Ask the Author: C.J. Heath
Answered Questions (8)
C.J. Heath
That's difficult as I write two very different types of story.
My Dark Angel trilogy is quite a complex narrative that blends Gothic / Dark Fantasy with a touch of horror and romance. Character driven rather than propelled by events. It's Angels and Demons with 'Dark Angels' trying not to take sides less they be damned or saved.
Her Name is James is possibly as far as you can go in the other direction. A 'weepy' that tugs on emotions as you follow James when he faces the consequences of coming out as transgender to his family. It gets complicated when a friend declares she loves James.
Neither of those answers really sum up how I write except to say I try to have the reader live all the characters they read about.
My Dark Angel trilogy is quite a complex narrative that blends Gothic / Dark Fantasy with a touch of horror and romance. Character driven rather than propelled by events. It's Angels and Demons with 'Dark Angels' trying not to take sides less they be damned or saved.
Her Name is James is possibly as far as you can go in the other direction. A 'weepy' that tugs on emotions as you follow James when he faces the consequences of coming out as transgender to his family. It gets complicated when a friend declares she loves James.
Neither of those answers really sum up how I write except to say I try to have the reader live all the characters they read about.
C.J. Heath
I can remember being behind my age group with my reading and being taken out of class for extra reading when I was about seven. I was given help reading The Moomins. The first book I remember choosing to read was about a year later when my reading had improved, that was The Hobbit.
C.J. Heath
I write through it, forcing my way. Usually after half a page of strained, directionless writing, I identify why I've been held up and with a quick delete, I pick up where I should have been.
C.J. Heath
Pride. Not an arrogant, swaggering attitude... just the satisfaction of realising a dream.
C.J. Heath
Write! I spent over twenty years prevaricating. Set yourself a discipline, know your characters, know your plot and get on with it. Don't fear failure. Once you have your first draft, you can do the hard work of rewriting but just get your story down. Nothing will fire you more than reaching the end of your first draft. Have tissues ready!
C.J. Heath
So much! I have the sequel to Dark Angel just started but I'm also crafting a vampric horror titled Judas Man, finalising edits of a story of a transgender teen (HerName is James) and I'm working on a collaboration of erotica poems with SJ Warner and a joint work with her of erotic short stories. It's a busy time!
C.J. Heath
My inspiration is usually a line from a song, 70s and 80s songs especially. They can conjure a single image that imagination takes on a new journey. Sometimes, the story that emerges walks away from the song so it no longer has any bearing to it but it's often the starting point.
C.J. Heath
I have an interest in theology and I wondered to myself, what happens to souls that are just average? Not angelically good and yet, not demonically bad? Dark Angel was born from that idea but once I had an image of the senusal and independant Rachael, the story began to steer itself.
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