Interview with Author – Angella Graff
Author Bio:
Angella Graff was born and raised in the desert city of Tucson, Arizona. She married and became a mother very young, and after getting started with her family, began her University studies where she found her passion for creative writing, history and theology.
She now resides in Tucson with her husband Joshua, three children, Christian, Isabella and Adia, and their two cats, Archive (Ivy) and Lasciel. She prefers to spend her days writing, gardening, and reading non-fiction theology theory books. Angella is also an avid, if not fanatic fan of Doctor Who and BBC Sherlock, which tend to dominate her dry, sarcastic humor, a lot of which is apparent in her writing.
For info, visit Angella’s website: www.angellagraff.com
What inspires you to write?
Anything! Honestly, the strangest things will inspire a book in me. Sometimes even a single word will spark the ideas flowing. It’s been that way since I was a kid.
Tell us about your writing process.
When I do sit to compose my books, I usually have a bare-bones structure of how I want it to look, but it’s basically a plot skeleton. I like to let the ideas take shape organically, and I find if I spent too much time sketching out the characters or plot, they tend to be more two-dimensional. I do have pages upon pages of series notes, though, to try and keep my facts straight from book to book!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I don’t specifically talk or listen to them, but I know their entire life story, know every nuance and when I write, I generally tap into them so I know how each would react in a particular situation. It’s something I’ve developed over the years, and it helps when I’ve got multiple characters on scene, and I want to make sure none of them start sounding the same.
What advice would you give other writers?
Practice! Practice, and patience. Write all the time, study grammar and utilize critique groups. If you’re having trouble in an area of writing (say for example dialogue or description) write short stories focusing on that one thing. When I was having trouble with description I wrote several short stories with zero dialogue so I had to rely on description to get me through and it worked wonders. Also don’t be afraid to accept criticism. Criticism is what helps you grow as a writer.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
My series, The Judas Curse, is self-published, but I’m searching for an agent for my young adult series, Alexandra Fry, Private Eye. I would advise authors to try both venues. Don’t go based on the advice of other writers. Explore and research everything and go with what’s best for you. Don’t get bullied into one side of the fence because what might work for some people don’t work for others.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It’s tough to say. I think the self-publishing market has fabulous potential, and the idea of putting the control and rights into the hands of the people creating the books is a wonderful idea. The less middle-men out there, the better. However right now there’s not a lot of rules or standards in the self-publishing market, so a lot of books that shouldn’t be ready for print, go to print. I think it needs some tightening up before it can really take off and speak for itself. The harsh truth is, the traditionally published market is out for your money, but they also have droves of people who know how to market and sell, and if you don’t know anything about publishing or writing, going self-published is tough, an there’s a huge learning curve. I don’t think traditional publishing is out, but I think it’s going to be forced to give their authors a lot more control if they want to stay afloat.
What do you use?
Professional Editor, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?
Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Chick-lit
What formats are your books in?
Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Author Home Page Link
Link To Author Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
https://www.facebook.com/AngellaGraffAuthor
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