E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 32

The Author Interviews: #11: V. R. CRAFT

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors about their books and their lives as writers. For my eleventh interview, I had the privilege of interviewing V. R. CRAFT on 19/06/2016. CRAFT  writes science fiction and her latest release is 'Stupid Humans'.Let's Get Started!What made you want to become a writer?I used to work in retail, and you meet so many crazy people there—we called them customers—that I was always thinking, “That person needs to be a character in a book. Who uses a shredder as a cheese grater then tries to return it?”I found that writing fiction was a great way to say all the sarcastic, snarky things I was constantly thinking at work without getting fired. I remember once I had a customer who yelled at me because we were out of stock on an item she wanted.“Why can't you just reorder things when you sell out?” she yelled.That was, in fact, exactly what we did, but there's such a thing as shipping, so we could still be out of something for a few days. I wanted to ask if she thought we had a Star Trek transporter in our back room and could just beam the merchandise in instantly, and if so, where did she get her transporter, because I always really wanted one of those? Of course I couldn't do that because I needed the lousy nine bucks an hour I was making at that job, so I bit my tongue and said something about shipping time, and she continued to act like I intentionally sold out of the item to spite her. Because obviously if a store is sold out of something you want, it's the cashier's fault and you should treat them like something you'd scrape off the bottom of your shoe.However, I later used that line about beaming in the merchandise in a story I wrote about an annoying customer being beamed up into the mother ship.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?I have written a wide variety of things over the years. I've written some short stories that are more mainstream or satire. However, I've always been fascinated with stories that explore how technology can change the future and our society. I'm always thinking, “What if they invented a device that could...?” Not just about the technological changes that would result, but also societal and personal changes for a character. So for that reason I end up writing a lot of science fiction/ speculative type stories, usually with a comical/ satire slant as well.I also have a thing about writing stories where people I don't like get abducted by aliens in really embarrassing ways.What do you love most about writing and why?I think what I love most is being able to control what happens in a story. But I also love being able to present ideas in an entertaining way, and hopefully making people think about real life.What do you dislike about writing and why?Well, it's hard. It's one thing to have an idea, and another thing to know how to write the whole story. You run into a lot of problems—what do I do next? I don't know what happens. I don't know how to get from where I am to where I'm trying to go.Writing can be really frustrating. Most of the time, you don't know if you're going to be able to finish a story, and if you do, will it even be worth reading?If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?That's a hard question. There are so many characters I'd like to trade places with—in Stupid Humans, Samantha discovers all the intelligent humans escaped Earth centuries ago, and we're what's left. She then gets to leave Earth and live in a society full of intelligent people, with no idiot warning labels on products. That idea actually came from my desire to get away from all the idiots—again, we called them customers—I had to work with in retail. I've also always wanted to leave Earth and travel to different planets.I also wrote a short story called Don't Feed the Trolls, in which a character gets even with the boss from hell in a really creative way. I have had a lot of bosses, coworkers, and customers that I'd like to see abducted by aliens.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?I think I'd like to live in the People society from Stupid Humans. They're not perfect—no society is—but living in a world with fewer idiots would be nice—especially for anyone who has to work with the public!What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?I don't really have a routine or schedule. I do try to write somewhat regularly. I'm in a Facebook group that meets online on Tuesday nights. We have sprints, where we write as much as we can in a ten-minute period, then report our word count. It's good because it gets me writing, and allows me to make progress every week.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?I get my inspiration from people I meet, and have met in the past. Every time I think, “That would make an interesting story,” or “She has to be a character in something I write,” I get inspired.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?I have so many favorite authors, it's hard to pick one. I read everything from Stephen King to John Grisham to Ben Bova. I also love to find new authors I've never heard of before.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?I think just getting your work in front of readers is the biggest challenge. Social media is a great avenue for that, but sometimes you fall into the trap of just reaching your friends—in other words, people who already know about your book. Blogging is another good thing to do, but again, a lot of your followers are going to be people who already know about your book. I think guest blogging is a good way to get around that—I take every opportunity I can to write guest pieces for other writers' blogs. That allows me to reach a whole new audience of people that my blog and social media accounts don't currently reach.Getting reviews is hard, too. I know a lot of people will read a book, mean to leave a review, then get busy and forget about it. It's not intentional, things happen and you get busy. It's happened to me as a reader. But as a writer, I also know how much reviews can help a writer—especially a new writer who isn't as well known. So I would recommend setting aside ten minutes a week to review books you've read in the past week. It doesn't have to be a really long review—a couple sentences saying why you liked/ didn't like it is fine.Thanks to V. R. CRAFT for this interview and I wish you all the best with your book! If you want to find out more about this author,please click here.

The Author Interviews: #10: Natalia TORRELIO

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors about their books and their lives as writers. For my tenth interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Natalia TORRELIO on 18/06/2016. TORRELIO writes fantasy, science fiction, action/ adventure, romance and comedy. Coming soon... Sora & Aziza: Year of the Demon Beast .Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?Initially, what piqued my interest in writing -- as early as six years old -- was that when nobody is forcing me to do it (like a teacher making me write a paper), this craft is a lot of fun, simple as that. But as I grew up, started college, and came out as a transgender woman, I learned not only that writing has the potential to give a voice and representation to those who are silenced, but also that in the mainstream, this potential goes to waste, seeing as most well-known books star privileged, cisgender, straight, white, able-bodied-and-minded people as the protagonists. In conclusion, I want to be a writer so I can make a change and have fun doing it.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?When it comes to that potential I mentioned previously, sci-fi and fantasy are absolute goldmines. There’s no limit to the different worlds, cultures, races, species, genders, and stories I can create and then explore alongside the readers, all while spreading a good message to them. Plus, being a lover of anime and anime-influenced media such as Steven Universe and Legend of Korra, I straight-up enjoy adding creative and high-stakes action, unconventional romance (like gay, polyamory, etc.), and plenty of well-timed, light-hearted jokes to these stories to make them feel all the more real, and also fun to read!As for the second question, In my late high school/ early college days, I did try my hand at writing novels that were purely dystopian. However, I almost always found that the worlds I had built and plots I had come up with were either not developed enough, too depressing to write, or both, in most cases. I also tried a couple of crime drama stories, with similar results (One was such a horrible premise that I am humiliated for even coming up with it). Fortunately, that phase was by no means fruitless. Over a year ago, my latest failure of a heavy-handed dystopian novel quickly morphed into the sometimes-light-sometimes-dark story that Sora and Aziza is today, and the protagonist of one of my unfinished crime drama screenplays, Erin Katz, is now a shapeshifting mage and the main villain of the series.What do you love most about writing and why?What I love most about writing happens to be my favorite part of the writing process: world building. Again, world building is just like being a goddess of creation and an explorer at the same time. It gets hard at times, especially when I run into holes and inconsistencies, but it’s still a lot of fun.What do you dislike about writing and why?I absolutely hate it when I want to write and have an idea of what to write, yet I either can’t seem to do it or I go at a snail’s pace. Whenever this happens, it causes me stress and sadness because it really gets in the way of meeting deadlines. In fact, I’m kind of in this place as I’m answering right now, unfortunately.I legitimately feel like Tantalus in Tartarus when this happens to me, that’s how torturous the feeling is.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?Assuming I also get her powers, I’d choose Amrrosk Bellin Acanthus from my future project Rafflesia. She’s adorable, sweet, looks amazing in a leotard, has a lovely girlfriend, lives in a real socialist society (a la Star Trek), explores space for a living, and can fly and 3-D print stuff with tangible light. That’s a pretty darn good life if I’ve ever written one!As for what the spell Rafflesia is even going to be about, “In the peaceful, advanced ecumenopolis of Louloudi, Bellin has passed a difficult test and been chosen to be an explorer on the crew of the S.C. Rafflesia. Under the command of Captain Ficus and with a magical pendant on her head, she must explore the final frontier, search for new life forms and alien cultures, and spread Louloudi’s messages of peace and harmony by... okay, she totally just took out the ADF with one Lumink Beam! Wwwwwelp...”If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?For now, I would choose the world of Sora and Aziza, my most developed world so far, because despite all the demon beasts running around and killing people, there is still a strong air of hope, love, and community that is not quite as prominent in the real world. Plus, with Rafflesia, I’m kinda hoping to write an issue that’s a crossover with Sora and Aziza, so basically, if I’m in that world, then I’m also in the world of Rafflesia! That would be doubly awesome sauce.What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?What’s a routine?! But seriously, I just write when I have the time, and I’m pretty good at finding it.Also, I find that a good way to keep to my deadlines is the “don’t break the chain” strategy, which I learned from a Let’s Play series called Game Grumps (Pokemon Firered Episode 94). Basically, you write something every day for at least a year, if not longer. The Grumps explain it much better in the episode, but this strategy really helps, trust me.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?My biggest inspiration is Rebecca Sugar; she may be mainly a television writer, but she is super talented. Her show Steven Universe, with its delightful characters, beautiful setting, hair-raising arcs, and rich worldbuilding has been a big influence on my current writing style, and it’s a good show to watch if you’re still learning how to write.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?I have not read quite enough of one singular author to have a “favorite.”What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?For now, I’d say the most challenging part is, until my first release day, living with the fear that my book may financially bomb, because that fear is sometimes the root of writer’s block and overperfectionism that slows me down at times.Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:Thanks for reading the interview! If you’d like to know some more about me/about Sora and Aziza, check out my book’s page! And keep an eye out for it when it comes out via Amazon Kindle, in early 2017.I don’t plan on truly starting Rafflesia until I finish the first book of S&A, but keep an eye out for that too, whatever medium I end up using. Bye bye!Thanks to Natalia TORRELIO for this interview and I wish you the best of luck with your work!

The Author Interviews: #9: Kristen MARTIN

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors about their books and their lives as writers. For my ninth interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Kristen MARTIN on 18/06/2016. MARTIN writes young adult science fiction and fantasy, and is the author of The Alpha Drive.Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?Most people would probably say they idolized a particular author while growing up, but I never truly had an author I looked up to. I just loved to read and write. When I was nine years old, I carried a spiral notebook with me everywhere and wrote short two-page stories about the most random things.  I even illustrated my thoughts in the margins. My family's favorite story was called The Christmas Monkey in which a monkey tried to save Christmas from being destroyed by an evil king.  It was a masterpiece (kidding, of course).  My point is, I knew I loved to write, so that's what I did.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?There has always being something so fascinating to me about science fiction and fantasy stories. Maybe it’s because of their ability to transport you so seamlessly into other worlds and allow you to escape reality for a little while, or because I will always have a curiosity about worlds other than our own. I love reading in these genres, so I figured I would like writing them too. And I was right! I have considered potentially writing a dark suspense novel, similar to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, but this is definitely a-ways down the road.What do you love most about writing and why?Writing is the only thing that allows me to get out of my own head, away from my inhibitions and doubts. In a professional sense, I am a very analytical person, so I use my left brain pretty much all day, every day at work. But my right brain, where my creativity lives, is where I truly thrive. Writing gives me that space to discover new thoughts and ideas without the pressure or worry of being judged or criticized.What do you dislike about writing and why?I dislike when I doubt myself and my writing. Every writer goes through this more often than not, and it is not enjoyable at all. When I catch myself thinking negative thoughts, I usually need to step away from my computer and pick up an inspirational book. My favorite is You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I highly recommend it for literally everyone!If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?I would trade places with basically any of my characters in my new dark fantasy series! I don’t want to give too much away since it hasn’t been released yet, but I would give anything to have just one day with some of these magical powers.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?This kind of goes along with my answer for the previous question. I would live in the world I’ve built for my young adult fantasy series. Again, I can’t say much, but the magical elements I’ve been creating are really fun and I wish I could do half the things my characters are able to do!What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?I tend to do my best writing at night. I used to be a night owl, but unfortunately my full-time job changed that. I schedule my writing time between 8-10PM on weeknights. Sometimes, it is a struggle to find the time to write, especially if I’ve had a long day at work or I don’t feel inspired. I find I work best using a calendar with daily word count goals where I can record and keep track of my progress. Writing down my achieved word count for the day makes me feel accomplished and gets me excited for the next day’s goal.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?I tend to do my best writing at night. I used to be a night owl, but unfortunately my full-time job changed that. I schedule my writing time between 8-10PM on weeknights. Sometimes, it is a struggle to find the time to write, especially if I’ve had a long day at work or I don’t feel inspired. I find I work best using a calendar with daily word count goals where I can record and keep track of my progress. Writing down my achieved word count for the day makes me feel accomplished and gets me excited for the next day’s goal.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?I do! I absolutely love Chuck Palahniuk, and one of my newer favorite authors is Sarah J. Maas. Chuck Palahniuk has such a unique writing style – I’m not exactly sure why I enjoy it, but I do! It’s dark and twisted, and he does such a great job connecting the reader with his characters. I love Sarah J. Maas as an author because of her world-building abilities and flow of the stories. I’m hooked on the Throne of Glass series. Those books are hard to put down!What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?Exposure is definitely the most challenging part of being an indie/ self-published author. We don’t have the large reach that traditional publishers do, so getting our names and our books out there is a huge hurdle, but I’ve found that engaging regularly with readers and writers alike is a great way to grow your author platform and get your name out there! Starting a YouTube/ BookTube channel has also really helped me reach my target audience.Thank you for having me!Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:Be sure to check out my YA scifi dystopian series, THE ALPHA DRIVE, and subscribe to my YouTube channel for helpful how-to writing videos, inspiration, and updates on my latest work. Thanks for reading!Thanks to Kristen MARTIN for this interview, and I wish her all the best with her work. If you would like more information about this author,please click here.

The Author Interviews: #8: Aaron-Michael HALL

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers. For my eighth interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Aaron- Michael HALL on 18/06/2016. HALL writes adult epic fantasy and is the author of Piercing the Darkness (The Rise of Nazil Book III).Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?I have been writing since I knew how to write. The first story I can recall was about the way the worms wiggled at the end of my hook. It was my first experience fishing with my father. It was a big hit at home and school. Since then, I have written hundreds of poems, short stories, and many novels.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?I have always enjoyed epic fantasy and science fiction. It is thrilling to construct new worlds, languages, and species. I live in the “real world” everyday. When I write, I love creating elements that can only be imagined. Through my writing, I bring that vision to the readers and allow them to partake and submerse themselves into something fantastical.It is a wonderful gift to be able to bring forth new life through my imagination.What do you love most about writing and why?The freedom to create what I love without the confines and limitations of what someone else deems “proper.” These worlds, peoples, creatures, languages, etc. are unique to Faélondul. I adore aspects of each of them, even the more sinister characters. There are no absolutes; not in real life or my stories. The characters are all fallible and multidimensional.Another aspect is research. It can be tedious but also gratifying. If you desire to get the details correct in your work, you need to research every important facet.I recall researching something I thought would be simple. In my first novel, The Rise of Nazil, I needed to know how far a horse could travel over rough terrain in a 24hr period. Sounds simple, right? Well, there was much more to it. In order to get the conditions, mileage, rest time, etc. correct, I had to do a lot more. I had to measure mileage on the map of my world and calculate all of these different factors for horses alone, with riders, pulling carts, etc. By the time I was finished, I had no time to write the scene. And that was something very small.The ancient herbs, plants, etc. were interesting as well. My least favorite was researching torture techniques.I literally learn something new with each day. I believe a huge part of writing it not only improving your literary skills, but growth.What do you dislike about writing and why?I do not dislike anything per se. If I had to give an answer, it would be time constraints and not having enough free time to create.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?Oh my! I have a myriad of characters. That is a difficult question because many of them are exceptional in numerous ways. From book I (The Rise of Nazil) I would select Danimore Benoist. From Book II (Seed of Scorn) it would be Ahvixx Ahllendale. From Book III (Piercing the Darkness) I would select either Ayrmeis or Symeon Yego. From book I of the upcoming trilogy (Blood of Oisin) it would be Kuhani or Ahgelon. Thalassa and Angelaris are extraordinary as well. You see? Extremely difficult.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?Faélondul is the world in which I write. It is a diverse world with unique and interesting denizens.What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?I have never had an issue with organization and schedules. Usually, I am up late after my son is in bed. I also keep notebooks and my Mac with me. You never know when something remarkable might need to be written.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?Weaving tales that I always wanted to read and could never find. That is inspiration. It is truly fulfilling when I receive an email or review telling how my stories and characters have touched someone. Having diverse epic fantasy is something that has been lacking. Every person wants to identify in many ways with a hero or heroine. It is nice to have that hero/ heroine to resemble you physically as well as internally.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?There are far too many. R. Scott Bakker, Octavia Butler, George Martin, Ursula Le Guin, Michael Moorcock, R.A. Salvatore, and Joe Abercrombie are a few.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?As with many self-published authors, the most challenging aspects are marketing, advertising and reaching your target audience.Most of these skills require extensive research with copious amounts of information. Thusly, it is integral to read and learn as much as possible before you publish and also establish a presence for you and your work. It is constant, time-consuming and necessary. It can also be quite fulfilling.Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:I would like to thank the readers and reviewers out there. With the vast titles available in today’s market, I appreciate you taking the interest and time to purchase and read my novels. You have a cornucopia of artists from which to select. I am honored that I am one of those you chose.Authors rely upon reviews not only for the exposure but also for the feedback. It helps us understand what connects with our audience and where we might need improvement. This is important for all authors but extremely so for indie/ self-published authors. We do not have large companies backing us financially or otherwise. Each book we produce takes sometimes years to create and that is but the beginning. After employing several editors, proofers and designers, our work is nearly complete. Albeit to ensure we produce the best product for you, we rewrite what is needed and delete what is not. Once our novels appear online, enormous amounts of time, energy and finances has gone into creating something we pray you will enjoy. When I read the reviews, they warm me and encourage me to write that next page.Thank you again for your support. I do not know if you were aware of how important and appreciated you truly are.Thanks to Aaron- Michael HALL for this interview. I wish him all the best with his books. If you'd like to find out more about this author, please follow one of the below links:WebsiteAmazon Author PageTwitterBook Trailer links:https://youtu.be/VD5W1DwUzQ4https://youtu.be/sWpwppYjYBc

The Author Interviews: #7: Eric Michael CRAIG

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers. For my seventh interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Eric Michael CRAIG on 17/06/2016. CRAIG writes science fiction and transrealism, and is the author of Stormhaven Rising, Prometheus and the Dragon.Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?Actually, when I was very young I was encouraged to be a writer by many of my English teachers. I thought seriously about it, but pragmatism and a different dream took me in an engineering based direction. I knew even then that writing, like music, is a tough business to break into (I had some success in the business side of music in the 80's as well).When I had an opportunity to retire from racing rats at 42, I gave up a position as Director of Research for a private lab in Phoenix, and move up to the mountains to get back to writing. It has been a long road, but the experiences I have probably help me now in my writing.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?Write what you know. If you base your writing on a real world and not Fantasy, you have to stick to what you know. If you don't stick to something that you know and understand, your readers see though your stories and they seem flat, and populated with cardboard characters.My writing is Science Fiction because I know science and engineering. Lately though I have heard what I write is called Transrealism too, and that might be a better definition.As to other genres, I have written erotica (a LOT of famous sci fi writers write erotica to pay the bills between major novels) and I also have written some splatterpunk-ish things, but my main work sticks close to real-word, tech-based science fiction.What do you love most about writing and why?I enjoy the creative process. I like exploring“what if”scenarios.When I ran the lab, before I retired, we were exploring some rather off-the-wall scientific possibilities and one of our consultants (G. Harry Stine, the science fiction writer) had a philosophy he called ESP (it stood for Exaggerated Sense of Parameters). We would apply this ESP experimentally to various devices to see what would happen. Basically we'd stretch something to the breaking point in one direction, and then in another, until we found out what was out at the edge.In my writing, I like to do the same thing. I stretch an idea until it breaks, and then I put it back together to see how it's different afterwards.What do you dislike about writing and why?Writing itself is very fulfilling but the business of writing is the biggest challenge to me. In the age of independent publication, there is so much that falls on the writer to handle. Promotion and publicity are challenging. I pride myself on putting out a high quality product, with professional levels of writing, layout, and editing, but there are so many that just toss off work, that it's extremely hard to prove to readers that your stories are above the drek that has flooded the market in so many areas.I really don't mind being in front of people, or doing interviews, but I sincerely dislike the process of setting up to get there. Signings, readings, and such are all fine with me (I like being out in public), but the cold-calls to set it up with venues are where I really feel a bit uncomfortable.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?Interesting Question. I write complex stories that have dozens of characters, so choosing only one is a bit of a challenge. The one that most of my readers would expect me to say, is probably not the one I would actually choose. In Stormhaven Rising and Prometheus and the Dragon the most powerful character is Colton Taylor. But he is also burdened by horrific nightmares of things to be, and he is crushed under the awful responsibility of pushing against the powers that be to save the world. He literally carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, and honestly I don't think I would want that much pressure.So I'd be more likely to choose Davis Randall. He is a former NASA astronaut who becomes the Director of the Stormhaven Space Corps. He is a Go-To- Guy throughout the stories, but he never gets crushed under the pressure. He takes what he does seriously, but never sees himself as important. It makes him likable and sometimes heroic, but never pompous or self-aggrandizing.Unfortunately I am more of Colton than Dave in the real world. But I can wish.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?NONE OF THEM!In my series Atlas and the Winds, I write about a transitional event that changes humanity and ultimately makes the earth uninhabitable. It's not a place I want to live, even though in some ways I think we are all living there now. The events in my novels COULD happen. So unless we get smart and start now to avoid that cataclysm, we may all eventually be living there.What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?Schedule? I can call my life scheduled ... Euphemistically.I drink lots of coffee. LOTS. I firmly believe that coffee makes my days long enough to get everything done. I get up, drink coffee, sit at my computer and write. Occasionally I get up and do other things, but then I come back and write more. If too many things keep me away from my desk, or too many things ON my desk keep me from writing (like email and promotional stuff), I drink more coffee and borrow time from the night.As to keeping organized, I have Godzilla the Supercomputer and a laptop all running on my desk. Seriously I have 5 monitors on my computer and every screen has something I am working on displayed on it. My stories are all "reality based" so I usually have designs or renderings working on one screen while I'm writing.I also keep a Google calendar running on one screen so my editor/ assistant can update me on things I have to do, and then I have two full-time assistants around here to keep me focused. I can't help but stay focused and scheduled because if I don't they beat me up (just kidding).Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?Science and Engineering Journals. Documentaries. News stories. I built a news service RSS feed aggregator for my desktop and it stays open on one of my screens. It updates every 5 minutes with new articles and papers, and I read the first 50 words of most things that float across the screen. I grab links and save them if they are interesting. When I am taking breaks between writing and life, I go back and read them in depth. Most of my ideas come from there.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?Wow, only one?Actually I started reading Sci-fi at a very early age. I think the first real book I ever read was Rocketship Galileo by Robert Heinlein. From there I read all the "golden age" authors (RAH, Clarke, Asimov, Norton, Bradbury, even E.E. Doc Smith ... Everything I could get my hands on). I really can't say that any single author is my favourite, but there are a great many that influenced me in my writing.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?Proving my work is "Professional Grade." Like I mentioned before, there are so many indie authors out there that don't have the resources to get professional editing or layout services. Writers that can't do it for themselves, and are blind to their own shortcomings. I know I am a lousy typist, so I have to have someone proofread and edit my work. I'd be a fool if I didn't.But because there is such a low bar of professionalism in the indie writing world, convincing a reader that you are a cut above is tough. Reviews help, but those are hard to come by since most readers just don't get how important they are to a writer's success in self-marketing.Many thanks to Eric Michael CRAIG for this interview. I wish him every success with his work. If you want to read more about this author,please click here. Alternatively, please visithereorherefor other websites.

The Author Interviews: #6: C H CLEPITT

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers. For my sixth interview, I had the privilege of interviewing C H CLEPITT on 17/06/2016. CLEPITT writes comedy, science-fiction and fantasy and is the author of 'I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse'.Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?I have always written. When I was a child I used to write stories or record them on audio cassettes (that’s how old I am!). The thing about being a writer is if you don’t give your characters somewhere to live then they live in your head, which gets very crowded indeed, so you create worlds for them and chronicle their adventures.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?I write across multiple genres, I never liked labels or trying to fit things into little boxes. My stuff is very hard to pin down, readers have said things like “I don’t like fantasy, but yours is more like a thriller”. My advice is don’t get too bogged down in labeling it, just enjoy it. My style is fast paced and character focused, and if you like one of my stories you will probably like all of them, irrelevant of genre.What do you love most about writing and why?I love having a creative outlet. Writing for me is about changing people’s perceptions, not just entertaining. I hope that my work is both enjoyable and thought provoking. Also, it is the best feeling in the world when someone tells you they enjoyed your work, it makes it seem all worthwhile. I would say that the best way to show an author you appreciate them is to leave a short review, none of us do it for the money, it’s not that great!What do you dislike about writing and why?Writing can be very isolating, it’s easy to get stuck in your own head and that’s not always the best place to be. I am currently working on a collaborative fantasy project with other authors, and that’s much easier, because we are reacting to each other we’re able to keep it fresh and go on for much longer than I could on my own. Also, I dislike the marketing that all writers are expected to do these days. It just feels like you are shouting into a void and nobody hears you. There is the constant feeling that if you could just do it better you’d be successful and everyone would be reading your work. We are all desperately seeking some magic formula, which almost certainly doesn’t exist.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?I’m not sure I’d want to trade places with any of my characters, they are never in the best situations. I don’t think I’m cut out to lead a rebel army to victory over an oppressive dictator, I don’t fancy getting stuck in a village with a broken arm, and possible zombie apocalypses just sound unsanitary. I suppose I could swap places with Crew from my Crew Chronicles series of shorts, that way I’d get to travel the galaxy and meet new people.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?Again, none of my worlds are that appealing! There is always an oppressive government and an unjust system to be battled against, so we may as well stay here for all the difference it makes! I suppose there’s a certain freedom to living in a post-apocalyptic bubble with a badger spirit guide and some supportive friends though!What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?I work really well to a deadline, I find it motivates me. The problem is I don’t have a deadline when writing novels so it can sometimes be tough to find the motivation to sit down and write after a day at work. However, I absolutely flew through I Wore Heels to to Apocalypse, and am now 20k into the sequel. The characters have so much to say I just can’t shut them up!Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?I am inspired by anyone who is brave enough to stand up for what they believe in. Usually my inspiration comes from things that upset me, in the media or in life. My way of trying to challenge something I feel is wrong is to write about it. I read an article once that there was an awful lot of unrecorded violence against transgender people, so I created Crew, a character with no gender, with the hope of challenging people’s perceptions. One of my characters in the collaborative piece I am working on is also trans*. I think if we introduce different characters as a matter of course, without making the main focus of the plot their gender or orientation people will start to accept that there is diversity, and that is not a bad thing.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?There are so many great authors out there it’s impossible to pick a favourite. I love Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman for their amazing ability to build worlds that you can totally lose yourself in. Virginia Woolf for her subtle feminist sense of humour and Sue Townsend, The Queen and I is still one of my favourite satires.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/self-published author and why?It is hard to differentiate yourself from the masses if you publish independently. There are lots of people publishing things before they are edited properly, giving them away for free or selling them very cheap, and whilst this is clearly their choice, it means that indie authors have gained a reputation for not being as good as traditionally published work. This is not true for many of us. I go through a stringent editing and usually three waves of beta readers to make sure my writing is the best possible quality. It helps that with I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse I am only half self published. I have signed a contract with a micropublisher who have control over one ebook distribution channel. You’d be amazed how much more seriously people take you when you’re associated with a publisher, it adds a sort of credibility. It doesn’t make the marketing any easier though!Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:Thank you for taking the time to read this interview. We can connect on Facebook and Twitter if you want to find out more.Thanks to C H CLEPITT for this interview. I wish you all the best with your book! If you want to find out more about the author,please click here.

The Author Interviews: #5: Jenna WHITTAKER

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers. For my fifth interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Jenna WHITTAKER on 17/06/2016. WHITTAKER writes science-fiction and fantasy and is the author of 'Watership'.Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?I’ve been writing all of my life. I think the fact that a love for reading was cultivated in me as a child helped, as I read all of these awesome fantasy and science fiction books, and then thought, why not create a world of my own, like these books? It went from there!Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?I write primarily fantasy and science fiction, though I have also touched upon aspects of steampunk, post-apocalyptic/ dystopian, and horror. I write what I enjoy reading, so those would be the major genres I would explore. For instance, other than a side plot in a different genre novel, I have no interest in comedy or romance.What do you love most about writing and why?I love being able to write down the fantastical ideas I have for places that don’t exist, or bring to life worlds in my dreams or imagination. It’s the same reason I love to do artwork--to create!What do you dislike about writing and why?The tedium. The fact that it’s not all fun and games, but also requires a huge amount of hard work, dedication, editing, and learning.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?I’m not sure I’d want to! I do write some pretty bad things happening to my characters--none have a perfect life, so I’d be a bit scared to be one of them! If any, though, I’d probably choose Khalos, the main character of my first published novel, Dreamscape. He has had a hard life, but he finds happiness in a lot of his daily living, despite the difficulties surrounding him.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?Probably the world of Dreamscape, for as a whole, it is the safest and most verdant land, despite the enemies in it.What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?I used to struggle a lot, but as of the last few years, I’ve found a system that seems to work for me. I set a daily goal of 500-800 words per day (completely reachable, a little over what I can easily write out in a matter of moments, but not too much that it is something I dread), and as with all of my daily goals, I complete it early in the morning to get it out of the way. Listening to music (soundtracks, usually), and committing to getting the document open and typing, no matter how little inspiration I feel, has also helped!Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?I tend to find my inspiration in my dreams, which is why I keep my phone by the bed to write a note of whatever inspired me while I’m still half-asleep, but it also comes from overheard conversations, or a random thought (like, ‘what if’ something or other happened).Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?Honestly I have a lot of authors I love to read. My current favourite would be Robin Hobb, as her fantasy novels and their world is absolutely fascinating!What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?There are a lot of challenging aspects. The fact that you are the only one keeping yourself accountable, the lacking marketing and promotional tools that big publishers have (that you have to learn how to use yourself, and spend a lot of time doing both the learning and then the near-constant promoting), are the main ones for me.Thanks to Jenna Whittaker for this interview. I wish you all the best with your books! If you would like more information about this author,please click here.

The Author Interviews: #4: Aliya DALRAE

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers. For my fourth interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Aliya DALRAE on 17/06/2016. DALRAE writes urban fantasy and is the author of Sweet Vengeance (Book 1, Jessica Sweet Trilogy).Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?I have always been on the creative side, though my passions as a kid tended toward singing and acting. I started writing poetry and prose in my late teens, early twenties, but then life got busy and it was a while before I picked up pen and paper again. In 2008 my husband and I experienced a tremendous loss, and it was suggested to me that I write as a form of therapy. “Sweet Vengeance” is the result of that therapy.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?I read a lot of PNR, so it seemed like a natural fit for what I was trying to convey. I wanted to create a life for a girl that was fantastic, full of wonder, love, excitement, but that wasn’t too close to reality. Throwing a few Vampires and other paranormal creatures at her seemed like the best way to “keep it unreal.” At this point, I haven’t really thought about changing genres. Jessica’s story is a planned trilogy, but I have ideas for spin off books focused around some of the peripheral characters. After that, who knows? I’ve thought about writing children’s books, but that’s about as 180° from PNR as you can get!What do you love most about writing and why?I love the creative process. Creating characters who people hopefully can connect with and love (or hate!), and worlds that readers can relate to, worlds that are the same, yet so different, from their everyday lives. I love that I can write my thoughts and ideas down and turn them into something that readers can use to provide a bit of escape, or just a bit of fun. If I can make a reader smile or cry, then I feel like I’ve left a tiny little mark on the world.What do you dislike about writing and why?I’ve heard a lot of authors say that they hate the marketing process, but I’m finding that I’m rather enjoying it. I’m not a sales person. It’s very difficult for me to talk to people at book cons, etc. and tell them why they should buy my book over anyone else’s, so I guess I’m not fond of that so much. However, getting on social media, meeting new authors and readers, it’s turned out to be a fantastic experience. I’m even enjoying learning about editing – call me crazy, but I’m loving it all!If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?Oh, good gravy! My characters are so damaged, I don’t know if I’d want to change places with any of them! Maybe Jessica? I relate to her in a lot of ways, and she is learning that her world is a whole lot bigger than the small town she’s lived in her whole life. I would love to be subjected to these eye opening experiences through her point of view. To see the veil lift and meet the people/ creatures that have been there all along, but that she never knew existed.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?Fallen Cross, Ohio is loosely based on the town I grew up in, so in a sense I have lived in this world – minus the paranormal creatures. I think. It was a small town, and looking back, I’m not sure about some of the people who populated that place! That one guy could definitely have been a werewolf!What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?Okay, well, I think you’ve reminded me of something I don’t like about writing! Schedules, routines, deadlines – all of them left to me to provide and keep. It’s definitely a struggle. I have two other jobs and a family that require a lot of my time, so even when I do say I’m going to write from this time to that time, I often get interrupted. Most of my best ideas come to me either as I’m falling asleep or waking up, and then they get diluted by the time I get to my computer. So I write when I can, and when I do I’m prolific! But if I do set a goal or a deadline, I will bust my tail to get it done. I try not to put that pressure on myself, though. I don’t want to put out an inferior product, just to meet a deadline.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?In the beginning, it was my therapy – the daughter we lost. She was the inspiration for the story’s inception. Now I find inspiration everywhere. Meeting so many wonderful people via social media, playing Hashtag Games on Twitter and getting positive feedback from other authors, and talking to like-minded people about what we do – it’s all such a rush! And then there are the fans that have read and loved “Sweet Vengeance”. Every time I read “I can’t wait for the next book,” it is a huge incentive to get my butt in the chair and write! But my biggest inspiration is my husband. He’s been my rock from the beginning and his love, support and encouragement have kept me going.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?I have MANY favourite authors! I love Brandon Sanderson – everything he writes is amazing, whether it is high fantasy or his YA books, there is so much imagination, creativity – He’s definitely at the top of my list! J.R. Ward is another whose books I wait for impatiently. I love that she lets her characters be who they are without apology, and her books are full of heart (and sex and violence and romance and – oh my!) I could go on, but these two are always “must reads” for me.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?This one is easy – getting people to read/review my book. I’ve been amazed at the response from the people who have read it – it’s been overwhelmingly positive. I suppose that’s the up side of having a publisher – having people to do your marketing for you. But as an indie author it takes a lot of work to get the word out, to find readers who are interested in what you have to offer, and then once they’ve read (and enjoyed) your book to get that coveted Amazon/ Goodreads review! Still, I am enjoying the process, building my platform, breaking out of my comfort zone and meeting people, both on social media and in real life. It’s been an amazing ride so far, and I’m looking forward to what the future holds!Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:To my readers (current and future!) Thank you for taking the time to read “Sweet Vengeance” and for the love and support you’ve given to me and to Jessica. “Sweet Discovery” is coming right along and will be out before we know it! Just an addition to my comments on Question #10 – If you read something you like, not just my books – anyone’s! – please take a minute and leave a review. Amazon, Goodreads – wherever you talk about books. Let people know that you liked it. It means the world to the authors, not only personally, but in helping to spread the word. You’re opinions matter. Without you we would all probably still write, but it’s so much sweeter when we know that others are enjoying the fruits of our labour. You make it all worthwhile!Thank you to Aliya DALRAE for this interview. I wish her all the best with her books! If you want more info about this author,please click here.

The Author Interviews: #3: Bhaswar LOCHAN

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers. For my third interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Bhaswar LOCHAN on 17/07/2016, author of 'The Cycle', a science fiction book.Let's get started!What made you want to become a writer?Since childhood I have remained a passionate reader. Science fictions have always fascinated me like anything. One fine night, I slept after reading a short sci-fi, and I dreamt something that today is the core concept. Though it looks crazy, but it actually happened to me. I am one of the popular science communicators and a text book writer of physics in India for more than half a decade, but this novel is my debut in this genre.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?Sci-Fi mesmerize me and space is a like my kick. It can never be boring. So, when I decided to write, this was obviously my first choice. Right now, I am working on my second novel, which is also broadly a mixture of sci-fi and thriller. Any other genre is not my cup of tea at the moment.What do you love most about writing and why?I simply love science and space. So, describing space and scientific theories in simple terms is my affection.What do you dislike about writing and why?Writing is a creative process. Sometimes during developing a story, it takes me to a closed tunnel, where there is no light. It often frustrates me and for weeks I am not able to write a single word. This is what I dislike. But at the same time it makes me realize how little I have read to smoothly develop creative ideas, so this lean season provides me opportunity the to explore and read new books and ideas.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?I would like to trade my place with Prof Sitaraman or Prof Kamaleshwari Prasad Ambastha. Both are not only genius but humorous and excellent human beings. If possible, then I also want to be a simple man like Evina’s grandpa.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?The world, in my novel, is a utopian society, with no war at any corner of the world and Moon is inhabited for research work for larger benefits of humanity. So, every place in the world is well connected with other and great place to live. But, I would love to live at Moon.What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?Being in a regular government job, I get opportunity to read/ write after my office hours only. But I read and write daily. Since I don the hats of popular science-communicator, writer, translator, reviewer and editor with some major publishers of academic/ non-fictions in my country India, I have become habituated to stay organised and keep to my deadlines. Yes, sometimes I do miss deadlines and put my stories low in priority list, but it is never a gross violation.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?Success earned by others inspires me the most. Especially, the story of successful persons from rags to riches tells me, ‘See! What he or she has achieved despite such an adverse condition, and you are placed at much cosy position, so no excuse why you could not do the work.’ Besides, I get inspiration from my un-success also (you can laugh!!).Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?I love Paulo Coelho. He is a master of expression and thought.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?The most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author is the lack of attention. Though my book has charted to global top 1000 (with the highest #969th rank till now) amazon ranking in Sci-fi genre, and it is continuously moving to and fro (1000 to 2000), but I feel drawing audience response and enough reviews could be frustrating. Indie authors have to go through mental agony and unfortunately promo websites also miserably fail to help them and focus to earn money from them even before actual help. So, getting the proper attention, in my view, is the most challenging.Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:Do read books and enjoy. If you want to publish, then indie way is also a good option. World is large enough to accommodate all of us.Thanks so much to Bhaswar LOCHAN for this interview. I wish him all the best with his book. If you would like more information about the author,please click here.

The Author Interviews: #2: Benjamin W PHILLIPS

In this series, I'll be interviewing self-published authors and writers about their books and their lives as writers.For my second interview, I had the privilege of interviewing Benjamin W. PHILLIPS on 16/07/2016. PHILLIPS writes new adult science fiction, new adult urban fantasy and epic adult high fantasy.Let's get started.What made you want to become a writer?One of the many reasons why I chose the keyboard over the gun so to say is because of the inaccurate way mentally ill or physically disabled people are often portrayed within the media. The mentally ill are often the people who are used as the villains of various television shows such as Criminal Minds, NCIS, or Bones, or in films such as Stonehearst Asylum, Session Nine, and Shutter Island. I began writing because I wanted to try to be a voice for those that don’t have one. I wanted to try to help stop the spread of inaccurate representations of the mentally ill or physically disabled and stop the spread of inaccurate information about them.Nearly every time a Schizophrenic is shown in some form of media, be it a television show, a film, a video game, and so on, that person is depicted as violent, or slobbering at the mouth, or crazy or a whole host of other such portrayals that, while they tell a gripping story, are wholly false.Not everyone that has Schizophrenia is violent and wants to kill people. I know, because I happen to have Schizophrenia and I find the misinformation and abuse of the mentally ill or physically disabled at the hands of the media to be offensive, so I want to try to help change that.With Marvel Comics Studio’s ‘Daredevil,’ most people who are blind can’t do many of the things that Daredevil\ Matt Murdock does in the show and too often I run into people thinking that they can. One of the things I want to try to do with my writing, other than trying to stymie the flow of misinformation, is to show that we’re just as human as anyone else. I’ve included a small excerpt from something that one of my characters says in my New Adult Urban Fantasy novel that I think might help sum all of this up quite nicely:“Though we’re of different skin, our breath; our souls shall always be alike, for we are the children of the world, and the world weeps as its brightest stars are burned upon the pyres of hate, fear, and intolerance. My tears are not for my friend, but for the death of compassion, trust, and love. Too late did I finally see… Our blood is just as red, and our tears just as clear, as everyone else, and they flow just as easily once shed.”— Whyte Foxx, Shards of the Crystal Rose.Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever considered trying other genres?I chose the fantasy genres because they were the easiest way for me to construct and build believable characters and the worlds in which they are found. I moved into Science Fiction because I wanted a harder challenge. Whereas in Fantasy, magic can be used to get into or out of most situations and the fight scenes can be several pages long, Science Fiction offers its own challenges in the forms of technology and how everything works. Often, I have found that Science Fiction is usually a little more plot driven than character driven, which is usually the case for Fantasy genres. Yes, I am actually planning on writing in as many genres as I can from Steampunk to Cyberpunk to Western to Romance to Historical Fiction and anything in-between. No genre is off limits to me so long as it is some form of Fiction.What do you love most about writing and why?I love bringing my characters and worlds to life the most. I enjoy it immensely because being able to twist and spin words to form a coherent and complete picture in the minds of my readers with whichever novel they’re paging through is just plain fun. I enjoy it because I still see magic within the world, no matter how dark and frightening it may become, and I want to share that beauty with other people.What do you dislike about writing and why?There really isn’t anything within the writing process that I truly can say that I dislike. Sure, some of it is a little frustrating or boring, but it’s all part and parcel of being a writer and getting one’s work out there to the world, so I just take it in stride as best I can and move on, usually with my face going: ---____--- or doing a mental ‘face-meet-desk’ slam quite a few times along the way.If you could trade places with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?None. I am their Historian, nothing more. It is not my place to trade my story for theirs.If you could live in any of the worlds you have created, which would you choose and why?I’d prefer to live in a world similar to Star Trek: The Next Generation, but specifically any time after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis occurred. It would be so much easier to write with the use of a holographic generation tool, such as the Enterprise’s holodeck!What's your writing routine or schedule like? Do you struggle to find time to write? How do you stay organised and keep to your deadlines?The way in which I write is very complicated and would probably drive others nuts. Suffice to say, each version of my rough draft goes through about a dozen or so rewrites before I post about it on Facebook or save it to a Master Document on my computer. I don’t have any other job at the moment, so I have plenty of time to write. I do my best to stay organised by refusing to let anyone else use my typewriter or my computer, let alone the stations in which they’re located.I keep my notes tacked to the wall within easy reach and I have dozens of sharpened pencils to jot quick plot ideas down. I also keep a filing cabinet of things that will help me in constructing whatever novel I’m working on at the time and thoroughly empty it before starting a new novel. All of the stuff I remove from the cabinet is then stored in a large plastic box to be gone through at a later time.Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration?Anything and everything. For example, when I came up with the name of the main character of my New Adult Science Fiction novel, Solarium Flare, I was cooking breakfast for myself and was trying desperately to figure out the name of this young woman’s voice I kept hearing in my mind who was telling me her story. Well, I reached for a certain bottle of ground up spice and it just sort of fell into place, including the girl’s nickname. Other such odd ways of coming up with names have occurred for other characters, scenes, and so forth for the rest of the books I am working on, too.Do you have a favourite author and if so, why do you enjoy their work?Nope.What do you find most challenging about being an indie/ self-published author and why?Trying to afford a knowledgeable editor on my paltry income because of their usually insanely high prices, so it makes it all that much more difficult to get my work published. Combine that with the hundreds of dishonest and greedy publishing companies out there that only care about the bottom line rather than caring about the integrity their author’s works, the quality of the work they do print, and the author’s themselves, it can be very frustrating to try to get my work out there to the masses. I’ve had several major setbacks and bruises along the way, but I am stronger for it.Any COMMENTS/ NOTES to the reader:If you’re looking into writing a book yourself, awesome! That’s great, but do yourself a favour—get the stars out of your mind and eyes as soon as you can. You need to realize, and quickly, that the publishing world is brutal and plagued by dishonest, corrupt, greedy people that only see you and your work as the proverbial cash cow and they’ll treat you as such. Therefore, the best advice I can give a new writer is this:Learn when to walk away from the company you sign with and never, ever, EVER sign anything you’re unsure about. If a publisher is dodgy with their answers to even the most basic of questions, run. If they come across as too much of a good deal, run. Always research the company you’re about to give your work to and make certain that you have a clause in your contract that returns your publishing and book rights to you one-hundred-percent, because without that, you’re hosed if you suddenly find yourself kicked to the curb. Some of the many things to look out for so that you know to steer away from that company are:If the publisher or employees of the company continually bash other authors, especially those that used to work for them,Engaging in smear campaigns against other authors or companies,Constantly prevaricating their answers to your questions,Blaming the author for poor book sales or poor returns on their novels or projects,And lastly, being unable or unwilling to answer one very powerful question with an adequate answer:“What can your company do for me as an author, or for my manuscript, that I cannot do for myself on my own as a self-published author?”You’ll have to decide for yourself what is and is not an acceptable answer to that question, but for me, things like ‘free exposure’ or ‘free editing’ or ‘massive sales revenues’ are shifty answers at best and need more looking into. Like I said, if the company itself or representative of that company come across as shifty, dodgy, or otherwise too much of a good deal, do yourself a big favour and run away. You’ll save yourself all of the heartache and tears and rage at being screwed and you’ll be better off for it.The final piece of advice I can give to any new author out there is learn how to accept and take criticism of your work, especially when someone writes a bad or poor review of that work. Not everyone out there is going to agree with you, not everyone is going to like your work, and sometimes you just end up having to deal with the jerks that decide to be trolls, so you need to develop a thick ‘lizard’s skin’ when it comes to writing. Remember, those that hate, will find even the smallest reason to hate. Those that love, will find every reason to do so.***Thanks to Benjamin W. PHILLIPS for this interview. I wish him all the best with his work! If you would like more information about this author,please click here.