Ask the Author: Janice Clark
Answered Questions (9)
Janice Clark
Not knowing your tastes it's hard to say. This is a collection of stories written in the 1950s. There's a certain nostalgia element in it for me as I was a teen in that period and had just discovered the science fiction magazines, Like most science fiction at the time it's definitely aimed at a young male audience, but I enjoyed it all the same. As in most story collections, some are better than others.
The title story follows a man who has made a promise to a dying friend, to protect the fertilized egg of a bird supposed to be extinct. A rival scientist will stop at nothing to gain the egg for himself. The story is mildly humorous and quite improbable. Various amorous dalliances are included.
The title story follows a man who has made a promise to a dying friend, to protect the fertilized egg of a bird supposed to be extinct. A rival scientist will stop at nothing to gain the egg for himself. The story is mildly humorous and quite improbable. Various amorous dalliances are included.
Janice Clark
Narnia is tempting, as are many fantasy worlds. But I think I'd especially like to explore the worlds of my own books. I want to climb a moonbeam, with Sammy and explore the many fairy worlds accessible through the Hall of Doors portals. I want to visit the world of Teeka, the Healer's Apprentice, and meet the telepathic gillys. All of my stories are my way of living a rich fantasy life.
Janice Clark
I dabble in genealogy, and have tried to track down at least all of my great-grandparents. I'm not so much interested in the "begats" as the stories, which can be hard to piece together. I've confirmed that my father's paternal grandmother, Rachel Wagner (or Waggoner) was born in Virginia to a German immigrant family. I know her part of the state became West Virginia when the rest of the state seceded, and that her brothers served in the Union cavalry. What I don't know is how she wound up in Missouri to marry Joseph Lewis. I suspect it was a second marriage, but can't confirm that, either. I've often thought of taking the few clues I've found, and making something up. It would be an historical romance, I think, with the background of the Civil War, and later their migration to California.
Janice Clark
I often jot down story ideas, questions, or random thoughts and put them in a file (paper or computer, either works) to look at later. But usually, I have plenty of ideas clamoring for attention in my head. If you're talking about daily routines, that's a different matter. Don't wait for inspiration. Just sit down and start working on whatever project you have in mind. Some days you grind out a few words at glacial speeds, some days it all comes so fast you can barely get it down. Once I have a story started and the characters have become "real" in my mind, they'll nag me to get on with their story, maybe appear in dreams, or direct my attention to relevant passages in whatever I'm reading. If you're a "dream writer" it pays to keep pen and paper near your bed, so you can jot down a sentence or two. I've constructed several stories from brief dream episodes that acted as writing prompts. Don't forget to frequently ask that important question: "what if..." and let your imagination run wild.
Janice Clark
Short answer: just get started. Nobody starts out perfect. It's a learning process. Write whatever moves you. It's okay to start in the middle of a story and work both directions. You don't have to follow anyone's "how to write" advice--do what works for you. If you hate to outline, don't--with computers, it's pretty easy to go back and revise as needed. Find a writing group if you can, people you can talk to and who will make beneficial suggestions on your writing. Learn to accept that critiques of your writing are not a personal attack, and don't be afraid to make changes. Read a lot. Above all, enjoy.
Janice Clark
I get to write the stories I want to read. It's hard work, sometimes, but it's also a form of play. Of course, I have the advantage of being retired and not dependent on writing income to pay the bills.
Janice Clark
The simplest answer is to have more than one project going. If, for whatever reason, youdon't feel like working on one of them, work on another. I try to write something every day, but it might be critiques or reviews instead of book edits. If you don't feel like writing at all, take a break. There's always plenty to do around my house, plus I allow myself a generous amount of reading time. If by writer's block you mean being stuck on a story line, sometimes it helps to sleep on it. Or imagine you're one of your characters and role-play. Or you can write whatever comes to mind, however ridiculous, and your problem-solving mind will say "don't be silly, this is what really happened."
Janice Clark
The Healer's Apprentice series began with a painting of a woman in old-fashioned clothes working with a mortar and pestle on a trestle table. The fireplace in the background, with its hanging pans, is obviously used for cooking. Near the fireplace, a partially open doorway reveals a computer on a desk. I liked the juxtaposition of "old" and "new" and wanted to explorethe idea of multiple cultures coming together. I had commissioned the painting, but it turned out to be everything I'd asked for, and nothing I'd expected. I studied it for a long time, and eventually it started telling me its story. That picture became the middle of "To Heal a Broken Planet" as I pondered three questions: What's going on, how did we get here, and what happens next?
Janice Clark
I'm nearly finished polishing "The Stars Came Down" which is the third book (fourth if you count the "prequel") in the Healer's Apprentice series. The book is finished; I'm just waiting for feedback from my writers' group on the last three chapters.
EDIT 2024: Both "The Stars Came Down" and its sequel, "Dangerous Games" are now in print and available on Amazon. I'm toying with the idea of writing more. I also have a collection of cat stories, most involving Grim, a magic-working cat. One of the stories includes a dragon. It all needs a bit of editing, and I need to add more stories, so I have no idea when it might be completed.
EDIT 2024: Both "The Stars Came Down" and its sequel, "Dangerous Games" are now in print and available on Amazon. I'm toying with the idea of writing more. I also have a collection of cat stories, most involving Grim, a magic-working cat. One of the stories includes a dragon. It all needs a bit of editing, and I need to add more stories, so I have no idea when it might be completed.
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May 18, 2024 05:22PM · flag