires on the Plain, Dark Moon Digest #3, and many more. He is also the co-founder (with fellow author Julie Jansen) of the annual "Coffin Hop" horror author online event, which takes place in October and has featured over one hundred of the best Indie writers and artists of at least four continents.

Axel spends most of his time in Calgary, Alberta, traversing the frigid tundra of Canada - usually two steps behind his brilliant young sons, and a wife that is way out of his league.

The Same Six Questions

1.Have you published a book yet?

I have been published in books. I have actually just put the finishing touches on my novel Hot Sinatra which should be available in the next couple of months. I've had incredibly positive feedback from some fellow authors like Red Tash (author of the amazing This Brilliant Darkness) and Scott S. Phillips (Squirrel Eyes, Gimme Skelter). Here's the quick synopsis:

Moss Cole is a private detective. The kind you thought only existed in old movies and afternoon reruns. He's looking for a stolen Sinatra record... one that may be a figment of one cantankerous old bastard's imagination.

Of course, if that were true, Moss wouldn't have so many people busting down his door and threatening his life. He's smart, talented, sometimes even charming. You'd think he could find a better gig than carrying on his grandfather's legacy as a 'Private Dick'.

A vivacious redhead, a foul-mouthed Irish rock star and half the crazies in L.A. add up to business as usual, when all Cole wants is some fresh coffee and a Hot Sinatra...

The first three chapters are available as "added-value material" on the kindle version of my novella Living Dead at Zigfreidt & Roy. Axel's Amazon writing.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Can I use the ol' standby of “always”? Like a lot of writers, I was a very voracious reader at a very young age. I started writing stories in some form or another as soon as I had figured out the alphabet. By elementary school, I was putting out my own comic books and books of jokey poetry with my friends. I first had articles published when I was twelve. I focused more on poetry for a long time, just because it was better for wooing. I also gravitated towards screenwriting for a while, making terrifically bad movies in High School.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

Probably a story for grade ten English class. I think it was supposed to be a page or two, mine ballooned to twelve or thirteen pages of prime Steven Seagal-inspired hitman/ninja madness. I remember the teacher was supportive, but duly shocked by the content. There were numerous episodes of dismemberment and beheading, a couple of “creamy white breasts”, and a whole lotta F-bombs. I'm still pretty fond of the F-bombs. I'm sure I probably have it buried in a box somewhere, along with a couple of slasher movie scripts from the era and a few books full of bad poetry inspired by Red Hot Chili Peppers lyrics.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

Also, like most writers, I am a hopeless feedback whore. I doubt I'll ever be entirely confident or believe I'm accepted as a real writer, but that's just one face of the beast that drives us. Positive comments from writers I really admire and respect goes a long way, so I try to be very open and thankful when I get it. I also try to pass it on when newer writers ask for advice or validation. I know a lot of people who treat this industry as a cut-throat competitive battleground, but I think that is really counter-productive. How much better would it be if we all helped each other get better? How much greater would a world filled with amazing tales and rich, colorful, ORIGINAL stories be? Am I avoiding the question?

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Good lord. That's a hullabalooza. I think most characters come from facets of the writers own psyche. So, in a sense, I've met them all because they all are me. That's kind of a dippity pseudo-psychology answer, though. If I was going to hang out with one? Foxy Thunders from Hot Sinatra is a good pick. He's a wild, foul-mouthed, womanizing party-hound. Good-time incarnate. If I didn't have to worry about getting beaten or arrested, I think I'd have a hell of a time with him. Conversely, I'd love to just sit in a room and have a coffee with the old cowboy from Living Dead at Zigfreidt & Roy. He's basically all the best memories of my dear departed Grandaddy, who flavors pretty much everything I do. I miss him something terrible most days.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

An army of ghosts, the spirits of legends passed, James Joyce at the fore. A bottle of whiskey in one hand, one of my books in the other. “Well? Come on then.”

_________________________________

Thanks for sharing with us today, Axel! Be sure to stop back and let us know when Hot Sinatra is finished! You can find Axel at his Web site and follow him on Twitter.

The Same Six Questions is on Spring Break for a week! We'll see you back here on April 16th.

The Same Six Questions - Scott S. Phillips

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hey, Happy April! Can you believe it's here already? Me neither. Give a warm Spring welcome to today's guest, Scott S. Phillips!

Thanks for letting me step up to the plate, Andy! I've been a professional screenwriter for the last 17 years, and before that I wrote some comics and short stories. I wrote the cult action movie DRIVE (the one with Mark Dacascos, not the one with Ryan Gosling), a bunch of episodes of the CW Network series KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT, and a few cheesy low-budget movies. My first published novel was FRIDAY THE 13TH: CHURCH OF THE DIVINE PSYCHOPATH. I love me some Star Trek (Original Series, natch), classic rock, and playing my KISS and Evel Knievel pinball machines. I spend my days dividing my time between writing and serving the whims of my Chihuahua. Greatest achievement: being Lemmy's stand-in for a Motorhead video.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Several, the most recent being Pete, Drinker of Blood - Part 1, a serial novel in 8 parts. Pete is an idea I’ve been kicking around since 1999 when I was living in Hollywood and feeling sort of adrift and a bit vampiric myself. It’s an oddball take on the genre, about a reluctant blue-collar vampire with insomnia who was “turned” in the early 1970s and has never moved past that. He works nights for the Department of Water and Power, and hates the typical Goth-type vampires, especially the music they listen to. He winds up getting all crushed-out on the cute bartender at the Sunset Strip dive bar he hangs out in, and everything goes haywire when the sinister vampire who turned the L.A. vamps returns to reclaim his children. I’m a big vampire fan and wanted to play with the cliches — there’s a lot of humor but it’s not parody by a long shot.

I decided to experiment with the serial novel format while writing a comic book mini-series recently. I had written Pete as a screenplay, but a year or so ago I started adapting it as a novel, then got sidetracked by other writing projects. When I came back to it I realized it was perfect for the serial approach. Parts 1 and 2 are available now for Kindle, Nook and at Smashwords, with new installments released monthly (part 3 will be out in April).

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

It sort of happened by accident when I was a kid. I used to make cheesy Super-8 movies, and I discovered that it made for better flicks if I wrote something beforehand, rather than making ‘em up as I went along (imagine that!). These were silent films, so the scripts were little 4 or 5 page things with no dialogue, just bare-bones outlines of the action. It just developed from there, but my original scheme was to be a stop-motion animator like Ray Harryhausen before the writing kind of took over my brain.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

When I was 18 I wrote my first feature-length screenplay. It was this terrible wish-fulfillment thing wherein me and my friends hung out with the Go-Go’s and the Ramones, and all those who opposed us were destroyed. Or something. There was some over-arcing storyline about unrequited love and mean jocks getting their comeuppance, but mostly it was an episodic mess. If I remember right, it was called BRIEF OBSESSIONS. And yup, I still have it but I fear that my friends will find it and do a dramatic reading over my grave during the funeral, so I should probably burn it.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

I’d say that happened at the exact moment I made my first short story sale. It was a saucy little number called “Truckstop Novel” that was purchased by Chic Magazine when I was in my mid-twenties. I had written at least one other feature-length script by that time, but it was receiving that check in the mail that made me think I ought to keep putting words on paper, especially if there was a chance I’d be able to wangle more people into paying me to do it.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

That’s kind of a toughie. I wouldn’t mind sitting around with Pete, talking classic rock over a couple beers (well, a beer for me, anyway) whilst cranking Tommy or Led Zeppelin IV, but I think Boone Butters — a character from my novel Squirrel Eyes, now starring in his own series of stories (the first of which is Roomies) — might be a decent guy to hang out with, too. He smells a little funny, though.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

The Woodbooger. Of course. (Editor's note: Bigfoot...Viginia style. ;)

__________________________________

Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us, Scott! For more of Mr. Phillips and his writing, check out his Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads pages.

Stop back on Thursday when my guest will be Axel Howerton. See you then!

The Same Six Questions - David Kazzie

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Another episode of The Same Six Questions is upon us! Welcome today's guest, David Kazzie.

Thanks, Andy! I am a novelist and lawyer in Virginia, where I live with my family. When I'm not writing or obsessing about writing, I like to spend time with the family, read, watch movies, get some exercise, and eat bad food to counter the effects of exercise.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

I published The Jackpot to the various e-reader platforms in May 2011. It's about a young attorney who discovers that her financially desperate boss is planning to steal their new client's huge lottery ticket and her quest to return it to it rightful owner.

After a not-very-great 2011 for sales, I pulled the book from the other retailers and enrolled the book in KDP Select in January. After a successful freebie promotional run on January 25 and January 26, the book took off and became the No. 1 Legal Thriller on Kindle for about 4 days. It was the #1 Mover & Shaker in the Kindle Store on Jan. 27, and it reached No. 34 in the Paid Store on Jan. 31.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Looking back, I think I knew all along. As a kid, I wrote short stories, mostly about sports, I wrote my own Choose-Your-Own Adventure books (I used a real book for the template to get the page numbers to line up properly). I got away from it for a while as I pursued the normal grown-up route, but eventually, I saw the light. To be honest, I have no idea how good a writer I am, but I'm probably better at writing than I am at anything else.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

It was probably one of those CYOA books, written when I was probably 11 or 12 years old. I wrote several of them (by hand, no less) -- the one that sticks out was called Escape from Alcatraz. The premise was that you were incarcerated on Alcatraz (for a crime that you, of course, did not commit), and you were trying to escape from the prison.

My first lengthy piece of real fiction was a short story about a lottery ticket called The Winner, which I wrote in 1999. It was published in a now-defunct literary magazine. Although the story is quite a bit different than The Jackpot, I guess you could say the novel had a few of its seeds there.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

It came to me a little bit at a time. I went for years without ever wondering whether I was any good at it. When I was writing for my college newspaper in the early 90s, I interviewed for a summer internship with a large daily newspaper. After reviewing my clips, the interviewer told me that I was as good a writer as he'd seen in the
college ranks. That stuck with me, and I kept building my confidence from there.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Charles Flagg, the homicidal mercenary from my novel. He believes that humanity has become weak, and that it's his duty to "thin the herd" so that we continue to evolve as a species. I'd be curious to see if he thought I measured up.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A clown. I would probably experience a psychotic break.

________________________________________

Thanks so much for sharing with us, David! For more of David and his writing, be sure to check out his blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

Swing back on Monday when my guest will be Scott S. Phillips. See you then!

The Same Six Questions - Cora Buhlert

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome back Same Six faithful! And a rousing Monday-morning Hello! to all the newcomers to this ongoing interview series, The Same Six Questions! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Please say hello to today's guest, Cora Buhlert!

Thanks, Andy! I live in Bremen in North Germany – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. But don't worry, I write in English. I have an MA degree in English and am currently working towards my PhD. When I'm not writing, I work as a teacher and technical translator.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Several books actually. At the moment, I'm at fourteen and counting. But before you get too awed, most of those are reprinted backlist short stories and novelettes. I have published several historical shorts and novelettes, a series of short thrillers in the style of the pulp magazines of the 1930s about a pulp writer who fights crime in the guise of a masked avenger called The Silencer (the first story is called Countdown to Death (The Silencer) and has The Silencer facing the electric chair) as well as a scattering of other stuff. Jack – or rather Jane – of all genres, that's me.

You can buy my books at Amazon, OmniLit/All Romance, DriveThru Fiction and XinXii.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I've been telling stories all my life and I wanted to tell stories for a living since elementary school. However, I have a very visual imagination. And so I wanted to tell my stories in film form for many years, first as an animator and - once I realized that I couldn't draw for the life of me - as a director of live-action movies. I even went as far as joining the local amateur film club, until I realized that: a) movies were a team effort and b) I wasn't much of a team player.

I had already written my first stories at that point and even had a short story published in the literary magazine of my university, so I thought, "Forget the movies! I'll become a writer." And here I am.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

In high school I penned and composed an opera called Sino and Sana, because I happened to love opera. The libretto for that opera, a standard fairy tale plot of royal twins lost in the woods, was most likely longer than 1000 words, though the credit would have been shared between me and my then best friend.

A bit later I started my first novel, a science fiction tale of which I remember nothing except that it started with a flying red sportscar kidnapping two teenaged girls with a tractor beam and flying them out over the San Francisco Bay. Why San Francisco? I haven't the foggiest idea, except that I somehow thought it was a cool setting. Again, I'm pretty sure I got further than 1000 words before the idea fizzled out.

My first finished piece of fiction, which exceeded 1000 words, was a short story called Neverending Nightmare which I wrote in twelfth grade. It was a bizarre story about a girl who was turned into a plant by a mad scientist and then chopped up and served as salad and somehow managed to stay conscious through it all. There was also an ambitious circular structure, which I remember sketching in my notebook during German class.

Thankfully, all of those early attempts have been lost during countless computer updates.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)?"

During my second semester at university, when I wrote a short story for a writing/composition class and the teacher suggested that I submit it to a British newspaper which had a regular short story feature. Of course, my little story was rejected, but the fact that the teacher believed enough in my writing abilities to make me mail the story proved to be invaluable encouragement.

The next indication was when one of my short stories was published in New Leaf, the literary magazine of my university. Of course, I didn't get paid and I didn't even get my contributor's copies until several months later, because I happened to be doing a semester abroad when the issue with my story came out. But seeing my name in print for the first time was still a great feeling.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Probably Stella d'Anvers, singer, dancer and sorceress (in that order), from an upcoming story called Cartoony Justice. Why? Stella is fun to hang out with and unlikely to cause trouble or get me killed. Besides, she's one of my all-time favourite characters and I haven't done anything awful to her yet, therefore she is unlikely to harbour a grudge against me.

The Silencer, a.k.a. Richard Blakemore, would certainly be fascinating to meet, but he does have the tendency to get himself into trouble and bullets are likely to start flying whenever he's around.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

It's my three favourite writers, Jane Austen, Isaac Asimov, and Thomas Pynchon. That is, I think it's them, since Asimov and Jane Austen are rather decomposed by now and no one knows what Pynchon actually looks like.

________________________________

Thanks for stopping by today, Cora! Find Cora online at her author and publisher Web sites.

See you back here on Thursday, when my guest will be Steve Kazzie!

The Same Six Questions - Kathy Lynn Harris

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to this first Spring edition of The Same Six Questions. I hope the weather wherever you may be is particularly Spring-like. My guest today is Kathy Lynn Harris. In her own words:

Kathy Lynn Harris, a native Texan, has written children's books, poetry, short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, and personal essays. Blue Straggler is her debut novel. Kathy likes to play in the snow year-round, which is easy since she lives in a log cabin in the high mountains of Colorado at 10,500 feet above sea level. Stellar mountain playmates include her husband, her son, and two fairly untrainable Golden Retrievers who own both couches.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Yes! My novel, Blue Straggler, is available as an ebook (also at B&N) and a paperback from 30 Day Books of Seattle. Here’s what the book is about in brief: Being a 30-something, fairly directionless single female in South Texas is a world all its own. Blue Straggler is a laugh-out-loud, yet poignant, exploration of that experience — from the quirky, memorable characters who make up Bailey Miller’s circle of family and friends to that feeling of your makeup sliding right off in the humidity. Readers will easily identify with Bailey’s sometimes humorous, often semi-tragic, choices that eventually lead her out of Texas, to a small mountain town in Colorado, and back. Along the way, she searches for not only herself but also answers to long-held secrets from her “legitimately unbalanced” great-grandmother's past. Bonus: She may even find love with a moody mountain man along the way.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I was around age 9. I had already been writing in a “diary” complete with the lock and key for a year or more. I got bored one summer and asked my dad if I could use his old manual typewriter. I proceeded to write my first book, which was then stapled together and had a great cover made of pink craft paper accented with red yarn. I think that’s when the writing bug bit. I loved that sense of accomplishment and seeing MY words on paper. Even if it was that really thin, awful typewriter paper from the 1970s.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

When I first began trying my hand at real fiction writing after college, I wrote a short story about a young woman who had just lost her husband in a climbing accident, and her mother-in-law was staying with her after the funeral. Each blamed the other for the death in some way, and neither knew how to grieve. I loved the tension in that story so much that I eventually came back to it and shortened it into a flash fiction piece. It was actually published online back then in PIF magazine and is still out there.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

Ha! Some days I still don’t know if I can do this. But I have to say that it was the encouragement of friends that made me think that maybe I wasn’t just barking up a fruitless tree. I would share things that I wrote with a few close friends, some of whom were writers themselves, and they made me believe in myself … that I had a little bit of talent that might be worth honing. And then, when I enrolled in the creative writing master’s program at Texas A&M University, and began to get positive feedback from professors and fellow workshoppers, I began to really dream about life as a writer.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Oh! That’s a hard one. I think it would likely be Idamarie from Blue Straggler. She’s this feisty old Texas gal who owns a comfort-food café in San Antonio. She says what she thinks. She’s funny and grounded and would be someone I’d love to talk to every day, just to remind myself of the good people out there in the world. Plus, she sings Loretta Lynn songs and watches old Dallas reruns.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A lost, disoriented hiker, dripping in blood, who has stumbled to our log cabin in the backcountry mountains after being attacked by a mountain lion.

______________________________

Yikes! Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us, Kathy Lynn! For more of Kathy Lynn's writing, be sure to check out her Web site, blog, and Facebook and Twitter pages.

I'll see you all back here on Monday, when my guest will be Cora Buhlert. See you then!

The Same Six Questions - Sadie Forsythe

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome back to The Same Six Questions! I hope you didn't drink too much green beer or eat too much corned beef and cabbage this past weekend. Say hello to today's guest, Sadie Forsythe!

Thanks Andy! I’m the classic American abroad, totally enamored with life on ‘the continent.’ My family and I currently live on the cusp of the Pennines in NW England (think Wuthering Heights), but Tennessee will always call to me. When it comes right own to it I’m a Southern gal at heart. I spent more years than I care to count in university, and seven tough, but enlightening, years working with abused children. I think I learned more from them than any of my lauded professors.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

I have, and I’m pretty excited about it. The Weeping Empress is my first novel. It’s about the difficult personal sacrifices people have to make to ensure the continued growth of the humanity as a whole. But not everyone is so thrilled about the idea, not least of which the main character, Chiyo, who is asked to give up more than most. I have a real appreciation for the Japanese idea of Bushido, the idea of tempering violence with wisdom and civility, and this comes through in my writing. The world my characters inhabit is not a peaceful one, but Chiyo’s two companions negotiate it with a certain enviable grace born of a lifetime of disciplined familiarity. Together the three of them test the bounds of friendship, and the resolute nature of fate. It’s available at Amazon and such.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Since I was a tween, twelve maybe. I can almost remember the exact moment. My best friend had just introduced me to Anne McCaffrey’s books, and I was burning through the Pern series at light speed. We all know the feeling; bated breath, racing heart, trembling fingers fidgeting with the edge of the page impatient to turn it and see what happens next. I fell in love with that experience, and thought ‘I want to make others feel like this.’ There would be no better praise I could receive as a writer than to know that one of my stories prompted such a physiological response in a reader.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

I’ve spent a lot of time in university, which meant no time to write fiction. I told a lot of stories that never made it to paper. A notable exception was in my youth. While stuck in the backseat on a cross-country road-trip I wrote 90 or so pages of a story about a concubine who became a warrior. I don’t remember much about it. I think the only reason I remember it at all is because of the embarrassment I endured reading a story about a concubine aloud to my parents in the front seat. The birds and the bees had yet to be broached, and the last thing I wanted was to be asked to further discuss the nocturnal responsibilities of my character. I don’t have it anymore, which is a shame. It’s the kind of character I adore, and I’d like to try and make something of it.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

It was with The Weeping Empress, but my order was a little bit off. I never sat down and thought ‘I am going to write a book and this is my plot.’ I like to tell myself stories, especially during rote, boring moments like exercise or the shower. This one just kept coming back up. I kept expanding on it and developing characters until I couldn’t keep track of the names and locations in my head anymore, so I started jotting them down (hard to do in the shower). Eventually I looked at my poor bedraggled moleskine, and realized this wasn’t a story anymore, it was a book. It was then that I thought ‘I can do this. I can keep this up and finish it.’ But that decision came with a responsibility too. At that moment I gave The Weeping Empress life, and became accountable to her. After that it became work, a labor of love to be sure, but a task that had to be finished.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

I think it would be Valdis from The Weeping Empress. This might seem like an odd choice since she isn’t a main character, but she’s made a painful decision that the whole story hinges on. She knows it won’t be understood even though it affects everyone dear to her, and she makes it based on nothing more than her unshakable faith. She’s strong in a quite, overlookable fashion. I’d like to know how it feels to believe in something like that; to have a faith that you don’t question—not because you fear the answers or are too naïve to seek validation, but because you don’t need them. There must be a real comfort in that, and I’d love to delve into it. I’d also like to opportunity to congratulate her on the courage it takes to make such tough decisions. Sometimes even if you make the wrong choice, just choosing makes you the bravest person in the room.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A real-life, full-fledged, diamond encrusted, pink to the max Disney princess. When that fairy godmother gives Ella back her cinders I may invite her into my home. Until then I think the princessification of a generation of little girls is the most frightening thing I have ever seen.

_________________________________

Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us, Sadie! Find Sadie on the web at Facebook, her
Web site, and Twitter.

The Same Six Questions - Tessa Stokes

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Welcome to another edition of The Same Six Quesitons! Today's guest is Tessa Stokes. Welcome, Tessa!

Thanks, Andy! I am UK born but have lived in many places in the world. I have been heavily involved in community projects to do with literacy and education for many years. I’m an indie author by choice. I’m a technology junkie and can’t seem to stop either buying or wanting the latest computer, smart phone, tablet or whatever. I love to read. Love animals, plants, and music.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

I have published several but the latest book is Devon Ruthin and A Vampire in Love Volume one of The Ruthin Trilogy.

Bliss is lonely and taking chances when she goes off on holiday and meets the man of her dreams, Devon Ruthin. She is trying to replicate the life of a character in a book she has read recently, and without realizing it, she enters a twilight world. A world filled with strange people, beautiful powerful beings who seem to be the saviors of the man she falls in love with.

This is a darker tale than first meets the eye, and as the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that the beautiful people, who are seemingly so wonderful, have secrets of their own.

On her journey, Bliss encounters the pale and attractive Drew. It seems fate has a trick up its sleeve when we discover that he has met the mysterious people before. The chance meeting with Bliss sets off a series of actions by Drew that uncovers a hidden past belonging to Devon.

This is a love story, a story of revenge, hope, violence, immortality, and fate.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been writing since I was first able to and not just writing stories but writing poems and songs, advertising copy and brochures for various projects. Friends in high school used to get me to write their love notes to their latest ‘squeeze.’ LOL

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

I don’t have it although I think it’s online somewhere on my old school website. It was for the first ever magazine the school did and so was different from other writing I had done. It was a story and was a mystery a little like a Nancy Drew story.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

If we are talking about fiction then it was probably in high school when I submitted to national magazines and had a couple of things published. Fiction writing did not seem to be a way to earn a living and I wrote commercially, and academically for a long time before I let myself go back to fiction and even then I had my work and ideas kicking around for years before I decided to publish.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

It would have to be Tristan Dearing from The Seven Spell Saga. He has lived so long and seen so much it would be fascinating to talk to someone like that.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

Pizza delivery boy.

_______________________________

LOL...thanks for sharing with us, Tessa! For more of Tessa's work, check out her Web site, blog,
book blog, trilogy Facebook page, author Facebook page, and Twitter page.

See you all back on Monday when my guest will be Sadie Forsythe!

The Same Six Questions - Heather Jensen

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hi there! I missed out on mentioning my 100th blog post, so I'll just have to celebrate number 101 instead. Woo-hoo! ;) So, welcome to another edition of The Same Six Questions! Today's guest is Heather Jensen! Hi Heather!

Hello, Andy! I'm addicted to Oreos and White Knight drinks from Perks. My favorite color is green and the uglier the shade, the better. I get bored of my hairstyle easily which has resulted in numerous hair colors in the last ten years. My hair is currently red, but who knows how long that might last. I grew up in a small town and was the oldest of three girls. My family took in foster children and by the time I moved out we’d had over thirty in our home over the years. When I'm not writing, I enjoy traveling, killing zombies on the Xbox 360 with my hubby, playing guitar, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family. I also love to decorate cakes. I now live in Southern Utah with my husband and five-year-old son where I enjoy the sunny weather and the palm trees.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Yes. Blood And Guitars, a paranormal fantasy read for teens and adults.

Summary: When Aurora meets Trey, a famous singer and musician, she’s only hoping to get her fill of human blood for the week. The last thing Aurora expects is for Trey to make her feel alive for the first time since she was, well, alive. It begins with a casual painting lesson at her art studio, The Waking Moon, and quickly turns into a forbidden romance. Aurora is forced to hide her true identity from Trey, while keeping her relationship with the human a secret from other vampires in her Brood.

Trey’s band is recording a new album and with Aurora as his muse, Trey is writing songs like never before. After being hired by their record label to paint the album cover, Aurora has a legitimate reason for spending so much time with Trey and his band mates. Aurora can’t deny the unexpected connection she has with Trey, which is fueled by glimpses into his emotions every time they share a kiss. Caught between two worlds, Aurora must attend celebrity award shows and vampire rituals, find time to feed, and protect Trey from the dangers of the night, all while preserving her secrets.

For print copies or e-book copies in any format, visit www.heatherjensen.info. The second book in the series, Immortals And Melodies, will be released Summer of 2012.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always known that I wanted to write. It’s not something you have as an option in front of you when you meet with guidance counselors in school to talk about your future, but I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. It’s hard to pinpoint a specific moment when I realized I should be a writer because I was constantly making up stories and putting them on paper. In a way, I guess I knew before I was ten for that reason. I started winning awards for my writing in elementary school, which eventually resulted in scholarships for college. Even then, writing was something I thought I just had to do as a hobby on the side. It wasn’t until after I was married that I realized I could do it full-time while being a stay-at-home mom. That’s when I started calling myself a writer, although it really happened long before that.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

I was writing at such a young age that I couldn’t tell you exactly which piece of work reached that length first. I do remember that my best friend and I were constantly making up stories when we were eight or nine years old. We would act them out when we were together, but when we were apart we would write them out. We’d stopped acting them out by the time we were twelve but I continued to write about what was happening. I remember going to junior high school with pages and pages to give her. She would read everything I had written and respond back. This is the part where I throw in an apology to my teachers for writing stories in the back of my notebook during the middle of class. The plots were nothing to brag about, but I learned a lot about writing and character development in those days. I have my friend to thank for sticking with me through my early work when my brain was moving faster than my hand could and my hand-writing left something to be desired. Also, I always wrote in first person point of view because the stories had started out as stuff we’d act out, so I think that’s why I love writing in that point of view still to this day. We still laugh about those early stories but, unfortunately, I didn’t save any of them. I’ve always been especially prolific, so they’d probably require an entire room in my house now if I had.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

I remember stumbling across a writer named Amelia Atwater-Rhodes when I was a sophomore in high school. Oprah had named her as a teenager that would change the world or something like that. I saw an article about her in a teeny-bopper magazine and I was fascinated by the fact that she had been published at thirteen. Other than Dracula and Anne Rice novels, she wrote the first vampire fiction I had seen, which fascinated me. I realized then that if she could write a full-length novel at such a young age, then I could too. A trip to Europe the next summer inspired my first novel, The Rift. I still remember which parts of the story I was writing on the plane ride home after visiting all the historic castles and taking a boat down the Rhine. My family and friends were very supportive of me writing that book, and that definitely motivated me to finish it and self-publish it. I even have a sequel in the works.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Trey Decker, hands down. He’s one of the two main characters you follow in Blood And Guitars. Not only is Trey an incredible guy, he’s the culmination of the lead singers from my favorite bands all thrown together in one body. If I could meet Trey in person today, I’d hope he’d let me sit front and center at a Catalyst concert, or at least let me come to the studio and watch the band record. As long as it involved him singing and slamming on his guitar in some fashion, I’d be a happy girl. Actually, I might even try to talk him into jamming with me. I love to play guitar and since he’s my ideal rock star he’d play all my favorite songs with me, right? I could go on and on with this answer so I’ll just leave it at that.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

Trey Decker ... hehe. (See above answer.)

________________________________

Thanks for sharing with us, Heather! I definitely had to Google "White Knight drinks from Perks". ;-D For more on Heather and her writing, be sure to check out her Web site, Facebook page, Twitter feed.

Be sure to stop back on Thursday, when my guest will be Tessa Stokes! See you!

The Same Six Questions - James Bruno

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to this Thursday edition of The Same Six Questions! Today's guest is James Bruno!

Hello, Andy! I worked for the federal government for over two decades, first in military intelligence, then as diplomat with the Dept. of State. I served in S.E. Asia, Pakistan, Cuba, Guantanamo Naval Base, Australia, and, of course, Washington DC. I speak seven foreign languages. I’ve spent lots of time at the White House and even served in a presidential protection detail abroad. I am currently a member of the Diplomatic Readiness Reserve. I found myself repeatedly facing situations in which I would say, “Fiction can’t beat this.” This is what led me to become a novelist.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

I’ve published three political/spy thrillers, all Kindle bestsellers. My latest is Tribe, about how power, love, and fathers and daughters come into play in conflict-riven Afghanistan, and how the government gets it all wrong. What separates Tribe from its competition is its authenticity - so authentic that the U.S. government censored it. I draw heavily from my service involving Afghanistan, including in the field. I’ve been featured on NBC's Today Show, in the Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, Huffington Post, regional NPR and other national and international media. My other thrillers, Permanent Interests and Chasm, have landed simultaneously on Kindle Bestseller lists, including #1 in Political Fiction and Spy Tales. All three can be purchased in ebook and print form from Amazon, or directly from Lightning Source in print. Havana Queen, a spy thriller set in Cuba, where I’ve served, will be released this year.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I started out as a news reporter with UPI and CBS-News during and after college. It was great to see my stories disseminated nationwide, or used by news anchors in their reporting. I didn’t get into fiction writing until much later, as a lark. I was detailed for training at the U.S. Naval War College for a year and was bored. So, I wrote my first novel. I, however, didn’t just plunge into it. I read a lot about how to write the novel beforehand and took a workshop with a NYT bestselling author, who, by the way, remains a good friend to this day.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

Permanent Interests is a taut political thriller in which corrupt White House officials sell out to the American and Russian mobs to re-elect a weak President Corgan at all costs. American ambassadors and Russian spies who get in the way are killed. Diplomat Bob Innes falls into this conspiracy of political intrigue and murder and becomes the target of hired assassins and Russian mafia hitmen. He and Lydia, a beautiful Russian escort to powerful men, work with the FBI to bring down the President's men and the Russian mob's Godfather. Al Malandrino, a colorful New York mob boss, becomes their unexpected ally. Permanent Interests authentically captures political intrigue, greed and treachery in the highest levels of government. And it all comes crashing down in face of relentless pursuit of the truth by the system's would-be victims. As you can see, this book has just about everything a good thriller needs.

This is my first novel, written when I was being instructed in how to fight wars by the U.S. Navy. As I said, it’s been a consistent Kindle bestseller.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

My first-ever query letter actually went to Random House. Jonathan Karp got back to me immediately wanting to read the manuscript. While it didn’t result in a sale (it needed some rewriting), I saw that I could grab the attention of industry pros. I then landed an agent shortly thereafter. I knew I could compete in this field. I had what it takes.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Camilla Loomis, the high-powered Washington socialite in my latest thriller, Tribe. Camilla claws her way from Appalachian trailer trash to Beltway powerbroker through pluck, brains and cunning. My wife, however, might wish to steer me clear of the beautiful and scheming Camilla.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A certified letter from Washington stating, “You will report for duty on {DATE} for service in Iraq / Afghanistan.”

I was put on notice two years ago to expect to be called back up. I’d rather stay home and write my thrillers than to go where the action is and experience them firsthand.

___________________________

Thanks so much for joining us today, James! For more of James and his writing, check out his blog.

Swing back on Monday when my guest will be Heather Jensen!

The Same Six Questions - Sean Van Damme

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome back to The Same Six Questions! Please welcome today's guest, Sean Van Damme!

Hi there, Andy! I'm a 27 year old TV news video editor who has always loved writing and movies. I grew up moving all over the country in a military family before finally settling down in Richmond, VA. I met my lovely wife while in school, and have now been drawn into her dog sports world. When not writing I'm playing too many video games or watching TV mostly sci-fi, we named our dog Gaius Baltar. I had wanted to do movies for a long time, but couldn't get into film school which is what led me to working in TV and lucky I love it so things do work out. Now, I'm hoping things will work out again.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Yes. The Long Night came out in October 2011 and is my first novel. I have it up right now on Amazon and B&N. Darkness has fallen over the land, unleashing maddened monsters from the depths of the earth and raising the dead. A group of heroes must come tighter to fight the evil, while at the same time trying to put their past prejudices behind them and work together.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I knew I wanted to become a writer in Middle School, even though I had been writing shorts since I was a child, little books with horrible illustrations about pirates and space men. I have always had stories bouncing around in my head, and would just zone out while riding in the car as they played in my head like little movies. Once I started sitting down and writing the stories I became hooked on writing and knew that was what I wanted to do. That and a big handful of loose leaf paper or a screenplay tucked under your arm is a great conversation starter. It wasn’t until early in 2010 that I knew for sure that I wanted to do novels, even though that is what I started with back in the mid 90’s, scripts are a very addictive thing; easy to write hard to prefect.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

My first long piece of fiction was a story that I still haven’t finished, that haunts me to this day. In school I used to draw space ships all over my school work. One day, during a practically dull lecture in health class, I started writing a story to go with those ships. I kept working on it for the rest of the school year, tucking the sheets of loose leaf in my binders, and pulling them out every time I was bored in class which, sadly, was often. I left the story alone during the summer and started working on a sequel during 8th grade, and I kept working on it for the rest of the year, amassing quite a collection of paper covered in my chicken scratch. That story still, to this day, hasn’t been finished, even though I have started and stopped work on it three or four times with a few rewrites. In High School, I outlined it breaking the story into a massive four-book cycle. The last time I worked on it was early 2011 starting from scratch again and blitzing through 40,000 words before being scared again, but I will finish that book, mark my words.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

For years, I was afraid I couldn’t write a complete novel. I had failed with my sci-fi and gotten into screenplays where I struggled to reach the 90 page minimum to be a real script. After a long drought of not writing, partially because of depression, but mostly because I was completely addicted to World of Warcraft. When I decided I was going to write a novel again, in the fall of 2009, I set an end date for myself and just started working, writing and writing. I didn’t look back. I didn’t stop when I crossed the one hundred page mark in word. That is when I realized that I could do this. I attribute my inability to finish a novel in high school to a lack of maturity, which I have built up over time now so that I can see the end of the road and know roughly how long it will take to get there.

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

I don’t know if I really would want to meet any of my characters. The people from The Long Night are grumpy and broken from the get go, and Hobbs is a complete cynical basket case. I have learned that I can only stand one grumpy person at a time, and that person is usually me. This question just illustrates the fact that I need to write a cheerful witty person that I would want to get a drink with.

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

A zombie scratching at the door, moaning for brains, out of everything in this world, real or imaginary, zombies are the one thing that scares me more than anything else, because they are plausible, and they trigger an utterly unwinnable situation.

____________________________________

Mmmmm...brains. ;-D Thanks for sharing with us, Sean! For more of Mr. Van Damme and his writing, be sure to check out his Facebook page, Twitter account, and blog.

Thursday, my guest will be Jim Bruno! See you then!

The Same Six Questions - Ami Blackwelder

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Hello there and welcome to this March 1st edition of The Same Six Questions! My guest today is

Hi Andy! My name is Ami Blackwelder. Yep, Ami with an i. So, google me with an i, or you won't find me. ;) I love cats and dogs and own one cat named Lotus. His name came from the Buddhist belief that life is like a Lotus flower. Some below the water not seeing the truth, some just at the surface about to see truth, and some flowering well above the surface of the water seeing truth more clearly. I lived in Thailand for six years and fell in love with it. I consider Thailand my second home and will return in a couple years. My cat is also a Siamese! Named after the Thailand country which used to be called Siam! Though no one really knows where Siamese cats came from. They are really loud and cry all the time just like a baby, so be prepared if you get one! LOL

Currently, I am studying the Montessori style of teaching and it takes two years! You can do it in one, but I have a life and need two. :) Once finished, I want to return to Thailand and teach there permanently, and also travel and teach in Tibet (which I've been to once and will blog about on my blog) and other Eastern countries.

The Same Six Questions

1. Have you published a book yet?

Yes and no. I first published through an epublisher named ireadiwrite publishing. That was for The Gate of Lake Forest which was my first full length novel written in 2009. (I've been writing poetry and short stories all my life) . Then she also picked up the sequel Prisoners of Pride. Not sure if that counts, since that is epublishing, not print publishing.

Then, I wrote The Day the Flowers Died and sent it off to Whiskey Press which they accepted, but then I looked them over and realized they were pretty much like an epublisher or small press and my book would never see the inside of a brick and mortar store.

So, since 2010 rolled around and Amanda Hocking was making it big and other success self-publishing stories kept coming up as well as the Kindle and Nook, I decided to go my own way and not sign with them. I knew self-publishing would soon be seen as Indie Books, like Indie films are now seen.

Now, I self-publish everything. I love it. My sales have grown from a handful into 100 plus a month. (By the way, I sell just as much or more on my own as I did with my epublisher). I have a team of editors, graphic artists, cover designers, formatters, and a list of distributors which work well. And I work my butt off. I didn't really get serious about sharing my professional work and promoting it until mid 2010. So, I've been actively perfecting my craft and promotional efforts for about a year and a half now.

I realize most writers began writing full-length novels at 18 or 20 and took 5-10 years of hard work to be able to live off their work and so I am willing to put in my full ten years. Three years done and seven more to go. :) I hope to write enough to be able to live off my books come retirement (like social security) which I won't ever see...

I am looking into finding an agent, and have gotten my Shifters of 2040 written into a screenplay which has been circulated at Cannes, Hollywood, and locally in Florida. I am actively sending books or scripts to Hollywood types and am also searching for a GOOD epublisher/small press for some of my future novels. I'm aimed at Entangled Publishing currently. Just to give more 'oomph' behind my name and books.

Here's some info on my latest, The Mers, a YA Mermaid Dystopian (Mer Chronicles Book #1):

Mira always knew she was different. Growing up with Mers, she never quite fit in. When Mira breaks the rules and takes Niren across the border that divides Ellis Island and New Jersey, a border that divides two vastly different worlds, she thought the journey to find out who she really is would be an easy one.

But as the world in Jersey proves to be a convoluted mix of Aristocrats who hate the Mers, Pirates who want to sell them, and Magi who want to use them...finding her true identity will be a challenge, especially when her best friend Niren is a Mer willing to fight to the death.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always written since I could pick up a pen. But I stuck to short stories and poetry. My novels and full length nonfiction books began in Thailand. Nonfiction at 30 and fiction at 34.

3. What was your first lengthy piece of fiction (say, >1000 words)? What was it about? When did you write it? Do you still have it?

The best I can remember it was a piece about a paper bag come to life. I wrote it for English class in the third grade. Though I'd been telling stories before that time. I had it for awhile, but then it got lost. I tried to rewrite it as one of my children stories and can be found on my blog for sale. Written by a teacher for children.

4. When was your first indication, "I can do this (write)"?

Well, I've always loved writing and wrote. But I didn't really consider full length novels until I turned 34. After I finished my spiritual journey and wrote three books on that, I wanted to continue writing. Loved it. Then the movie Twilight came out and I had heard of Stephanie Meyers for the first time while in Thailand and she inspired me honestly to just do it. Didn't matter if I made millions or not. Writing has always been a part of me and a forgotten part of me for too long, and so I decided to write full length novels. Self-publsihing also was starting (though not big until a year later in 2010) and so I thought I had everything I needed to get my words and stories out there. A temptation I could't resist.

Plus, many people don't realize this, but writers like Beatrix Potter and Virginia Woolf even self-published. Jane Austen's work took 14 years to see the light of day!

5. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which would it be?

Such a good question! I would love to meet either one of my shifters perhaps April or Brendan, OR a Mer, perhaps Nerin or Nerissa. They would have such interesting physical characteristics!

6. It's a dark and stormy night...you're alone in the house...there's a knock at the door...you open it, look out, and proceed to scream like a little girl. What's on the doorstep?

Its Ed McMahon and I've just won a million dollars! LOL

__________________________________

Thanks for sharing with us today, Ami! For more of Ami's work, be sure to check out her Web site, Facebook page, and Twitter account.

See you back here on Monday when my guest will be Sean Van Damme!

To Select - Second Free Run Results

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Mulraney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:55:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I decided that, given the success of my first free run with Amazon's Select program, I'd give it another shot. Being a bit of a pessimist, I was more than a little apprehensive about doing it again. I'd had pretty good success on my first run, but would lightning strike twice for the same book? I learned a lot from my own experience and those of my fellow authors who keep a running thread of stats over on the Kindleboards. There's enough statistics on going free over there to drive you up a wall and back down. My first run had been a single day and was on a Saturday. This meant that the magical 2-3 day post-free sales bump occurred between Monday and Tuesday. My theory was that a free run that occurred on a mid-week day would then land the bump on the weekend, closer to the time when I figured more people would be buying.

I scheduled my second free day on February 22nd. I notified a slew of websites over a week in advance. There are really only two that matter; pixelofink.com (POI) and ereadernewstoday.com (ENT). POI and ENT are bastions of freebie-loving readers. Each site has 200,000+ loyal followers on Facebook and their legend among indie authors grows. They post free books throughout the day on their blogs and Facebook. To be included in these posts can mean the difference between giving away 1,000 and 10,000 copies. And, that can mean the difference between selling 2 dozen copies post-free and selling 200. In my first run, which was only a day, I only managed to have one site mention me, but it was still all I needed for a great 1-day total. I thought, this time, I'm much more prepared. But, there was still the unknown element of going free with the same book for a second time. I'd not heard any results and had no evidence that it would be as successful as the first time.

When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I was a bit dismayed. At 7 AM I had apparently only given away 5 copies. It was more of a slow start than I'd expected. Of course, being home sick from work that day (really!) was of no help...as I was able to watch the numbers on an almost constant basis. By 3 PM, the numbers were respectable and actually better than my first run at the same time: 1181 "freeloads" in the US. My UK and DE numbers were much weaker this go round. I have no explanation for that, except that maybe the Brits and Germans keep their book buying for the weekends. I got picked up by ENT that evening, but by 8:30 PM, I knew my day was not going to be as successful as my first run: 2722. At that point, I had yet to break into the Top 100 Free books on Amazon, something I had determined to be an important milestone. I made an executive decision that night. I was going to add another day and remain free through Thursday. By Friday morning at 3 AM ET, when the switch back to paid should have occurred, I'd given away 6970 copies and stood at #90 in the Top 100 Free. I'd actually been as high as #57 earlier in the day, but the onslaught of new freebies had pushed me down. I was satisfied, but not really thrilled that it had essentially taken two days to do what one had done last time. The best moment had been the realization that someone in France decided to download my book for free; a first for me to have anything from that store.

Now, the last time I'd gone back to paid status, the sales came in fairly quickly. There was no lag. I didn't see a flood of sales, but it had moved along nicely that first day (a Sunday) before really picking up between Monday and Tuesday that week. I made it as high as #742 on the Top Paid list at one point and finished consecutive days in the 800s. Well, I watched my sales number throughout the day and got scared. It barely moved. One sale...maybe two. I thought, the magic is gone. I had been a one and done. The Amazon algorithms had changed and I'd just given away 7000 books for nothing. Then, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that patience was a virtue when it came to this game. Saturday came and all was right with the world. By 7 PM Saturday evening, I'd sold 60 copies and had 5 borrows. On Sunday, I climbed to my highest rank of #1,831 overall paid. Not as high as last time, but not too shabby. It stinks being in a category like Suspense. Lots of competition...lots of good competition (on any given day, the worst book in the Top 100 in Suspense is #1400 overall in the entire store; other categories, some of the more obscure ones mind you, can have folks who are ranked as high as #20,000).

Not sure if this is legible as is, but it's supposed to show my last month of sales activity. Click to enlarge.

It's now Tuesday night and I've been back to paid for 5 days. I've sold a total of 169 copies and had 13 borrows in the US. I've had no paid sales in the UK this time round and saw very little action at all in the German store. Nowhere near as successful as my first attempt, but I still consider it a success. Still sold more books in five days than all of last year, so there must be something to this. I've now sold 377 copies of my book in the month of February and have 73 borrows. That follows up 201 and 12, respectively, in January. 578 and 85...not too shabby. Sure, I had to give away 14,000 copies, but c'mon!

Things I've learned:

1. A POI or ENT mention is critical to success. It's as simple as that. Yes, you might reach a few thousand "freeloads" without them, but to really get the big push, you need their quick access to heavy firepower. Hundreds of thousands of readers all itching to pick up free books...even if they never intend to read them. I think POI needs upwards of 3 weeks' advance notice now...and even that may not guarantee you a spot. I've given them 4 weeks for my next free day.

2. Reaching the Top 100 Free is a necessity. If you're close and you were only going free for a day, book a second day so you get there. If you're already there on your first day, keep going! The higher you climb free, the more you'll get into the Amazon algorithms and, subsequently, the more you'll be seen afterward.

3. There is little you can do to control what happens on your free day. Just roll with it. What happens happens. It's not a personal affront to you or your book...really. Deep breaths. Remember, you have 5 free days and after 90 days, you can get out of Select if you're really not that happy with it.

4. There is nothing more addicting than having the ability to see your sales updated in real time. It's an awful, wonderful, horribly fascinating and terrifying thing, but you already knew that.

5. Everyone has a different experience. Some folks have gone free and struggled to give away 500 books one time, then turned around and gave away 5000 their next. It's a process. Give it a chance. Be patient with it if you can. It can and has worked for many.

So far, I'm happy with the Select system. It's worked for me. I think it's the ideal mechanism for promoting a first-in-series book. But, at the same time, I don't think I'll be enrolling books 2 and 3 in the trilogy. We'll see though. Now that I have two runs under my belt, I'm trying to apply everything I know for the last free run of my first Select 90 days. I'll keep you posted. ;)