E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 22

50 Questions in 50 Days! - Ask Me Anything

For the next 50 days (starting Monday 2nd January 2017), I'll be answering one writing question per day from the list below to give you a better insight into what it's like to be a writer of fantasy and post-apocalyptic fiction.I'll be choosing the questions from this list (found here) at random, and I'll strike through those I've used at the end. Every day a new update will be submitted to my website with the title (for example) '50 Questions: #1: What is your writing Kryptonite?' and I'll link it back to the relating question here. If you don't have the time to visit my site, don't worry. I'll be sharing each one on social media.Those questions I feel deserve a more personal answer may be answered on my YouTube Channel or as a voice recording. Cool, right?But, thebestpart about all this is that you, my loyal readers, can switch things up a bit by asking a question of your own (not on the list already) to overwrite one of the existing questions. Let's make it more personal and tons more fun for all of us - ask me anything, go ahead...I'm really looking forward to hearing your questions and queries about my life as a writer, so get in touch through any of my social media channels. Be quick, or the question you want to replace might already be answered by the time I receive your message!Click to Email MeMessage Me:www.facebook.com/ERHInspiredTweet Me:www.twitter.com/ERHardcastleSo here are 50 great questions to ask an author:What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?What is the first book that made you cry?What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?Does writing energize or exhaust you?What are common traps for aspiring writers?Does a big ego help or hurt writers?What is your writing Kryptonite?Have you ever gotten reader’s block?Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?What did you do with your first advance?What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?What are the most important magazines for writers to subscribe to?What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?What does literary success look like to you?What’s the best way to market your books?What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice? ANSWERED 16/01/2017.What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?How long were you a part-time writer before you became a full-time one?How many hours a day do you write?What period of your life do you find you write about most often? (child, teenager, young adult)What did you edit out of this book?”Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?What are the ethics of writing about historical figures?How do you select the names of your characters?If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?What was your hardest scene to write?Do you Google yourself?What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?What are your favorite literary journals?What is your favorite childhood book?What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?REPLACED BYWhat is your biggest fear as a writer, indie or otherwise? (Thank you to Joshua Harding for this question - it will be answered on 18/01/2017!)Does your family support your career as a writer?If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?How long on average does it take you to write a book?Do you believe in writer’s block?E. Rachael Hardcastle

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #6: Jason. J. Nugent

The Author Interviews continues this weekend withJason. J. Nugent, author of Moments of Darkness.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?In the novel I’m planning on releasing in March 2017, I’m on a human colonized planet orbiting a red sun. It’s dangerous and many natural phenomenon are deadly to humans.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?In the novel my name is Eron. I’m a seventeen-year old boy facing the harrowing trials known as The Selection.Who is your favourite author? Why?Stephen King. His ability to capture every day life and twist it to scare you and make you reconsider it is amazing. His use of language, accessible and engaging, is what draws me to him.Where do you get your ideas?It depends. I’ve been inspired by random photos I found online. Many of my flash fiction stories started that way. Other times an interesting concept or character emerge needing to be written about.Why do you write?I enjoy the creation process. I enjoy making something from only my thoughts. The best part is sharing that with others.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I try to learn the lesson inherent in those remarks. For whatever reason the story I wrote didn’t resonate with the reader and I use it as an opportunity to hone my craft and strive to write better.What do you find difficult about writing?The revision process. It’s necessary and helps make a good story great, but I hate spending a ton of time reading it over and over and over again. I’ve learned to appreciate it more but it’s still my least favorite part of writing.What do you love the most about writing?I love to share my odd stories with new readers. I love creating my worlds and characters.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?For my two dark fiction short story collections, I did all the revisions and editing. I created the cover for (Almost) Average Anthology but I outsourced the cover of Moments of Darkness to an artist friend. I’ve also hired him to do the cover of my upcoming novel The Selection and I’ve hired an editor.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I certainly see benefits and pitfalls of both. So far I’ve gone the indie route. If I can produce the same quality as a traditionally published book, why not? It reminds me of the early internet. Scholars chided the new technology as a source of information because anyone can upload content, which is true, but over time and with careful scrutiny, it has turned into a valid research tool. Indie publishing is similar. There are still books sold without any thought to editing and polish, but to succeed you need to invest in your product and make it the best it can be.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.I find if I think about the story a lot before I ever write a word, I can create a stronger piece. I like to let it stew a bit beforehand and then get it out on the screen (or notebook). I try not to edit as I go. I’ve found that it slows me down and my thoughts will get lost in the process.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Never stop learning and perfecting your craft. Look for ways to improve. Every writer needs to continue growing.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.Be genuine. Be consistent. Don’t be a jerk. Your readers and potential readers will pick up on that.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?I think a good book will capture you and make you want to read it again.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?I look for a professional cover and a great blurb.Do you have a favourite genre?Horror, fantasy, and scifi.What would it take for you to leave a book review?I’ve been trying to leave one for every book I read. I’m getting better! They’re critical for authors and I feel like I can’t expect reviews if I don’t leave any myself.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?Yeah certainly. If I’m into the series I’ll gladly give the author my money!Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?I do. I like to see more of their personality.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Sure thing. I have and I will.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?Yep. I like to try and help other authors share their message. And who knows, I might get a book!Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?It’s nice knowing there are other formats but it’s not a deal breaker.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?I don’t care if it’s self-published or traditionally published. If the content is good, well edited, and well presented, then I’m in. Self published authors have an unfortunate label branded on them which seems to indicate inferior quality. Some fit that description but more often than not, it’s not the case. Just because your book is “published” by “XYZ Publishers” doesn’t mean a thing.Thank you to Jason for this interesting interview. If you would like to support the author, please consider purchasing a copy of the book here:

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #5: Jeffrey Weaver

Today's writer isJeffrey Weaver, author ofA Recipe For Hope: How We Fought Cancer with Family, Friends, Faith and Food.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?Just to clarify my book is non fiction and is about my wife’s fight with incurable breast cancer and how we overcame it with lifestyle changes. So yes we are living in that world, every single day and we will be there for many years. In the book I write about heroes and villains in the truest sense. This is about a life and death struggle and how it feels like to have a death sentence hanging over my wife and how that alters her life but that of all of us who are invested in her battle.I wrote this in journal format as it happened (long before a book was envisioned) and it's told from my point of view, which is unique as I am also a cancer survivor turned into a caregiver. I did hundreds and hundreds of hours of research on cancer fighting foods and wrote about that, along with any other lifestyle things that would extend her life. I included and big section on foods and the science behind them as well as over 50 recipes I designed where every ingredient has to have a cancer fighting component.Who is your favourite author? Why?As far as what authors are favorites, a couple come to mind, Malcom Gladwell and Raymond Carver. I love to write non fiction pieces so that’s why Gladwell, but I also love short stories and Carver is my favorite in that genre, plus I love his writing style.Where do you get your ideas?Mostly from life, mine and others. You see I am 67 and have lead a very adventurous life so I have a lot to draw from.Why do you write?I went back to college in 2009 and had to retake my academic writing classes and met a couple professors who really encouraged me to take up writing, both in essay type work and creatively. Once I starting studying and writing creative fiction it was like I found my calling, even at my advanced age.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?Like I aways do, look at who’s doing the critiques first, then either ignore them or figure out a why to get better because of them. I have been rejected on much larger stages than getting rejected for what I wrote. It’s just part of the gig and I don’t try to please everyone, that is not possible and dilutes your work.What do you find difficult about writing?SPELLING. Seriously I can’t spell and it slows me down. Word programs often have no idea what I’m doing. Also resisting the urge to go to fast and resort to telling rather than showing scenes or who my characters are.What do you love the most about writing?It is kind of therapeutic because I write about relationships mostly. And because at times I find that I end up being an observer not the writer. What I mean is there are times when I’m writing something takes over and words just appear on my screen and I am above watching me write them. It’s kind of magical when that happens.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?Yes, I hired a good editor who has a big staff that does the all that stuff. With this book I went through developmental edits to all the final edits. We had a great designer for the cover and the inside of the book as well. Having a book that looks professional done is key to succeeding as an indy author. No one has all the necessary skills to do all the different things it takes to produce a finely finished product. Writing professional quality works needs to be treated as a business, if you don’t you will never make it. This stuff is hard and there is lots of completion since the advent of ebooks and the easy of self publishing burst onto the scene.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I know that I would never get a publishing deal because I don’t have a big enough following. Now days unless a traditional publisher knows that there is a built in number of books they can sell they don’t pick up the work. They don’t have the kind of money they once had to spend on unproven authors. I have always been a entrepreneur and have built several business so I’m not afraid of the challenges that comes with making my own way. Plus I know that the book market, like many other markets, have been changed by the internet. People don’t buy that many books from books stores and even finding a book store is hard and going to get harder, so why not go where many proven authors are eventually going to end up, as a self publishing writer. One thing I have done is turn to hybrid publishing because you get a little of traditional but remain independent at the same time.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.As I said I write about relationships and because of my age and life experience I have a lot to draw on. So when I want to write about something I work out the story line in my head and then I write an simple outline. I know where I want to go so the outline helps keep me on track but my characters always find thier own way to the finish. I try not to edit to much at first as I want to get the first draft done. But I do start each day reviewing that last part of the previous day's work and make adjustments to the story direction if need be. When the first draft is complete then I go back and read it all the way through and make notes about where and how I need to change things. After I finish that draft then I start to polish it a little. When I am satisfied I send the work to my editor for a developmental edit and do another rewrite. After that I send my work out to several beta readers. I use different types of readers, ones I know will see different things, such as plot line, technical things, stylistic things. When I get their feedback I do another rewrite if need or make some changes. When I am finished my wife reads it and I trust her because she is a veracious reader. Then is back to the editor for a final polishing or two or three.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Do your homework on your ideas. Be prepared before you start to write, know your characters inside and out. And most importantly understand that writing a book is really really hard and is akin to running a marathon. It takes time and lots of hard work. You must comment yourself to the effort or you are just waisting your time, effort and money. Set small achievable goals like committing to 500 words a day rather than 2000. You can always write more but its discouraging when you don’t meet your goals and writing is discouraging enough without the writer making it harder.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.Word of mouth, build an email list shooting for 1000 people, and then turn those people into your fans. Hire a reputable firm to help if you can afford it. This part is harder than writing the book and requires more work.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?YesWhat do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?I always know what I’m look for so I don’t go shop. But one thing I know for sure is that today people aren’t going to read a sample first. We have reached a point where our attention spams are short, so if you want your book to sell make sure your cover is awesome. People shop with their eyes first. So if the cover isn’t good the reader will never buy your book. This is one place you must spend money and hire a professional designer.Do you have a favourite genre?Not really I like to read different things. I write in a couple different genres, adult fiction, non fiction and I have just started writing a young adult series and I am have a ball with it.What would it take for you to leave a book review?Read a really good book. I don’t think I would do a negative review for someone unless it was bad fiction or really wrong factually.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?I don’t read ebooks. I would and do read multiple works by an author if I like their style.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?Not very oftenIf an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Maybe. But not likely.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?NeverAre you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?NoWhat are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?Bad covers. No ISBN and the design of the front, back and interior of the book.Many thanks to the author for this interview and if you would like to show your support please consider purchasing a copy of the book as below:

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #4: Aaron Malek

The mini-series continues withAaron Malek, writer of CatharsisYou are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?My story is set in modern day in the Northwoods of Wisconsin which is where I currently live. You know that crazy guy who lives alone in a cabin and spends all day on the lake in a kayak full of empty beer cans? He lives here. Just down the road, actually. That’s what it’s like up North and I have no plans to leave. Besides, the South is too hot and the West just eats way too healthy for my liking.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?I’m just your average guy trying to attain the American dream. I’ve got a girlfriend (soon to be fiance) who is totally selfless and somehow puts up with all of my crap. My best friend and I are musicians so when I’m not working I’m singing or songwriting with him. Someone dealt me a bad hand, though. I recently came down with a paranormal affliction that is horrendously painful both physically and emotionally. I’d rather spend a decade in a room with nothing but a single issue of Golf Digest than deal with this, but I don’t really have a choice. At least not until I find a cure.Who is your favourite author? Why?H.G. Wells hands down. In an age before the invention of the airplane, he was writing about time travel and laser beams and martian invasions. The guy was a total genius.Where do you get your ideas?My first source of inspiration is my own personal experiences with the paranormal. Second would be music. It’s like catnip to me. If you were being paid to find the lost city of El Dorado or find me without my headphones on, let’s just say it looks like you would be packing your bags for South America.Why do you write?I think the title of this story says a lot. Writing is cathartic. It can be both difficult and relieving to sit down and throw up my brain onto a piece of paper. I don’t just write for myself, though. I ultimately write for others; for their entertainment and to inspire them to create.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?Constructive criticism may as well be caffeine because I seriously crave it and use it to energize my writing. Negative criticism is something I’ve been dealing with since childhood. My conservative Christian Mom pulled out the manuscript of a fantasy story I was writing in the 5th grade like it was the Satanic Bible, plopped it on the dining room table and mocked it in front of my family. By now all the humiliation of childhood has worn away and I’ve been left with thick skin.What do you find difficult about writing?I instinctively want to hold back my thoughts and write superficially but I’ve learned to force myself to delve deeper into my cyborg soul and not be afraid of what comes out. The process can be pretty painful, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for punishment.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.Wow, that’s quite a request. Honestly, my brain is like a blender that is roughly chopping uprandom thoughts 24/7. I can hardly find the right adhesives to put words together let alone sort out a step-by-step creative process. I’m not sure that such a thing exists in my mind. When inspiration comes, I write it down. If inspiration doesn’t come, I force the content out of me by sitting quietly and meditating on my story like a Tibetan Monk. Only instead of meditating on ancient wisdom I ask myself how far someone needs to be pushed before they resort to alcoholism.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Keep going. Don't let criticism or insecurity stop you, just channel that into your writing and you will create something better than you could have imagined.

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #3: Will Patching

The Author Interviews continue with Will Patching, author ofMutilated: A British Crime Thriller.You can take only three items to your secret island. What would you take? Why?My guitar, a fully equipped solar powered fishing boat(!) and my laptop. There is internet on my secret island too…Who is your favourite author? Why?I don’t have a favourite, although over the years there are hundreds of books and authors I have ‘loved’. You see, for me, reading is so personal that a book read in one mood, or at one stage in my life, may not have the same effect at a later date when I am feeling differently or my circumstances have changed.Swinging in a hammock on a sunny tropical beach supping a beer invites a different ‘favourite’ to a book devoured while snuggled on the sofa, relaxing beside a roaring fire, the wind howling outside, and the air chilled with an ominous damp.I do have favourite genres – crime fiction, suspense, psychological thrillers, adventure thrillers and murder mystery. Hence I write across that whole spectrum, though my books are not limited to just one category.Where do you get your ideas?Ideas are not in short supply – just scanning a newspaper or news website throws up dozens, as does ‘people watching’, sitting in a cafe wondering what a couple may be chatting about, and which one is having an illicit affair. Or, maybe deciding the barista is a serial killer who keeps dead bodies in his bedroom to cuddle at night. You know, normal stuff that everyone thinks about…The problem is determining which ideas might form the basis for an exciting and interesting story. For me, the simplest way to decide is to create an underlying theme for each of my novels, one that is woven through the pages, impacting the plot and the characters’ behaviour in a way that binds it all together.In Remorseless, my first British Crime Thriller, the theme I chose is ‘guilt’ and how it affects us all – from someone suffering too much of it, through to someone incapable of feeling it at all. My protagonist, a forensic psychiatrist, blames himself for the death of his wife and consequently struggles to maintain his sanity as his subconscious mind torments him. This guilt ridden character is in direct contrast to my psychopath, who, by definition, cannot experience feelings of guilt, of remorse – hence the title of the book. The plot also contains a mystery element, with questions about who really was guilty of a double murder, and each of the other main characters has some internal struggle with this emotion too.The reader may be blissfully unaware of this theme, but I find this approach helps create a coherent whole, and aids the process of writing. In Mutilated, the newly released sequel to Remorseless, I chose ‘the abuse of power’ as a theme. The Hack, the first novel in a separate trilogy, explores ‘dissembling’, the masks people wear in public compared to their private – and sometimes criminal – lives. Like that evil barista…Why do you write?Well, in my ’umble opinion, creating characters and setting them running in a world that exists only inside your own mind is one of the most rewarding activities any creative person can undertake. This is particularity so when they come to life, and start doing things that the writer did not expect!The real surprise for me was the discovery that it is possible to become so emotionally attached to these fictitious characters that they become almost impossible to kill off. Not a good thing in murder mystery…When characters come to life to such a degree that they surprise the author, well, the chances are the reader is going to find them similarly ‘real’ too. Hopefully they will also feel some empathy, some degree of attachment, and be similarly surprised by their actions. I hope so, anyway.Mind you, in Remorseless, a very dark, gritty crime thriller, we spend a great deal of time inside the head of a psychopath. Not much to empathize with there! Readers seem to find the experience uncomfortable but thrilling, a little like being strapped into a rollercoaster, blindfolded, not knowing where or when it will end.I find psychopaths fascinating, and, thanks to extensive research over the years, I am considered something of an expert now with a website dedicated to these creatures, so within each of my novels I aim to create characters with genuinely psychopathic traits. These are not the sugar coated Hollywood variety, the killer with the obligatory heart of gold, but the genuine article.This desire for realism means I describe some very dramatic and disturbing events, including many involving unemotional, yet truly vicious brutality. Hence my reviewers often warn other folk about my writing - ‘not for the faint hearted’ and ‘not for the squeamish’. Violence is not added for gratuitous shock effect, but to allow the reader insights which other authors sometimes shy away from.One of Amazon’s top reviewers said this about my writing: ‘Patching goes where other authors fear to tread’ - while also praising the way the issues were handled. Sharing my expertise about psychopaths, but in a way that is primarily about entertaining and thrilling the reader, is another reason I write.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I try not to ‘deal with’ either - I try to ignore negative feedback!That’s not arrogance talking:The problem is that you can recieve ten great reviews, all four or five stars, singing your praises, then a one star comes along and re-affirms your worst fears. ‘I can’t write – I’m a terrible author!’ ‘Why do I bother?’ For the next few days you forget the ten positive reviews, but obsess about the opinion of one person, who, from the safety of an armchair and an anonymous internet connection, spewed some bile onto their retailer’s page. Maybe they were just in a bad mood, who knows?So, to avoid this self-flagellation, I try to read my reviews in batches, checking no more than every week or two, to see what people have to say. That way I can at least try not to allow the evil monster of self-criticism to rear its head too frequently. It does help that I have hundreds of reviews for Remorseless (US and UK combined) averaging around 4.5 stars, and similar averages for my other novels, though from fewer readers.Having said that, I saw the Amazon India page has a single review for Remorseless – a one star as it is ‘too violent’. Oh well, I won’t be selling many books there, then!What do you find difficult about writing?Apart from deciding on a theme, until this year (2017) I was only writing part time, so found it difficult to get the space I needed to write the novels I felt I had bubbling away inside me. Mutilated launched in December 2016, and this year I hope to finish two more novels, now that I am full time. However, the books are longer than average (125k words plus) as I personally like novels with complex characters and intricate plots, rather than quick-read thrills, so they take a lot of research and work to complete.Getting started is an issue for me too. I don’t write copious notes on characters or plots, but have ideas based on my theme that I encourage to propagate during the lead in phase – which lasts months. Actually opening up a brand new document, and then typing the first words, is something of a hurdle, but once I start, the ideas generally flow.The other difficulty is editing, rewriting, proofing etc. Much of this I do myself, then offer beta readers a ‘final’ draft to give feedback, then edit again, then have a pro editor/proofreader check it over. That lot is time consuming and not an easy process for any indie author.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?I have a professional proof reader who is also an editor, but his view is that my novels don’t need editing by the time he sees them, though do need proofing. As for covers, well, I create the initial design, choose the images, then send them to my cover designer to knock into shape.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I think there is a lot of snobbery and resentment from established authors because they had to jump through hoops to get a publishing contract, with the result that some of them look down on indies as inferior, unworthy of publication. Not ‘proper authors’.A recent Huffington post article by one such author said that ‘indie writing is an insult to the written word’. Her view was that the general public needs the old gatekeepers – the publishing houses and their editors and scouts - to filter the mass of written words from authors of all genres to inform them of what is worth reading.Mmm. I disagree.Publishing houses are about profit, about branding super successful authors like James Patterson and Lee Child, thereby maximising their returns from those ‘brand names’ by pushing them above all others. New authors ‘chosen’ by said gatekeepers occasionally bubble up and join these lofty ranks, but many more languish in the lower echelons and, despite their precious publishing deals, make barely enough to live. The old system stinks.The great joy of the new publishing world has been the freedom for authors to write in sub-genres and cross-genres that the gatekeepers ignored as ‘unprofitable niches’ - just look at the growth of adult erotica and steampunk-vampire-romance novels, to mention just two.Of course, there are some books published by indies that would, and probably should, have got no further than the agent’s slush pile in the old days, but does that matter? If a book is no good, no one will read it, or if they do, the reviews will be terrible, and bear in mind the customer can return the book if it is not what they expected. No one loses. Apart from the shareholders and executives of the big publishing houses.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.Firstly, there is no ‘finish’. I think all books are really a work in progress, and the great thing about digital publishing is that a novel can be refreshed, edited to include up to date events, and tinkered with to take account of reader feedback. In the past, a book was done and dusted the moment the publisher hit the ‘print’ button to start the presses rolling, but no more.My process involves a lot of thinking about ideas and themes, researching, drinking coffee, more thinking/researching, more coffee, and, eventually, a blank page as a starting point. In the past, I hand wrote the first draft, but now I type directly into a computer. I found that change of approach very difficult to start with, as I ended up editing as I go rather than furiously scribbling to capture my thoughts, but now I am just as comfortable using word processing software from the outset.Once the first draft is done, I ignore it for a month or more, to give my brain a chance to recover and gain some distance. I drink lots of coffee in this phase while trying not to think about my story, then start editing. Mutilated went through about fifteen editing ‘passes’, including three where I read the entire novel out loud to make sure the dialogue and narrative flowed. With long novels, this is time consuming, but worth it. Also, if I am still suitably enthralled by the story after so many read throughs, I can only hope that new readers will be too.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Write. Get your story down.There is no such thing as a bad first draft – just a bad blank sheet of paper. Fill the first one, then fill lots more. Let the story flow, don’t allow your inner critic to stop you or make you hesitate along the way.Once you have that first draft, you have something to work with, to edit, to cut, to reshape and mould into a final masterpiece.In the immortal words of the ancient shoe god, Nike:Just do it!Many thanks to Will Patching for this interview - to show your support please consider purchasing a copy of the book, as below:

Testimonial for E. Rachael Hardcastle

"Many thanks for your inspirational work with our Y6 children who have really enjoyed their time with you. You have made them believe that writing is fun and that anyone can be an author if they work hard enough - and made it possible for them to be published authors too! We are very proud of our book and have it in pride of place in the classroom at the moment. Thank you!"Fiona Meer, Deputy Head, Low Ash Primary School

Indie vs Traditional. Can we all be friends, please?

So this blog post is late, mostly because I've been trying to settle how I feel about both sides of this exhausting argument. And it really is exhausting for all writers, no matter your experiences.As you may have read on the Huffington Post website (LINK HERE), on 30/12/2016 Laurie Gough wrote an article titled, 'Self-Publishing: An Insult to the Written Word', and offended a lot of self-published authors when she said, 'I’d rather share a cabin on a Disney cruise with Donald Trump than self-publish.' Gough has since released an apology for this, dated 03/01/2017 on her Facebook page, stating 'I just want to say I'm sorry and my eyes have been opened to the world of self-publishing' (LINK HERE).In a response, Larry Correia (Correia45) of Monster Hunter Nation (LINK HERE) responded with comments on each of Gough's statements, including, 'being able to put Author on your business card is sacred or some shit', when GOUGH used a Margaret Attwood quote to make her point. Correia used this humerous post to argue against Gough's assumption that all indie/ self-published authors' books were of poor quality.Of course, being an independantly published author myself with some early experience of the traditional publishing route, I have some thoughts. First of all, I'd like to open with the pros and cons of both sides, because publishing a book is exciting no matter which road you take, and my blog post is going to argue why it shouldn't matter how you publish a book - only that you publish it.5 Traditional Publishing Pros:In house editing, cover design and other benefitsBookstores as well as online salesSignings, tours and other promotion or marketing eventsPoor quality books are filtered by professionals with experience at an early stage - GatekeepersAdvances on accepted submissions, then royalties later (perhaps)5 Traditional Publishing Cons:Responses to queries or submissions can take months or not at all - some prefer you to submit exclusively to themSome only accept through an agent (agents can be difficult to find even when your book is good)Lack of control over your own bookAn overload of submissions - are they reading the book/ giving it the right time or attention?Lower royalties5 Self-Publishing Pros:Can be done completely free of chargeNot restricted by timeEasy to make changes or updates to a book and circulation to distributors is quick70% royaltiesComplete control of editing and cover design5 Self-Publishing Cons:No gatekeepers to filter books that may not be ready for readers (aka the 'slush pile')Marketing and promotion is the author's responsibilityBookstores are not easily within reachDeemed not 'real' publishing, frowned upon and so treated as second classCan be expensive for the author if they outsource editing and cover designI could go on, but we're all adults here and we can  agree that both indie and traditional publishing can be difficult (or if you're lucky and you work hard, they can be beneficial). So what bugged meso muchabout Gough's article that prompted me to respond on my own blog?1) Indie publishing is NOT JUST for people who 'can't get a proper deal', and traditional publishing is NOT JUST people who look down on the rest of us. It's a choice.Both assumptions are offensive and rude.Putting aside that several writers actually choosenotto submit to agents and traditional publishers to begin with, the above disregards all those who have later been picked up by a major publishing housebecausethey have evidenced they can write and be successful first.I have read my fair share of self-published e-books that were not ready to be published. This lack of gatekeepers does, to some extent, encourage writing that ultimately lets the side down, but it encourages writing full stop and surely that's a good thing?On the other side of the argument, Gough's article suggested traditionally published writers could look down on Indies, that they were somehow of a higher class, real and validated, where writing Author on your business card meant something other than, 'I've written 50000 words of garbage, now worship me'. Traditionally published authors don't do this - they are humble and encouraging and inspirational to indies who aspire to follow in their footsteps, and some indeed started as indies.Just take a look at Hugh Howie (Wool, Sand etc). Why can't we all be more like him?2) Indie authors work hard for their success and so do traditionally published authors.New Indies have much to learn and put into practice when it comes to writing, editing, designing, formatting and marketing. We don't have professionals backing us up yet unless we pay for the outsourcing of editing and cover design which many successful Indies suggest. Our author platforms are everything, determining our following and potential readers. We need to build that trust from rock bottom and evidence through all aspects of the publishing process that we deserve to be on the virtual shelves. In doing so, then and only then, do readers return to us for more.They are our gatekeepers.Traditionally published authors also have much to learn and the above still applies. The only difference between the two is that these writers have had to earn the trust of an agent or publisher first in order to get a head start on that trust. In doing so, a publisher agrees to give them an advance and will put their name or logo on the cover.Both roads have obstacles and involve a lot of hard work. Rejection may not come in the form of letters and emails to an Indie, but we're no strangers to rejection either.If you speak to a handfull of authors from various backgrounds (which I have done this past year in my mini-series,The Author Interviews), many say they are Indie because they like to control their cover and content, appreciate higher royalty options as a reward for their hard work, and they like the freedom it provides; they have time to learn about the world of publishing, build a background and a platform, meet people, challenge themselves, offer free e-books and later down the line, a lot of them agree they would still love to become a hybrid and publish traditionally, too. They have nothing against the traditional route and still have hopes of joining that road one day.Equally as interesting, a lot of traditionally published authors are considering Indie publishing their ebooks and keeping these rights. This works both ways.Personally I am currently an Indie with dreams of getting picked up later on by a larger publishing house. Whodoesn'twant the chance to work with a traditional publisher and see their book on the shelf at Waterstones one day?So you may be asking what caused me to opt for Indie in the first place?I sent off my first novel to and received a reply from one publisher with a poorly written note on the title page stating, 'sorry, we don't publish poetry'. Clearly this publisher had not turned the first page. That was disappointing - I'd waited several months for a reply, but I understood how busy and over-loaded they must have been.I had a disappointing experience with a literary agent earlier in my writing career. Updates were sparse, feedback was limited and after being told by that agent that I wasn't capable of going it alone, I decided the trust and confidence was no longer there.This does not speak for all agents - I was just unlucky.The industry is already too big and complicated - I didn't need to feel any smaller. I have no doubt that if I opt to publish traditionally in future my experiences will be different.These are just two of the reasons I decided to give self-publishing a try but the higher royalties and more control are certainly some things I love. It is still limiting, though, in many ways.So what am I trying to say?Can't we all just be friends, support and encourage one another instead of dampening spirits and holding back those different from ourselves?It really isn't that hard.I'm here to tell you that it doesn't matter if you're traditionally published, digitally published or self-published -writing is hard and you should celebrate your success despite what others may think of the path you're taking. Helping and encouraging other people is what writers do best (next to writing, of course). We're widely introverts, but we're open and friendly and just want to help others achieve their publishing dreams, too.So let's actively prove this is the case, please, rather than bickering about who gets to call themselves a 'real author'. If you wrote a book, slaved over perfecting it and put it out there for the world (it doesn't matter how), then you are that book's author. I congratulate you on your efforts and wish you every success.That is all.

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #2: Peadar B. O’Dea

The Author Interviews 2017 continues withPeadar B. O’Dea, writer ofThose Who Walk By Night.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?I would be imprisoned in a religious run convent for the visually impaired, because those with visual impairments are perceived to have contaminated blood cells that may lead to vampirism later on in life, vampires used to rule the continent of Anglophare and it was rumoured that they were blind during the daylight hours.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?My name is Noirtier Auzinzeiter, I am in the world of Anglophare, living in exile at the court of a Kingdom that used to be an Empire that dominated the continent of Anglophare, called Dulmania. I am trying to convince the Kingdom to invade my birthplace of Sulsland and install me as a puppet ruler there, for I want to establish a state for the blind and visually impaired, to exact revenge for the fact that the former are killed at birth and the latter are imprisoned in religious run convents, I myself was a prisoner in one of these convents until I escaped, that was many years ago now.Who is your favourite author? Why?That is a tricky one, I’ve too many but probably Victor Hugo, author of Notre-Dame-De-Paris (1831), Les Miserables (1862) and The Man Who Laughs (1869). I love his unapologetic cynsism, the great character motivations he comes up with, the way he seems to understand human nature, and gives even the most repulsive of his characters shreds of humanity now and again. I guess I should also give a shout out to Bram Stoker, my fellow Irishman, after I read Dracula (1897) at the age of twelve I became fixated with vampires, and knew I wanted to write a vampire novel someday, and now at the age of twenty four I am trying to write my first novel, which involves vampires! Stoker inspired me so much that I took the name “Abraham” as my confirmation name simply so I could abbreviate it as “Bram”Where do you get your ideas?Amixture of real world politics, books by other writers, my own life experience,Why do you write?To try and tell the story that has been jammed inside my head now for over two years!How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I haven’t received any of these yet as I haven’t gotten to the publication stage.What do you find difficult about writing?Trying to make my villains three dimensional and somewhat relatable, also trying to tie all the subplots into the main plot.What do you love the most about writing?Writing out the backstory for the world I am building and develop the protagonist, I built the entire world around him so it is fun to see him grow as the world expands.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?Not at that stage yet I’m afraid.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I think both have pros and cons it is harder to get noticed as an Indie writer (so I’ve heard) but you do get more control over your own work which I imagine is rather empowering.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.I read, surf the net for random pieces of information, try to go about my daily life, make mental notes of conversations I’ve heard, read some more, watch TV, write a blog post here and there, and then now and again I might just sit down and write the actual novel.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?We are all walking in the dark, hopefully in the same geographical vicinity, therefore we can reach out and help each other.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.Facebook page, Twitter, a convincing cover letter – I mean I’m new to this so I don’t really know.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Yes I would think that is a fair expectation.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?I actually use Amazon’s audio store (audible.co.uk) to get books, I ‘read’ through listening to audiobooks due to my visual impairment. I look for books that have interesting synopsis’s, a snappy title wouldn’t go amiss either. Certain authors for instance Kim Newman, Joe Abercrombie, Anne Rice, etc, will almost certainly guarantee a purchase from me, even if they had no publishing summary or picture on their work.Do you have a favourite genre?Historical fictionWhat would it take for you to leave a book review?If the book left me with really strong feelings whether they be positive or negative I would make those feelings known.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?If I like the book enough I will buy the series, it really depends on how much enjoyment I get from the first book.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?I look at their bio to see if their life is as demented as mine! And also I look to see what their current WIP is.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Yes, for sureDo you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?Not yet, no.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?Absolutely, if it exists as an audio format I look very favourably on it.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?The cover art and also the way the summary at the back of the book is written.Thank you toPeadar B. O’Deafor this interview.We wish you the best of luck with your writing.To support the author, please click on their name to go to their Facebook page.

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #1: Andria Redlin

The Author Interviews was a hugely popular mini-series on my blog in 2016. So I'm continuing it in 2017! Round One kicks off this year withAndria Redlin, author of For Her Courage, and The Ruffian Redeemer.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?Picture a remote town in the mountains with a small population and a large amount of supernatural activity, and you get Holly Hollow, a place steeped in hundreds of years of American history. This is a place where the dead occasionally make themselves known to the living, residing in the ancient graveyard on the mountain slope above the town. But it is not only the dead who haunt this region that is so closely tied to the next world. Others with access to both worlds will try to move the pieces of the chess board as well, and change the lives of the residents of Holly Hollow forever with their refusal to leave things as they are. Would you live here?You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?My name is Alfred Owens. I am 18 years old, struggling to keep my family from starving during the Great Depression. Today, I plan to lead my gang into the general store to try and steal things we can sell to trade for food. The youngest member of our group is only thirteen and prone to sickness. I refuse to let him become ill and die like my younger brother did two years ago in 1930! I will get him whatever he needs to ensure that he lives, no matter what that involves. I will not let him die because of poverty!Who is your favourite author? Why?My favorite authors are Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, co-creators of “The Edge Chronicles,” a thirteen-book (soon to be fourteen) middle-grade fantasy series that I’ve been a fan of for the last ten years or so. Their work is probably the most original I’ve ever seen in the world of literature. The unexpected always happens, and characters always have to rely on their own abilities, not luck to get out of the precarious situations they find themselves in. Also, the illustrations “draw” you right into the world of the Edge, a place filled with fantastical creatures and a unique science system involving floating rocks that are used to power sky ships. Stewart and Riddell are the most talented and underrated writers in the business. I had the pleasure of competing in one of their Facebook writing contests last fall and coming in fourth place as the third runner-up. I was awarded a signed book plate and a few kind words from Team Edge regarding my 1000-word submission:“…Paul Stewart was particularly impressed by your work, and this was his feedback:An extremely well-written account of the deal that Smeal and Havelock make, using colourful language to highlight Smeal's treacherous character. The excellent opening sentence immediately draws the reader into the story…”Where do you get your ideas?My ideas come from everywhere, including dreams in the dead of night, which is why I always carry a pen and paper with me to write them down. If I don’t, I’ll forget them.Why do you write?I write because it’s the only way to shut up all the voices and ideas crashing around in my head, battling for my attention. Writing them out gives me a little peace from it all.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I read it, consider the advice and criticism carefully (because sometimes it’s spot-on), and then I move on. Every writer gets bad reviews occasionally. It’s part of the business. You can’t please every reader out there, but what you can do is put out the best-quality work possible and learn as much as you can about the craft of writing. Then just keep writing.What do youfind difficult about writing?Being original. Being born after several thousand years of writers, it’s difficult to come up with anything that hasn’t already been done before.What do you love the most about writing?I enjoy making people fall in love with reading again.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?I will never outsource anything, ever. I believe that people need to be paid a decent wage for the work that they do.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I chose indie publishing because I needed to have complete creative control over my work, from the story inside the covers, to the cover itself. I’ve been an artist nearly as long as I’ve been a writer, and I like to be completely involved in the process. I design all my own covers, and I want them to reflect what is in the book accurately. Traditional publishers do have their benefits, but no one tells you that they will change parts of your story to what they think is more fitting. Normally, I would not have a problem with this if it was something minor. But since I write almost exclusively in series format, any large change in the plot could mangle the events of future books in the series.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.When I get an idea for a book, I first begin with a one-sentence summary of what the book will be about. I usually spend some time brainstorming the idea to see if it has potential, making notes if needed. If I think the idea is worth pursuing, I write a highly-detailed outline of the plot and all its main events, tweaking them as needed. I then use this outline as a guide or a map in writing the book. Each main event typically gets its own chapter. When the book is finished, I let it “cool” for a few months while I work on other writing projects. Then I can begin to edit it with fresh eyes. After the first edit is complete, I repeat the cooling and editing process a few more times to make sure everything is just right. Then it’s time to start formatting and planning the cover design.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Read, read, read, as much as you can. Good readers help to make good writers because you will become familiar with the correct mechanics of writing. It will also help you find out which genre you enjoy the most. Why write in a genre you hate? Also, if you want writing to become your job, you must treat it like one. Write every day, starting with small word-count goals and working your way up to 1000-2000 words per day. If you have a second writing project in the works, this will prevent you from becoming burnt out from the first piece, and vice-versa.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.One:  Sell yourself, not your book. When people really like you, they will be interested in what you like to do in your free time (i.e. writing books), and may prove to be potential customers.Two:  Maintain an online presence in social media. This helps a lot with number one. When you participate in conversations online, offering free advice, tips, and general help (on everything, not just writing), people will start following you.Three:  Do as many interviews and book signings as you can, whatever you can do to get your name out where the public can see it.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Of course. To me, a book is worth nothing if I’m not thinking about it long after reading “The End,” planning a time when I can start it over again.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?I read a lot of reviews, both the good and the bad (and the ugly). Reviews will tell you a lot more than the book’s description because the readers are not afraid of telling the truth.Do you have a favourite genre?I enjoy middle-school fiction the best because it has plots that are complex enough for the adult mind to enjoy, yet it is devoid of things that ruin books for me, such as sex scenes, profanity, etc. I also find that books aimed at this age group are still full of the levels of creativity that you find in children’s books. Adult books seem to lose the creativity and playfulness.What would it take for you to leave a book review?A free copy of the book, preferably not in e-book format.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?I’m not a fan of e-books, but if the first book was intriguing enough, I would pay more for the remaining books of the series.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?I look for all the things they write about themselves, such as their writing habits, other interests, favorite foods, etc.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Yes, if it was a book I think I would enjoy reading.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?I enter giveaways and enjoy signed copies of books because they seem more special.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?Yes, because I generally prefer hardcover. I have found that many readers out there are not fans of e-books.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?The cover. Crappy covers practically scream “self-published.” The other dead giveaway is the onslaught of errors, typos, and grammatical calamities on the first few pages of the free sample chapter.Many thanks to Andria Redlin for this interesting interview. You can support this author by downloading her book below.

Readers' Favourite Review

Forgotten Faith: A Romantic Short Storyreceived 5* yesterday on Readers' Favourite, reviewed by Sandy Masia.Click here for the review page!When we meet Josephine she is distraught, the man of her dreams is marrying another woman. She has never felt so deeply for anyone and she had been holding onto hope that he might come back to her. She doesn't think she could ever love another; Josephine is spent and white-faced. She has to crawl out of the hopelessness and find some way to rebuild. This is the story of Forgotten Faith, a romantic short story by E. Rachael Hardcastle, telling a story that almost all of us can relate to - the story of the one we love ending up with someone else, and coming to terms with it.Forgotten Faith is another nuanced offering from E. Rachael Hardcastle, and once again the author is strategic with her plot and themes, and the pacing. The story is told through Josephine, the object of her affection, Daniel, through her best friend, her parents and Daniel's brother. This makes for a multi-layered read with absorbing characters, it is an all round experience of the events in this book that enrich every facet of Forgotten Faith with substance and message. In this way, a personal story becomes an intimate universal experience for everyone who encounters Forgotten Faith.We read books for many things, among them to understand human psyche, to find hope, and to gain insights into some of our motivations and make sense of our worlds. Forgotten Faith offers that to the reader, another window into the human experience of the world and interpersonal relationships. Passionately crafted and delivered, honesty and realism confront the reader. It is a heartfelt read which one hopes will never end.