Ask the Author: Steven A. McKay
Answered Questions (21)
Steven A. McKay
Hi Geoff, I'm really glad you liked those books enough to want a sequel! Unfortunately, the publisher never asked me to write more and I've moved on now. I did buy some books to research Edward and Aethelflaed with the intention of writing a fourth novel if the series was a huge hit but as things stand I don't think I'll ever go back to write another.
Steven A. McKay
Not just visiting interesting places and meeting fantastic characters, but actively CREATING them and seeing them come to life!
Steven A. McKay
Writing historical fiction means I'm constantly researching things and that very often throws up really interesting ideas for plot lines. Like the time I read about an entire medieval village going insane - this actually happened! So I took that and used it in one of my Forest Lord novels because it was such an interesting idea to explore.
Research always brings good ideas and makes me really want to get to work!
Research always brings good ideas and makes me really want to get to work!
Steven A. McKay
Good luck! "The Rescue And Other Tales" is on Audible (and probably iTunes too).
Steven A. McKay
Why not? If they thought there was an audience they might go for it! Have you heard the short collection he narrated for me? "The Rescue & Other Tales"?
Steven A. McKay
No idea John. At this stage I'd just be really pleased if it came out in audio at all. But the Kindle version is FREE just now to Prime members so that's great. :-)
Steven A. McKay
Hi JR! Amazon Publishing bought the audio rights for Abbey of Death so it will be up to them whether they do an audio version. If they do, I doubt they'd use Nick I'm afraid, as they have their own narrators.
Fingers crossed they do it though, I'd like to hear it myself!
Fingers crossed they do it though, I'd like to hear it myself!
Steven A. McKay
We split up a few years ago after dropping down to a 2 piece and doing acoustic stuff like Led Zep but we were called Nocturnal Fire.
Steven A. McKay
Frodo and Sam.
Seriously, I'm not sure. I don't really go in for romance much.
Seriously, I'm not sure. I don't really go in for romance much.
Steven A. McKay
Hi Abdul, I have actually finished the first draft of a Will Scarlet novella called "The Abbey of Death". I just need to proof it then have my editor go over it so I'm hoping it will be published within the next couple of months.
I have started writing my new series so hopefully the first book will be ready this year sometime.
Cheers!
Steven
I have started writing my new series so hopefully the first book will be ready this year sometime.
Cheers!
Steven
Steven A. McKay
Yes, very much. I like to listen to black metal when I'm writing as I find it acts almost like white noise and allows me to concentrate. Much of my work has been written while listening to the early Behemoth albums (I have the lot in the Chaotica and Demonica collections).
Nergal and his music are very inspiring!
Nergal and his music are very inspiring!
Steven A. McKay
Go at your own pace - but don't think that allows you to be lazy. I'm fed up reading people saying you must write every day, no matter what. It's nonsense. I write when I have time and when I'm in the right frame of mind - if I forced myself to write when I didn't really feel like it I'd just end up having to redraft it all.
When I write, I only have to tweak it later, I never have to redraft entire sections.
I think you should write when the mood takes you, but try and prepare your scenes in your mind beforehand so you're ready to go when you do sit down at the laptop.
When I write, I only have to tweak it later, I never have to redraft entire sections.
I think you should write when the mood takes you, but try and prepare your scenes in your mind beforehand so you're ready to go when you do sit down at the laptop.
Steven A. McKay
I hadn't heard of de Gozon, I'll need to look into that! I don't have any concrete plans to write anything other than the final two Forest Lord books just now. I would like to do a Friar Tuck novella, and maybe some others with Little John, Gisbourne, Scarlet etc but really, finding time to do them all is going to be impossible. I might be able to do another one or two but when the Forest Lord series wraps up I'll most likely move onto something completely different.
Steven A. McKay
Yes, the title isn't a secret, I revealed it in Knight of the Cross. Book 3 will be called Rise of the Wolf!
It's about a quarter finished so I'm still hoping to have it ready to go for spring 2015. :-)
It's about a quarter finished so I'm still hoping to have it ready to go for spring 2015. :-)
Steven A. McKay
Hi Blair! Sort of. I always had an idea of how it should start and finish, and certain things that I wanted to happen in the books. But I didn't really plan everything out, and I still don't when I sit down to start a new one. Originally it was going to be a trilogy, and now it'll be four books so that tells you everything about how much I plan ahead!
Steven A. McKay
Hi Scott. Honestly I've never heard Sonata Arctica. I tend to stick mostly to my old favourites from years ago - the latest albums I've bought have been by bands like Behemoth, Opeth and Martin Barre from Jethro Tull!
Thanks for your nice comments, I hope you enjoy The Wolf and the Raven even more!
Thanks for your nice comments, I hope you enjoy The Wolf and the Raven even more!
Steven A. McKay
Oh yeah! I really enjoyed doing something a little bit different with the novella and I'm looking forward to doing it again. Friar Tuck's journey to France for the holy relic? Will Scaflock's time as a mercenary? Maybe even one about Gisbourne.....
Don't get me wrong, I really love writing about Robin and his mates in the greenwood but it's fun to step outside those parameters, do something that isn't so rigidly "historical" and explore a character's history.
Don't get me wrong, I really love writing about Robin and his mates in the greenwood but it's fun to step outside those parameters, do something that isn't so rigidly "historical" and explore a character's history.
Steven A. McKay
I've been lucky so far, I haven't had writer's block. I spend a lot of time in the car at work, so I think up plot lines and have a good idea what I'm going to write when I sit down with the laptop.
Steven A. McKay
Hi Bobby, sorry I didn't answer earlier, I've been away on holiday.
The characters' histories just came to me when I was at work during my day job, as most of my ideas do. Tuck is supposed to be a large man, but I already had a lot of swordsmen and archers in the band so it seemed an interesting idea to make him a wrestler. Will Scarlet needed a reason for his murderous rage and, being a father to a young daughter myself I knew I'd be able to put myself somewhat in his position as I was writing that whole section so it would be more believable.
In general, I don't force ideas, I start with a question, e.g. "where would a friar learn to fight so well?" and let it gestate in my head until an interesting soloution pops up!
Thanks for your question, and I hope you continue to enjoy the books. :-)
The characters' histories just came to me when I was at work during my day job, as most of my ideas do. Tuck is supposed to be a large man, but I already had a lot of swordsmen and archers in the band so it seemed an interesting idea to make him a wrestler. Will Scarlet needed a reason for his murderous rage and, being a father to a young daughter myself I knew I'd be able to put myself somewhat in his position as I was writing that whole section so it would be more believable.
In general, I don't force ideas, I start with a question, e.g. "where would a friar learn to fight so well?" and let it gestate in my head until an interesting soloution pops up!
Thanks for your question, and I hope you continue to enjoy the books. :-)
Steven A. McKay
I liked the Hospitaller knight Sir Richard-at-Lee from my Forest Lord books, and wanted to do something with him outside the main series. I also always wanted to do something with a hint of the supernatural in it, a hint of HP Lovecraft so...combine those elements and it seems like a good idea for a novella! Keep an eye out for it, it will be out within the next couple of months hopefully.
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