Ask the Author: C.L. Schneider
Answered Questions (14)
C.L. Schneider
Since publishing Magic-Price, I've been reading indie books almost exclusively. This is what's currently lined up next on my TBR:
The 11th Percent (Book #1), by T. H. Morris
Remember, by Marnie Cate
The Thousand Years War (Book #1), by Angel Ramon Madina
The upcoming 3rd book in the Susan Wade Saga, by Virginia Gray
Dolor and Shadow, by Angela B. Chrysler
Recreance, by H. G. Chambers
I'm not sure how many of these I will actually get through before the end of summer, as I will also be working on the 2nd book in the Nite Fire Series, but I'm looking forward to reading them all! The order is also iffy, as it will depend on my mood and what I'm up for once I finish my current (awesome) read, The Mathematics of Eternity by David M. Kelly,
The 11th Percent (Book #1), by T. H. Morris
Remember, by Marnie Cate
The Thousand Years War (Book #1), by Angel Ramon Madina
The upcoming 3rd book in the Susan Wade Saga, by Virginia Gray
Dolor and Shadow, by Angela B. Chrysler
Recreance, by H. G. Chambers
I'm not sure how many of these I will actually get through before the end of summer, as I will also be working on the 2nd book in the Nite Fire Series, but I'm looking forward to reading them all! The order is also iffy, as it will depend on my mood and what I'm up for once I finish my current (awesome) read, The Mathematics of Eternity by David M. Kelly,
C.L. Schneider
Hmmm... I'm afraid my life wouldn't make a very good mystery. About the most mysterious thing in my life is how I've manage to keep my sanity in a house where I'm the only female! Between my 14 and 10 year old sons, and my husband (and don't forget the dog), I'm sorely outnumbered. Staying sane takes lots of patience. And chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate! :)
C.L. Schneider
Hello! Thanks for reaching out. I appreciate your questions. Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure I understand exactly what you're looking for. This actually sounds like a discussion that might better be held through messages, though, and not here. If you can explain your question in a private message, I will do my best to answer you. Thank you!
C.L. Schneider
Hello! Thank you for your question. I actually did not take from any legends or mythologies for The Crown of Stones books. The creatures and civilizations are all unique to the world I created.The bulk of my research was in crystal healing/magic, which was a starting point for my magic system.
C.L. Schneider
Hi Kathy!
I'm currently working on Nite Fire, the 1st book in an urban fantasy series that I was tinkering with when I was still finishing Magic-Borne.
Nite Fire centers on Dahlia Nite, a half-dragon shapeshifter from a parallel world. When Dahlia's emerging empathic abilities interfered with her job as an assassin, she was condemned by the Queen and sentenced to die. Being half human (and able to shift into human form), she fled her world for the only other one she had a hope of blending in: ours.
The story picks up many years later in the fictional Sentinel City where Dahlia becomes involved in the investigation of a series of unexplained (and seemingly unconnected) brutal murders. The killer’s weapon of choice: spontaneous combustion. Recognizing the mark of one of her own, Dahlia teams with a human detective to solve the case, while struggling to maintain the lies that have kept humanity in the dark for centuries; believing myths and legends were just that.
As Dahlia searches for the truth behind the murders, the bit of peace she’s found in this world starts to unravel.
I sending some to my beta readers this week. I hope to have some early excerpts for Nite Fire posted this summer. I'm also working on a short post-apocalyptic zombie story for an anthology due out over the winter. I also have a lot of ideas for returning to Mirra'kelan (the world I created in The Crown of Stones). One has been lightly plotted. Another I've started on a draft, but have set it aside to concentrate on Nite Fire. You will definitely see more from Mirra'kelan down the road though.
Thanks so much for your question :)
I'm currently working on Nite Fire, the 1st book in an urban fantasy series that I was tinkering with when I was still finishing Magic-Borne.
Nite Fire centers on Dahlia Nite, a half-dragon shapeshifter from a parallel world. When Dahlia's emerging empathic abilities interfered with her job as an assassin, she was condemned by the Queen and sentenced to die. Being half human (and able to shift into human form), she fled her world for the only other one she had a hope of blending in: ours.
The story picks up many years later in the fictional Sentinel City where Dahlia becomes involved in the investigation of a series of unexplained (and seemingly unconnected) brutal murders. The killer’s weapon of choice: spontaneous combustion. Recognizing the mark of one of her own, Dahlia teams with a human detective to solve the case, while struggling to maintain the lies that have kept humanity in the dark for centuries; believing myths and legends were just that.
As Dahlia searches for the truth behind the murders, the bit of peace she’s found in this world starts to unravel.
I sending some to my beta readers this week. I hope to have some early excerpts for Nite Fire posted this summer. I'm also working on a short post-apocalyptic zombie story for an anthology due out over the winter. I also have a lot of ideas for returning to Mirra'kelan (the world I created in The Crown of Stones). One has been lightly plotted. Another I've started on a draft, but have set it aside to concentrate on Nite Fire. You will definitely see more from Mirra'kelan down the road though.
Thanks so much for your question :)
C.L. Schneider
Nooooo! Don't die on me! Hold on just a few more weeks. It will be out mid-February. I'll be releasing the cover and blurb during a FB event this Thursday 1/28 right here http://bit.ly/HELLDATwithCL
Would love it if you stopped by :)
Would love it if you stopped by :)
C.L. Schneider
I have a couple of projects in the works. One is more of an urban fantasy centering on a shapeshifting, half dragon woman named Dalia Nite. Dalia left her world for ours under desperate circumstances about a hundred years ago. Though she’s acclimated quite well to life as a human, she is anything but. A series of strange murders draws Dalia back to her home, a world very different from our own, ruled by dragons and rife with unrest. So there will be some more traditional epic elements to it as well. I've started the draft. I have her world pretty well built and am getting to know the characters. But I’m still working on some of the plot details and deciding if I want to stick with a trilogy, or go longer.
I’ve also started co-writing a Viking-themed epic fantasy trilogy with a fellow indie author. We plan to borrow from mythology, but put our own spin on it. Book 1 is well plotted and we have a couple of chapters of the draft. I love the characters and the story, but we both have so much going on, I have no real time frame for this one.
Down the road more, I will definitely be returning to the world I created for The Crown of Stones. Can't say any more about that right now-spoilers!
I’ve also started co-writing a Viking-themed epic fantasy trilogy with a fellow indie author. We plan to borrow from mythology, but put our own spin on it. Book 1 is well plotted and we have a couple of chapters of the draft. I love the characters and the story, but we both have so much going on, I have no real time frame for this one.
Down the road more, I will definitely be returning to the world I created for The Crown of Stones. Can't say any more about that right now-spoilers!
C.L. Schneider
Since childhood I’ve been drawn to all things medieval, mystical, and supernatural. When I was about 8 or 9, I started attending the Renaissance Fair on a regular basis. I loved the costumes, the swords, and the atmosphere. I never wanted to leave. However, I had to yet to pick up a true fantasy book. An early reader, I was heavy into the classics, mysteries, and historical fiction at that time. As a freshman In high school I discovered the story of King Arthur. It captivated me. I read every incarnation I could get my hands on. My brother, a huge comic, sci-fi, and fantasy buff, had been recommending books to me for a while, but even then ‘so many books, so little time,’ was rearing its ugly head. When I was 18, he gave me a copy of The Mists of Avalon for my birthday—and I fell in love. That book struck such a chord with me. I read it twice in a matter of months. And that was it. After Mists of Avalon, I dove into the fantasy genre head first, in both reading and writing.
C.L. Schneider
The Crown of Stones was born mostly from the creation of my protagonist, Ian Troy. I wanted to construct a character that I, as a reader, would want to get lost in and root for. I didn’t want a superhero or a white knight. I wanted a character that was flawed and conflicted. One that didn’t have all the answers but would struggle with everything he had to find them. In keeping with Ian’s character, I made his magic not a gift, but a burden. The complexity of the magic system, as well as the world, evolved as the story did.
C.L. Schneider
I’m currently working on the final edits for Magic-Scars, the second installment in The Crown of Stones trilogy. I’m also writing the first draft of the third book. I’m about ¾ of the way done, but I’ve recently put it aside so I can concentrate on getting Magic-Scars ready for its release. I'm finding ending a trilogy very different from starting one. It's actually kind of sad. I've lived with these characters for so long. I definitely plan on revisiting some of them down the road.
C.L. Schneider
I’m usually inspired more than I have time for. But if I’ve had a long day with the kids and I can’t think, I take a walk, a drive, a shower. If it’s quiet and I have two seconds to myself, that’s usually all it takes. Other times I’ll put on some loud music or watch a movie. I don’t know what it is about a well-choreographed fight scene, but it can really start the itch for me.
C.L. Schneider
Here’s what I wished someone had said to me a long time ago:
•Write every day. Even if it’s only a paragraph and you throw it out tomorrow, just write. Flexing your creative muscle day in and day out makes a difference. It helps you find your voice.
•Share your stories. Find someone you can trust to give you an honest critique.
•Don’t isolate yourself. Connect with others like you; Twitter, Facebook, a writer’s group. Many aspiring authors are in the same boat and it’s no fun sitting in it alone.
•Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Leave your comfort zone. It’s nice and safe in there, but nothing will ever happen if you don’t step out.
•Believe in yourself. Don’t undervalue what you’re doing. If you write, you’re a writer.
You need to keep reading, as well. Don’t stick to the genre you write in, read across all genres. Get a feel for how a story goes together, for how other authors handle plot, scene structure, etc. It’s okay to emulate other authors at first. If you keep writing, your own style will emerge.
•Write every day. Even if it’s only a paragraph and you throw it out tomorrow, just write. Flexing your creative muscle day in and day out makes a difference. It helps you find your voice.
•Share your stories. Find someone you can trust to give you an honest critique.
•Don’t isolate yourself. Connect with others like you; Twitter, Facebook, a writer’s group. Many aspiring authors are in the same boat and it’s no fun sitting in it alone.
•Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Leave your comfort zone. It’s nice and safe in there, but nothing will ever happen if you don’t step out.
•Believe in yourself. Don’t undervalue what you’re doing. If you write, you’re a writer.
You need to keep reading, as well. Don’t stick to the genre you write in, read across all genres. Get a feel for how a story goes together, for how other authors handle plot, scene structure, etc. It’s okay to emulate other authors at first. If you keep writing, your own style will emerge.
C.L. Schneider
That’s a hard one to narrow down. There are so many wonderful things about being a writer, but I think one of the best is simply to make people feel. Whether they love it or hate it, you’re prompting a reaction. You’re affecting their lives. If only for a little while, they’re escaping into a world you created. I think that’s pretty cool.
C.L. Schneider
Thankfully, I don’t have a lot of experience with writer’s block. If anything I suffer from having too many ideas. This can lead me to becoming unsure which direction to take a story. When this happens, I do a little solitary brainstorming. I take out my notebook and get it all out. I don’t pay attention to complete sentences. I write in the margins. I vomit the ideas until I have the different paths on paper and out of my head. This helps me see how each one will affect the characters and the plot, and choose which direction is right.
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