Ask the Author: C.K. Johnson
Answered Questions (6)
C.K. Johnson
Right now it's talking to the fans. There are some amazing readers out there and it's been fun to geek out with them.
C.K. Johnson
I was listening to music while waiting for an appointment. As I listened, I found my mood lighten and thought how amazing it is that music can shape how we feel. I thought wouldn’t it be sort of cool if there was someone out there that could use the music we listen to in our cars, ipods, phones, homes, movie, etc to control us. And then I thought—there already is a story out there—the Pied Piper. My grandmother used to tell me the old German fairy tale. When I researched a little more I found out there was a small town in Germany where the children really did disappear.
The second thought that came to mind was a study my mom had told me about years ago. Paraphrased a lot, a doctor did a study on water. One sample he played soft calming music and the other he played harsh discordant music—then froze each sample. The sample that received the ‘nice’ music produced beautiful crystals. The other one: murky and broken. Wow, and we’re each made up of how much water?
The second thought that came to mind was a study my mom had told me about years ago. Paraphrased a lot, a doctor did a study on water. One sample he played soft calming music and the other he played harsh discordant music—then froze each sample. The sample that received the ‘nice’ music produced beautiful crystals. The other one: murky and broken. Wow, and we’re each made up of how much water?
C.K. Johnson
So many things inspire me. I’ll be in a car and hear a siren and think, “they’re coming for us.” Then I have to think backward toward the who, what, where, and when stuff to work up to that sentence. Sometimes it will be something random someone says that will make me go—there’s a story in there—I just need to find it. Sometimes it’s ideas I get while writing one book that I know won’t work there, but could be somewhere.
C.K. Johnson
There will be four books in the series: The Piper’s Revenge and Reine Piper will follow my main character Kyra. Thanks to the request of awesome beta readers I’ve started writing my version of the pied piper. This year’s nanowrimo I began a new series where the main character has a family gift so old it’s biblical.
C.K. Johnson
Start writing. Write now and as much as you can. Find a writer’s group, go to conferences, and makes friends. There are some awesome writers out there willing to share what they’ve learned. Keep reading, some of the best writers I know are constantly reading.
C.K. Johnson
I’ve got some fun habits as strong as the baseball player that won’t wash his socks for fear of losing his winning streak (but less smelly). 1) Got to have a candle. I light it before I start and blow it out when I stop (I go through a lot of candles). 2) Music- yes, I’ve got to listen to music or the writing gets stuck. The music is different according to the project but there must be something. (If I’ve got music, I’m less likely to get distracted by other sounds) 3) Treats- there must be a bowl of something: chocolate, sometimes fruits or veggies, but snacks must be present (this prevents me from getting up to find something and never coming back). It’s my magic writer’s block cure for myself. As long as I have these three things- I don’t get stuck.
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