Sharon E. Anderson's Blog, page 3

The more things change . . .

 

babies are out to get you…

It seems to be a law of nature that as soon as a person gets used to a certain way of doing things, it changes. How many times did I learn my babies’ rhythms and then they grew out of them?

 

Things are always, always changing…

My babies both grew and established themselves as toddlers. Oh the joy of screaming tantrums, leaving groceries in the cart, failed play dates… I think it’s hilarious that my friends and I tried to have play dates and then stressed out over the fact that Child A hit Child B on the head with a toy he wanted…You understand Child A was my kid… Well, it wasn’t funny at the time.

Take that knowledge forward into the adult world of wonders…

Everyone knows that running a business is hard. Most fail within the tantrum age, about 2-3 years. Especially at risk are those who dare to start up a publishing house. Damn those 3-year-olds.

My first novel, Curse of the Seven 70s, was released through such a start-up-you-really-trying-something-new-publishing-hi-bred-models. It was good. Great people running the show, avant garde concept of cooperation, everyone playing nicely together. It truly was this author’s answer to questions like, What the hell am I going to do now?

For awhile it was Camelot, but even the best intentions cannot levy results in a difficult marketplace. There wasn’t a one of us who didn’t love it, though.

On May 31st of this year, my publisher will be giving all of the rights to our work back and closing the doors. Heartbreaking. Like a child who didn’t quite make it…

What’s an author to do…

If you are in love with my cover, now’s the time to buy my book. But I will be re-releasing the work with my second novel, with new covers. So, there is that.

I will continue to write and produce novels, short stories, articles, and poetry. Writing is like breathing to me. It’s what I do. And while I’m very sorry for the people who are losing their jobs at the end of the month, they are a talented bunch of people, generous and brilliant, and I know they will have all sorts of wonderful coming their way. Growing pains? Absolutely.

It is, after all, the Writing Life.

#LifeofaWriter #amwriting #WritingNews

 

 

Chanticleer Authors Conference – A great place to be!

There is something magical about connecting with people who do what you do, set aside time to mingle, learn, be in the company of your tribe.

Magic tree with butterflies in frame. Is this my tribe? Maybe so, consider people with wild imaginations… That’s my tribe!

This weekend I’m in Bellingham, Washington at the beautiful Hotel Bellwether  for the Chanticleer Authors Conference, one of the only conferences that addresses the business of writing. It’s amazing. This is my third time here and I’m sinking into the rhythm of the conference, meeting new friends and welcoming old.

 

 

This is the time I get to feed my soul.

Sometimes I get caught up living. Keeping schedules, folding laundry, making connections . . . There always seems to be something I need to do and I put myself last, thinking, Oh, I’ll get to it, or worse, My needs aren’t as important as other’s.

Do you ever feel like that?

Well, this weekend is for me. I’m excited – So excited in fact that I had to post about it! I hope you’re doing well this weekend. I hope you’re finding time to do what nourishes your soul. I hope you find your tribe.

If you’re an author and you live in and around the Skagit Valley or Whatcom, here are two great places to start Skagit Valley Writers League or Whatcom Writers and Publishers

Work in Progress

Recently I was asked to make a list of everything I am working on, even ideas of things I think might be awesome. Surprise, surprise, I may have some sort of attention deficit disorder (probably – not may have – most likely) and I also have four pages of work in progress!

Yikes! Where did it all come from and, where, oh where is it going?

I think we can all agree that a lot of ideas are so much better than none. But let’s talk a minute about how to organize them. First of all, Curse of the Seven 70s is out and ready for you to review! What? You haven’t done that yet? Well, go do that, and then come right back… I’ll wait…

 

Next, Sweet Life of Dead Duane is nearing the final stages in editing! Yes, you will see this next paranormal romantic comedy out in the universe sometime in your lifetime! Good news!

Now we come to Housebreaking Werewolves. I have already spoken a bit about this book in the information section on my books… what? You haven’t seen that yet? Well, when we’re finished here, you can go there and check it out.

Housebreaking Werewolves was going to be the third paranormal romantic comedy I have written, but Pete, my leading man, isn’t cooperating. Nope, he isn’t. Apparently he doesn’t want to have fleas, chase cars, or smoke expensive cigarettes. Pete wants to solve the mystery of why women are killing themselves all around him, why the police are looking at him like it was his idea, and perhaps the biggest mystery of all, what the heck happened to him in the last two weeks? 

So, here’s my question to you, what’s an author to do when her characters write their own story?

I would love to hear your thoughts! 

The Amazing Adam Vine . . .

Video game writer/designer by day, horror author by night. Sounds like a super hero, right? Drum roll please . . . It’s the Amazing Adam Vine!

Recently I had the opportunity to meet Adam, and I’m glad I did! Please read on and enjoy . . .

Anderson: So, what made you start writing?

Vine: My elementary school teachers. I started drawing and writing comics about my dog around the age of six or seven. My neighbor Joey and I would hand out and create comics together, which was our favorite thing to do other than play his Sega Genesis, since my parents didn’t let me have video games until I was a teenager. I finished my first novel when I was eleven. It was about the Second Coming of God and her battle to slay a time-devouring demon. I was into that kind of stuff.

Anderson: That’s awesome! What do you like most about writing? And, what do you like the least? 

Vine: I enjoy really hitting my stride and finishing a scene or chapter in one sitting. My least favorite is editing, because for years I was a tinkerer, and never finished anything I started that wasn’t a plate of food.

Anderson: I hear you. Tell us a little bit about your work – novels, short stories, screenplay?

Vine: My first novel Lurk is a scary story about a depressed college kid who unwittingly discovers a means of watching his best friends without their knowledge – and old box of Polaroid pictures he finds buried in his basement, which is more than it seems at first glance. Essentially, it is a possession story told through the eyes of the one being possessed.

Everything I write contains something disturbing or macabre. My goal in any story is to make the reader pause and make a face. I think that if you are aiming higher than that, you’ve lost the path. Storytelling can and should be much more than just the big surprise, the epic quote, or the bloody climax in which the entrails spill, but at the base level, those moments are what give the audience their reward for experiencing your work, which is a sense of awe. We’re like drug pushers out here. Before pretension, a story must first and foremost entertain.

Aside from horror, I’ve also published novellas, short stories, and flash fiction in other genres, from dark fantasy to science fiction and romance.

Anderson: Where do your stories come from?

Vine: I draw from my lived experiences, or my knowledge of relevant social issues. I get my best ideas while out walking.

Anderson: Are you going to write a series, or stick with stand alone novels?

Vine: My next project is book one of a series, a dark portal fantasy set in Eastern Europe, tentatively titled Corruption. Think “Chronicles of Narnia” with more sex and death.

Anderson: That’s going to be fun. Protagonist or antagonist, which character is your favorite, and why?

Vine: Antagonist, for sure. Villains interest me more than heroes.

Anderson: I would like to know a little about your writing process, can you take me through a good writing day?

Vine: Wake up, get stoked on the coffee, and then try to hit 1500 words before I leave the house. How many words I can write in a session really depends on the scene. Some scenes come out well lubed, because they’re all dialog, or they’re already in my head. Action scenes, or scenes that I haven’t visualized very well, take me longer to write. In the afternoon, once I’ve finished everything I need to do for my day job, I will try to write another 1000 words, but that only happens on good days.

Anderson: That’s impressive! Hey, who is your author idol? Who would you most like to emulate in your work?

Vine: Gene Wolfe. I read everything from Stephen King to David Mitchell, to Ania Ahlborn, to Cormac McCarthy . . . but G.W. is my all-time favorite.

Anderson: If you could meet any literary character from any time, any place, who would you like to meet, and why?

Vine: Tyrion Lannister, so I can step up my drunken quip game.

Anderson: Hahaha – I would want to meet Tyrion as well, but for other reasons! What’s your favorite way to promote your work?

Vine: I’m a toddler at promoting my stuff online. My highest sale days of Lurk have all coincided with someone publishing a review, so I’ll go with “reviews”. The quotation marks are there to be a sly nudge for you to go read my book and write one yourself. Seriously, I’ll wash your car.

Anderson: My car could use a bit of a spiff-up, and honestly, I hope ten thousand people go buy your book and write their reviews! That would be awesome!

Okay, so now we’re going to do a quick-fire round (thanks to Suzanne Kelman and KJ Waters) to help us get to know you a little more. Ready? Let’s do it!

Coffee or tea? I love it best black, strong, and bitter, because coffee makes me run to the  . . . one document.
Carrots or beets? Beets. I used to live in Poland.
Dogs or cats? Dogs. I smile at them more than people.
E-reader or paperback? E-reader, because I can eat with it.
James Bond or Hellboy? Hellboy.
Military espionage or zombies? Not a zombie guy, personally.
Ford or Chevy? Ford.
Pepsi or Coke? Coke.
Puzzles or Crosswords? Do HOPA games counts? (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventures – find out more here.)
Running or Zoomba? BJJ – Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

Bio:

Adam Vine was born in Petaluma, California. By day, he is a video game writer and designer. He has lived in four countries and visited almost thirty. His short fiction has appeared in various horror, science fiction, and literary fiction magazines and anthologies. When he is not writing, he is traveling, reading something icky, or teaching himself to play his mandolin. He currently resides in Boston.

 

Synopsis of Lurk:

Drew Brady never wanted the power to spy on his friends. But late one New Year’s Eve, he finds a box of old Polaroid pictures buried in the basement of his college house. Drew has found a window into another world, and now the pictures are showing him things he shouldn’t see.

The pictures have the power to let him watch his three roommates and his best friend, Bea during their most private moments, and the more he watches, the more he is powerless to look away.

Drew begins to suspect there is something underneath his house that is manipulating him through the pictures. A dark, eldritch thing that feeds off depression and weakness. A thing that is pulling him down into a hole he will never be able to climb out of, a thing that will drive him to hurt the people he loves most. Can he stop it before it’s too late?

 

Social Media:

http://www.theadamvine.com

http://www.twitter.com/chillopticon

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14421346.Adam_Vine

 

The Amazing Suzanne Kelman!

This week multi-award winning author and screenwriter, Suzanne Kelman, has been blog-hopping to celebrate the re-release of her very funny book, The Rejected Writers Book Club on March 29th. It’s been a week full of fun! Today I’ve asked Suzanne to drop in and let us know what she’s been up to.

Friends, I give you Suzanne Kelman…

Anderson:  When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

Kelman: Writing actually decided it wanted me, I totally fell into it, which means I was on a different path when I veered, fell into a word pothole and have been trying to find my way out ever since. I’m still surprised every day that what I am, because it has a real title. I have re-invented myself so many times in my life I’m not used of having a job with a real title. I often feel like a kid trapped overnight in a chocolate factory, may as well eat everything around me as it’s only a matter of time before someone realizes the Emperor has no words.

Anderson:  Funny! I counted 9 awards on your website – what was your favorite award and what was it for?

Kelman: Ok, so I had to go and count, too, and actually I have 11 not sure if they are all on my website, that is awesome, I had no idea there were that many. I’m always amazed about that. I have two favorite awards, the first is the first one I ever won, that was “Best Comedy Feature Film at the International Film Festival” I loved it because it was my very first award and I had to go up on stage and collect it and give a speech. And I was so shocked I had won I forgot my best friends name who had come with me. The second is the fact I placed in the Academy of Motion Pictures – Nichols Fellowship last year. Just because it’s so cool to say “Academy of Motion Pictures” and also I have a little gold Oscar stamped on the award they sent me! He is awesome! My own little Oscar man.

Anderson: Your own little Oscar man! That’s fantastic! By the way, you have one cool website. Everyone needs to go to http://www.suzannekelman.com right away! – Who did your website?

Kelman: A very unknown slow, technically challenged author called Suzanne Kelman. She’s not very good I’m thinking of giving her the boot. But thank you for popping over to visit.

Anderson: Who’s your literary hero?

Kelman: You are Sharon:-) Was that the right answer? … AND right after you would be (living) JK Rowlings just because of all she has managed to achieve in her career, and my dead hero would be Jane Austin – for exactly the same reason. She is still getting reviews on Goodreads I noticed the other day, here’s hoping I’m still getting reviews on Goodreads 400 years after I’m dead!

Anderson: Great answers!  If you could magically insert yourself into some literary book/world, where would you go? And who would you be?

Kelman: Oh, I love this question, and a movie script may come out of it if I give this too much thought. I think I would love to slip into a bunch of childrens books that somehow became one Never-ending story (like the way I added that one in). So something like this, I would follow a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and come up on the Dawntreader sailing to Treasure Island where we would meet 101 Dalmatians that were eating green eggs and ham in Oz, or something along those lines. Ok, and that is how my mind works. Scary even for me!

Anderson: That would be amazing! If you could write one more story in your lifetime, what would it be about?

Kelman: I still really want to write something classical and historic. I am torn between a Victorian murder mystery or a twist on a classic, you know what happened the day after a famous story ends. I will do this one day, but it would take a lot of work and research and that’s why I haven’t done it yet.

Anderson: That would be cool. You should do that in your spare time . . . Since it’s St Patrick’s Day, give us your favorite recipe to celebrate the occasion…

Kelman: My husband’s birthday is on St Patrick’s Day so we normally eat birthday cake. But for the interests of keeping up the premise here is my recipe for Bubble and Squeak an English favorite, especially on Monday night as it uses all the leftovers from a Sunday dinner. And it has corn beef in it so I think it counts. It is particularly good with Brussel sprouts and roast potatoes.

Cornbeef Bubble and Squeak

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Leftover cooked potatoes (mashed, roasted, and/or boiled), chopped if needed

Leftover vegetables (cabbage, carrots, Brussel sprouts etc.) chopped*

Leftover Corned Beef (or left over pork or other beef) chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a medium to large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the potatoes, cabbage, carrots, corned beef, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press mixture down with your spatula and let fry approximately 8 to 10 minutes to allow browning. Turn mixture over and press down with your spatula again. Allow to fry an additional 6 to 8 more minutes or until the edges are a golden brown.

Remove from heat, season with additional salt and pepper (if desired), and serve.

Excellent served with Irish Soda Bread.

Anderson: Happy birthday to Mr. Suzanne Kelman! Thanks for the great recipe–it’s mouth-watering! . . . Okay, you’re from Great Britain, and you know we Yanks LOVE the accent. How do you feel about our accents? What’s your favorite state-side accent? What is it about accents anyway?

Kelman: I think it’s funny when people tell me they don’t have an accent. As though America is some sort of neutral point. But everyone has an accent, to an English person every American has an American accent.  I forget I have one until people remind me, on the whole it works for me people think I’m very intelligent so I’m happy with that. I’m thinking people here should stop paying for college degrees and instead get out a tape on British accents from the library, it will be cheaper and will work wonders for their career. I love strong accents, anything in the South, that is one of the reasons I added Southern twins in my book.

Anderson: Tell us something about yourself that most people would never guess?

Kelman: I have a very bubbly personality so people are always surprised to know I’m actually an introvert. I am never happier when alone for hours, days, years at a time.

Anderson: I hear you. We’ve met over wine before and we had so much fun, tell me, what would it take to actually have another date with you?

Kelman: Money works great, or the words “let me do your social media for you.” But, seriously we had so much fun when we got together, it would just take finding a way in our crazy schedules to do that. I always seem to be juggling way too many projects. Soon Sharon, soon.

Anderson: Wouldn’t that be great if there were little social media angels flying around, volunteering to make us look awesome? Hit me up, I actually know someone

It’s all good with FREE books and Mardi Gras

Who doesn’t like free books? This is a deal beyond deals as my publisher Booktrope has decided to get us all in the mood for reading!

February 8th through February 14th or so, 200 books are on sale! Yes – as little as .99! (Some are even FREE on iTunes)

We call it PreFunk #2

But these incredible prices won’t last – So check out something new, something a bit risky! Something you can’t put down!

What do you have to lose?

Here are a couple of suggestions…

The Imaginary Boy by Mark Eldrich

 

 

The Red Fang by Nicola C. Matthews

 

Paradise Rot by Larry Weiner

 

 

You can even pick up my book, Curse of the Seven 70s! 

 

What are you waiting for? Go have some fun!

 

MardiGras #FREEbooks #Booktrope!

Write like your hair’s on fire

You know the sound of graphite against lined paper? The tap, tap, tapping of computer keys? Yes, those are sounds I absolutely adore! It means creativity is happening. It doesn’t even matter if what ends up on the page, stays on the page in the end. What matters is the loops and coils of imagination are loosening in the old gray matter and work is being done.

I often get hung up on what I’m not writing. Oh, I have all kinds of stories that are naughty—misbehaving in the worst way imaginable! So they sit in the virtual corner of my WIP file and I try to write on other things for a bit. Or do housework. God knows, housework seems to never be fully done around here with a high-schooler, college student, one dog, two cats, a guinea pig, and a garden that I’ve left untouched since last spring, and piles and piles of laundry. The fish are the husband’s responsibility.

I sometimes think I would rather do just about anything instead of writing. But, and here’s the strangest thing ever, writing is the best way to feed my soul. Then the question I should be asking myself is, Why is it so hard to sit down and do what I love most? The thing that makes me feel most productive, renders the biggest rewards, the very thing that allows me to say I’m an author, not just a writer?

A virtual friend recently asked our group for encouragement. He’s +6,000 words into his manuscript and is suddenly feeling doubts creep in.

Paralyzing doubts. Strong enough, I’m guessing (because he asked for encouragement) that he is on the brink of throwing his manuscript out and never writing again.

If you’re not an author, you may not understand this. You may think that this guy probably should put his stuff aside – because who wants to go through that kind of self-doubt each and every day?

And here’s where I tell you that everyone who responded to my friend’s plea for encouragement – every single one – said they experience the same thing. Every time they write.

This may be the crux of my reluctance to set out and deal with those naughty stories. The ones that aren’t coming together the way I think they should. The ones that go too far. The ones that frighten me. The ones I’m avoiding. But I will go back to them. I will haul them out and let them breathe, and allow the at times crippling grip of the creative process begin anew.

Why?

Because I’m an author. And sometimes that means I have to write like my hair’s on fire. I can’t look back at the page, I don’t dare critique the process (that kills creativity, by the way). I just have to get it out of me and onto the page. Then, and only then, will I go back and rework it all over again.

It’s a process. It’s agonizing. But I haven’t met an author yet who would have it any other way. Once imagination is let loose, there is no telling where it will take me. But I promise you, the journey is worth it.

Enjoy Curse of the Seven 70s, my paranormal romantic comedy here – and don’t forget to sign up for my blog and leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!

The Amazing Thomas S Flowers III

Thomas S. Flowers Author Interview

with Sharon Anderson

Thomas S. Flowers is a vet and a WWII history buff. He has published three books, Reinheit, Are You Hungry, Dear?, and Hobo. Dwelling is his fourth release-beautiful cover, by the way!

 

I had the opportunity to get to know this author a bit more today, and it is my pleasure to share with you a little of our conversation.

Here is the incomparable Thomas S. Flowers!

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about Dwelling?

A: Absolutely! Dwelling is a character driven story about five childhood friends, inseparable, as most of our childhood friendships seemed to be, right. As adults, they’ve become separated. Each in some way is effected by war. Most are Army veterans. Maggie grieves for the loss of her husband, who died in Iraq. Seeking to find solace alone she purchases a country farm home in the town of Jotham, the same house she came across in 1995, but for some reason has little memory of. Johnathan is a veteran struggling with a disability and PTSD. He served with one of the friends, Maggie’s husband, Ricky and was there when he died. While he battles these inner demons, Johnathan also presents himself as a Wounded Warrior public speaker. He’s conflicted about what he talks about and what he doesn’t talk about. Jake served in the Army as a chaplain’s assistant. He witnessed a young soldier killed by a mortar attack. Since then, he’s lost his faith, fighting to find some semblance of God in his life he turns to vice and the bed strangers to fill the void. Bobby is the oldest in the circle of friends who called themselves in 1995, Suicide Squad. He served in the infantry and later the Rangers. He was attached in Kurdistan by what some called The Arabian Wolf, though it was never reported. Back home, he discovered a dark self-inside him, a werewolf with yellow eyes and sharp fangs, Bobby keeps himself hidden from those he loves. His life takes a turn upon a chance encounter with a strange woman who takes him in, offers a safe place for his monthly turns. As each of the once childhood friends confronts the demons of their own lives, their forced back together by a mysterious entity, somehow controlling things from a far. When Maggie wakes in a strange subterranean cavern, she can’t deny her home harbors dark secrets. Desperate, she sends letters to her old friends to reunite in Jotham, and events conspire to draw them all to the house…unaware of the danger awaiting them…

Q: That sounds really exciting! When did you know that writing was going to be the thing that made the universe right for you?

A: Hmm…to answer this I think it’d be fair to say that I did not wake up one morning and say, “You know what, I think I’m going to be a writer!” Nothing like that, and certainly not with the notion of doing it professionally. I think being writer, for me, has been a progression of different experiences. In grade school, I enjoyed the ability to express myself and my horrifying adolescent feelings through flash fiction, short stories, and poems. Maturing into adulthood and joining the Army, I used poems to, again, express my emotions in a positive way. During college, I wrote for assignment, not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, but it wasn’t professional writing, it was school writing. When school ended, I had all these different ideas for stories and I was watching the news a lot and getting concerned about familiar historic trends, the banality of evil and the continuation of “othering.” I wanted to write professionally then to take on the responsibility of being a story-teller, to give warnings through characters and prose and situational plot.

Q: Writing is a perfect way to comment on the world in which we live. Good for you. How’s the day job? What’s your favorite part?

A: I supervise a family owned chemical plant just north of Galveston. It’s a small team and we work closely together. My favorite part of working my “day job” has been learning different organizational skills, marketing, and team building. These kinds of skills are easily translatable to my “other job.”

Q: I bet they are! R.L. Stine only needs to come up with a title in order to write the story. What’s your process for story development?

A: I’ve been called “traditional.” And maybe I am. I’ll let you be the judge. I start any story with a simple/basic notion of what I want to write. I start first with the characters, who are they. I don’t normally write anything down in great detail at this stage, it’s more of a brainstorming exercise. I typically jot a few notes down, especially if I’m doing research. Once I’ve got an idea of where or who I’m going to be talking about, I jump in. I start writing longhand. I believe longhand helps keep the creative flow moving without the tedious stop and edit of typing. Unless you’re disciplined enough, which I am not, typing can be a distraction

“I start writing longhand…”

to the stream of consciousness. My editing process starts when I begin typing. Not everything gets transferred. As part of the editing process, I considering this to be my second draft. After that, I go through the story again with a third edit. And sometimes even a forth. After this, I find it’s beneficial to have an extra pair of eyes. I have a list of trusted “beta readers” who have helped me in the past. From here, as my betas return my story (betas do not proofread or edit, they simply read and jot notes for you, corrections or thoughts on the story itself, nothing more), I take in what they thought and see if changes need to be made. After this, it’s off to the publisher…and comes the hardest part. Waiting. You have to wait. You cannot sneak your story out there. You need to be patient. And it’s bloody hard. Sitting on a story you want to share with the world is the hardest thing, I think, for a writer to do. But if you want a quality story and if you want it “out there” the right way, you have to wait. After the publisher gets back with me regarding accepting a new book, depending on your publisher, you are assigned an editor, the editor reads and makes corrections and discusses the book and said corrections with you. After a couple rounds of this, it’s off to the proof reader for final corrections and to ensure proper formatting. And I’m not even mentioning the marketing team and cover design team, etc. etc. Needless-to-say, a lot goes in to publishing a book. Consider my own upcoming releases, both Dwelling and Emerging were started last year around this time. I finished my half of the process sometime in May, I think. I shopped it around. Was eventually picked up by Limitless Publishing. And went through their publishing process, which took a couple months, which isn’t bad. I’ve heard some publishers take a year to get your books out there.

Q: I used to write longhand, maybe I’ll go back to that. Tell us about your characters, how do you meet them? Where do they come from?

A: I talked a bit of about them above. They’re childhood friends, but as adults most of them get caught up in joining the service. Johnathan and Ricky are always together and even serve together in the same unit. Bobby and Jake are a little older and signed up before them, each going their own separate way. All the characters are from Houston, Texas, Clear Lake area. In the 90s, they had a club called Suicide Squad, named after a comic book they found in a collection of Johnathan’s. After the war, each is trying to come to terms with their own experiences. Maggie is angry, blaming Ricky for joining the Army and getting killed. Johnathon blames himself for everything. Bobby is terrified he’ll hurt someone. Jake feels lost. And Ricky, of course, is KIA.

Q: Do you have a favorite character? Who? And Why? (or why not?)

A: Favorites? Hmm…I tend to lean towards Johnathan, because I can relate a lot with his character and I put a lot of myself into him. But I think I like Bobby the most, simply because he’s such a metaphoric character, the monster within becoming a real. Dangerous.

Q: I love stories that address the monster within! Okay here’s a little set up for you…You’re working on a story and the power goes out. You hear some awful sounds emanating from the basement… you, A) Light a candle, ignore the sounds, and continue writing long-hand, because that’s how you roll, B) Light a candle, pour a Scotch, and listen to the sounds getting louder, as you hide under a blanket, C) Grab your gun and go investigate – you don’t need a candle because you’re a badass, and you’ll pour that Scotch once whatever-it-is-that’s-making-all-the-racket’s head is on your wall, or D) (fill in the blank)____________________________

A: I’d have to go investigate. No way could I just sit there being terrified. I’d have to know, and because of that I’d probably have a low survival rate in a horror movie.

Q: Too funny! I’d call you!  What’s next? Tell us a little bit about what we can expect from you in the future.

A: Well, book 2 of the Subdue Series, Emerging, and releases on Dec 15. Back to back, almost. It is the continuation of Dwelling. I’m currently working on book 3, which will continue the story of some of the characters, facing a new evil. Also, I’ve got a collection of short stories and novellas that I’ll be submitting to my publisher soon. I’m actually really excited about the collection. It’ll be my first. I’ve focused my attention of resurrecting certain Universal mythologies and experimenting on brining those old monsters into a new generation.

Q: Love that. Some authors think of their books as children. Which of your ‘children’ are naughty, which are ‘nice’? Why?

A: Reinheit was my first novel, and it’s so dark and brooding I think it’d have to be the “naughty” one. Dwelling is move in-depth and character focused. It’s not “nice,” but it’s not “naughty” either.

Q: I know you admire Steven King. If you had the opportunity to ask him anything, what would you ask? And why?

A: I read a lot of old King books, so if my question sounds strange, just ignore me. I would ask King if he ever would write a sequel to Salem’s Lot. I think some of his characters from that book have continued in other stories, but I’d like to read a continuation of that one or Needful Things, those two could be explored more.

Q: Needful Things could certainly spread to the next town… What are your top 5 tips for effective book promotions:

1. Team building, collaborate with other authors, help promote them.

2. Make a plan, write it out, calendar everything.

3. Ask questions. This is the Information Age, don’t go solo, ask.

4. Be a genre provider, don’t just flood social media with “buy my book.”

5. Humility.

Q: Those are terrific answers. What keeps you writing when writing doesn’t come easy?

A: Take breaks. Be willing to take a step back and look at things from a fresh perspective. Don’t force the story, let it come naturally. And speaking of naturally. If you type your first draft, try to write the story in longhand first. I know it sounds very tedious, but studies have found it helps keep the stream of consciousness. When typing, we’re tempted to stop and edit while we type, in longhand, the temptation is less. I think this will help anyone struggling on keeping the juice of the story more natural.

Great advice! Anything else you would like to share with us?

A: I don’t just write books, I also have a blog where I do movie and book reviews and interviews and all kinds of fun stuff. Stop on by at machinemean.org, thanks for having me!

 

 Perfect! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Thomas S Flowers III! Now go buy his book Dwelling! 

Quantity or Quality, that is the question…

Open Book Blog Hop – November 18th – 24th 2015 Quantity v Quality

I am participating in a blog hop where the question is, which would I prefer, quantity or quality?

That’s a fun question–a trick question, really. Because it depends on what it is…

Here’s what I mean:

A pile of gold is only valuable if it isn’t fools gold.

Undying love is only wonderful if you love that person in return, otherwise, it’s called stalking and you might have to get a restraining order.

Dogs are great–in any number. Cats, on the other hand, are not. Why? Because they don’t need you as much as dogs do. Think about it…keep their numbers at a manageable level or you are in danger of being eaten in your sleep. You’ll just have to go with quality kitties here, trust me.

Children. I’m not going to touch that one.

Chocolate. I used to go with the ANY chocolate is a GOOD chocolate, but now, the darker the better for me. And, thank you menopause, for all of your joys, you have now made it likely I will sweat like a pig in the middle of a typhoon if I over-indulge in my favorite chocolate. (Not in a literal sense…I mean, pigs have very few, perhaps NO existing sweat glands. That’s why they roll in the mud…to keep cool…where is this going?)

Food. I’m a HUGE fan of post-apocalyptic movies and television shows. The bleaker, the better in my book. So, yes, food is important, just ask Carole from the Walking Dead…She knows. But It doesn’t have to be gourmet here. Give me a can of hash, and I’m set for the week. (I expect I’ll be MUCH thinner when the zombie apocalypse gets going…don’t judge me.)

Talking about food, let’s not forget WINE. I am a firm believer that if you’ve spent more than $8.95 on a liter of wine, you’ve spent too much, baby!  Seriously, a person could go broke the way it disappears around here.

And finally stories. Quality stories please, please, oh for crying out loud, give me a QUALITY book I can sink my teeth into!

Thank you!

 

 

If you would like to link your blog to this one, please follow the rules below and click on the link.

1. Link your blog to this hop.

2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.

3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.

4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use ‪#‎OpenBook‬ when tweeting.

5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Code for Hosting: link your blog to this one:

An InLinkz Link-up

Get to know other authors from the blog hop. This week, get to know Stevie Turner!

It’s Not What You Think… It’s Better

If I were to write a parenting guide, the first sentence would be something like this:

What were you thinking?

Oh, maybe that’s a bit harsh, how about:

Haven’t you heard of birth control?

Geez, you’d think I have had a tough time raising my children…how about this:

Fasten your seat belt! From this point forward, you may think you’re in control, but you are not. You, my dear friend, are a guide on someone else’s fantastic voyage!

I say this because I’m the type of parent who always wants the answers, always wants to get it right for my children. Every parenting manual I’ve ever read contradicts the other one. Some of them were downright dangerous. I remember our pediatrician throwing one of the books away!

So what’s a super nervous parent to do?

Our minds naturally want to categorize our children:

This one’s a screamer

 

This one’s a glom-er-on-er

This one’s a brat

This one will be in jail before long

What happens when we do this is we leave no room for surprises.

A miracle has been happening in our house. And it only happened because of the ongoing hard work of our youngest with her in-home therapists. It’s not what you think…but it can be summed up like this:

Autism+Therapy=Happy Life.

The child I always knew, has come to the surface. There she sat at the dinner table cracking jokes, turning the tables on her big brother. It was astounding. It was fresh. It was such a lovely moment (except for her brother!) that I’m still laughing about it.

 

During this season of Thankfulness, I am incredibly grateful for the outside resources that led us to this place we are right now. I’m grateful for my family, for flexible thinking, for the ability to look for rainbows and expect a pot of gold instead of a storm. Some of you may understand this, others may not – and to those who don’t, I would say, be grateful for that.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change my life for another one for anything. This is the first time in years I can honestly say that.

To those of you who are in the midst of struggle, I would say keep fighting. Find your resources. Don’t take it personally. And finally, allow your child to grow.

I’m not naive enough to think our road is always going to be easy. There will be plenty of storms ahead, I have teenagers for crying out loud! But at least we know the direction we’re heading is a good one.

It’s not what you think… it’s better.

 

As I’m working on re-writes of Sweet Life of Dead Duane this week, that line made me laugh…

“Good job!” said Dead Duane.

“It’s not what you think,” said Samantha.

Don’t worry, you’ll understand when the book comes out!

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