Maria Savva's Blog, page 57
July 6, 2011
Meet musician and author, Bill See, and enter to win a copy of '33 Days'!
I am very excited to be introducing you to my guest today. Bill See is a talented musician and gifted writer. His band Divine Weeks made a bit of a splash in the LA music scene in the late '80s and early '90s. They toured America and Canada for a month in the 1980s, and that tour is documented in his book, 33 Days: Touring In A Van. Sleeping On Floors. Chasing A Dream..
As you can tell from the title of the book, Divine Weeks was not a major label rock band that stayed in plush hotels when they toured; Divine Weeks were a grass roots, indie band, touring because of their passion for music. They were four young men willing to take risks to chase a dream. The book is an inspirational memoir. Bill See's words exude wisdom. He is a man with an enthralling story to tell about his experience as an indie musician, and about his life journey.
Anyone who has ever had a dream will be able to relate to Bill's book.
I met Bill through Bookpleasures.com. He had requested a review of his book, and being a music fan, I could not resist reading it. I'm glad I did. It's now one of my favourite books.
As well as taking the time to answer my questions, Bill has very kindly agreed to give away an ebook copy of 33 Days to one of my blog followers, this is an international giveaway. (If the winner is from the US or Canada he/she will have the choice of either an ebook or paperback!).
To enter, all you have to do is 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below!
A winner will be chosen on 20th July 2011.
Here's the interview:
I read on your blog that you do not consider yourself an author and that you put 33 Days together to document the Divine Weeks tour. When I read 33 Days, I felt like it was written by a born writer. I definitely think you have a talent as an author. Have you ever dabbled in other writing, apart from writing song lyrics?
That's very kind of you to say. That's just my self effacing humor. I've always written. After all, "33 Days" is taken from the journals I kept at the time. I guess I just meant I'm a musician first and never fashioned champion myself as an author per se.
One very interesting thing about 33 Days is the way it’s like an interactive read because you have a website where fans of the book can listen to the band’s music and there are also lots of photographs of the tour contained in the book. I have listened to the free mp3s on your website and really enjoyed the tracks. Are Divine Weeks’ albums still available to purchase, or do you have any plans to re-release the songs?
Divine Weeks' first record "Through and Through" is out of print, but you can find copies on ebay all the time. Maybe it'll get reissued thanks to the book. That would be a nice bi-product. Our second record "Never Get Used To It" and the singles that were released around that time are available on itunes and amazon, I think. I did try and make the reading experience interactive and the 33 Days website is designed for that purpose, but the truth is I initially thought about making "33 Days" fictional or just slap a "base on true events" tag on it because I didn't want the book to be limited or relegated to the band memoir scrap heap. Because it's not a conventional story about a band's conquests on the road. If anything, it sets out to debunk a lot of rock and roll myths and show what it's really like at the most base level and show that, like a lot of other tragically under appreciated bands, we made music because it hurts too much not to.
Your bio states that you released 5 solo records. Can you tell us a bit more about those?
After Divine Weeks broke up, I spent a lot of time staring into my ceiling trying to figure out what to do next. I spent a few years dabbling in different genres and my first solo record "Lovecoats" reflects that. Kind of all over the map. "In Sickness and In Health" was my second record and as the title suggests is sort of me musing on the mysteries of marriage. After that I did a record called "That Mercury Sound" which is a more a soundscape record. Soundtrack stuff. Then I did a record called "Union" which was my response to 9/11 and George W. Bush's America. And the last thing I did was "Hillflower Grace" which is about love, intimacy, and finding out my heart was still capable of loving and being loved. It's funny, after making music for 25 years I'd never really done a record completely about love. I've always said if you want to know something about me listen to my music. It's all there. I don't write lyrics so it makes you feel like you're reading tea leaves. My life is all there in the songs and my records all capture a time and place and specific portion of my life. And as I say at the end of "33 Days," I'll be making music until my last breath. Whether it's music that ends up on the radio, on record or just stuck in an old shoe box stuck in the back of my closet. I'm a lifer.
From reading 33 Days, I got the impression that the month you spent together as a band touring was pretty intense and emotional; you all learnt a lot about each other. Do you still keep in touch with the other band members?
Well, we grew up out there on the road. Our lives were changed. It's impossible to deny or play down an experience like we had. I can't say we knew what was in store for us when we left, but we did leave town all feeling like it was going to be a watershed moment if just let it. And it was. We all had a lot of baggage we tried to leave behind, but it followed us anyway. We were 22 and facing big nagging life decisions. Rigid cultural expectations, stultifying family dynamics, decisions on school, deteriorating relationships. Had we not been best of friends first, maybe things would have been simpler albeit lonelier. "33 Days" is as much about friendship and finding out what you're really made of for the first time in your life. And that's why I chose that time period for the book because there's nothing like that 22 year old voice -- first time out on your own and no where and no one else to turn to but each other. So to answer your question, yeah, I'm in touch with the band. It's like having war buddies who share near death experiences. It makes for life long bonds.
Divine Weeks certainly seemed to create quite a stir in the LA music scene in the late ‘80s. Are you still quite well known as a musician out there? And, since releasing the book have you re-connected with any old Divine Weeks fans
Divine Weeks had modest success. We were a big deal around L.A. for a time but on a relative scale. We were not a big major label band. I'm not well known so much anymore, but sure, the book has stirred some interest, and I've been reacquainted with some folks who followed us back in the day. I've got a lot of friends who were in bands that had more success so in promoting "33 Days" I've tried to make it clear the book is not the Divine Weeks story. I didn't set out to try and prove my case that Divine Weeks not making it was some great act of injustice. Basically I wanted to write a book about a moment at the crossroads of our lives. That now or never moment we all have at about 22 where we have to seize or moment or fold up our tent. "33 Days" is for two distinct audiences. For those of us in our 40s or beyond, it's supposed to make you sit up in the middle of your life and ask yourself did you seize your moment? And it's for kids in high school or college just coming up to that crossroads, and it's a cautionary tale about the perils of sitting on your dreams.
Many bands from the ‘80s have regrouped for reunion tours lately. Have you ever considered doing this with Divine Weeks?
Divine Weeks regrouped for one show in 2004 as a send off to our bass player George Edmondson before he headed back east to become a professor at Dartmouth. I'd never play a Divine Weeks show without each original member of the band in place. Our guitar player Rajesh Makwana and I played a few Divine Weeks songs as part of my book release party here in L.A. last month, and it was a great to revisit those songs, but no, unless it was all four of us, I could never call it a Divine Weeks show.
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For those who may not have heard of the band, or listened to the free mp3s on your website, how would you describe Divine Weeks’ sound?
Divine Weeks was a live band. Very physical, visceral band. In the book I called us musically close to The Who at Woodstock circa 1969 crossed with early REM. That's a fairly close description but probably still not quite there.
Many people have been comparing the recent changes in the indie book publishing world (the advent of ebooks, and self-publishing becoming more acceptable) with the way the indie music scene broke through into the mainstream. As someone who has experience in the indie music scene, what is your take on this?
I think there's a lot of similarities so far as technology opening up the possibilities to authors in the same way the internet fazed out total reliance on the middle man in music. That being record companies, record stores and distributors. The music business was revolutionized by the internet whereas in the publishing world, we're still in the early transition period so it remains to be seen whether we'll see the same overhaul or not. I think it'll depend on how the publishing world reacts to it. History has already shown us the music industry reacted slowly and arrogantly to file sharing. For all the talk of the morality of illegal downloading, the music business itself has only itself to blame. File sharing and illegal downloading was the reaction of consumers who didn't want to pay $20 for a CD that had only one good song on it. I don't know if you can make an equal comparison with the publishing industry, but certainly the insular world of publishing elicited a similar level of outrage from aspiring authors. So, we'll see.
In your opinion, is it easier or harder for a new band to make it in the music industry these days than in the 1980s?
I think the answer is, “making it” has been redefined. I mean, it all comes down to motives. If flying around in Leer jets is your standard of success, well, that takes a lot of money and hype behind you, so you'll probably have to find a major label and then pray for a lot of luck. But honestly, the old model of getting signed to a major record label and slowly building a body of work over a number of albums is a thing of the past. It's all about "the song" now. With the music industry in such a state of flux, “making it” is such a relative term now. What’s happened the last 10 years in the music business is the full maturation and modernization of the original D.I.Y. indie credo: eliminating the middle man, no longer having to be reliant on record labels, radio stations and traditional media outlets. Going indie is not just some middle finger to corporate America. It’s actually the only logical choice. But you can’t be afraid of work, rejection, and learning how to become web savvy.
I imagine that as a musician you keep up to date with the current music scene? I saw your video on YouTube about the music scene in LA back in the ‘80s. How much has it changed since then?
Well, you have to keep in mind, I came by way of the punk rock D.I.Y. movement of eschewing major labels, putting out your own records and booking your own tours. I was inspired by the whole idea that success doesn't come to you. You go to it. So while a lot of my peers in the 80s sat home making demo after demo and sending them off to big record companies who didn't know what they were doing, I was following the breadcrumbs left on the highway by bands like Black Flag, the Minutemen and Husker Du. The culture was to do it yourself. Get in a van, and take it to the people, forget staying in hotels, ask from the stage for a floor to sleep on. That's still going on for a lot of young bands. What's changed is the internet.
It's revolutionized everything and empowered indie bands everywhere. With a mobile network, laptop, and printer, you can make CDs, stickers and t-shirts from the back of your van, and consequently you can actually make some money while on the road. With Facebook, Twitter and YouTube you can get the word out about gigs, post live clips, release new downloadable songs anytime you like – self-promoting with little or no overhead cost.
It’s a new world now with bands finding alternative ways to get the word out. Some are still hitting the highways like always and some are “touring” virtually by monetizing its videos on YouTube. It's an exciting time. We’ll see where we are in 10 years as bands continue to evolve the new paradigm of touring, weaning themselves from reliance on labels and reestablishing an intimate connection with the audience.
What music do you enjoy listening to these days? Do you have any favourite bands?
Arcade Fire is the best big band in the world right now. And they still seem hungry. The proverbial sky is the limit for them. Anything Jack White does I love. I like Death Cab for Cutie's new record. Wilco has a new record coming out without a major label behind it that I'm looking forward to. I didn't love Radiohead's new record, but I'm still a fan. I'd like to see a strong willed producer come in and order them around for their next record. The Kings of Leon next record will be telling. They're at the same place U2 was in the mid 80s before they made the Joshua Tree. They could become the biggest band in the world with the right record, but we'll see how bad they want it.
CDs or mp3s/downloads? Which do you prefer?
I still listen to vinyl and cassette tapes! But I do listen to CDs, I do download MP3s, and I do love my ipod. So as a music fan, I welcome anything that improves the listening experience. For the music maker, taking a historical perspective, I'm saddened that the art of album making is dying. I'm a fan of bands and artists who show over the course of an entire album where they are and where they're headed.
In the mid-90s with FCC deregulating media and the rise of media conglomerates people forgot that record companies were beholden to radio, who were beholden to advertisers, so radio would hone in on only a snippet of a song. Radio would go back to labels and say your music didn’t test well and ask bands what else they had. So, it really became the search for THE SONG. Not a body of work. “What’s that song?” Not WHO does that song. We don’t care about a band’s career anymore. What we care about is hunting and gathering. We’ve got to have it. Not much different than the search to find the shades or shoes you saw Angelina Jolie wear in her latest movie. Gotta have it.
What was the last CD/mp3 you purchased?
Can't remember which was the last, but it was either the new Death Cab for Cutie's record or Adele's "Rolling In The Deep." I'm late to the Death Cab for Cutie party, but like their new record. And I love Adele's voice and love that she doesn't have a perfect pop star body.
Do you have any tips for musicians who may be starting out now and maybe planning a similar tour to Divine Weeks’ 1987 tour?
What did Bette Davis say? "Growing old isn't for sissies." Same thing for trying to make it on your own in the music business. It ain't for sissies. Basically it comes down to motives. If making music to you is art and a source of salvation and sustenance, going indie is a true viable option now. Forget trying to get signed to a major label and forget trying to get played on commercial radio. That old model is dead. Don't sit there waiting to be discovered. Go out there and make it happen. Don't tell me you would if you the had time or the know how. Those are just justifications for inaction. What’s happened in the last 10 years in the music business is the full maturation and modernization of the original D.I.Y. indie credo: eliminating the middle man, no longer having to be reliant on record labels, radio stations and traditional media outlets. But you can't be afraid of work. You've got to be web savvy, singular minded and committed to your goals, and reconcile that success is relative and something you have to define for yourself. Going indie is not just some middle finger to corporate America. If you know what you're doing and if you align yourself with band members that share your desire and vision, you can make a sustainable living now out on the road. What's great is there are so many resources to get tips for how to do it now. When we headed out on our first tour, all we had was word of mouth.
Your book is ultimately all about following your dream. What is your dream these days?
I spent 12 years writing my book so that, at the end of the day, I had exactly the story I needed to tell. No compromises. The motive was to be completely at peace before I let it go. That's something I knew I needed to achieve in order to be in the proper frame of mind to try and sell the movie rights. "33 Days" is filled with these made for the movies set pieces. I didn't set out to make it like that. It just naturally worked that way. So that's the next dream, I guess. And you know, it would be odd seeing someone take something so close and intimate and change it, but hey, I wrote the story I needed to tell and if someone buys the movie and changes it, this would be a good problem to have.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?
Don’t wait until you publish to start researching marketing and publicity. The one concession I’d make to commerce over art would be titling the book. That’s the number one search tool. Really think about the keywords people would use to find not just your type of book but things that may be connected to it and get those in your title. Utilize facebook, twitter, youtube and have an interactive website. And most importantly, don’t let go of editing the book until you are truly at peace with it. Because if you put yourself in the position of standing there waiting for someone to validate something you’ve poured your heart and soul into it’s like — holding out a beggar’s bowl and letting what’s dropped in there determine the value of your creation. And that — is a bad scene.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
Well, of the classics, I love Kerouac, Salinger, Bukowski. These are authors that kind of shoved me out the door and hunger for experience. Of the more current ones, I really dug Mark Edmundson's "The Fine Wisdom and Perfect Teachings of the Kings of Rock and Roll" and Mahbod Seraji's "Rooftops of Tehran." Both are great modern day coming of age stories. I tend to gravitate to that genre and like I said, "33 Days" is modeled on that.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
Gosh, several. "To Kill A Mockingbird," "On The Road," and "Catcher in The Rye," to name a few.
What was the last book you read?
Rob Sheffield's Love Is a Mix Tape. Very moving, very funny. Highly recommended.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I'm reading the new Bob Mould book. He's a personal hero of mine. Plus it's put out on my old friend Reagan Arthur's company who also put out Tina Fey's book. I love to see great things happen for great people.
What do you think of ebooks?
I love them. I have my Kindle, and it's really made me get back into reading all the time. I think for self published authors, it's great because it's so affordable to produce and get out there. I don't agree with the criticism I hear from other self published authors who say we shouldn't sell ebooks for $2.99 or $1.99 or whatever because it makes it impossible for people selling them for what the major publishing houses sell them for. I think that's short-sighted. Especially if we're talking about a first book. It's all about getting as many eyes on your book as possible, building a brand name, and then slowly building a body of work. If you got into self publishing to make money, good luck to you, but personally I'd rather have people actually read my book than be obsessed over my profit margin.
What are you working on now?
To be honest, publicizing "33 Days" is a full time job. I had no idea finding time to write the next book would have to take a back seat like it has. It's frustrating on one level, but for me, I've always moved onto the next project too soon and not stood up for my stuff. I'm not going to let that happen with "33 Days." I believe in this story and I want to see the book get its just due and maybe get it on the big screen.
Where can people buy your book?
All the links to buy the book are on the 33 Days website at http://www.33daysthebook.com/
The ebook is at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
ibookstore
The paperback is at:
Lulu.com
Amazon
Thank you Bill, for answering my questions. It was a pleasure to chat with you.
Remember, you can enter to win a copy of Bill's book by 'liking' this blog post, or leaving a comment below. Good luck!
June 30, 2011
My latest interview
This week I am a featured author on Jason McIntyre's blog, The Farthest Reaches.
Check it out by following this link: Behind The Words/Maria Savva
Check it out by following this link: Behind The Words/Maria Savva
June 29, 2011
News about The BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology - Volume I , my new novel, and an award I would encourage you to vote in...
I have lots of news for you, but I'll start with the most exciting! I am so happy to tell you that the BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology, which includes my short story 'Flames', shot to #1 in the Amazon kindle bestseller lists for 'short stories' and 'anthologies' yesterday when Amazon.com decided to make it available free for kindle. As many of you already know, this anthology is already free to download on Smashwords and we wanted to offer it free on Amazon as well, but Amazon has a policy whereby the author must charge at least $0.99 for any kindle book. Yesterday, however, our luck was in and Amazon listed it free for a day. In that short time we had over 5000 downloads and it entered the top 10 in the free kindle downloads chart on Amazon.com!
At BestsellerBound.com, we are very proud of this achievement. Darcia Helle, Stacy Juba, and I, created BestsellerBound.com last year as a way to raise the profile of indie authors, and this Amazon success has really shown us that with a lot of hard work and determined effort it is possible to get some recognition in the publishing world whether you are published by a large publishing company, or whether you publish in your own home using just your computer.
It's all very exciting.
We are intending to publish more volumes of the BestsellerBound Short Story Anthologies as we have attracted so many talented authors at BestsellerBound, we need a way to showcase that talent. If you're an indie/small press author and would like to contribute a story for an upcoming collection, please visit BestsellerBound.com for details on how to submit.
Now to news about my soon to be published novel, 'The Dream'.
Firstly, sorry for the delay in getting the book published, this has been due to a combination of very boring reasons, such as I now finally have a full time day job so less time to spend on editing. I have now reached the final proof stage and believe the book is ready (subject to a final read-over by me).
Some of you may be aware that my good friend and fellow author Darcia Helle has a new novel coming out in July, Into The Light'. We have decided to launch our two books together as they both have a ghostly/paranormal theme. Stay tuned for news about the launch and an exciting contest where you will be able to enter to win a copy of both books!
Finally, I have news of an award "honouring brilliance and 'reach' in the world of book marketing, sales and readership" The 2011 Farthest Reach Award.
This award is the brainchild of author Jason McIntyre (my co-author for Cutting The Fat).
I would encourage you all to vote in the award. Nominations are now open, so if you know of an author, publisher, marketing professional, who has excelled in the field of book promotion, fill in the form on Jason's website and tell the world about them. I like the idea of this award because as authors (especially indie authors) we rely on word of mouth for book sales, and are eternally grateful to people who go out of their way to promote and help with marketing.
At BestsellerBound.com, we are very proud of this achievement. Darcia Helle, Stacy Juba, and I, created BestsellerBound.com last year as a way to raise the profile of indie authors, and this Amazon success has really shown us that with a lot of hard work and determined effort it is possible to get some recognition in the publishing world whether you are published by a large publishing company, or whether you publish in your own home using just your computer.
It's all very exciting.
We are intending to publish more volumes of the BestsellerBound Short Story Anthologies as we have attracted so many talented authors at BestsellerBound, we need a way to showcase that talent. If you're an indie/small press author and would like to contribute a story for an upcoming collection, please visit BestsellerBound.com for details on how to submit.
Now to news about my soon to be published novel, 'The Dream'.
Firstly, sorry for the delay in getting the book published, this has been due to a combination of very boring reasons, such as I now finally have a full time day job so less time to spend on editing. I have now reached the final proof stage and believe the book is ready (subject to a final read-over by me).
Some of you may be aware that my good friend and fellow author Darcia Helle has a new novel coming out in July, Into The Light'. We have decided to launch our two books together as they both have a ghostly/paranormal theme. Stay tuned for news about the launch and an exciting contest where you will be able to enter to win a copy of both books!
Finally, I have news of an award "honouring brilliance and 'reach' in the world of book marketing, sales and readership" The 2011 Farthest Reach Award.
This award is the brainchild of author Jason McIntyre (my co-author for Cutting The Fat).
I would encourage you all to vote in the award. Nominations are now open, so if you know of an author, publisher, marketing professional, who has excelled in the field of book promotion, fill in the form on Jason's website and tell the world about them. I like the idea of this award because as authors (especially indie authors) we rely on word of mouth for book sales, and are eternally grateful to people who go out of their way to promote and help with marketing.
June 21, 2011
Meet author Jen Knox and enter to win an ebook!
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I am thrilled to be introducing you to one of my favourite indie authors today,Jen Knox.
I met Jen online over a year ago. I was interested to read her memoir,Musical Chairs, as it had been getting some great reviews. It's one of those books that made me realise that memoirs can be just as entertaining as fiction books. I used to only read fiction. Musical Chairs is written about Jen's decision to run away from home at the age of 15, the reasoning behind it, and all the ensuing problems. It's a book of hope and inspiration against the odds. It really is an interesting read, and even if you don't usually read memoirs I would recommend it because it is written by a born storyteller.
I could tell, when I read Musical Chairs last year, that this was a writer with a gift, so I was very happy when I found out that she also writes fiction. I recently read and enjoyed her collection of short stories,To Begin Again.
She is an award winning author, a creative writing tutor, and an all round fabulous person.
As well as agreeing to answer my interview questions, Jen is very generously giving away 2 ebook copies of her short story collection! All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is leave a comment on this blog post, or 'like' the post. It's that simple! Winners will be announced on 30th June 2011.
Here are Jen's answers to my questions:
From the bio on your website, I see that you are a creative writing professor. Do your students ever read your books and if so, what kind of responses have you had from them about your writing?
Yes, and I love teaching writing. So far, most of my students read more fantasy and thrillers, so I haven’t had too many approach me about my own work. Those who have seem to like my stories. But who knows? I mean, if I’m in a position to grade a person, how objective will s/he be?
Have any of your students ever written anything you wish you had written?
I don’t tend to read things and wish I’d written them, but I’ve read some remarkable work by my students—work I’d love to read again.
How do you go about telling a student that his or her story or writing is not very good? Is there an easy way to do that?
It’s never that simple. We all, as writers, have something positive to work with. I’m a very generous reader in that I give a piece time to develop the way the author intended. Often, critiques are balanced. What’s remarkable to me is that it’s often the writers who struggle most and have to work the hardest that really stick with it. I think the most common error I find in student writing is too much imitation, but this may just be a stage all beginning writers go through.
Many of your short stories and essays have been published in online literary magazines and journals. Do you have any advice to give to other writers who would like to approach such websites for inclusion of their stories, and are there any websites that you would recommend in particular?
Read the magazines. Familiarize yourself with what they publish. Unless you’re independently wealthy, I recommend picking journals, online or print, that pay. Or, if they don’t pay, ask how they represent their authors; many journals are very supportive of their authors, and as any writer knows, we need as much support as possible right now (as do the journals). NewPages.com is a great resource.
To Begin Again, is a collection of stories, some of which have been published before in other media. Did you write any of the stories specifically for the collection, or were they all stories that had already been published?
Most were published, but a few were written for the collection. “Absurd Hunger”, for instance, was written for the collection. I’m hoping the protagonist of this story, Wallace, will have his own novel one day.
Do you have any favourite stories from the collection?
“Disengaged” and “Absurd Hunger” are nearest my heart.
I think that some of the stories in the collection may be true stories, is that correct?
Yes, this is a collection of short fiction and nonfiction. The original title was To Begin Again: A Collection of Fact & Fiction but my publisher dropped the subtitle. I kind of liked this idea, though, it makes for interesting conversation.
In your fiction stories in To Begin Again, did you base any of your characters on real people?
Well, half of them are essays, such as, “At the Window” and “Dandelion Ghosts”; but those that are fiction, such as “Disengaged” and “Soft like Snow”, are purely fiction.
I enjoy reading your blog whenever I get a bit of time. I have worked out that you like to experiment a lot with writing. You were trying out different music to listen to whilst writing, and recently I’ve seen that you have started writing poems and short pieces inspired by art and photography. Have you concluded anything interesting from your experiments that you would like to share with us?
This is what I tell myself: Don’t get too comfortable with routine when it comes to writing. Mix things up a little. It’s fun, and what’s more, you may surprise yourself with what you can accomplish outside of your comfort zone. Writers can stop growing if they turn themselves into little factories, churning out variations of the same story again and again. There’s so much more out there to explore.
I think I’ll always be experimental with writing.
I read that you recently tore a tendon in your wrist in your writing hand. That must have been a bit of a nightmare as most of your work involves writing and typing. I hope you’re on the mend. Have you discovered any ingenious ways around this problem that you can share with us?
It is a nightmare. I’m in pain even now. I’m getting good at typing and writing with my left hand, but it’s painstakingly slow.
One of the stories from your collection, To Begin Again was featured in an anthology Short Story America Anthology, Volume 1 this year. How did that come about?
"Disengaged" has made its way around the literary landscape, and I’m quite proud. It was originally published in Superstition Review then reprinted in Short Story America. Because it was a “Story of the Week”, it also made it’s way into the SSA anthology. I’m very proud of this story. It’s my favorite in the collection, and I hope of all the work I’ve done before 2010, it will endure.
Congratulations on your recent award. I understand To Begin Again has won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for short stories 2011. That is a wonderful achievement. How did it feel to win that?
It feels good to get recognition for the work. But awards are a temporary high.
I read that you recently suffered a bout of writer's block. Did you discover a good way to get around it that might benefit other writers?
I tend to write a lot, so when my writing slows I get dramatic. I’m not really sure what writer’s block is, but days that I don’t write are tough days, so when I’m not writing creatively, I tend to complain about not writing. I’ve never figured a way around writer’s block. I just wait it out, and write about it. Any tricks outside of this technique have not worked. Luckily, the blocks I’ve faced have not lasted long. (Perhaps the key is to write about writer’s block?)
Your memoir, Musical Chairs, launched you as a writer. It’s a very honest and open account of your life. It can’t have been easy to write as you would have been re-living many traumatic memories in doing so. Reviews have been very positive and it seems that readers find the book very inspirational. Would you encourage people to write a memoir, and what have you learnt by doing so?
I would only encourage it if the writer is already 100% sure s/he wants to write a memoir. The genre is tricky. The writer has such a huge responsibility to tell the truth and also protect certain identities. There were details in Musical Chairs, for instance, that might’ve made the story arc a little smoother; but these details would also compromise certain privacy rights of those I wrote about. These decisions are not easy. The genre is tough to do well with such constraints.
Further, there tends to be a backlash. Some readers tend to analyze the writer instead of the writing. I’d tell a writer of memoir to be ready to face personal attacks as well as a lot of judgment (positive and negative). Just don’t let it catch you off-guard. All that said, memoir is also the most rewarding of genres. It’s liberating in a way no other genre has been in my experience. So, if you’re in for an emotional roller coaster and some tough decisions, but you feel your story could truly benefit people or tell a story they’ve not yet heard, write a memoir!
Having written both fiction and non-fiction, what is your preference?
Fiction, I find, is far easier to write well. It’s more enjoyable to write as well, but there’s something about nonfiction that feels so raw and important. Nonfiction, when well done, will always be my favorite genre to read. Fiction will always be my favorite to write.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
Tobias Wolffand Erica Jong, for their memoirs. Vladimir Nabokov because his sentences are perfect. Amy Bloom and Mary Gaitskill because they write such realistic, nuanced fiction. There are so many more…
Do you have a favourite book?
Nabokov’s Lolita. It’s brave and beautiful, and it makes readers face real demons—people need to do that more, quit ignoring what’s uncomfortable.
What was the last book you read?
Caraliza by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick, a remarkable new author whose work I look forward to reading more of.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I read two to three books at one time. Fusion by you, Maria Savva; The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard and Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories by Tobias Wolff.
What do you think about ebooks?
Not a fan. I don’t mind them for short stories, but novels are tough to read on ebooks. I just don’t like clicking a button to turn a page—as silly as that sounds, I’m on the computer all day, clicking. At the end of the day, I just want to curl up with a book.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Pretty important. Feedback is not something a person should ignore just because someone’s decided to publish my work.
What’s your favourite part of the writing process?
The third revision. It’s when things start to come together like a puzzle I’ve finally figured out.
How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?
My father’s design is on the first. He’s an artist who has recently started a business, so I have to plug his site: knoxworx
For the second cover, I actually solicited the services of Laura J Miller because I liked the covers of her own works (she writes under Jaimey Grant). She is incredibly talented.
What are you working on now?
I’m trying to give Wallace that novel—to take "Absurd Hunger" from a short story to a 250 page book. I have written a lot of pages, but they are pages that need a lot of work.
Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers?
The early adopters tend to be the most daring, intelligent, remarkable people on earth. I appreciate you all.
Where can people buy your books?
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Indie Bookstores can order from IndieBound
Thank you, Jen for answering my questions!
Remember, to enter to win an ebook of To Begin Again just 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below. Good luck!
I am thrilled to be introducing you to one of my favourite indie authors today,Jen Knox.
I met Jen online over a year ago. I was interested to read her memoir,Musical Chairs, as it had been getting some great reviews. It's one of those books that made me realise that memoirs can be just as entertaining as fiction books. I used to only read fiction. Musical Chairs is written about Jen's decision to run away from home at the age of 15, the reasoning behind it, and all the ensuing problems. It's a book of hope and inspiration against the odds. It really is an interesting read, and even if you don't usually read memoirs I would recommend it because it is written by a born storyteller.
I could tell, when I read Musical Chairs last year, that this was a writer with a gift, so I was very happy when I found out that she also writes fiction. I recently read and enjoyed her collection of short stories,To Begin Again.
She is an award winning author, a creative writing tutor, and an all round fabulous person.
As well as agreeing to answer my interview questions, Jen is very generously giving away 2 ebook copies of her short story collection! All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is leave a comment on this blog post, or 'like' the post. It's that simple! Winners will be announced on 30th June 2011.
Here are Jen's answers to my questions:
From the bio on your website, I see that you are a creative writing professor. Do your students ever read your books and if so, what kind of responses have you had from them about your writing?
Yes, and I love teaching writing. So far, most of my students read more fantasy and thrillers, so I haven’t had too many approach me about my own work. Those who have seem to like my stories. But who knows? I mean, if I’m in a position to grade a person, how objective will s/he be?
Have any of your students ever written anything you wish you had written?
I don’t tend to read things and wish I’d written them, but I’ve read some remarkable work by my students—work I’d love to read again.
How do you go about telling a student that his or her story or writing is not very good? Is there an easy way to do that?
It’s never that simple. We all, as writers, have something positive to work with. I’m a very generous reader in that I give a piece time to develop the way the author intended. Often, critiques are balanced. What’s remarkable to me is that it’s often the writers who struggle most and have to work the hardest that really stick with it. I think the most common error I find in student writing is too much imitation, but this may just be a stage all beginning writers go through.
Many of your short stories and essays have been published in online literary magazines and journals. Do you have any advice to give to other writers who would like to approach such websites for inclusion of their stories, and are there any websites that you would recommend in particular?
Read the magazines. Familiarize yourself with what they publish. Unless you’re independently wealthy, I recommend picking journals, online or print, that pay. Or, if they don’t pay, ask how they represent their authors; many journals are very supportive of their authors, and as any writer knows, we need as much support as possible right now (as do the journals). NewPages.com is a great resource.
To Begin Again, is a collection of stories, some of which have been published before in other media. Did you write any of the stories specifically for the collection, or were they all stories that had already been published?
Most were published, but a few were written for the collection. “Absurd Hunger”, for instance, was written for the collection. I’m hoping the protagonist of this story, Wallace, will have his own novel one day.
Do you have any favourite stories from the collection?
“Disengaged” and “Absurd Hunger” are nearest my heart.
I think that some of the stories in the collection may be true stories, is that correct?
Yes, this is a collection of short fiction and nonfiction. The original title was To Begin Again: A Collection of Fact & Fiction but my publisher dropped the subtitle. I kind of liked this idea, though, it makes for interesting conversation.
In your fiction stories in To Begin Again, did you base any of your characters on real people?
Well, half of them are essays, such as, “At the Window” and “Dandelion Ghosts”; but those that are fiction, such as “Disengaged” and “Soft like Snow”, are purely fiction.
I enjoy reading your blog whenever I get a bit of time. I have worked out that you like to experiment a lot with writing. You were trying out different music to listen to whilst writing, and recently I’ve seen that you have started writing poems and short pieces inspired by art and photography. Have you concluded anything interesting from your experiments that you would like to share with us?
This is what I tell myself: Don’t get too comfortable with routine when it comes to writing. Mix things up a little. It’s fun, and what’s more, you may surprise yourself with what you can accomplish outside of your comfort zone. Writers can stop growing if they turn themselves into little factories, churning out variations of the same story again and again. There’s so much more out there to explore.
I think I’ll always be experimental with writing.
I read that you recently tore a tendon in your wrist in your writing hand. That must have been a bit of a nightmare as most of your work involves writing and typing. I hope you’re on the mend. Have you discovered any ingenious ways around this problem that you can share with us?
It is a nightmare. I’m in pain even now. I’m getting good at typing and writing with my left hand, but it’s painstakingly slow.
One of the stories from your collection, To Begin Again was featured in an anthology Short Story America Anthology, Volume 1 this year. How did that come about?
"Disengaged" has made its way around the literary landscape, and I’m quite proud. It was originally published in Superstition Review then reprinted in Short Story America. Because it was a “Story of the Week”, it also made it’s way into the SSA anthology. I’m very proud of this story. It’s my favorite in the collection, and I hope of all the work I’ve done before 2010, it will endure.
Congratulations on your recent award. I understand To Begin Again has won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for short stories 2011. That is a wonderful achievement. How did it feel to win that?
It feels good to get recognition for the work. But awards are a temporary high.
I read that you recently suffered a bout of writer's block. Did you discover a good way to get around it that might benefit other writers?
I tend to write a lot, so when my writing slows I get dramatic. I’m not really sure what writer’s block is, but days that I don’t write are tough days, so when I’m not writing creatively, I tend to complain about not writing. I’ve never figured a way around writer’s block. I just wait it out, and write about it. Any tricks outside of this technique have not worked. Luckily, the blocks I’ve faced have not lasted long. (Perhaps the key is to write about writer’s block?)
Your memoir, Musical Chairs, launched you as a writer. It’s a very honest and open account of your life. It can’t have been easy to write as you would have been re-living many traumatic memories in doing so. Reviews have been very positive and it seems that readers find the book very inspirational. Would you encourage people to write a memoir, and what have you learnt by doing so?
I would only encourage it if the writer is already 100% sure s/he wants to write a memoir. The genre is tricky. The writer has such a huge responsibility to tell the truth and also protect certain identities. There were details in Musical Chairs, for instance, that might’ve made the story arc a little smoother; but these details would also compromise certain privacy rights of those I wrote about. These decisions are not easy. The genre is tough to do well with such constraints.
Further, there tends to be a backlash. Some readers tend to analyze the writer instead of the writing. I’d tell a writer of memoir to be ready to face personal attacks as well as a lot of judgment (positive and negative). Just don’t let it catch you off-guard. All that said, memoir is also the most rewarding of genres. It’s liberating in a way no other genre has been in my experience. So, if you’re in for an emotional roller coaster and some tough decisions, but you feel your story could truly benefit people or tell a story they’ve not yet heard, write a memoir!
Having written both fiction and non-fiction, what is your preference?
Fiction, I find, is far easier to write well. It’s more enjoyable to write as well, but there’s something about nonfiction that feels so raw and important. Nonfiction, when well done, will always be my favorite genre to read. Fiction will always be my favorite to write.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
Tobias Wolffand Erica Jong, for their memoirs. Vladimir Nabokov because his sentences are perfect. Amy Bloom and Mary Gaitskill because they write such realistic, nuanced fiction. There are so many more…
Do you have a favourite book?
Nabokov’s Lolita. It’s brave and beautiful, and it makes readers face real demons—people need to do that more, quit ignoring what’s uncomfortable.
What was the last book you read?
Caraliza by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick, a remarkable new author whose work I look forward to reading more of.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I read two to three books at one time. Fusion by you, Maria Savva; The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard and Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories by Tobias Wolff.
What do you think about ebooks?
Not a fan. I don’t mind them for short stories, but novels are tough to read on ebooks. I just don’t like clicking a button to turn a page—as silly as that sounds, I’m on the computer all day, clicking. At the end of the day, I just want to curl up with a book.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Pretty important. Feedback is not something a person should ignore just because someone’s decided to publish my work.
What’s your favourite part of the writing process?
The third revision. It’s when things start to come together like a puzzle I’ve finally figured out.
How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?
My father’s design is on the first. He’s an artist who has recently started a business, so I have to plug his site: knoxworx
For the second cover, I actually solicited the services of Laura J Miller because I liked the covers of her own works (she writes under Jaimey Grant). She is incredibly talented.
What are you working on now?
I’m trying to give Wallace that novel—to take "Absurd Hunger" from a short story to a 250 page book. I have written a lot of pages, but they are pages that need a lot of work.
Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers?
The early adopters tend to be the most daring, intelligent, remarkable people on earth. I appreciate you all.
Where can people buy your books?
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Indie Bookstores can order from IndieBound
Thank you, Jen for answering my questions!
Remember, to enter to win an ebook of To Begin Again just 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below. Good luck!
June 14, 2011
Writing is like...
My good friend and fellow author Jason McIntyre has asked me to continue this blog meme... You can read his blog about what writing is like, here: The Farthest Reaches
Well, how do I follow that?
Jason is a very talented writer, I would say he has a gift. As many of you already know, I wrote Cutting The Fat with him as an online novel on BestsellerBound.com last year. It was a fun experience and it definitely made me realise that he is a top notch author. Try reading one of his books and you'll fall for the magic too.
Here goes, I shall attempt to describe what writing is like...
Writing is like walking into a movie theatre and having a choice as to what happens up there on the big screen... it’s exhilarating, exhausting, and it takes you away to places you never thought you’d go. It’s exciting. The way I write is by having a brief outline of what my novel will be about and then I start writing and the story flows as I go along. I create the characters and they will then direct me as to what should happen based on what type of person they are and what happened to them in their journey of life. Writing is like reading someone’s secret diary and finding out all their secrets and sharing them with the world... it’s only when you read over the finished product that writers will realise that those little secrets you are sharing are most often your own... Our subconscious mind is responsible for creativity and it also hoards a lot of information about our pasts. It’s all stored away there like old belongings in boxes in an attic that you just don’t want to get rid of. Some of the boxes have fun items which translate into the more humourous portions of the book, some of the boxes have been sealed because we’d rather not look back there, but sometimes if we take a peek, we can find that writing about it can somehow help us to deal with the darker memories. These usually translate to the more dramatic aspects of our writing.
Writing is a solitary experience but with all the characters in our heads and the stories overflowing in our imaginations writers are never really alone.
Writing is like baring your soul to the public, hanging your laundry out for all to see. The great Paulo Coelho once said, “Writing books is a socially acceptable form of getting naked in public”. Many writers will relate to that statement.
Now, I have to ask some of my fellow authors to continue this meme. I choose:
Quentin R. Bufogle because he is so funny and I know I'm just going to love his blog post about this :)
Jen Knox because I'm currently reading her collection of short stories and am mesmerised by her talent
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick because I know he will come up with a spellbinding blog post.
Well, how do I follow that?
Jason is a very talented writer, I would say he has a gift. As many of you already know, I wrote Cutting The Fat with him as an online novel on BestsellerBound.com last year. It was a fun experience and it definitely made me realise that he is a top notch author. Try reading one of his books and you'll fall for the magic too.
Here goes, I shall attempt to describe what writing is like...
Writing is like walking into a movie theatre and having a choice as to what happens up there on the big screen... it’s exhilarating, exhausting, and it takes you away to places you never thought you’d go. It’s exciting. The way I write is by having a brief outline of what my novel will be about and then I start writing and the story flows as I go along. I create the characters and they will then direct me as to what should happen based on what type of person they are and what happened to them in their journey of life. Writing is like reading someone’s secret diary and finding out all their secrets and sharing them with the world... it’s only when you read over the finished product that writers will realise that those little secrets you are sharing are most often your own... Our subconscious mind is responsible for creativity and it also hoards a lot of information about our pasts. It’s all stored away there like old belongings in boxes in an attic that you just don’t want to get rid of. Some of the boxes have fun items which translate into the more humourous portions of the book, some of the boxes have been sealed because we’d rather not look back there, but sometimes if we take a peek, we can find that writing about it can somehow help us to deal with the darker memories. These usually translate to the more dramatic aspects of our writing.
Writing is a solitary experience but with all the characters in our heads and the stories overflowing in our imaginations writers are never really alone.
Writing is like baring your soul to the public, hanging your laundry out for all to see. The great Paulo Coelho once said, “Writing books is a socially acceptable form of getting naked in public”. Many writers will relate to that statement.
Now, I have to ask some of my fellow authors to continue this meme. I choose:
Quentin R. Bufogle because he is so funny and I know I'm just going to love his blog post about this :)
Jen Knox because I'm currently reading her collection of short stories and am mesmerised by her talent
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick because I know he will come up with a spellbinding blog post.
June 8, 2011
Meet author Michael Scott Miller and enter to win a copy of his book!
I met Michael Scott Miller through BestsellerBound.com... it seems I meet some of the best authors there. Michael's book Ladies and Gentlemen...The Redeemers caught my eye as it has a live band on the cover... you know me.
I can never resist a bit of live music; combine it with a book and I'm in heaven.
A couple of months after Michael's book went on my to-read list, I spotted it in one of the emails I received from Bookpleasures.com (I'm a reviewer for that website.) I instantly requested a copy, knowing that it would be my type of read.
I didn't know what to expect, except that it was a book about a man trying to put a band together. I was very impressed with the book. It's hard to believe it's a debut novel. I can see a bright future for Mr. Miller.
You can read my review of his book here on Goodreads.
As I am on a mission to introduce you all to the best in indie writing, I just had to invite Michael to my blog. He kindly agreed to answer my questions and has offered to give away one paperback copy and three ebooks versions of the book!! All you have to do to enter is 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below! A winner will be picked at random on 20th June 2011. If you have a preference, you should state in your comment whether you're entering for the ebook version or the paperback.
Here are Michael's answers to my interview questions:
Your bio says you work with numbers by day and words by night. That’s an interesting combination. Do you enjoy working with both, or do you have a preference?
At this stage of my life, I am enjoying working with words more. The numbers side comes easily to me and I’ve made a great career in business out of that. However, I’ve found that I love expressing myself creatively through writing and I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of that. Plus, in all my years in the business world, I’ve never had a stranger tell me how much they enjoyed one of my spreadsheets.
Your background in writing appears to be non-fiction. I understand you’ve had work published in the Welcomat (now Philadelphia Weekly) and wrote music reviews for the Wharton Journal. How does writing non-fiction compare with fiction, in your opinion? Do you find it easier to write fiction or non-fiction?
Non-fiction is certainly easier for me since I don’t need to think about the story line or the style of music. I just need to come up with the appropriate words to describe it. I prefer the freedom of fiction though.
I’m assuming that a background in writing music reviews means you have a passion for music as well as words and numbers! (I’m also guessing this as your debut novel has a musical theme). What is your favourite type of music and do you keep up to date with new music?
I have an extensive music collection, mostly rock, but ranging broadly within the genre. My favorite style is pop-punk which is how I would characterize many of my favorite bands including Green Day, The Ramones, The Clash, Social Distortion, and Rancid. I also like more mainstream musicians like Bruce Springsteen and I confess to being a Deadhead. I keep up with new music actively and have been to see both Green Day and the Black Eyed Peas with my kids, which is very cool for me.
What was the last CD you bought?
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, by Kanye West
When you did music reviews for the Wharton Journal, what did the reviewing involve? Did you attend live performances to review them, or was it based on listening to CDs?
It was purely based on CDs. The editor of the paper would supply me with a batch of demo CDs and I would listen to them and get to choose the ones I wanted to review. I discovered one of my all-time favorite CDs that way, Fire of Freedom by Black 47. Another time, I gave a bad review to this glam band whose name now escapes me. Days later, I saw a review in a major publication where this band was professed to become the next big thing. They didn’t, and my review was vindicated.
Your debut novel is a wonderful book. I absolutely loved it. I’m a music fan, and I feel it really captured the essence of a band and the passion behind music. Have you ever worked in the music industry? The book was so realistic, it made me wonder.
Thank you (*blushing*). That’s awfully nice of you to say. I have not worked in the music industry so I am immensely flattered when readers tell me how true the story feels. I did my homework when I was writing the book so I’m glad that paid off.
How much research did you do for Ladies and Gentlemen...The Redeemers, and how long did it take you to write?
I did a fair amount of research both on the music industry and the setting. My former company had offices in San Jose, so I was able to extend business trips to go to San Francisco and UC Berkeley. I spent a couple days there walking around, visiting the BART stations where many of the early scenes in the book take place, and wandering through the UC Berkeley campus, which is beautiful, by the way.
I have a tough time answering how long the book took to write. I started it about ten years ago, but there were long stretches of idle time.
Most of the characters in your book are musicians. Do you play any musical instruments?
I don’t. I dabbled with piano and guitar as a kid but never became proficient. My teenage son plays the trumpet and drums very well and I am enjoying performing vicariously through him.
Did you base any of the characters on people you know?
Abe Jackson was inspired by a blind singer that I saw regularly in Suburban Station in Philadelphia. There is a bit of me sprinkled throughout the other characters, both good qualities and bad.
Which of the characters in your book can you most relate to and why?
Bert Ingram. Like Bert, I am a dreamer and an eternal optimist.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?
You have to really want it. It is a long journey, not only the writing, but doing all the marketing and promotion afterward. So my advice is to be prepared for long hours, but don’t let that stop you. Writing and publishing has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
Douglas Adams – brilliantly clever and utterly hilarious
J. K. Rowling – how could anyone not love the contribution she has made with the seven Harry Potter books.
J.R.R. Tolkien – I read Lord of the Rings as a teenager and it remains my all-time favorite
Robert Ludlum – I haven’t read much from him lately, but his stories are intriguing and captivating -- the definition of page-turners.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
I generally don’t read books more than once, but the one notable exception is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
What was the last book you read?
I’ve been reading books from other indie authors of late. The last couple were Wish List by John Locke and Rock & Roll Rip-Off by RJ McDonnell.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I’m reading My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking to see what all the hype is about. I’ve never read a paranormal romance and am unlikely to read many of them, but I just had to see.
What do you think of ebooks?
I love them. As an author, especially a relatively unknown one, publishing an ebook allowed me to first test the market by publishing the book for free, and later set the price at a very low $0.99. As a reader, they are also wonderful. I mostly read indie authors now and it’s great to be able to pick up books for under $5.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Reviews are extremely important. Truly independent reviews (read: not from my mother) validate the quality of my novel and give potential readers the confidence to invest in the book. Reviews are also really important for my psyche. There isn’t anything that lifts me up more than reading a positive review or comment about my book.
How did you go about choosing a cover for your book?
I first put together a cover using clip art and sent it to my wife for feedback. She promptly told me it was awful and guided me to find a photographic image instead. I then searched iStockphoto for scenes from a concert and immediately fell in love with the one on the cover here. It is just perfect – a silhouette of the band with an orange-yellow glow symbolizing the sun rising on the Redeemers.
What are you working on now?
I have a basic outline put together for another character-driven novel, but I’m reluctant to say more out of superstition. I will say that it takes place in Northern England, so Maria, I may be coming to you for help ϑ
Where can people buy your book?
Ahh, my favorite question. Here you go:
Amazon
B&N
It’s also available at many other sites including Smashwords, Kobo,the Sony Reader store, and Apple’s iBooks store.
Where can people go to read more about your work?
At ladiesandgentlementheredeemers, people can read the first chapter and access all the novel’s reviews and comments.
Thanks for the interview, Maria!
You're very welcome Michael. Thanks for being a fabulous guest. I don't know how much help I can be with your new book as it's set in Northern England and I'm in London... But give me a shout if I can be of assistance!
Remember to click the 'like' button or leave a comment below to enter for your chance to win a copy of this great book. It's an international competition. Good luck!
May 30, 2011
My review of the BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology
Bestseller Bound Anthology by Darcia HelleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of my short stories is featured in this collection, 'Flames'. My review does not include that story.
This is a diverse collection of stories, there's something for everyone in this anthology.
Wish Upon A Star by Lainey Bancroft
An insightful tale about a gifted singer who falls prey to the ravages of fame. Lainey is an author who understands the human psyche well.
Tears For Hesh by J. Michael Radcliffe
An entertaining fantasy tale, containing wizards, magic, curses, and spells. Hesh is a likeable character and I felt compassion for him. Well written with a tragic twist.
You Can Call Me Ari by Darcia Helle
A chilling, suspense story to keep you on the edge of your seat. By far the most vivid story in the collection. The descriptive quality of the writing pulls the reader in. Fans of Darcia's writing can be assured that even though this is just a short story it is just as scary as her novels!
Minor Details by Jaleta Clegg
A humourous tale about two teenage girls, one of whom can't spell. This leads to an unfortunate turn of events (or, fortunate, depending on how you look at it!) A fun read.
Ice Cream Man by Neil Schiller
Having read and enjoyed Neil's collection of short stories Oblivious, I was not disappointed by this story. It contains the same moody feel as much of his writing. It is in essence a poignant story of disappointment.
No Eyes But Mine Shall See by Sharon E. Cathcart
Sharon Cathcart sets the scene well in this heartbreaking story of a love denied. I liked the descriptive quality of the writing. Much of the story is written in the form of a letter that will never be read, making it all the more heartrending.
The First Texas Twister by Magnolia Belle
A fun and entertaining tale about how the Wild West collided with Native American culture to create the first tornado.
Shadow Lantern by Gareth Lewis
An interesting concept. A short story told entirely through dialogue with no narrative. At first, I didn't think it would work, and must admit to being a bit confused as to which character was speaking at times. By the end, however, I found myself entertained by this fantasy tale.
Stained by Amy Saunders
I hadn't read any of Amy's work before this short story, but now I will be seeking out more of her writing. I was very impressed by the way the author deals with the main character's emotions after a traumatic event. The tale is enthralling and the ending is moving. All believable characters.
All in all, this is a great collection and a wonderful way to introduce readers to some very talented independent authors.
View all my reviews
May 25, 2011
The BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology is now published!!
As most of you already know, I am a resident author at http://www.bestsellerbound.com a wonderful forum for readers and writers dedicated to bringing you the best in indie fiction.
We are very proud to announce that the first BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology is now published!
It's free to download from Smashwords in any format you choose.
Here's the link you need: BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology on Smashwords
It includes an exclusive new short story by me, 'Flames', which you won't find in any of my currently published collections.
The themes in the Anthology include: romance, mystery, fantasy, wizards, witches, music, torture
It's a very diverse collection sure to contain a story or two that you'll fall in love with whatever your taste. So, click the link and download your free copy, and don't forget to tell all your friends about it.
Here's a list of the story titles and authors:
Wish Upon A Star by Lainey Bancroft
Tears For Hesh by J. Michael Radcliffe
You Can Call Me Ari by Darcia Helle
Flames by Maria Savva
Minor Details by Jaleta Clegg
Ice Cream Man by Neil Schiller
No Eyes But Mine Shall See by Sharon E. Cathcart
The First Texas Twister by Magnolia Belle
Shadow Lantern by Gareth Lewis
Stained by Amy Saunders
We hope you'll enjoy the stories, please do let us know what you think!
Happy reading :)
We are very proud to announce that the first BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology is now published!
It's free to download from Smashwords in any format you choose.
Here's the link you need: BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology on Smashwords
It includes an exclusive new short story by me, 'Flames', which you won't find in any of my currently published collections.
The themes in the Anthology include: romance, mystery, fantasy, wizards, witches, music, torture
It's a very diverse collection sure to contain a story or two that you'll fall in love with whatever your taste. So, click the link and download your free copy, and don't forget to tell all your friends about it.
Here's a list of the story titles and authors:
Wish Upon A Star by Lainey Bancroft
Tears For Hesh by J. Michael Radcliffe
You Can Call Me Ari by Darcia Helle
Flames by Maria Savva
Minor Details by Jaleta Clegg
Ice Cream Man by Neil Schiller
No Eyes But Mine Shall See by Sharon E. Cathcart
The First Texas Twister by Magnolia Belle
Shadow Lantern by Gareth Lewis
Stained by Amy Saunders
We hope you'll enjoy the stories, please do let us know what you think!
Happy reading :)
May 20, 2011
Meet musician and author, Jerry Schwartz, and enter to win a copy of Pixels of Young Mueller!
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My guest this week is a musician as well as an author. His debut novel,Pixels of Young Mueller, is all about an artist growing up... a young man who dreams of becoming a world famous rock star, but then life gets in the way. It's a book that spoke to me because I could relate to the dreamer qualities of the main character and how he feels that the way of life he is living is not really the one he wants to be living as he wants to express his artistic self to the world. It's the type of book that I think everyone will be able to relate to in one way or other. It's a very honest account of a young man growing up, a coming of age tale with a musical twist. I would highly recommend it, especially to people who love music.
I first met Jerry Schwartz on Twitter when I was giving away a copy of my first novel Coincidences. He entered the giveaway and won a copy. After that, I read his book and we have been good online friends since.
Jerry has very kindly agreed to give away a copy of his excellent novel to one lucky reader of my blog. I'm going to change the rules slightly for this giveaway. Usually, I ask you to enter by commenting on the blog post, but I know that some people don't like to leave comments. So, all you have to do to enter is to 'Like' the blog post and you'll be entered into the draw!! It would be lovely to see all your comments too, though, so don't let that put you off.
A lucky winner will be picked at random on 31st May 2011.
Here are Jerry's replies to my interview questions:
As well as being a very talented writer, you are also a musician. You are the man behind The Jerrys, a Beatles-influenced pop/indie band. Are you a one-man band, or are there other musicians involved in The Jerrys?
Thank you, Maria. For the most part, The Jerrys are just me. I love being the whole band, as members always agree on everything and there are no conflicts with schedules. I do enjoy bringing in other musicians from time to time. Robert Porche (drums/vocals) has appeared on a few songs, as well as in a few videos. In addition, Tom Clishem (vocals) and my brothers Todd (guitar) and Troy (drums) have each appeared on one song.
Your debut novel, Pixels of Young Mueller, is a coming-of-age story all about a young man who dreams of being a rock star. When I was reading it, I did wonder if it was in fact a memoir as you are a musician. How much of the story is based on your own life?
A reviewer referred to it as an autobiographical novel, and while I had not heard the term before, I thought that sounded fair enough. I wrote Pixels of Young Mueller as a Kunstlerroman (German for “artist novel”), the story of the growth and development of an artist. It’s based on my life, but I have taken liberties with facts to create Klaus Mueller.
How did you think up the title for the book?
That was the easiest part--I knew from the beginning that I wanted both “young” and “Mueller” in the title, and as I began writing, it seemed “pixels” was a great way to describe the bits that make up the story. In the end, it seemed like a nice play on Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, so I went with it.
Pixels of Young Mueller is quite original as it’s almost interactive. Klaus Mueller’s songs can be heard on The Jerrys’ website, and some of the lyrics appear in the novel. Since publishing the book, have you noticed many readers becoming fans of the band?
Thousands! Just kidding. Curiously, I am getting a lot more MySpace fans, but I don’t know whether that has anything to do with the book. I thought MySpace was supposed to be dead already--what’s up with that?
How has the book been received by existing fans of The Jerrys?
So far, they are still fans, so I’m taking that as a good sign!
I thoroughly enjoyed Pixels of Young Mueller. It is very well written, and I think that the main character, Klaus Mueller, is someone that most people will be able to relate to in one way or another. When you were writing the book and developing the character, did you have any particular type of reader in mind?
Thanks, Maria. I mainly wrote Pixels for me. I have always enjoyed books by James Joyce, Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de,Rabelais, Francois, Samuel Butler, Sterne, Laurence, etc, and it seemed to me that no one was writing those kinds of books anymore. Someone needed to step up to the plate and take a swing, so I did.
Do you have any other novels in the pipeline?
I’m working on a second Mueller novel, totally unlike the first. As one example, I’m using first-person narrative for this book, whereas I used third-person omniscient narrative in Pixels of Young Mueller. Also, I have ditched previous themes for new ones, which by their nature and no intent of mine will have broader commercial appeal.
I have seen from The Jerrys’ website that you have produced quite a few CDs. How would you describe The Jerrys’ sound?
People describe The Jerrys as Beatlesque, and that’s probably as good a start as any, but I don’t think it’s the best description. I’m probably not the best person to ask, but when I think of The Jerrys, I think of trebly guitars, Vox amps, harmonies, power chords, and a DIY attitude.
What bands influenced you most when you were growing up, and what was it about their style/music that you liked?
I grew up listening to The Beatles, The Kinks, Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Who, The Monkees, The Rascals, etc. Actually, I never just listened to them--I lived for them. Their music was my life, and there was nothing more exciting than electric guitars and drums and good singing. At times, I cared about nothing else.
What was the first album you ever bought?
The Beatles 1962-1966
What kind of music do you prefer to listen to?
I listen to a lot of music, but I prefer music that is upbeat and that makes me tap my foot. Ideally, the main instruments are guitars and the singer has an attitude.
Do you keep up to date with the current music scene? If so, what new bands have caught your eye recently?
I have a teenage daughter who LOVES music, so I’m pretty familiar with what is popular, at least. I hear a hook or two once in a while that sticks with me (usually Ke$ha), but as far as the current band scene goes, I’m disappointed. I’d rather not name names, but I don’t understand the success of some of these bands. In terms of recent releases, I’m listening to comeback albums from the Smithereens and the Cars. My favorite current band is the Dandy Warhols.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their book?
I have not self-published before, but I do know that there are a lot of great resources out there. In addition, I would probably seek out people who have self-published their books to benefit from their experience. Any author should make sure that his or her book is the best it can be before submitting or publishing, and that means sleeping on it and coming back to it more than a few times. I would also mention that whether you are self-published or published by one of the biggies, you’d better be ready to promote your work. Like it or not, that’s how it is.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
My favorite author is Joyce, despite the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of Finnegans Wake--at least not yet! I also love William Shakespeare, Italo Svevo, Sterne, Butler, Cervantes, etc. In each case, my favorite thing about their writing is that it is so undeniably them. It’s not only what they are saying--it’s how they are saying it.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
The list of books that I have read more than once is too long to include here. I have always thought of books as being like albums in the sense that I would never think of listening to a good album only once. Each reading or listening brings new rewards.
What was the last book you read?
Googled: The End of the World as We Know It by Ken Auletta
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I’m reading Website Optimization: Speed, Search Engine & Conversion Rate Secrets by Andrew B. King. It’s a nice blend of search engine marketing and web performance optimization.
What do you think of ebooks?
I enjoy reading on a Kindle as much as I do reading printed books. In the end, it’s all about reading. As wonderful as technology is, it has brought with it a great number of distractions, and I don’t think people read as much as they used to (or need to). I like to think that ebooks will inspire new interest in an old pastime.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Tough question. Sometimes I think reviews matter, while at other times I don’t care. When people tell me they like my book, I always recommend that they post a review, but I don’t mind if they don’t. I’m not one to post a review of every book I read, so I get it.
How did you go about choosing the cover for your book?
One of the major themes of Pixels of Young Mueller is flight--the artist flying away from the things that hold him down--so I wanted a bird on the cover. Specifically, I wanted to use one of Max Ernst’s birds, as I am a big fan of those paintings, but I guessed that would cost a small fortune, so I did not pursue it. I created my own bird instead.
What are you working on now?
I released a new full-length album by The Jerrys just a few days ago, so I’m ready to hit the ground running on my second novel. I’ve already started the project, but because of my music, I have not been able to get real momentum going. That is all about to change, which I find exciting. The fact that I am ditching the album format for new music will free me up a bit more as well.
Where can people buy your book?
Pixels of Young Mueller is available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle Edition, as well as from the publisher, All Things That Matter Press.
Amazon
All Things That Matter Press
You can read more about Jerry and his projects on his website
Thank you for being a wonderful guest, Jerry.
Remember, all you have to do to enter the draw to win a copy of the amazing Pixels of Young Mueller, is leave a comment or 'Like' this blog post! Good luck! This is an international competition.
My guest this week is a musician as well as an author. His debut novel,Pixels of Young Mueller, is all about an artist growing up... a young man who dreams of becoming a world famous rock star, but then life gets in the way. It's a book that spoke to me because I could relate to the dreamer qualities of the main character and how he feels that the way of life he is living is not really the one he wants to be living as he wants to express his artistic self to the world. It's the type of book that I think everyone will be able to relate to in one way or other. It's a very honest account of a young man growing up, a coming of age tale with a musical twist. I would highly recommend it, especially to people who love music.
I first met Jerry Schwartz on Twitter when I was giving away a copy of my first novel Coincidences. He entered the giveaway and won a copy. After that, I read his book and we have been good online friends since.
Jerry has very kindly agreed to give away a copy of his excellent novel to one lucky reader of my blog. I'm going to change the rules slightly for this giveaway. Usually, I ask you to enter by commenting on the blog post, but I know that some people don't like to leave comments. So, all you have to do to enter is to 'Like' the blog post and you'll be entered into the draw!! It would be lovely to see all your comments too, though, so don't let that put you off.
A lucky winner will be picked at random on 31st May 2011.
Here are Jerry's replies to my interview questions:
As well as being a very talented writer, you are also a musician. You are the man behind The Jerrys, a Beatles-influenced pop/indie band. Are you a one-man band, or are there other musicians involved in The Jerrys?
Thank you, Maria. For the most part, The Jerrys are just me. I love being the whole band, as members always agree on everything and there are no conflicts with schedules. I do enjoy bringing in other musicians from time to time. Robert Porche (drums/vocals) has appeared on a few songs, as well as in a few videos. In addition, Tom Clishem (vocals) and my brothers Todd (guitar) and Troy (drums) have each appeared on one song.
Your debut novel, Pixels of Young Mueller, is a coming-of-age story all about a young man who dreams of being a rock star. When I was reading it, I did wonder if it was in fact a memoir as you are a musician. How much of the story is based on your own life?
A reviewer referred to it as an autobiographical novel, and while I had not heard the term before, I thought that sounded fair enough. I wrote Pixels of Young Mueller as a Kunstlerroman (German for “artist novel”), the story of the growth and development of an artist. It’s based on my life, but I have taken liberties with facts to create Klaus Mueller.
How did you think up the title for the book?
That was the easiest part--I knew from the beginning that I wanted both “young” and “Mueller” in the title, and as I began writing, it seemed “pixels” was a great way to describe the bits that make up the story. In the end, it seemed like a nice play on Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, so I went with it.
Pixels of Young Mueller is quite original as it’s almost interactive. Klaus Mueller’s songs can be heard on The Jerrys’ website, and some of the lyrics appear in the novel. Since publishing the book, have you noticed many readers becoming fans of the band?
Thousands! Just kidding. Curiously, I am getting a lot more MySpace fans, but I don’t know whether that has anything to do with the book. I thought MySpace was supposed to be dead already--what’s up with that?
How has the book been received by existing fans of The Jerrys?
So far, they are still fans, so I’m taking that as a good sign!
I thoroughly enjoyed Pixels of Young Mueller. It is very well written, and I think that the main character, Klaus Mueller, is someone that most people will be able to relate to in one way or another. When you were writing the book and developing the character, did you have any particular type of reader in mind?
Thanks, Maria. I mainly wrote Pixels for me. I have always enjoyed books by James Joyce, Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de,Rabelais, Francois, Samuel Butler, Sterne, Laurence, etc, and it seemed to me that no one was writing those kinds of books anymore. Someone needed to step up to the plate and take a swing, so I did.
Do you have any other novels in the pipeline?
I’m working on a second Mueller novel, totally unlike the first. As one example, I’m using first-person narrative for this book, whereas I used third-person omniscient narrative in Pixels of Young Mueller. Also, I have ditched previous themes for new ones, which by their nature and no intent of mine will have broader commercial appeal.
I have seen from The Jerrys’ website that you have produced quite a few CDs. How would you describe The Jerrys’ sound?
People describe The Jerrys as Beatlesque, and that’s probably as good a start as any, but I don’t think it’s the best description. I’m probably not the best person to ask, but when I think of The Jerrys, I think of trebly guitars, Vox amps, harmonies, power chords, and a DIY attitude.
What bands influenced you most when you were growing up, and what was it about their style/music that you liked?
I grew up listening to The Beatles, The Kinks, Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Who, The Monkees, The Rascals, etc. Actually, I never just listened to them--I lived for them. Their music was my life, and there was nothing more exciting than electric guitars and drums and good singing. At times, I cared about nothing else.
What was the first album you ever bought?
The Beatles 1962-1966
What kind of music do you prefer to listen to?
I listen to a lot of music, but I prefer music that is upbeat and that makes me tap my foot. Ideally, the main instruments are guitars and the singer has an attitude.
Do you keep up to date with the current music scene? If so, what new bands have caught your eye recently?
I have a teenage daughter who LOVES music, so I’m pretty familiar with what is popular, at least. I hear a hook or two once in a while that sticks with me (usually Ke$ha), but as far as the current band scene goes, I’m disappointed. I’d rather not name names, but I don’t understand the success of some of these bands. In terms of recent releases, I’m listening to comeback albums from the Smithereens and the Cars. My favorite current band is the Dandy Warhols.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their book?
I have not self-published before, but I do know that there are a lot of great resources out there. In addition, I would probably seek out people who have self-published their books to benefit from their experience. Any author should make sure that his or her book is the best it can be before submitting or publishing, and that means sleeping on it and coming back to it more than a few times. I would also mention that whether you are self-published or published by one of the biggies, you’d better be ready to promote your work. Like it or not, that’s how it is.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
My favorite author is Joyce, despite the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of Finnegans Wake--at least not yet! I also love William Shakespeare, Italo Svevo, Sterne, Butler, Cervantes, etc. In each case, my favorite thing about their writing is that it is so undeniably them. It’s not only what they are saying--it’s how they are saying it.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
The list of books that I have read more than once is too long to include here. I have always thought of books as being like albums in the sense that I would never think of listening to a good album only once. Each reading or listening brings new rewards.
What was the last book you read?
Googled: The End of the World as We Know It by Ken Auletta
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I’m reading Website Optimization: Speed, Search Engine & Conversion Rate Secrets by Andrew B. King. It’s a nice blend of search engine marketing and web performance optimization.
What do you think of ebooks?
I enjoy reading on a Kindle as much as I do reading printed books. In the end, it’s all about reading. As wonderful as technology is, it has brought with it a great number of distractions, and I don’t think people read as much as they used to (or need to). I like to think that ebooks will inspire new interest in an old pastime.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Tough question. Sometimes I think reviews matter, while at other times I don’t care. When people tell me they like my book, I always recommend that they post a review, but I don’t mind if they don’t. I’m not one to post a review of every book I read, so I get it.
How did you go about choosing the cover for your book?
One of the major themes of Pixels of Young Mueller is flight--the artist flying away from the things that hold him down--so I wanted a bird on the cover. Specifically, I wanted to use one of Max Ernst’s birds, as I am a big fan of those paintings, but I guessed that would cost a small fortune, so I did not pursue it. I created my own bird instead.
What are you working on now?
I released a new full-length album by The Jerrys just a few days ago, so I’m ready to hit the ground running on my second novel. I’ve already started the project, but because of my music, I have not been able to get real momentum going. That is all about to change, which I find exciting. The fact that I am ditching the album format for new music will free me up a bit more as well.
Where can people buy your book?
Pixels of Young Mueller is available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle Edition, as well as from the publisher, All Things That Matter Press.
Amazon
All Things That Matter Press
You can read more about Jerry and his projects on his website
Thank you for being a wonderful guest, Jerry.
Remember, all you have to do to enter the draw to win a copy of the amazing Pixels of Young Mueller, is leave a comment or 'Like' this blog post! Good luck! This is an international competition.
May 19, 2011
I've won an award!
That got your attention, didn't it? Well, I haven't won the Man Booker Prize for fiction... yet ;)
I have been awarded the "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog" Award, by my fellow author and blogger, the awesomely talented Jason McIntyre
Thank you, Jason, that's very "sweet" of you :)
The rules for accepting the award are as follows:
1) Thank and link to the person that nominated you.
2) Share 7 random facts about yourself.
3) Pass the award to 15 of your blogging buddies.
4) Notify the recipients.
Here's where you can find Jason's blog
I would highly recommend it as a very entertaining place to visit on the world wide web.
7 Random facts about me...
1. I am no good at writing lists of facts about me
2. I'm currently putting the final edits on my soon to be released novel, 'The Dream'
3. I like heavy metal music
4. I once acted as a defence lawyer for a celebrity's brother when I was a criminal solicitor, and met the said celebrity's mother (sorry, can't disclose who it was... client confidentiality)
5. Babies always seem to like me for some reason
6. I can knit
7. I can't swim
Here (in no particular order) are 15 more wonderful blogs I would recommend:
Darcia Helle -- A Word Please
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick -- The Tale is The Thing
Lisette Brodey -- Molly Hacker
Neil Schiller
The Secret Writer
Julie Elizabeth Powell
Quentin R. Bufogle
Ann Mauren
Catherine Rose
Stacy Juba
Jen Knox
Paul Mansfield Keefe
Marty Beaudet -- By A Thread
Susan Helene Gottfried -- West Of Mars
Notes from an Alien
I have been awarded the "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog" Award, by my fellow author and blogger, the awesomely talented Jason McIntyre
Thank you, Jason, that's very "sweet" of you :)
The rules for accepting the award are as follows:
1) Thank and link to the person that nominated you.
2) Share 7 random facts about yourself.
3) Pass the award to 15 of your blogging buddies.
4) Notify the recipients.
Here's where you can find Jason's blog
I would highly recommend it as a very entertaining place to visit on the world wide web.
7 Random facts about me...
1. I am no good at writing lists of facts about me
2. I'm currently putting the final edits on my soon to be released novel, 'The Dream'
3. I like heavy metal music
4. I once acted as a defence lawyer for a celebrity's brother when I was a criminal solicitor, and met the said celebrity's mother (sorry, can't disclose who it was... client confidentiality)
5. Babies always seem to like me for some reason
6. I can knit
7. I can't swim
Here (in no particular order) are 15 more wonderful blogs I would recommend:
Darcia Helle -- A Word Please
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick -- The Tale is The Thing
Lisette Brodey -- Molly Hacker
Neil Schiller
The Secret Writer
Julie Elizabeth Powell
Quentin R. Bufogle
Ann Mauren
Catherine Rose
Stacy Juba
Jen Knox
Paul Mansfield Keefe
Marty Beaudet -- By A Thread
Susan Helene Gottfried -- West Of Mars
Notes from an Alien
