Author Interview: Matthew D. Ryan

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authors, books, dark fantasy, novels, self-published authors, self-published books, self-publishing, trilogies, vampires, writers, writing

When I first started this blog over four years ago, one of the first people to comment on it was a self-published author named Matthew D. Ryan. He had just written a vampire story that was not in the same class as Twilight, so he showed me some support as I aimed to self-publish a vampire story that was also not like many of the other vampire stories out there.

That book Ryan self-published was called Drasmyr, and it is the prologue to a dark fantasy trilogy called From The Ashes of Ruin, involving a vampire, wizards, sorcerers and so much more. His latest book just came out, so I decided to feature Matthew D. Ryan on my blog.

Here he is!

MC: What inspired you to be a writer?
MDR: I kind of ran out of other options and just fell into it. I studied philosophy and mathematics—not English—in college, earning a B.A. in both. Yet, even then, I knew I didn’t want to be a teacher (which is about the only thing you can use a
philosophy degree for). Immediately afterward, I moved to Boston to work at my brother’s cellular phone business. After a year, I decided that I didn’t want to remain in a company where I was “the boss’ brother” and I was only lukewarm toward the job, anyway. So, a friend and I did a little bit of traveling around the country. When I got back, I wrote a short story about a vampire who seeks revenge on a wizard who has betrayed him. That short story eventually became the prologue to “Drasmyr.” I shopped “Drasmyr” around a little bit, but failed to get it published at a traditional publisher. So, I put it on the back-burner and went on with my life.

I struggled for a while, looking for meaningful work. All I could really find were temp jobs and other low-level positions. Eventually, I went back to school to get a computer science degree. Almost completed it, too. But at the end, I decided my heart wasn’t in it, so I bailed. I also tried martial arts for a while (I have a black belt), but that, too, only held my interest for a short time. So, I went back to writing. So far, my interest has held up, but it certainly hasn’t proven very lucrative. I’ve always enjoyed reading, so writing came naturally to me. I’ve also always been a big fan of the fantasy genre—I played AD&D for thirty-some years. So, you know what genre I prefer to write in. Still, I’m not making much money at it, and that can be very dispiriting at times. I know you shouldn’t write just for money, but I’d like to make enough to at least earn a

Anyway, that’s about the way I wound up doing what I do.

MC: Why did you choose the self-published route?
MDR: I tried the traditional route first a number of different times. Unfortunately, the competition is extremely fierce, particularly for vampire novels. I polished and polished and polished only to receive rejection after rejection for a variety of different reasons … or no reason at all (which is the most frustrating). Then my brother self-published his first novel. I was … envious. And it stirred my spirit up. So, I figured I’d give it a go. I even selected the same two publishing venues as my brother: Smashwords and Lulu.

Oh, I almost forgot. In between the first draft of “Drasmyr” and its final publication on-line, I also wrote and self-published a short book on mental illness (I’m diagnosed as having schizoaffective disorder—which is lots of fun … Not!). But that has little to do with my fantasy career (or does it? :)).

MC: Your vampire, Drasmyr, is the Bram Stoker-kind. What made you go with the traditional vampire rather than be innovative as other writers are with their vampires?
MDR: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. No, seriously, I have has always liked the traditional conception of the vampire. Perhaps it is my fascination with evil, but I really like the conception of the vampire as an almost demonic entity. It comes with a host of powers that can be augmented or tweaked without losing its diabolical flavoring. The traditional vampire can shapeshift, pass through the narrowest of cracks, control weather, control animals, mesmerize mortals, and more. They also have an array of specific weaknesses that enrich the creature and round out its uniqueness.

Although other writers feel inclined to innovate on the nature of the vampire, I feel the traditional vampire is rich enough in complexity and diversity as is. I particularly enjoy the way it threatens one’s characters with eternal damnation—something which seems to have gotten lost in many modern tales. Indeed, nowadays it seems people want to become vampires, or at least date them. And that, I find particularly strange. No, I far prefer vampires as embodiments of evil. And the Bram Stoker conception of such is just hard to improve upon without radically changing the creature in unnecessary ways. So, why not keep it as is, tweak it occasionally, but only if necessary. That’s the vampire I like.

MC: What is it about dark fantasy do you think is appealing to readers?
MDR: It’s a mix of horror and fantasy, two genres dealing with impossible, or at the very least, improbable situations and creatures. It can be used to blend magic and evil in fascinating ways. Courtesy of fantasy, both the foes and the heroes can be augmented in spectacular, intriguing ways. Yet, even so, the darker element allows for the sense of the macabre and horrific. Because it is dark fantasy, it is a way to reign in the power of fantasy’s super-humans. They become, in spite of their augmented abilities—like spells and magic weapons—as imperiled and vulnerable as we sometimes find ourselves in modern life. In that way, it becomes something of a cathartic experience, yet it still satisfies a yearning for the fantastic.

MC:Is there anything that you did while self-publishing that you wouldn’t do again? If so, why?
MDR: That’s easy, although my answer would apply the same if I had gone the traditional route. I would not have started my writing career with a series. I would have written a number of stand-alone novels first. Although I really enjoyed writing my novels, they, with the exception of “Drasmyr,” all tell a single contiguous story. Only “Drasmyr” could be regarded as anything approaching a stand-alone: It ends leaving the reader with something of a sense of closure, yet a suspicion that there may more to come. The others, though, are written as cliff-hangers. I only intend to write four of them, so they won’t inconvenience readers’ sense of closure too much. I’m on the third (or the fourth, if you include “Drasmyr”) such novel, so I’m getting near the end. Anyway, in terms of brand exposure and sympathetic tendencies toward the reading public, I think advertising efforts might be more lucrative if I had limited myself to one-shot stories. In other words, the fact that it’s a contiguous series makes it more difficult to schedule blog tours—since some touring companies might not schedule book 3 in a four book series because it’s not a complete story—and to take advantage of other similar advertising venues. If I had to do it over, I would have done my next series—which I intend to consist of five stand-alone stories– first. Looking back, it seems to be almost a kind of hubris to start writing with a contiguous series spanning several novels. It’s a lot of extra work developing a series instead of single tale. But it’s fun, and I enjoy it, and I intend to keep at it.

MC: What is next for your series?
MDR: The next instalment in my series is entitled “The Citadel.” It picks up where the prior novel left off. I don’t want to reveal too much—that might ruin the
surprise. But I’ll give you this much: Gaelan’s internal struggle continues as he grapples with his burdens and prepares to undertake his self-appointed task, a task that may yet destroy him completely. Coragan and his group continue with their struggles as they undertake a dark quest in a forbidding realm: Morgelliard, the planeshard holding Morgulan’s ancient, impregnable fortress known as simply The Citadel. Korina continues her own machinations as she closes in on the Sceptre of Morgulan. Meanwhile, back in Drisdak, Ambrisia, Regecon, and Galladrin prepare to engage the dark cult known as The Children of Lubrochius while at the same time, playing a dangerous game with the other powers of the city: the nobility who rule during the day, and the Shadowhand that comes out and rules the night. All these threads intertwine and play off of each other like a castle’s ancient tapestry: the whole, far, far more than the sum of its many parts.

Interested in his books? Matthew D. Ryan is offering coupons on two of his books until Friday, June 10th, on Smashwords:
The Children of Lubrochius: SA88Z
The Sceptre of Morgulan: VW73X.

To learn more about Matthew D. Ryan and his books, check out these links:

Drasmyr:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/131156
The Children of Lubrochius: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/415779

And The Sceptre of Morgulan: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/574196

Check Out His Blog: https://matthewdryan.com

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Author Interview: Viktoria Faust

Tags

author interview, author interviews, authors, Balkan conflict, Balkans, Croatia, interviews, vampire novels, vampires, writing

Having people of all different backgrounds read your book is something all authors dream of. It is even better when your work is translated into different languages, allowing for a much wider audience.

Viktoria Faust is living this opportunity. The award-winning Croatian author recently had her vampire novel, Beauty of the Beast, translated into English. Her book is also different from the other vampire books out there – hers centers on the Balkan conflicts of the early 1990s.

Here she is now!

MC: Tell us about what inspired you to be an author.
VF: I first realized I’m a writer when I was 13, when I wrote my first novel. It was childish, written in notebook, but it had beginning, middle and the end. And it was horror. Something about people who can turn themselves into owls. So, I’m doing this for 30 years now, and it’s more about the way of life then about inspiration. For me to write is the same as to breath – it comes naturally, and I can’t do without it.

MC: How did the conflict in the Balkans effect your writing?
VF: I was 18 when war in Croatia began, just finished high school.  I was about to start my life as adult, but everything around me was standing still, only trying to survive. Nothing was normal. So that’s why I made my vampires a war vampires – what would attract vampires more than everyday fresh supply of blood and dying? That’s why they came to that corner of the world. It seemed logical – monsters are attracted by monstrosities. Beauty of The Beast was written two years after the war. It’s the only novel I’ve written set in that time period. The same way my main character escapes horrors in her home town, I escaped that part of my life with that book.

MC: How are your vampires different from others?
VF: As I said – they are war vampires, they feed on battlefields. But that is only first layer of the liars they are. Beauty of The Beast is first of seven books (I’m writing the third part right now). In second part, Unspoken Story, I’m reviling more of their true nature. So – spoiler alert! They are vampires who feed on vampires. Not because of some moral reasons, but because they are so powerful that they can do that. They like the taste of vampire blood. Actually, they like all nonhuman blood. Some of my characters describe themselves as ‘Buffy meets Blade and going nuclear’. They are Bogyman of monsters.

MC: What inspired you to translate your books from Croatian to English?
VF: My Croatian readers were asking me for years if I have plans to translate it. I had, but I haven’t had an opportunity. So when opportunity presented itself, 15 years after novel was firs published in Croatia… I shortened it – in Croatian the novel is almost twice as big, and it’s still a long novel in English – 168.000 words. There is something in that book that people respond to. Sometimes readers tell me: I read that book 10-20 times! And I always ask: tell me what I did right in writing it, I want to know, so I can write the same way every book I write. Well… I haven’t had proper answer yet. I guess there is no formula in writing a book people like. It just happens.

MC: What is more rewarding: being an award-winning author or to have many fans?
VF: I value the opinion of readers’ best, so I appreciate readers best. Awards are symbolic, opinions are honest. Opinions are based on emotions, and because of them I’m a horror writer. For example, I heard once of one woman naming her son after one of my characters. That was realization for me – I was able to touch a person I never met on such a deep level. No award ever made me feel that way.

MC: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
VF: Just write. Don’t let anything get in your way. Being an author is hard and under-appreciated profession. You should do it, because you cannot stop doing it. You should do it, because you cannot help yourself. It’s an addiction, the best and a most positive one. Trust yourself. Learn from your mistakes, and mistakes of other writers – you must read a lot to do that. Persist. Don’t indulge in other people’s opinions, but listen to them. And never trust an advice of other writer literally, because every person is different and there is no magic formula.

Here’s where you can find Viktoria online:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/430880730435779/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ViktoriaFaust

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25918852-beauty-of-the-beast

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Viktoria-Faust/e/B014VZ0W3E/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Introducing…Video Services for Indie Authors!

Tags

affordable, author interview, author interviews, book trailers, books, indie authors, indie writers, interview, self-published, self-published authors, trailers, video, videos

Hello everyone!

You’ve probably been wondering what I’ve been up to in recent weeks, since announcing I will be getting back to writing the sequel to The Dark Proposal. Well, I have been scribbling notes here and there, plus writing background stories on each character in order to flesh them out more. I am totally loving this process! Why didn’t I think of it before?

But I have also been developing something else to help the indie author scene. Some of you may be aware of my Author Interviews, where I conduct and post interviews of self-published authors. It’s been a thrill to do this, especially since the authors and the readers of this blog seem to enjoy them.

But lately, I’ve been working bringing my author interviews to the next step, and I know I am ready to unveil it.

I will be offering video services for self-published and small press authors. The services will be:

Post-production book trailers

Video interviews of authors.

You see, I have a background as a video journalist, and I would like to use the equipment that I still have to help authors reach their audiences. Book trailers seem to be the obvious route, especially since I have a video editing software. I would love to create book trailers that will include actors and cool effects, but alas, I could only work with the usual stock images and stock music. But maybe someday…

As for video interviews of authors, this is where I will take my author interviews to the next level. I will do short videos where the author simply talks about their books, the inspiration behind it, its writing process and what they hope readers will get out of it. It will be a promo video where the author voices their book’s journey to their audience. I don’t think many authors get the chance to vocally speak to their audience, so this would be a great chance for them.

However, there’s one small problem: I could only do this for authors in the New York City area. I don’t have the funds or team to do this outside of the Big Apple, so unfortunately, my target area is limited. Granted, there are many writers in New York, but it would be great for me to get those in, say, Michigan, Florida, Oregon, Canada, Europe, etc. Well, maybe next time…

Anyway, so here are my services and my rates. If my rates seem low, well, its because I understand that many self-published and small press writers have very tight budgets. I’m trying to be fair here.

POST PRODUCTION BOOK TRAILER:
– 1 minute trailer          $150
– 3 minute trailer          $200
– 4 or more minutes     $250

In addition, if the author wishes for me to purchase the music or stock images, that would be added to the tab. I am willing to discuss who should be responsible for purchasing such items for the book trailer. But if it is me who does it, I will have the author reimburse me when I forward an invoice.

VIDEO AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
– 3 to 6 minutes             $250

BOOK TRAILER WITH SNIPPETS OF AUTHOR INTERVIEW INCLUDED:
– An extra $100 included to whichever aforementioned service you choose.

I will be including each video – of either service – on not only this blog, but a YouTube channel I will set up. I will also promote it on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. I will also allow the author to use the video of his or her website and author platform. There will be an agreement between the two of us over this so nothing gets confused.

Sounds interesting to you? Let me know by shooting me an email at megancashmanbooks [at] gmail [dot] com

Author Interview: Tiffany Apan

Tags

author, author interview, author interviews, books, indie authors, interviews, novellas, novels, paranormal, self-published authors

For some writers, writing is not the only art form where they express their creativity. Some are musicians, painters or actors. One author, Tiffany Apan, is one of those kinds. She is also a musician, singer and actress. However, writing is her main love, as she explains in her interview below:

MC: Tiffany, not only are you an author, but you are also a musician, singer, actress and producer! You’re a true artist! What drives your need to create?

TA: Well thanks! I’d say a very active imagination that began as far back as I can recall and never truly went away. My brain always seems to be active, which I do consider to be a good thing (better to have an overactive mind then one that gets absolutely no use, right?). But I’m also a great learner. I love learning, especially of history and other places. And when I learn something new, I automatically want to integrate it into an art form of some kind, be it writing, music, filming, or all of the above. 🙂

MC: Out of all of your artistic talents, which one do you enjoy the most?

TA: I would say writing. To me, writing can easily encompass music and film. Writing and plotting a story – be it for a novel, a song, or a screenplay – is at the root of a lot of creations and bringing a story to life.

MC: Your “The Birthrite Series” is filled with history, dark fantasy and romance. Where did the inspiration from this come from?

TA: Oh many, many, many things. Back in late 2011/early 2012, I had a rather vivid dream that pretty much stayed with me. The dream entailed me in deep conversation with a person that would go on to become a key character in The Birthrite Series. And it’s interesting, because what was originally supposed to be a more fun and adventerous time travel romance under the working title Through Time, eventually morphed into something completely different. In fact, none of the main characters from the first book in the series even appeared in the original draft and concept. But as I wrote Through Time, it just didn’t feel right. I mean, the general idea was there but something was missing. At the time, I was also reading through Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. In one passage, he compares writing a story to discovering a small fossil, and then continuing to dig until you uncover the entire dinosaur. And sometimes it will seem as though you are shoveling nothing but crap. But eventually you will make the great discovery. That is exactly how writing The Birthrite was, so I can totally relate!

As time went on, more characters seemed to literally just “walk on,” and characters I thought were just going to be minor ended up being major key characters. The story seemed to build upon itself as I did research and created the world in which the people of the story inhabit. And the story went from a fun adventurous romance one to one that was still fun, adventurous and romantic, but darker and having a lot more mystery. Add to that my passion for history and research of it.

The working title then had to change due to the story’s new direction. Bloodlines was the new working title (which I knew would eventually be changed since there already are so many projects out there with that title).

In early 2013 as I was fleshing out what would be the official first draft, I started posting chapters and excerpts of my unedited work onto what is now my official blog in order to gain a perspective of how much interest there might be in the story. Well, the interest definitely seemed to be there, so in the midst of that little experiment, I started revising and copyrighting it for print.

Finally in I believe that in early 2014 (or late 2013), I settled on the official series title, The Birthrite and decided to call book one Descent. Then I decided to release a spin off novelette with Descent titled Sacred Atonement: A Novelette (The Birthrite Series, #1.5). As of December 2014, the beginning of the series has been officially available both digitally and in paperback form. The next installments are set for release later this summer.

Recently, I started work for the Depreciation Lands Museum, a historical museum dedicated to bringing the 18th century to life. With all the intense research I did for Descent and Sacred Atonement, working for this museum has given me even more access to sources that allow for deeper research. Those running the museum also take care to immerse the workers in all things 18th century, including offering training in period tasks such as cooking over a campfire and hearth oven to drop spindle classes (I will be taking the latter this month). Since The Birthrite Series delves deeper into history as the series continues (half of the first book, Descent, takes place in the mid 1800s and the latter half in the year 1931), I feel this will add new layers to the story and my writing in general.

As I research more and more, I am fascinated with how distorted many events and eras have become over time. Combine that with my love for Tolkien, Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, the Brontes, and romantic stories, and you pretty much have my inspiration for the series.

MC: What are your plans for “The Birthrite Series”?

TA: Well as of now, the first installments, Descent (The Birthrite Series, #1) and Sacred Atonement: A Novelette (The Birthrite Series, #1.5) and Made In Heaven: A Birthrite Series Short are available both digitally and in print. As for the next ones, Kindred (The Birthrite Series, #2) and Saturn Sun: A Novella (The Birthrite Series, #2.5) in late July and mid August. The 29th of this month (June) will bring the cover and synopsis reveal for Kindred and Saturn Sun. A few great blogs are involved, including Screamzine and the official blog of urban fantasy author, Susan Reid. Then in late August, I plan to send the series on a blog tour. So stay tuned for that. 🙂

Regarding writing the series as a whole, the plan is to have five novels with a couple novellas and shorts in between. However, I don’t believe in confining a story (and usually stories do not want to be). So if it has to go beyond the five novels, than so be it. There is also a lot of history and back story within the series. Meaning that even after the final book is written, there may be room for a prequel or a Birthrite-verse spinoff. So we shall see. 🙂

MC: Describe your writing process. For example, do you write with a laptop or by hand? Do you use a specific kind of pen, etc?

TA: When I am first getting a concept down, I do use the old fashioned method of writing by hand. For some reason, that actually allows me to more freely develop back story and make research notes. But when I sit down to do an actual draft, I’m all about the laptop.

I usually write at my desk in my office/creative space, either early in the morning or late at night when all is still and quiet. Though sometimes having on a piece music that reflects the mood of a particular character and/or scene definitely helps.

MC: What advice would you give to someone who dreams about writing and completing a novel?

TA: Be prepared to do a lot of leg work if you want to do it well. You might find yourself having to do much research and fleshing out of character backgrounds long before you can even begin to write the actual story. While there are some authors that can “get it right the first time”, those are usually the experienced writers who have been writing a really long time. And even they need at least one revision for typos and clunky sentences. Don’t be afraid of the revision and editing process, and get it out of your head that everything you write will be absolutely lovely and flawless. Because it won’t be. In other words, don’t be that guy who uploads his or her first draft loaded with errors to Amazon.

Also, the nice thing about publishing independently is that it does give you plenty of opportunity to periodically look through your manuscript and make corrections, even after it is published (because there will also be something you missed).

But all in all, when you see your story and characters come to life and the book is the best it can be, the feeling of accomplishment is tremendous. Especially when you know you are doing yourself and characters justice by putting all of you out in the best light possible.

To learn more about Tiffany, check out her many presences online:

Official Website: http://tiffanyapan.com

Official Blog: http://tiffanyapanwritingproject.blogspot.com

New online magazine: http://partingofveilswebzine.blogspot.com

Facebook Artist Page: http://facebook.com/tiffanyapanfanpage

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TIFFANYAPAN

YouTube: http://youtube.com/TiffanyApan

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tiffanyapan

Authorgraph (for digital autographs!): http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/TIFFANYAPAN

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/tiffanyapan

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tiffanyapan

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/tiffanyapan

Author Interview: Merry Farmer

Tags

authors, interviews, romance, romance novels, self-published authors

I love hearing the success stories of self-published authors. Here’s one from award-winning (yes, award-winning!) romance author Merry Farmer:

MC: You say you’ve been writing stories as a kid. At what age did you decide to get serious about your
writing and why?

MF: I feel like I decided to get serious about writing several times before it actually happened. In college I started entering writing contests and working on my craft, but after graduating I let myself be convinced that writing wasn’t a “real” career and I would never make any money from my writing. Fast forward about 10 years and a lifetime of experiences later. I had just had a horrible break-up with a man I was sure I would marry. In order to get over the depression, I started writing The Loyal Heart, which ended up being the first novel I published. I started out shopping it around to a few agents traditionally, but very quickly the whole traditional publishing world left a bad taste in my mouth. Then, in 2011, I heard about self-publishing for the first time. I knew instantly that it was for me. I knuckled down right then and worked on polishing up The Loyal Heart and sent it to a freelance editor. She wrote back saying she loved it and thought I was writing on the same level as the authors the publishing company she worked for part-time were signing. The rest, as they say, is history!

MC: You write historical romance novels. Why do you chose historical rather than contemporary settings?

MF: I’ve always loved history. In fact, I have not one, but two bachelor’s degrees in history. There is just something about the richness of all those lives that have been lived for thousands of years before us that speaks to me. The world has changed so much over time, and yet emotions, love, heartache, ambition, conflict, all those things have stayed the same. To me, looking at the lives of all of the people who have come before us reminds me that I’m not alone. Whatever troubles I may be facing, people have been through them before and come out on top. I love translating that feeling into my books. And let’s face it, the clothes were awesome!

MC: Why do you think romance novels have been and likely will always be popular?

MF: Romance novels will always be popular because love will always be at the forefront of the human experience. That’s the simple answer, but I think the truest answer goes even deeper than that. Romance novels primarily appeal to women and are about women’s sensuality, and in the case of the more explicit novels, sexuality. For some reason, society has tended to belittle so much of our feminine experience over the years. Or at least they’ve tried to. The enormous popularity of romance novels proves that women find strength in their sexuality and solidarity in sharing that with each other. We love reading about bold heroines who have the same emotions and urges that we have, but who are unafraid to embrace that and go after what they want. I think it reflects our own desire to take charge of our own lives in a world that too often isn’t perfect.

MC: You chose to self-publish your books. Would you say self-publishing is a good route for any author to go on?

MF: You know, I actually think that self-publishing is something that authors should enter into with extreme caution. I wouldn’t recommend it to the faint of heart. The reality is that it takes a mind-boggling amount of discipline. I spend hours and hours every day writing, networking, promoting, and thinking ahead to the next thing. I like that sort of thing though. I like the challenge. I try to mimic the process that a traditionally published author would go through (deadlines, revisions, line edits, beta-reading) as much as possible, but even I am tempted to click “publish” before a book is truly ready. That’s the biggest mistake I see my fellow selfies making. It also takes a large amount of money to self-publish. Editing, covers, and especially marketing all cost money, and the more you put in, the more you get out. And that’s not even getting into taxes! If I told you how much I owe Uncle Sam for the 2013 tax year, you might pass out. I know I almost did!

Now, all that being said, I wouldn’t do it any other way! I love the control I have over my stories, the way the books look, when they are released, and especially what I’m writing in the first place. I have always liked unusual sub-genres and characters that don’t fit the alpha hero duke billionaire model. I’ve written historical romance so far, but I’ll be publishing what I like to call “Sci-fi for Women” this summer and for the rest of 2014. I also have a bizarre dystopian story waiting to be written, as well as a time travel adventure series and a Regency high seas series. My plans aside, I have become increasingly alarmed by the trends some publishers have of writing clauses into author contracts by which they own the meta-data of a story (character names, titles, place names, etc.) and the harsh terms for getting rights to backlist back. That’s not even getting into the debate about how much royalty authors are paid and when they receive those payments! I’m so much happier publishing myself.

MC: You’ve won awards for your books. But which is better: having loyal fans or recognition by writers’ organizations?

MF: That’s kind of a chicken or the egg question in my mind. My gut instinct is to say having loyal fans all the way. I love my fans to bits! But winning awards gives you that boost of legitimacy that might just help someone who has never heard of you to take a chance on your book and then become a fan.

MC: What’s next for Merry Farmer?

MF: You know how I just said I love self-publishing because it allows me to do things with genre that I would never be able to do as a traditionally published author? Well, one of those things is publishing an m/m romance in the middle of a conventional historical romance series. The last book (of the first cycle) of my Montana Romance series, Somebody to Love, is a love story between Phineas Bell, the town banker who has been in all of the previous Montana books, and Elliott Tucker, the new sheriff in town. That will be released at the very end of April. After that, I’ll be leaving Earth for a while to publish the aforementioned Women’s Sci-Fi series, Grace’s Moon, which begins with a pair of novels, Saving Grace and Fallen From Grace. These books follow the struggle of a group of lost colonists from Earth whose transport ship explodes in deep space as they attempt to form a new civilization on a habitable moon while racing to solve the mystery of what happened to their ship before anyone else dies. It’s pretty exciting stuff!

 

Merry is offering a giveaway for one of her books! Check it out here!

Learn more about Merry here:

Personal website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon Author Page

 

Author Interview: Alison Williams

Tags

authors, England, history, interviews, medieval history, Middle Ages, religion, witch hunts, witches

Ah, history and the paranormal, or rather the fear of the paranormal. Sounds like a nice recipe for a good story. I’m a history nerd, so when author Alison Williams contacted me to interview her, I was really excited to feature her self-published book, The Black Hours. Her love of history made her explore the witch hunts in 17th century England, and thus her novel was born.

Here she is, discussing how her story idea came about:

MC: What was the big moment that made you decide to write and publish a book?

AW: I have always loved reading; ever since I was tiny I have always had my nose in a book. This progressed to writing, again from a very young age, and I dreamed for a long time of being a novelist. While studying journalism, I met my husband. After our children were born, I worked in education, and then, when I hit forty, I suddenly thought that I really needed to do what I wanted to do. So I gave up work, started working as a freelance writer and began a Masters in Creative Writing. As part of the course I began writing ‘The Black Hours’. My fellow students enjoyed reading it and were so enthusiastic about it that I thought, you know, I could actually publish this. So I did! (Well, after loads of rewrites, editing and fiddling about!)

MC: You’re clearly a big history fan. In general, what is it about history that excites you?

AW: I have an interest in the way that the big events of history impact on the lives of ordinary people. That is what I wanted to convey in ‘The Black Hours’. We read about the witch hunts but quite often don’t think about the people behind these big stories in history. I visited the Museum of Witchcraft in Cornwall and was looking at the very long list of names of the victims of the witch hunts in England and I just realised that behind each one of those names was someone with a life of their own, with family, dreams, hopes, aspirations and fears. Someone just like me or you. It’s those stories that interest me.

MC: Writing “The Black Hours” obviously took a lot of research to get accurate information on witch hunts and religious fanaticism. How long did it take for you to gather all the necessary information?

AW: I love researching – you turn up so many interesting little facts and stories that it can become totally engrossing. I knew I wanted to write about Matthew Hopkins and I had a vague idea of the history of the time, so I plotted the story out first. That way I knew what I needed to find out. I spent a good two to three months reading different treatises, books and histories of the time and looking online for information too. When I began to write though, I found that every now and then I would need to look something up, so the research was really an ongoing process – with historical fiction you have to be so careful to get it right. If I used a certain phrase or term for example, I would have to check that it was actually in use in 1647. And I also had to be sure that the herbs and plants used by Maggie and Alice were correct and would have grown in England at the time too.

MC: What do you hope your readers will take away from “The Black Hours”?

AW: I really feel that the people, particularly the women, behind the grim fame of Matthew Hopkins have largely been forgotten. I hope people will get a sense of the frustration, fear and helplessness that his poor victims must have felt. And also to realise that these things can happen so easily – that intolerance and ignorance still have a devastating effect on people’s lives.

MC: You’re a self-published author. What was the hardest part about releasing your book on your own?

AW: It has been a huge learning curve. The technical side of things was perhaps my biggest challenge – I still don’t understand why Word doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, but now I know what mobi and ePub and gutter margins and bleeds and widows and orphans are!! I’m glad I did that side of things myself, because, although at times I wanted to throw my computer out of the window, I’ve learnt a whole new set of skills now and I can do it again for my next novel.

MC: What do you think is the future of self-publishing?

AW:It is a real shame the way that the world of traditional publishing has gone. Agents and publishing companies seem so wary of taking a risk on a new writer and I think this has been detrimental to both aspiring writers and to readers. I, for one, am heartily sick of walking into my local bookshop and seeing row upon row of books by celebrities and TV and movie tie-ins. I think that the rise of self-publishing is a positive thing for writers and readers as it allows writers to write what they want to write, and for readers to make their own judgements, without someone standing between the two and making those choices for them. Of course, there are some self-published books out there that are poor quality, but there are also some pretty dreadful traditionally published books too! At least readers can make their own decisions – and they have plenty of online resources to help them with lots of blogs and websites dedicated to reviewing indie authors. I hope that indie publishing will go from strength to strength and that some of the rather old-fashioned opinions and ideas about self-publishing will change in time.

Here are links to Alison Williams’ book and social media sites:

KindleSmashwords

Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

 

 

Author Interview: Stella Coulson

Tags

author interviews, authors, Gothic, interviews, novella, self-published, vampires, writers

I love hearing about other authors’ take on vampires. I think its safe to say we all have our own view on these immortal creatures, so it is fun to chat with authors and their vampires. That is why I was happy to interview poet and self-published author, Stella Coulson, about her novella series, “Whitby After Dark” – which makes me want to learn about Whitby in Yorkshire, England.

Here she is!

MC: You’re both a poet and an author. Which one do you enjoy more?

SC: I tend to write Poetry far more – Because it is less complex to create due to moments of inspiration not drying up by the end. Stories are far more complex, even the short ones; every character has its own life, idiosyncratic tendencies, direction, quirks etc. I prefer to write stories as its complexity is a challenge. Being a writer is like having a universe in your head and trying to find a doorway to the tiniest part of it.

MC: Why did you choose to write a novella instead of a novel?

SC: Volume 1 of the novella Whitby After Dark, will be part 1 of a novel. Part 2 will be soon, followed by part 3 and so on. Each one follows different story arcs – The 1^st one being the introduction of Lenore who has visions of the future and death and her discovery of a hidden supernatural world within a small coastal Town. It follows Lenore’s abuse, her triumph against him (the abuser), and the tracking of a serial killer Demon and it’s downfall . The follow up – Volume 2 will be about a hidden dimension within Whitby Abbey and a journey through the Fae realm to rescue a family member of Seth the Shifter Wolf. In time all novellas will be put together as a complete novel. Stephan King’ novel ‘Green Mile’  was originally six separate volumes. I was greatly inspired by this.

MC: What is it about vampires that intrigue so many, in your opinion?

SC: It’s the fear of the unknown that races our pulse and intrigues us. They are a powerful being and power is an attractive quality,, plus the fact they don’t age. A man or woman who has the mind of a vast age within the form of a eternal beauty is incredibly appealing, which I suspect is why they have in the last hundred years or so, been romanticized. Let us not forget they are terrifying creatures that prey upon feed and often kill humans, which are horrific but fascinating – They are the ageless serial killer.

MC: You once lived in Yorkshire, England. How much of your portrayal of Yorkshire in “Whitby After Dark” is accurate? Is there really a Whitby and is it really Gothic?

SC: There is indeed a real Whitby. It is a rather gothic place – in fact a Goth Weekend is held there 2 times a year, where people dress in; Gothic, Victorian, cyberpunk, steampunk etc,  and have live music, a Masked Ball and so many cool things.  Whitby was in fact the place where Bram Stoker had ‘Dracula’ get shipwrecked, as well as Stoker writing much of his masterpiece there. I myself wrote several chapters of Whitby After Dark there. One can’t help but be inspired by the gothic architecture and beauty of the place.

MC: You self-published your book, both in eBook and via Lulu. Is there any difficulty in self-publishing a traditional book?

SC: An Indie Author has to be their own publisher, editor, publicist, agent advertiser et al, so they are very busy. There are difficulties for both published and self published. The journey to become conventional published is tenuous in terms of getting there if at all. Those lucky enough to achieve this goal have different pressures; Tight deadlines, insane amounts of criticism, and having to deal with media and so on.

MC: Do you think there is still for self-published authors? 

SC: I think it used to be far more difficult to self publish prior to the internet. The invention of online publishing has made the production aspect far more convenient. The online publisher I use – lulu prints to order and sends the book to order, thus taking away the stress of having to pay for the making and storage of each book. Lulu takes a percentage of each book sale, making it agreeable to them and myself. This said; the real challenge is getting recognized, getting the word out due to having no agent or publicist. I owe a lot to the incredible social networks online and word of mouth in the sales of my novella.

Thanks Stella! Looking forward to the rest of your series!

Here is where you can learn more about Stella and her work:

Official Website

Facebook

Whitby After Dark – Paperback

Whitby After Dark – eBook

Author Interview: Anton Troia

Tags

apocalyptic, author interview, author interviews, authors, books, environment, green, novels, writing

It’s always good to support your own. In this case, I am supporting fellow Staten Islander Anton Troia, author of “The Last Overseer”. Not only is it exciting to know about other authors from my old home, but Troia’s novel sounds very deep with a lot of points to consider. He also has an interesting perspective on how to pursue your passions despite the risks:

MC: What made you decide to become an author?

AT: I always loved stories, especially science fiction stories. If I had to pick one thing I love about science fiction, it’s how prophetic most of it is! I’m a die hard Trekkie, and I grew up reading Phillip.K. Dick novels, and other prophetic writers such as H.G. Wells, Frank Herbert, and Arthur C. Clarke. And I realized that science fiction was always a good platform for theology. Ever since I was a kid, I dissected the universe, the mathematical rules that orchestrate the cosmos and how it all relates to being human. I always asked myself questions, and I always tend to ask the ones that cannot be answered. At least not yet! And so, I began writing my debut novel, with the idea of wrapping a compelling lesson with a high octane action story, in hopes of shedding light on some of the deeper themes in literature. Overall, The Last Overseer is a theosophical body of work, and so writing this novel was a perfect way to get things off my chest and introduce my story to the world!

MC: You say you are now writing full time. Does that mean you took the plunge, left your job and now write? What advice would you give to any writer who’d like to do the same thing?

AT: I’ve been self-employed now for 2 years, and I work at home. I’m also a property owner, and so I have the opportunity to find the time to live out my dreams. If you’re a writer and want to dedicate all of your time to the very craft you love so dearly, then do it! Make that sacrifice, because sacrifice, willpower and dedication always pays off! Write the story you want to read and don’t let nothing get in your way.

MC: You like to write about the negative impact technology can have on society. Explain why you think this way, and what should society do to solve it?

AT: Ok, this is a great question. I look at technology, and I wonder if we are using it correctly. For example, take a look at the combustion engine…how much longer can we go on with a technology that harms the environment? There are many forests all around the world that have reached their maximum carbon dioxide saturation point. Meaning that they are no longer able to absorb any more Carbon Dioxide. I could go on and on, but my point is, that we had the opportunity to introduce electric cars to the public back in 1908, but the technology was suppressed by the global, industrial complex. It’s easy to understand why too, after all, the world economy thrives on oil. If free energy is introduced to the world, then, what would all the oil people do with their lives?

Besides the effect fossil fuels have, the method in which some companies are using to harvest crude oil is also a cause for concern. Certain methods such as hydro-fracking are very risky, and some other facilities such as the HAARP installations in Alaska have been rumored to not only aid in weather manipulation, but it is used to scan beneath the Earth’s crust for oil reservoirs. I can only wonder if this is affecting the geology in any malevolent way!

And so, I say, that the only way to solve this climate mess is to move on to the future and go Green, Green, Green! The Earth will heal itself over time.

MC: Why do you weave mythology, paranormal and historical fact with your stories? A lot of authors do this. Explain why you think they do this rather than write about our world as it is?

AT: Writers make for good thinkers, And so, a lot of authors create, theorize and speculate, using real history as a basis for their myth. Once in a while, fundamental science feeds off of religion and seeks to prove more than what was previously chained and measured. I myself, a thinker, spend lots of time thinking about how the metaphysical world relates to our measured world. This drive of mine increased a few years ago after a freaky event that I just couldn’t explain. I began writing my debut novel, “The Last Overseer” in 2010 after having an out of body experience. After experiencing this freaky event, it changed me, because I realized that there was a lot more to our existence, and my eyes were opened to this new world of the paranormal. I gained an affinity for not only the occult and paranormal, but cryptids, mythology, religion, and even new age topics like ancient astronauts and indirect extra-terrestrial evidence. This sudden fascination was exhilarating, and I suddenly felt as if there was a world out there that was previously unknown to me, and until then, I always thought it was limited to science fiction and myth. I mixed up the folklore, science fiction and religion to let readers realize that these topics are not mutually exclusive. I try best to examine all those topics in hopes of determining how they all relate to what you call – “The World as it is”

MC: Why do you choose to write about deep topics such as political or psychological issues?

AT:  I truly feel that we are living in a crucial time and a transition period for humanity in general, and I find that using fiction as a political platform is the best way to get through to people—more than non-fiction I think! I truly believe we are on the cusp of a new industrial age and renaissance, and with every renaissance, comes a shift in consciousness. A lot of this is because of the information age we live in, and a lot is energetic as well. Or what I believe is what Darwin meant when he coined “evolution” I truly believe people are experiencing a consciousness shift right now. And so, I wrote a story, with exaggerated and artistic expressions of political themes that embody many of today’s real world topics, such as Obama-care, socialism, GMO foods, and so on—all I did was add color as well as fantastical elements to these themes.

All in all, the heart of my stories are the characters, and the plot of course. And the message comes third.

MC: What can we expect from Anton Troia in the future?

AT: The sequel to “The Last Overseer” is a work in progress and is moving along smoothly! The 1st draft is complete and I hope to publish it by Spring 2014! I’m also outlining the 3rd and final book in my trilogy as well, and I hope to publish them via traditional publishing models, but if it doesn’t work out, I’ll self publish them and continue to write beyond this first trilogy of mine. Because writing, and bringing though provoking stories to one’s coffee table is what I love to do!

Thanks Megan for having me! If anyone is interested in my work, feel free to take a look at my book’s official website-

www.antontroia.com/

For more on my blogs and special giveaways, be sure to check my facebook page for a chance to win some goodies!

www.facebook.com/AntonTroia

Author Interview: Samantha Chase

Samantha Chase is one of the models of self-publishing success. Her romance novels have sold thousands of copies, putting her the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers’ lists. Her success has garnered many fans eagerly waiting for her next book. She puts a lot of time and energy into writing and promoting her work, including her latest endeavor, The Montgomery Brothers box set, which is available now.

As part of her blog tour, I interviewed Samantha as I was amazed by her success. Here she is:

Click here for Samantha Chase’s website

SC: Well, honestly?  I was really tired of those depressing rejection letters!  I had written a couple of novels and the first one was rejected and I never submitted it again.  The second one, I submitted to 16 different publishers, agents, etc. and was rejected by all of them.  I knew next to nothing about self-publishing, but that book, “Jordan’s Return”, meant a lot to me and I really wanted to see it in print so I decided to self-publish it.  It opened a whole new world for me.

MC: Why do you think your books are a success? Will you call it right time, right place or smart strategy?

Click here to check out Samantha Chase’s books on Amazon!

SC: “Jordan’s Return” was not successful at all, but that was mainly because I had no idea that you had to actually PROMOTE your book.  What a concept, right?  LOL!  My second book, “The Christmas Cottage” was really like a right place, right time sort of thing.  I released a .99 cent Christmas novella, right at Thanksgiving and it just took off.  I sold 10,000 books in six weeks!  That was an isolated incident for sure but my name was now out there and my strategy has been for 2013 to release a book a month.  So far, I’m pretty close to achieving that.  It’s exhausting but it has kept my name out there and the most important thing is to put quality stories out and not just focus on putting just anything out there.  Each book has been different in how I market and promote but I’m just keeping my name out there, interacting with my fans on Facebook and with great blogs like yours!

MC: Why do you think romance is popular with so many readers?

SC: Romance is a great escape from our everyday lives.  There is emotion and happily ever after’s…who doesn’t need a little bit of that?  A good romance that is well-told usually has the kind of man that we all dream of (to some extent) but is usually unobtainable falls in love with the girl that no one expected him to.  I love that!

MC: Some of your book covers are mighty spicy! Did you come up with them, and if so, how?

SC: I have a great cover artist and we work together on them.  Sometimes she finds the pictures and the backgrounds and presents them to me and we tweak them from there and sometimes I find pictures that I want and ask her to use them.  She has been a lifesaver for me because she truly listens to my suggestions and has taken what’s in my head and brought it to life, so to speak.  Christy with Gilded Heart Designs.  She’s amazing!

MC: How does it feel to be a self-published author who achieved the success that many writers dream of?

SC: It still doesn’t feel real!  I mean, I’m so excited that it’s happening the way that it is but I think that I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself.  The whole book-a-month thing is not something I’d recommend to anyone.  I don’t sleep a whole lot and I’ve eaten my fair share of junk food to keep going…but at the end of the day, I’m still pinching myself.  In my head I imagined a much more glamorous way of life but I’m still home, working in my jammies and paying my bills.  But it’s cool to be doing all of that while working at what I love to do.

MC:  Many are aware that it is not easy to self-publish and can be very time consuming. Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about this path, and also for those still on it?

SC: It is definitely time consuming.  I have a very understanding family that puts up with my crazy hours and the amount of time I spend in front of the computer.  My advice would be to not get discouraged.  I was unemployed for two years and did not write one word during that time.  It wasn’t until I went back to work that I suddenly took up writing again.  Write when you can and keep writing; don’t stop.  There is never a “perfect” time to write so don’t wait for it.  Take advantage of the time that you have and utilize it to the best of your ability.  I live in a tiny house, I don’t have an office, I have two kids and a husband who all need my help, but I make the time to write.  It’s hard to find the balance at first but keep trying until you do!

MC: Are you still teaching full time? If so, how do you balance work, writing and running your own author business?

SC: Unfortunately, I stopped teaching.  It was time to let it go – not just for me, but there were other locations that were offering writing classes and other options for homeschooler’s so everyone was gravitating in that direction.  After teaching, I went back to work at an office and did that until two months ago.  I would work 8-5 and then come home, cook dinner, do homework and then sit down in front of the computer until my eyes were crossing!  It wasn’t ideal but I kind of like working under a bit of a deadline/time crunch.  Once that got exhausting, I decided to come home and write full time.

MC: What are your plans for the future? How long do you think you’ll be writing and publishing books?  

SC: I plan on writing and publishing as long as people keep reading my books and asking for more! I love when people write and ask when the next book’s coming out.  It’s really cool when they tell you that they love your work…I am very blessed.

MC: Finally, what words of wisdom would you give to anyone who dreams of being a published author, no matter what route they choose?

SC: Stay true to who you are and what you write.  Don’t be swayed by what seems popular right now or what a publisher might ask you to try.  It shows in your writing when you are putting out a product that you love and that you enjoy.  I write contemporary romances even though erotica, vampires and paranormal are way more popular.  I’ve always enjoyed reading contemporary romances and so it’s what I enjoy writing.  I know I’m not alone because people are buying my books and they seem to be well-received.  Don’t let anyone tell you what to write; write what you are passionate about.  Create characters that YOU care about because it will shine through!

Thanks for having me!!

 

Wednesday Interview: Alayna-Renee Vilmont

Tags

interviews, Kickstarter, poems, poetry, poets, self-publishing, writers

I know I say I’d do author interviews for novelists, but when the opportunity to interview Alayna Renee Vilmont came, I could not pass this up.

See, while she did self-publish a book, she did not release a novel. Instead, she wrote a collection of poems. I hesitated at first because, let’s be honest, poets are often overlooked in the literary world. But because Ms. Vilmont is such an interesting person (check out her blog when you can) and I liked the idea of a self-published poet, I had to feature her on my blog.

MC: Tell us about yourself. How did you get bit by the writing bug?

ARV: I’m just an ordinary girl who happens to have a knack for expressing every single thought that comes into her head. 😉 I was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, attended school in NYC, and lived in London, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, and Los Angeles before life eventually took me to Atlanta.

I’ve always pursued writing as a hobby, although throughout most of my life, my creative outlet has been on the stage. I began performing professionally at the age of 6, and musical theatre has always been my first love. By the time I was a teenager, I began to study and perform in the operatic field. I’d also participate in creative writing classes and entering poetry competitions in my free time. I’d submit to literary journals, and not mention I wasn’t an adult. It made me feel accomplished to have my poems displayed next to those written by people two and three times my age.

In early 2000, I started keeping an online journal, Jaded Elegance: The Uninhibited Adventures Of A Chic Web Geek. I was dating someone who was very influential in getting the idea of “blogging” to go mainstream. I started my page in order to support his vision, and it became bigger than I ever imagined. I never imagined anyone would care what I’d written before I learned that strangers were, in fact, interested in my life and my experiences. In 2001, I participated in an online blog-based “reality game” called Survivorblog, and all of the sudden, strangers were reading about my very private thoughts and experiences. I kind of never looked back. It never occurred to me that I had too much talent as a writer or that others would care to read my work. It still surprises me when I realize I have loyal readers.

In 2012, I decided that I’d cross something off my bucket list, and I started to dust off the poems and journals I’d hidden under my bed for years. I ventured out into the Atlanta literary scene, which was a bit scary, but the very positive reception I received gave me the courage to publish my first book, “Ophelia’s Wayward Muse”.  Friends had been telling me for a long time that I should publish and read and get myself out there, but there’s something extremely vulnerable about doing so. For someone who tends to be a flamboyant personality who will tell stories about everything, it’s rather ironic that it took me until my early 30’s to feel secure enough with the idea of other people reading my poetry.

MC: Ophelia’s Wayward Muse is not a novel, but poetry. Tell us why the average reader should pick it up despite all the novels out there.

ARV: There’s this preconception about poetry many people have: namely that it’s something boring, overly intellectual, and inaccessible to the average person. In reality, poetry is a reflection of emotion in the most unabashed, raw form possible. It brings to life things we all feel, experiences we all have, passions we all keep somewhere in the depths of our souls. I find the more I share “Ophelia” with people who claim they don’t read or understand poetry, the more accessible the art form becomes. Unlike many poets, I don’t write in meter or rhyme. It’s simply my goal to tell stories through imagery and emotion, and to evoke something from my reader.

“Ophelia” is designed to explore a universal theme—that even in a world that is so often characterized by a need to never feel too greatly or to get too attached, every emotional connection shared with another human being is significant. It doesn’t matter if it’s the love of your life, a crush that was never realized, a one-night stand, a best friend, or an encounter with your worst enemy, other people do help shape who a person ultimately becomes. Especially amongst younger people, it’s rather taboo and uncool to reveal that emotional and vulnerable side. I think people will be attracted to “Ophelia” because it’s something that almost every person can read, and see his or her own life experiences reflected, perhaps in a new light.

MC: Is it possible for a poet to become a novelist and vice versa?

ARV: I forget who said this, but as the saying goes, “Good writing is good writing”. I started writing poetry before anything else, but I also write short stories and have kept a blog for 13 years. I’ve not written a novel yet, but it’s a project to which I definitely aspire. I believe a good writer can typically venture into any genre he or she wishes. As a singer, I learned very early the importance of classical training, because once you have the foundation, you can explore other forms of expression to find your strengths. The same is true for writing.

Ophelia’s Wayward Muse on Amazon!

I’ve been told that my prose, like my poetry, is very strong when it comes to imagery, character development, and choosing words to convey emotion. These are certainly things that come from a background in poetry. Recently, I’ve been taking an online fiction writing workshop where most of my classmates are novelists. The challenge for me is learning to combine my love of the abstract with a more succinct, clear way of telling a story. I believe the more you learn about any art form, the more you grow. If a writer has a particular weakness, working on that skill will improve that writer, regardless of genre or style.

MC: You self-published your book with the help of a campaign on Kickstarter. Explain why you chose this route and if any self-published authors should do the same.

ARV: I’m asked this question a lot when I am out in the world. Honestly, self-publishing a book is not terribly expensive. There are options that would have required less of a financial investment on my part, or would not have required me to utilize a crowd-funding tool. People who know me well are likely aware that I know enough people that someone likely would have fronted the relatively small amount for this project, if it were something I really believed in. I chose to do a Kickstarter campaign where the people in my life could contribute to bringing the vision to life, because many of these people are the same people who inspired—and continue to inspire—my desire to create. It makes me feel such a great sense of support, connection, and community.

Not surprisingly, I also got some negative reactions about choosing the Kickstarter route. I encountered some unfriendly judgment both about crowd-funding and whether I had any business using it for my personal gain. I really believe that crowd-funding is the wave of the future for independent artists, and it allows people to create without limitations and obligations to traditional investors or financial backers. In all types of media, there are high-profile artists that are choosing to fund major projects this way, and I’m so glad to see that. The idea that someone can donate a little piece of themselves to a project, get something very personal back, and share in the pride of a project coming to completion is an amazing one.

MC: What are your future writing plans

ARV: I’m currently working on a book of short stories entitled “Sophisticated Nothing”, which I hope to release by the end of 2013. I won’t be going the crowd-funding route this time, but I’m also not shopping around for a traditional publisher. For those who are interested, I recently won a rather random short story contest, and you can get a feel for my work by reading my entry.

I’ve really become active in online writing communities such as Goodreads and Writers’ Village (where I’m doing a fiction workshop at the moment), because the support and encouragement out there is overwhelming. I have a segment on my blog called “Literary Libations”, where I speak with a different author each Sunday. It’s taken off and become something much more popular than I imagined, so it’s kind of opened my eyes to a whole new world of creativity.

Oh, and there are about 60,000 words of a novel sitting on my laptop, as well as the prologue to another potential novel-to-be. I’m not sure if either will ever see the light of day, but you never know!

You can learn more about Alayna-Renee at the following sites:

* Facebook: www.facebook.com/princessalayna

* Twitter: www.twitter.com/princessalayna

* Blog: www.jadedelegance.net

* Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6862252.Alayna_Renee_Vilmont

* Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ophelias-Wayward-Muse-Alayna-Renee-Vilmont/dp/1478218886/