Gary F. Vanucci's Blog, page 11

Legend of Ashenclaw Sale!

This weekend, I am reducing the price of my ԼЄGЄƝƊ ƠƑ ƛSĦЄƝƇԼƛƜ 

novella to a measly 99 cents for Amazon's kindle only! Don't have a kindle? Download the App for your PC or tablet right HERE.



❝His heart sank as a great shadow loomed over him, enveloping the land around him...Darkness descended❞



It is the epic journey of a group of legendary heroes in the history of Wothlondia that set forth in an attempt to quell the invasion of Ashenclaw and her Dragon minions. If you like fantasy, RPG's, Dungeons & Dragons, Game of Thrones and the like, you may find yourself enjoying this page-turner too! Oh, and enjoy the rather large sample below...



US ミ★  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLVLCF8



UK ミ★ http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CLVLCF8










It was a day’s
journey to Summerbank and as they neared, Figit realized that the town had
indeed grown some since last he visited some years back. They had an inn! At
least that’s what it looked like from his perspective.

As the group
came rolling up and over the hill, Figit leaped onto Twarda’s back, causing her
to stumble forward before her sturdy legs were able to right herself again.

“Watch
yerself!” Twarda yelped, regaining her balance quickly. “”I coulda’ fell…and with
ye' atop me, too!”

“I’da been
fine,” Figit quipped, getting comfortable on her broad shoulders.

“An’ I’da
ne’er fell. Yer missin’ me point.”

“It looks like
the town has literally doubled in size since the last time we seen it. I’m
seein’ maybe two dozen structures now!”

Azbiel laughed
heartily while Triniach and Jon strode along quietly. As they made it to the
bottom of the hill, Figit noted that something in the town did not seem right.

“Hey, guys,”
he announced, leaping from Twarda’s shoulders to land on all fours like a cat.
“Somethin’ ain’t right about this. Where are all the people?”

They all
looked about and noted that none of the fishermen were on their boats or
fishing in the bank and not a soul was outside. It was almost mid-day again and
the lack of activity was both telling and disturbing.

“I don’t like
it one bit,” Figit declared as he withdrew both of his daggers. The sound of
leather on steel sounded again as Jon withdrew his hand and a half sword and
Twarda removed her axe from her belt.

“I don’t like
this at all,” Figit stated as he slipped down the remainder of the hill and
proceeded ahead of the others.

He got up to
where he could see things more clearly, his eyesight allowing him to see great
distances, another gift of his fey blood. What he saw was distressing. He waved
the others to within a few feet of him and told them to wait there at the base
of the hill.

“What is it,
half-man?” asked Jon.

“Shush,” Figit
called back in a whisper. He wanted to whisper back to him that he was no man
at all. Instead he was a creature born of fey blood, distant cousin to the
elves and that he could tap into the regenerative plane much as a druid would
and use the gift to heal; albeit sparingly.

He stole
through the village and made it to the far western side of the town. Confirming
what he saw, he made his way quickly and quietly back to the group, who awaited
him on the shaded side of a storefront.

“What is it!?”
asked Azbiel, his arms held out wide before returning to cross over his chest.
He yawned and Figit could smell the wine on his breath from where he stood.

Typical Azbiel, he thought.

“Kobolds. And
lots of ‘em! And…they ain’t alone either. There are some crazy robed figures
with marks of the dragons on their garments.

“Dragon
cultists,” Triniach stated as if everyone should know. “They are amassing here
as they sense something, a shift in the weather or some such. I cannot quite
put my finger on it just yet.”

“So, they are
worshipers of which dragons?” Jon asked. “All of them?”

“I would say.
It is a dragon cult. Their symbol is something of a dragon claw. Is that
correct, Figit?” Triniach asked.

“A claw of
red, one of blue, another of white and a black one, too. All in a circle, or a
cross or some proportioned pattern. Can’t really see it too well.”

Triniach waved
his hands about and stood silently, the white of his eyes shifted in hue to  yellow, like that of an eagle’s.

“That is it
exactly,” the mage announced with confidence.

“If you can do
that, then why do ya’ make me—never mind,” Figit said with a sigh and a shake
of his head.

“It is to keep
your skills intact. You never know when you will need them. Magic does not
solve everything,” he stated in a lecturing manner with a sideways glance
toward him and then added, “almost. But not quite.”

 “Well, whatever. The four-clawed dragon
cultists have taken over the town for whatever reason,” Figit exclaimed, willing
his body into the shadows.

 “Then we be needin’ ta’ take ‘er back!”
proclaimed the dwarven warrior, tapping her axehead upon her shield three
times.

“Let’s gut ‘em
and save the day. Like usual,” stated the halfling.

“Nothing like
rescuing damsels in distress!” Azbiel proclaimed, rubbing his hands together in
anticipation.

“We are ready
then?” inquired Triniach, adjusting his robe.

All of them
nodded and Figit stayed to the shadows, moving ever closer to the commotion.
After a moment or two, he could hear the words of the cultists.

“We shall make
sacrifice for the scorching drakes and so that Ashenclaw will spare us,” he
heard one man say.

“The queen of
the scorching drakes will let us live if we show her gift,” said one of the
dozen kobolds lurking about. A pair of women were both tied to stakes that were
planted firmly inside a large amount of tinder. Their clothes were torn and
they were bleeding from several wounds already, though none of them looked
fatal to the halfling. But, it certainly seemed as though they were going to
roast these two ladies alive.

“We need them
all to burn,” stated another kobold, confirming Figit's obvious fears.

Figit looked
from where they'd come from and, held captive inside the inn that he could see through the window pane, were several more of the villagers bound and gagged. And there were even
more of the kobolds in there. 

He hated the little lizard things. Whenever they
gathered, there were always too many of them around, he thought with a grimace. 

















Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

The Matt Schiariti Interview

I'd like to introduce to you fellow writer and a personal friend, Matt Schiariti . I met Matt a few years back as we have a mutual friend (my best man at my wedding Mike, who I've known for more years than not) and Matt was working on his craft for years back then. He has since taken the step forward and put his work out for all to see (a brave step for any new writer) and is patiently waiting for you all to find him. I thought I'd show you the way...









First off, tell us a little bit about you~

Well, I’m a Gemini. I like long walks on the…never mind. My name’s Matt and I’m a 38 year old Engineer by trade.



Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?


Right now I have two short stories published. The first is part of the Apocalypse 13 anthology and it’s called ‘Hollow: Be Careful What You Wish For’. The other short story I published on my own. It’s called ‘Words With Fiends: A Short Story’. Both of those are horror/supernatural. I have a paranormal type urban fantasy coming out within the next couple months, also to be self published. It’s called ‘Ghosts of Demons Past’. I actually just saw the final cover and it’s awesome.



When did you start writing?

I’m still pretty green. I started to write in February 2012.



Why do you write?This question always reminds me of the scene in Star Trek when Spock had asked Kirk why he likes to scale mountains. Kirk’s simple, yet classic answer was ‘Because…it’s….there!” I’m kind of the same way. I’d entertained the idea of writing when I was younger but it always seemed like one of those things I couldn’t do. I’d convince myself it’s too hard, or I’d stink at it, or I’d just move on to my next fascination. So now, it’s a matter of being ‘bit by the bug’. I sit down at the computer and write a short story or work on one of my own novels just to see if I can do it. I’ve found that, while it ain’t easy, it’s fun when it all comes together.



What would be your choice for a superpower? X-ray vision…heheh. Honestly, I have a lot of favorite super heroes but I always thought Green Lantern had one of the coolest gadgets in the business. A ring so powerful, the only limitation of which is the user’s imagination? Too cool.



Who is your favorite author?

Ken Follett. Hands down. I read The Pillars Of The Earth and it blew me away. Easily my favorite book of all time.



What are you reading now?I’m reading the second in the Timecasters Series, Supersymmetry, by Joe Konrath. It’s trippy. He’s not quite right but his books are so much fun.



Who is your favorite character to write?I really enjoyed writing Seth Gabriel, the lead from my upcoming first novel, Ghosts of Demons Past. He’s a bit of a sad sack at first. Seth is a medium but he’s more than that. He can see and talk to ghosts and of course, it’s more curse than blessing. 






Do you have a writing process?This is one of those ‘ask ten people, get ten different answers’ types of questions! =D What’s worked for me so far is writing when I think I have something to say. I’m very much the ‘pantser’. I haven’t outlined anything yet, whether it be my books or my short stories. I have the flow in my head then I sit down and write it. Some will say you have to get your butt in the chair every day and write write write. To me, if I don’t have an idea, I’m not going to write. I’ll edit or just read. ‘Pantsing’ has worked well so far. That’s how I did Ghosts of Demons Past and the book I’d written before that, which I’m now going back through and cleaning up.



What advice would you give to an aspiring author?I’m not exactly a seasoned veteran, but one of many things I’ve learned over the past 14 or so months is don’t be intimidated by other writers. I’ve suffered a big self confidence problem from the get go. In this age of social media, it’s not uncommon to ‘friend’ other authors or like their pages if you’re trying your hand at the whole writing thing. I’d see author X or writer Y touting their numbers or reviews or how proud they are of their latest work in progress. I’d find myself thinking ‘wow, they’re published, they have a huge backlist…will I ever be that good or can I stack up?’ At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what they’re doing. Do what YOU do and do it as best as you’re able. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to keep up with the Joneses.



What inspired you to pursue writing?

A common acquaintance of ours! I shall call him ‘MC’. As you know, he’s a big reader. He and I discuss books a lot. So, one night over more than a couple beers, I said ‘we should write a book together’. He agreed and we started running ideas. Some of them were pretty interesting but after months of talking about it, the project never came to fruition. But, he planted the writing idea in my head so I went out on my own. So I started with a couple short stories and it went from there.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?Wow. How much time do you have? ;) Some of my favorite TV shows are The Walking Dead, Dexter, Justified, Game of Thrones, Orphan Black, Law and Order SVU. I could go on but your eyes would start to get that glazed over look. As far as movies, I’m open to just about anything. Funny fact though: even though I’ve been writing primarily horror/paranormal stories and books up to this point, I don’t watch many horror movies. Things that make ya go hmmmmm.



What are your current projects? Welp, Ghosts of Demons Past is currently being looked at by an editor. I usually do my own (I edited Words With Fiends myself) but this is my first full length book and I want it to be as highly polished as it can possibly be. That and 96,000 words is a lot to self edit. I’ve recently completed several more shorts this year, two of which are going to see the light of day via Padwolf Publishing’s ‘13’ series. While Ghosts is with the editor and I have no other anthologies to write for, I’m going through a novel I’d written BEFORE Ghosts. My very first book. I’d typed out about 128,000 words in a little over five weeks last year and I’m in the middle of trimming it down. I’ve knocked 32,000 words off of it so far. It’s kind of a life story/drama and it involves a funeral. But that’s all I’m willing to say about it at this point ;) But, all my time will be sucked up by Ghosts once I hear back from the editor. I don’t have to tell you how much work it takes to get it converted and ready for upload to Amazon!



Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers? Thanks for reading! And to those who leave reviews and spread the word, an extra special thanks. Makes all the difference in the world for those of us who are self published.



Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Dogs.

Coffee or tea? Without coffee, I don’t see the point in getting up out of bed in the morning.

Favorite food? Food happens to be my favourite flavor but I’ll go with all things Italian.

Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate.

What are 3 things you never leave home without? Smart phone, wallet, keys.

Laptop or desktop? Laptop! Got my first this past Christmas and I’m on the thing constantly.

Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Iron Maiden’s lead guitarist, Adrian Smith. Ken Follett. Olivia Wilde.

TV or Movies? Always asking the tough questions! Movies.



Where you can find Matt Schiariti!Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Matt-Schiariti/e/B00AX9Y6GW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1366676649&sr=8-1

Blog:

mattschiariti.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6873499.Matt_Schiariti


















Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!



All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here



See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!



Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!



All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Cover Preview: The Legend of Ashenclaw Novella

Hello Ashenclaw fans! I am currently preparing to re-release my epic novella, The Legend of Ashenclaw as a stand-alone product. It is available currently in the Skulldust Circle Anthology.



I am doing this only to brand my own product in case fans want this book as a stand-alone book. In order to do that, I have hired artist and fellow-Skull-duster, Mr. William Kenney again and I have the cover art to show you. Please let me know what you all think.



If you want to reach William for art-related to book-related reasons, please feel free to email him directly at:




WilliamKenney_author@yahoo.com



You will be doing yourself a favor. William is excellent and affordable.







Ashenclaw in all of her glory!













 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Gary Val Tenuta Interview

I recently ran into fellow writer Gary Val Tenuta on twitter and he was excited to be interviewed here on Eye on Ashenclaw.  Gary had an interesting path and the following interview is certainly worth reading!






First off, tell us a little bit about you Writing and art have always been two of the things I do best. So I’ve combined those two talents to become both an author and a book cover designer (http://www.freewebs.com/bookcoversand...).

I graduated from The Evergreen State College (otherwise known as “that hippie school in the woods) with a degree in Social Psychology. My professional writing career began as a contributing writer for Fate Magazine in the 1990s. One of my feature articles about the mystery of the alleged secret military group known as Majestic-12 resulted in requests to appear on radio programs across the U.S. and Canada.

Having had a life long interest in paranormal phenomena, the supernatural, occult and ancient mysteries and basically anything that could be squeezed into those categories, it should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that these same elements would become the fodder for my novels and short stories. I grew up devouring Poe, Lovecraft and Roald Dahl and those writers definitely had a huge influence on me. I wonder if they realize what they've done? Maybe I should dig out my old 1920s-era Ouija board and let them know. Nah. Probably not a good idea.

Tell us about your books My debut novel, The Ezekiel Code, took nearly 9 years to complete. It was released in 2007 and quickly became an amazon.com bestseller and held on to that ranking for over 57 weeks. When I started writing it back around 1997 I knew about the approaching end of the ancient Mayan calendar (December 21, 2012) and I suspected the closer we got to that event the more it was going to become a pop phenomenon on a global scale. So I incorporated that cultural element into my original idea for a story which was, basically, about how the Biblical prophet, Ezekiel, encountered an alien spacecraft and what that fact would mean to mankind when modern day humans realized that’s what actually happened. By the time 2007 came along, the whole “2012” thing was starting to get some feet. People everywhere were beginning to discuss it. Lots of nonfiction books were being published about the phenomenon but, as it turned out. The Ezekiel Code was one of (if not the first) work of fiction based on the phenomenon to hit the market. Then along came the blockbuster movie, titled “2012”, and all of the press about the movie, the internet forums focusing on 2012, and so on – all of this essentially functioned as “free” publicity in a sense, helping to bring attention to my novel. It was a heck of a ride for a newbie at this novel writing stuff.

My current novel, Ash: Return Of The Beast, is a supernatural crime chiller steeped in occult lore. The story is a work of fiction inspired by a little known factoid about the death of Aleister Crowley (1875—1947), the notorious British occultist whose favorite number was 666 (hence, the “Beast” in the title) and whom the British Press once labeled as “The Wickedest Man In The World”. Crowley’s body was cremated but the unexplained 1947 disappearance of the urn containing his ashes has remained a mystery… until now. (Cue spooky music…)

The timeline shifts to the present day where Brian Kane, a street-worn Seattle police Lieutenant, is investigating a series of mysterious deaths, ostensibly caused by heart attack. The victims are all clergymen from a variety of Christian denominations  Their bizarre deaths, oddly enough, are occurring exactly nine days apart. Is that a clue or just a strange coincidence?

Soon, a rather unconventional female FBI agent by the name of Rowena Ravenwood joins the detective to help solve the case. She’s an expert in the field of paranormal phenomena and she suspects the perpetrator in this case may be dangerously knowledgeable in the occult arts and ritual magick. Kane doesn’t believe a word of it but he seems to be stuck with her and her weird ideas whether he likes it or not.

Eventually, a suspect rises up out of the mire of perplexing clues and it turns out he’s the leader of a death-metal rock band. But is he really the killer? What about the other suspect? The one who heads up an occult group called The Brotherhood of Baphomet? His past association with the infamous Charlie Manson of “Helter-Skelter” fame does cast him in a suspicious light. And what is the disturbing secret that detective Kane is holding so close to his chest?

Or is none of this what it seems to be? Indeed, are these deaths even really homicides? Is this a murder case or isn’t it? No fingerprints, no eyewitnesses, no signs of struggle, no weapons. There is one thing, however. Those black plastic Batman coins that are found stuffed into the mouth of each “victim”. What is that all about?

Ravenwood thinks she knows. But, to be certain, she’ll have to risk her life, not to mention her very sanity, should she manage to survive. She’s uncovered a clue that leads her to believe a bloody carnage of unimaginable horror is about to be unleashed upon the world as the offspring of the fabled “Old Ones” are awakened from their ancient slumber.

The survival of the entire human race hangs in the balance and the amount of time to stop this from happening is running short. All Hell is about to break loose and, according to Special Agent Ravenwood, that’s not just a figure of speech.





KINDLE (U.S.) $3.99 - http://amzn.com/B006J6HRGE

PAPERBACK (U.S.) $12.95 - http://amzn.com/1478314192


PAPERBACK (U.K.) £9.95 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1478314192

I’m currently working on a series of short stories (almost novelettes, actually) for a series called Twisted Tales From The Files Of The Second Chance Limousine Service. When asked what they’re like, I say think Twilight Zone. Two of those stories (“A Bite Out Of Time” and “Atonement”) are currently available in Kindle format from amazon.com for 99¢ each.

A BITE OUT OF TIME -- http://amzn.com/B002OHD2CK

ATONEMENT -- http://amzn.com/B00AZISY14

When did you start writing? I think the first story I ever wrote was when I was about 12 years old. It was a sci-fi story called The Beam From Saucer-X. It was really good, too. I know that because my mom told me so.

But it wasn’t until I was about 15 or 16 that I started to really become interested in creative writing. There were two authors that pretty much kick-started that interest. First was Edgar Allan Poe and then H. P. Lovecraft. I think the first Poe story I read was The Telltale Heart. I was immediately hooked. I read everything by Poe that I could get my hands on.

Why do you write? Because I don’t have a life? No, that’s not entirely true. However, it seems the more I write the more true it becomes. But the serious answer is that I think, to some extent, it has something to do with my life long dream of being a screenwriter, an actor and a movie director. Since those things didn’t come to pass, I’ve sort of incorporated all of them into writing novels and short stories. I get to write the story, direct the action and play all the parts.

What would be your choice for a superpower?It would have to be to fly like Superman. I get to do that in my dreams sometimes. It’s awesome.

Who is your favorite author? Oh, man. I guess if I had to pick one I’d say my favorite since 2003 has been Dan Brown. I’ve read everything he’s published so far.

What are you reading now? I’m reading two indie books right now. One is an outstanding true story for which I had the pleasure of designing the cover. It’s called Scoundrels In Paradise. The author is Scott Adlai Stevenson, the cousin of the former ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson. Scott led an a nefarious life of high adventure on an international scale as a drug smuggler. The stories he tells are incredible.

The other book is The Rosaries by indie author, Sandra Carrington-Smith. It’s the sequel her first novel, The Book of Obeah which is currently being made into a movie.

Who is your favorite character to write? Usually the main character of what ever story I happen to be working on at any given time.

Do you have a writing process? I don’t really have a “process” in terms of something that I follow rigidly. I’m what has been called an “organic” writer. I just get an idea, I know basically how it will begin and I usually have at least a vague idea how it will end and I just jump right in and start writing. More often than not, the ending of the story is not what I originally thought it might be. But, for me, that’s part of the fun. As the characters grow and the plot takes on new dimensions that I hadn’t foreseen, I get really pumped to see where it’s going to go next. I also tend to edit as I go.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Don’t be intimidated by people who might doubt your talent or ability. As the Nike slogan said: Just Do It! But learn all you can from reading authors that you like and try to figure out what it is you like about their writing. You might find yourself copying something of their style but eventually you’ll come into your own. Also––and this is really important––get a good book on how to edit your work. There are several good books on the subject. I always recommend “Self-Editing For Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How To Edit Yourself Into Print” by Browne and King. I found it to be an excellent book on the subject, easy to read and comprehend and filled with valuable tips. I wish I’d had it when I wrote my first novel. It would have made a big difference in the final product. Whatever you do, be sure your book is edited before you have it published and out on the market. If you can’t afford to hire a professional editor (many of us can’t) then do it yourself. But, if you do it yourself, approach it like it’s the most important thing you’ll ever do in your life. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. But even if you hate every minute of it, JUST DO IT! Read the book I mentioned above (or one like it) and soak up every little morsel you find in those pages. Take it seriously because it’s one of the most important aspects of the whole process. Believe me and every other author whose been around the block, if your book is full of misspelled words, missing letters, missing quotation marks, missing periods, missing commas, awkward sentences, massive paragraphs that fill an entire page, too many exclamation marks, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera… you’ll hear about it from your readers when they post their scathing 1 and 2-star reviews on amazon. And remember this: If you edit it once, and you think it’s perfect, you’re probably wrong. You missed something. I can just about guarantee that. You probably missed several things. Go through it again and then go through it again. Yeah, I know. It sucks. But it’s worth it in the end.

What inspired you to pursue writing?I always seemed to just have the desire. It was there when I was just a young kid and never went away. Many times, throughout my school years, some of my teachers recognized my talent and encouraged me to keep at it. Those words of encouragement were huge inspirations.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing? I’m mesmerized by the serial-killer drama called “The Following” with Kevin Bacon. My other “must watch” TV show is “Castle”. I love the humor and the relationship between Castle and Beckett. I’m also a fan of “Nashville” and “Smash”. Having been a musician (singer/songwriter) in the past, I can relate to those shows. So, of course, I’m also a big fan of American Idol and The Voice. Love seeing those young folks getting a chance to do what they love and maybe go on to fame and fortune.

















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Marie Phillips Interview

Next up for your entertainment is Sci-Fi/Fantasy author, Marie Phillips! Marie has a few books out now and is working on 2 more. Please stick around and see what she is up to and how she got there...







Describe
your books? What genre do you consider your books?  Mostly Science fiction / Fantasy, though KHAN: A MAINE COON is not of that
genre. I suppose it is an animal tale, but is also a biography. It is hard to categorize.







When and why did you begin writing? Who
inspired you to start writing? I started writing when I was five, creating picture type stories with a
tree as the main character! As I grew older, I even designed my own publishing
“firm” called “Sunrise Publications” and it featured a rainbow over a sunrise
logo in glorious Crayola crayon! I’ve had the desire to write from the nonhuman
point of view for as long as I can remember.






How did the idea for this book come to
mind? I started
out with the idea of turning Khan’s early months before we adopted him into a
fantasy cat yarn, but as time went by I ended up writing his life story from
his point of view. I did use some of the fantasy elements, but for the most
part stuck to the true events of his life. When he fell ill, the story was no
longer just a cat’s tale but a tribute to him, a bit of immortality for such a
sweet gentle giant.




Who is your favorite character in the
book besides the protagonist and why?  Khan’s best buddy Phantom. In
writing this story, I realized just how special this cat was in all our lives.
He was Khan’s best friend and in the end, protector.






What were the challenges (research,
literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing the book to life? 
In the research, all I had to do was carefully comb my memory, photo accounts,
and medical records to keep everything true to what happened. In doing this
from his point of view and allowing the characters to speak, I tried to be sure
that stayed true to the cat’s personalities as well as the species. I tried to
get into their heads.




What is the hardest part of writing the book? The last few chapters, since when
doing revisions and editing, it was very difficult reading about the events.






Who designed the covers of the book? I did. It features a photo of
Khan when he was two years old.




Did you learn anything from writing this
book and what is it? I learned more about my own cats and everything that goes into caring
for them when they are ill. The book helped heal my heart, and in it, Khan and
his best buddy will always live on.




If you had to do it all over again,
would you change anything in the book? I think I might have added Phantom’s point of
view. But since I did not, it leaves it wide open for another story, this time
Phantom’s.




Is there anything you find particularly
challenging in your writing? Was there somewhere in the book you felt stuck? My problem is I have more I wish
to write than I could possibly ever finish! On the rare occasion I get stuck, I
will shift to another project and come back to it. Generally, yhe answers come
suddenly and I must write myself notes! With KHAN: A MAINE COON , I never got stuck. The story was already
there to transpose to print.






What are your current projects? I have the first two books of my FURLITES OF ARORIEL series out now. Book
one is On Matissia Wings and Book II is EARTH-BRED,
MATISSIA-BORN . I am working on Book
3-Eyes in the Dark of my Furlites
of Aroriel series, short story Fantasy collection, that includes a tale
about Old Gent, an ancient Norway Spruce, 
a Furlitian Tales collection, Phantom’s tale called F-4 Phantom Wild Weasel , and 
eccentric collection of stories called THE SECRET LIFE OF MODEL HORSES .




Which book of yours will be coming out
next and when? Could
you describe what happens in this book? Can we get an excerpt?  The Fantasy short story collection should
be the next book out sometime early in 2012. It features a story called The White Dragons of Suvwilur .
Here is an excerpt. If you prefer something longer let me know.

    Feklaar lifted his head, ears pricked
and quivering, as thunder cracked suddenly in the high, frigid peaks he called
home. A shaft of bright sunlight illuminated the entrance to his lair, telling
the majestic dragon no mere thunder reverberated in the mountains. The sounds died
away, and Feklaar listened carefully. The unmistakable keen of a dragon
followed the last echo of thunder. Feklaar growled deeply, the utterance
rumbling deep in his broad chest. Another of his kind killed by the Strange
Ones, who appeared in the skies south of the Mountains months ago. He lurched
to his feet, allowing a puff of smoke to escape his toothy maw. Unfurling his
vast pinions, Feklaar bared impressive cutlery and shot a brief burst of flame.

What book are you reading now? Which are
your all-time favourite authors / books? Favourite movies and favourite music
band? I am
reading Merry Maines: A Shaggy Cat
Tale by Garnet Quinn. Also am reading The Land of the Painted caves by Auel. I have many others in
the Kindle-waiting. I love Anne Mccaffery’s Pern stories, Robert Sawyers’
Quintaglio series, Shirley Murphy’s Joe Grey Mysteries,  Mercedes Lackey’s Valdamar series,  and have already fallen in love with the
Merry Maines feline crew!  There are so
many more. I love Science Fiction/ fantasy and one of my favourite movies was
ET, and one of my favourite TV shows is Dr Who. I love the old classic rock
bands, and Christmas music in just about any genre.




Give us three “Good to Know” facts about
you, something you could not read just about anywhere. 
 I love birdwatching, collect,
customize, and show model horses and other animals, and I suppose my political
affiliation could best be described as a conservative libertarian.




Do you have anything specific that you
want to say to readers? Well, my stories are definitely off the mainstream. I love to write
stories from the nonhuman point of view. If you are a reader, like myself, who
loves to read stories that feature aliens, cats, horses, trees, fantasy
creatures, which tell the story from their eyes, then you will likely enjoy my
work! If talking animals bother you, or nonhumanoid aliens bother you, you will
likely not enjoy my books.  I had one
editor tell me she could not relate to my Furlites because they had tails! She
suggested removing them and I laughed. My proofreader and mentor said, “don’t
you dare”.  I replied, “don’t fret, I
can’t! Cut off a Furlite’s tail and they can’t walk very well!”  We had a great laugh.  You can’t lop off the tail of a Saurian
biped!!! So if you enjoy books like Watership Down, Tad William’s Tailchaser’s
Song, or Robert Sawyer’s FARSEER, you most likely will enjoy mine.




Quick-fire questions:

ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? I always loved hardcovers and
paperbacks, but since I got my Kindle—its ebooks now.




Cats or dogs? Love them both but choose cats.




Coffee or tea? Coffeeee-where is the IV????




Favorite food? 
So many to choose from but I love a nice rare steak!!




Vanilla or chocolate icecream? Chocolate!




What are 4 things you never leave home
without? Purse,
cellphone, keys, and a special bracelet I have in memory of my Mom.




Laptop or desktop for writing? Mostly desktop, but have a laptop
for times working at the desktop is not possible.




Where and when do you prefer to do your
writing? At my
desktop, with the huge 24’ screen, during the day.




If you were deserted on an island, who
are 3 famous people you would want with you? Dan Marino, Anne McCaffery, Chef Gordon
Ramsey




List 3 of your all-time favourite
movies?  ET, Star Trek IV and Lord of the Rings




What is a movie or TV show that you
watched recently and really enjoyed? DR Who Christmas episode




Where to find Marie...




My blog:

My facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rias-Books/258778057484770

My Goodreads author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rias-Books/258778057484770

Twitter:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-J-S-Phillips/e/B006GSBNAG/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_nu_Fe-1ob1NE0X2K

Smashwords:

Other:
http://www.freewebs.com/riasp/index.htm

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/riap27


















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

C.G.Ayling Interview

I wanted to thank fellow writer C.G.Ayling for stopping by here to do this interview with me. C.G. is in the midst of an epic series named Malmaxa. I hope you all enjoy the interview!







Q. First
off, tell us a little bit about you.


I’m a young soul, trapped in an aging body and I have no desire
for fame, or fortune.  C.G.Ayling is my
pseudonym, borrowed from my Godfather, an honorable man very deserving of
fame.  Sadly, fortune would serve him
poorly, as he passed away in 1990.  While
who I am physically really doesn’t matter, I reflect who I am spiritually, and
philosophically, in my tweets, which you can find by following @CGAyling on
Twitter.




Q. Tell
us about your books.

My principle work is a series bearing the name Malmaxa.  The first two books, “Beltamar’s War” and
“The Pilgrimage”, are already available. 
Beltamar’s War introduces readers to an apparently brutal, primitive
world ruled by six divine, immutable laws. 
In Malmaxa, no other laws are permitted, this has many ramifications the
most obvious being that no government is possible.  The first of the six laws states, “None Shall
Speak for the Gods.”  As with many
elements within the series, this law seems contradictory, but is not – its
purpose is to prevent the formation of organized religion, not belief
itself.  Like any functional, developed
culture, Malmaxa is an extremely complicated world.  My writing style gradually reveals it, and by
the end of the first book readers are only beginning to grasp where this tale
leads.  That makes it sound like it’s a
slow moving, rambling tale – it isn’t, a lot happens, with literally everything
resulting in cause and effect.  Expect to
be confused, but anticipate rewards as you decipher clues revealing the true
nature of Malmaxa.  If you don’t enjoy
complex, epic tales that raise more questions than they answer, Malmaxa is not
for you.




Q. When
did you start writing?

With passion?  In 1976.  With purpose? In 2006.




Q. Why do
you write?

For release.  As I age, I
become more and more disillusioned with the state of the world.  The world is not improving, it is becoming
more controlling with each passing year.  Every year we have less real freedom, and are
bound into increasingly restrictive little cubicles from which escape is
virtually impossible.  The mass-media actively
tells us what to think.  Instead of
serving us, our governments enslave us to corporations for whom there are no
rules, since laws are purchased by corporations.  Malmaxa offers me release from this unjust
world, and lets me reveal my view of perfection to anyone who cares to read it.
If that turns out to be no one, I’m still content as Malmaxa has let me cast
out some of the demons that trouble me.




Q. What
would be your choice for a superpower?

Invisibility!  Actually, in
Malmaxa one of the six classes of Seizen (in my series, Seizen is the
collective name for humanity) holds this power. 
Think how much you could accomplish, if no one knew you were there.  Kind of like being anonymous, which I am, so
in a way I already possess my superpower of choice!






Q. Who is
your favorite author?

Omar Khayyám.




Q. What
are you reading now?

At the moment I’m listening to an audio series from “The Great
Courses”, titled “Memory and the Human Lifespan”, as presented by Professor
Steve Joordens of the University of Toronto Scarborough.




Q. Who is
your favorite character to write?

In Malmaxa, my favorite used to be the villain.  Placing oneself in the mind of an utterly
selfish person is rather liberating. It’s also extremely challenging – I really
want readers to identify with him and realize that he is human, with human
desires, fears, goals and misunderstandings. 
You’ll notice I never named the villain – that’s because I have no
desire for who the villain is, to be immediately obvious.  My new favorite character is Eden.  Eden is a six cycle old child (a cycle might
loosely be considered a year, but is actually significantly longer) by the end
of the second novel, Eden’s character is developing and maturing far faster
than that of a young child should.  This
is because of her exposure to elements normally reserved for adults, much like
young children of our time.  Eden is a
crucial character in the tale, although she is not the protagonist – there, a
hint, without any spoiler.




Q. Do you
have a writing process?

I do. I use hidden text to outline a section, before filling it
out.  I don’t intentionally write in
sequence, though a lot of it ends up this way. 
I spend a great deal of time back tracking and cleaning up story
threads, of which there are many.  While driving,
which I do an extraordinary amount, I record thoughts onto a voice
recorder.  Then, when time permits, I
incorporate these thoughts into my hidden text, and later flesh them out.  I do a significant amount of research as I
write, and I pay extraordinary attention to the little details – to me, the
tiny things matter more than the biggest, for truth is easier to ascertain with
sharper focus.  I never tell anyone where
the plot is going, not even my wife or youngest daughter, Julia.  They often ask me for hints and clues, but
I’m nothing if not hard hearted and point them back to what they’ve already
read – it’s all there, hidden in obscure details and metaphor.




Q. What
advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Anticipate heartache – though it won’t reduce the pain of
rejection, it will reduce the shock.  Thought
that sounds overly dramatic, I present it with the best intentions.  Having poured your heart into our writing,
our natural tendency is to assume everyone will love it as much as we do.  If you go the traditional publishing route,
you’ll face rejection – usually in the form of complete silence from agents and
publishers who exempt themselves from courtesy in their submission guidelines.  If you self-publish, the indifference and
assumed rejection of silence is still there, though more insidious.  If you’re expecting it, it won’t shock you
quite as much – if you’re anticipating instant fame and accolade… well it might
shock you enough that you stop writing, that would be a loss for us all.




Q. What
inspired you to pursue writing?

The desire to bring honor to my Godfather, or at least to his
memory.




Q. What
are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?

I don’t watch TV willingly, and I can’t recall the last time I
went to a movie.  Occasionally I’ll watch
shows or movies on Netflix.  I recently
watched the first four seasons of “Sons of Anarchy” – I enjoyed the first two
seasons, an intriguing premise about just who the “bad guys” really are.  The third and fourth season crossed far
beyond the line of believability, I won’t be following that series any further.  One of my favorite movies is “Apocalypse
Now”, another close contender is “To Live and Die in LA”.















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

H.L.Stephens Interview

A few weeks ago, i had the distinct pleasure of meeting a fine person and author named Heather Stephens, who goes by the pen name  H.L. Stephens. From the moment I interacted with her, I knew she was not only a serious writer, but was a kind person and someone who cares deeply about her writing. Her interview is very heartfelt and real and I for one appreciate the sincerity. Do yourself a favor and pick up her work!







First off, tell us a little bit about you






-       
My name is Helen. It is a family name, and every
day I thank the good Lord above that I was not born a boy; otherwise, my name
might have been Cleon (another good old family name). In a Star Trek
generation, you do the math on how many fights I would have had defending my
honor. ‘Stephens’ is a tribute to my father. He has always been one of my
biggest fans and biggest supporters. I am proudly owned by a 10 pound
Pomeranian name Peanut Pumpkin Pie. She is the light of my life, and I would
challenge any parent to have more pictures of their two legged kids than I do
of my four legged one. I grew up in Charleston, SC but have lived in the
Appalachian mountains for the last 16 years or so. My greatest hope is that
long after I am gone if ebay or something like it still exists, some person
will find one of my books for a really great deal. They will sit down in their
favorite chair, open the well worn pages of their moderately priced treasure to
begin to read the words that first poured forth from my heart, and they will
rediscover why they love to read.




Tell us about your books

-       
The Chronicles of Mister Marmee novels are the firsthand
accounts of the many investigations and exploits of the feline adventurer and
consulting detective, Mister Marmee and his best friend and colleague, the
famous dachshund detective Sir Happy Heart. The world is introduced to them in
the first novel The Case of Jack the
Nipper which was released in eBook form June of 2012. In this first
full-length novel, a series of brutal attacks and a connected murder set the
city of London on edge. Sir Happy Heart and Mister Marmee find themselves
unavoidably embroiled in the case as the details of each victim are brought to
their very doorstep by Inspector Hyrum Farley himself, in his efforts to stop
the perpetrator of the crimes before he strikes again. With clues that lead
from the bleakest slums, to the darkened doorway of illegal dog fighting, to
the country estate of one of the most powerful and influential families of
Victorian times, these extraordinary detectives must prevail before the Nipper
takes his next victim. It's a race against the clock for these two fearless
detectives, and time is running out!




The second
novel in the Chronicles of Mister Marmee is nearing completion of the
first draft. I hope to have The Case of
the Wayward Fae ready for release by the end of this year.









When did you start writing?



-       
I started writing when I was a little girl. We
still have the diary I started when I was like 4 and 5 years old. It is amazing
the deep and pertinent things you write in your diary at that age. Heavy stuff.
For some reason, I drew a lot of bugs. I have no idea why.




Why do you write?

-       
I write because the voices in my head won’t be
quiet unless I do. They are inconsiderate little buggers that wake me at all
hours of the day and night if I try and ignore them.




What would be your choice for a superpower?

-       
I would love the ability to walk through walls
because sometimes I really don’t feels like messing with the doors.




Who is your favorite author?

-       
This is a hard one to nail down because my
tastes vary and my appreciations for various authors exist because of the gifts
they bring to the table for the types of things they wrote about. Every time I
try to pick one author as a ‘favorite’, I remember another author who gave me
equal pleasure at a different time for a different reason. I begin to feel
cheap and tawdry, like I have had some illicit affair, but for argument’s sake,
I will name a few of the classics that have been among my favorites for many
years: Sir Walter Scott, Jane Austin, Trollope, James Fennimore Cooper, Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle




What are you reading now?

-       
I am currently reading a few books at the same
time, as much for pleasure as for research. The
Land Beyond the Forest by Emily Gerard is the book that inspired Bram
Stoker to write his most famous work. Written in the late 1800’s, it is Emily’s
experiences while living in Transylvania. I am also reading Catnip by Valerie Tate. It has been a
fun read so far. It came up as a “you might also like…” on my book’s page (The Case of Jack the Nipper) so I was
curious. My third and (so far) final source of reading pleasure at the moment
is Victorian Murderess: A True History of
Thirteen Respectable French and English Women Accused of Unspeakable Crimes
by Mary S Hartman. Because of the Era of my current series (The Chronicles of Mister Marmee)




Who is your favorite character to write?

-       
I would have to say it is a tossup between
Mister Marmee and Sir Happy Heart. They are both such charming and fallible
souls. I cannot help but love them both. Their relationship with each other is
beautiful, and I find myself intrigued to find out how it will unfold through
each new adventure. They are such complex characters; I cannot in truth choose
one over the other because they both have at their heart the same source
inspiration – my own real life Sir Happy Heart. He was incidentally a black and
tan miniature dachshund who passed away on February 19, 2013.




Do you have a writing process?

-       
I suppose in some way I do, but in the classic
sense, I don’t have a set structure. With each story, I generally start at the
beginning and I write until I reach the end. I don’t always know what the
ending will be. It often feels as though the story writes itself, and I am
often excited to find out what is gong to happen next. I will at times have a
general direction in mind, but more often than not when I sit down at the
computer and construct the story, it takes its own flow. Sometimes, entire
segments will come to me completely out of order from the rest of the story,
and I will write those as they come. Then I just work on the rest of the story
until it ‘catches up’. I have never written an outline for a story or anything
like that. I carry journals around with me and write ideas, thoughts, snippets,
names, whatever I don’t want to forget. If I don’t use it in my current
project, I save it for another one. I guess you could call it my disorganized
organizational method.




What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

-       
Don’t give up and keep writing. It is a hard
road sometimes, and there are days where it will feel impossible. The key is to
keep doing what you love, no matter what anybody tells you. If you can’t beat
them, out write them. The more you write, the better you get at your craft. At
some point, they are going to get tired of seeing you name come across their
desk. Don’t be a turd; just be tenacious. Give them a reason to respect your
commit, not hate your guts. Remember, the only way that a dream can die is for
you to lay it down and walk away.




What inspired you to pursue writing?

-       
I really sucked at MMA, so I thought I would get
into something where I wouldn’t get beat up all the time. Okay, that’s not
entirely true. I actually became a writer for a number of reasons. First, I
couldn’t help myself. It is in my blood, and I could no sooner stop writing
than I could voluntarily stop breathing. I think about writing when I am doing
other things, so you might say I have it pretty bad. Second, my mom is a
writer. She has been a contributing author in over a dozen Chicken Soup For the
Soul books and has been a great encouragement to me to take my love of the
craft to the next level. 




What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in
between writing?

-       
My tastes vary widely so I can’t give a
comprehensive list of all my favorites but I can give a few. Firefly – one of
the best series ever to be cancelled in the first season. Tera Nova – second best
series ever to be cancelled in the first season (okay so I have a thing for
hard luck cases where TV shows are concerned). Law and Order – I think it is
the clink/clink between scenes that gets me ever time. Transformers (all of the
movies) – okay I loved the cartoon as a kid, geeked out over the movies as an
adult. Sue me. Any movie with Sam Elliott because he just has that ‘you’re
gunna get your butt kicked slow and easy like’ kind of way about him. Most
Disney and Dreamworks animation. I am a huge kid at heart. I still cry at the
same Disney movies that made me cry when I was a little girl. Call it the soft
nuggety side of me.


















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Natalie Buske Thomas Interview

Thanks again for stopping by for another round of interviews with some fabulous authors as I continue to give you more options to choose from. Today we have the pleasure of finding out some things about mystery writer, Natalie Buske. 












Tell us a little bit about you, Natalie




I write the Serena Wilcox mystery series, and a few stand-alone
books. I’m also an oil painter. I’m part Irish and I enjoy that culture – I
want to visit Ireland in the near future. Faith and resilience are driving
forces in my life, as I have suffered many losses.  I was born in upstate New York, raised in
Indiana, lived in Germany for the first three years of my married life, and now
reside in the Twin Cities area with my husband and three children.




Tell us about your books

The Serena Wilcox Mysteries began in 1998 with a small red
cheaply-printed paperback.  I wrote three
mysteries before taking a decade-long break from mystery writing. I wrote and
directed plays and screenplays for local community theater. I sank myself into
choreography, set design, and videography. When I moved on from my theater
program I returned to writing mystery novels.

 The early books, that
I started when I was in my twenties, are so light on word count that they are
novellas or short stories, not full length novels as I thought I was writing.
Those first three books (Gene Play, 1998, Virtual Memories, 1999, and Camp
Conviction, 2000) are now bundled into a 3-book e-book for 99 cents. There are
few print copies floating around. I literally burned hundreds of them in a
giant bonfire, thinking I had moved on to a career in theater anyway, so what’s
the point of keeping those around? Now of course I’m kicking myself for not
saving at least a few extra copies of the first book I wrote, the one that is
laughably bad.

The series evolved from those early works (short stand-alone
page-turners) into full length futuristic thrillers (storylines that are deeply
connected and must be read in order).  In
2011, the Serena Wilcox Mysteries “dystopian trilogy” was launched. The first
book in the series, Angels Mark, 2011, was my break-through novel. It was
followed by Covert Coffee, 2012. Bluebird Flown  is in progress now, scheduled to be published September 2013. After the current
political-thriller trilogy wraps up, the Serena Wilcox Mysteries will take off
in a new direction. The theme for the next trilogy is a secret for now.

The Serena Wilcox Mysteries includes an interactive reading
game. Choose Your Own Mystery: Agent Estep is available now, free, at www.nataliebuskethomas.com .  Additional games will be added on a regular
basis, featuring different characters from the series. The game is played from
the POV of the female protagonist: You are Serena Wilcox, former private
detective, hired by President Ann Kinji to flush out corrupt government
insiders and politicians.

The series, beginning with Angels Mark in 2011, is
hard-hitting and hardboiled, but clean. The series is set in the near future,
with many of the plot lines turning up in the news after publication. The books
are fast-paced and switch POV from chapter to chapter. They are quirky and unusual
books, and are often categorized as “humorous” by readers. It is the kind of
series that has attracted passionately loyal fans, and haters alike. It seems
that readers either love it or hate it, there’s no “meh” option.




When did you start writing?

My first published work was a poem I wrote when I was eleven years
old. My father sent it off to the local newspaper and we were all so proud when
it was published. I haven’t stopped writing since.






Why do you write?



It’s how I’m wired.




What would be your choice for a superpower?

I get only one choice? Can I time travel? If not, then I’ll take
flying, even if I have to wear a cape.




Who is your favorite author?

I can only choose one? This is an odd choice for me, given that I
dislike animal stories and I’m usually bored by classic literature, but I’d
have to say James Herriot. His writing style is an escape for me. I’ve read his
books several times over and I've also watched the BBC television series based
on his books. I’d love to take the tour of the areas he wrote about. It would
mean traveling abroad though, and I hate to fly. If only I had the super powers
you offered me earlier.




What are you reading now?

I’m reading an inspirational self-help book right now about
healing. I was my mother’s caregiver and every now and then I feel a little
blue. I lost Dad to cancer when he was thirty-seven years old, I had just
turned sixteen. With no one else available, taking care of Mom fell heavily on
me. That journey was fairly recent, two years ago. I’m still working through a
few things.




Who is your favorite character to write?

I can only choose one? You've been rather stingy. I’d go with
President Ann Kinji or The Beav, but I've turned things around with Serena
Wilcox in this book (Bluebird Flown) and I like writing from her POV more.
Usually my answer is nearly any other character but Serena, because she is too
much like me and therefore I find her boring and even annoying. I've stepped up
some though, I guess I like myself better.




Do you have a writing process?

Yes. I didn't use to; I always “winged it”. Thus the first three
novellas-that-were-supposed-to-be-novels are an embarrassment to me. Nowadays
I’ve matured. I've been forced to. I’m juggling family needs and other career
projects. If I don’t have a system not much gets done. I spend the groggy first
hour or two in the mornings catching up with social media and other promotional
tasks, including writing guest blogs or any other writing that takes me away
from writing books. Next, I work on my current book project. I keep at it until
I reach a natural stopping point. I don’t usually write more than two hours on
any given day. When I write, it’s fast and furious. When I find myself staring
at the screen too much, it’s quitting time. Between writing sessions I jot down
ideas, stray thoughts, and brilliant plans in one of my many journals lying
around the house. I also do research and promotion between writing sessions.
Some of my other projects relate to writing. So even though I only spend a good
solid hour or two of actual in-the-zone writing, it is quality writing that has
been well prepared for through research and notes ahead of time. I do give
myself flexibility to free-write also. And, if I am in-the-zone past my usual time-frame I keep going. Sometimes I crank out a ridiculous amount of work in
one day. I go with the flow, but I stay on a schedule. I am on a
one-book-a-year schedule, with other book projects and other creative projects
in between.




What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

As hard as it is to see the big picture, do your best to see your
writing projects as only one rock in the career wall you are building. Someday
your wall will be impressively high, but it must be built one rock at a time.
Yes, some authors plop down a huge boulder, usually with the help from a whole
team of people, from book one: Off they go – instant success! But the reality
is that this scenario is like winning the lottery and it does rely more on luck
than skill. If you are not exceptionally lucky, your realistic plan for success
is to keep adding more rocks to your wall, no matter how small, and no matter
how many years it takes you. Each promotional tool, each contact, each new
reader, and especially each new book, is a rock. One day you will climb your
wall to place a new rock on it and you’ll be nearly dizzy from the height!
You’ll realize how far you've come. You’ll look down at where you used to be
and you’ll be so proud of all you've accomplished.  You will also have a paycheck.




What inspired you to pursue writing?

I needed no inspiration. It’s what I do. How fabulous to get paid
for it, sort of. I have to do a lot of other work I don’t particularly enjoy to
promote the books that I write. That’s why I add an element of fun to the
(mostly unpaid) non-writing work that I do. For example, next weekend is an
author event held at a local winery. Yeah, don’t feel too sorry for me.




What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between
writing?

Finally you are letting me choose more than one! I love, love TV.
I hate watching a show that I don’t like though, I can be intolerant. The TV is
off all day because I can’t bear the noise. But in the evening when I’m ready
to zombie out, I enjoy: Doc Martin, Doctor Who, NCIS, Covert Affairs, White
Collar, The Office, and more. I’d love for my own books to be a TV series. I’d
rather watch a book than read it, which is a totally uncool thing for an author
to say, I know, but ooh the HD! The soundtrack! I just love doing book
trailers. I’m an oil painter in my “other” job – I am a highly visual person.
And well, I really like eating snacks and watching TV with my family, hard to
share a book that way.




Natalie Buske Thomas, author of the Serena Wilcox Mysteries

www.nataliebuskethomas.com

Twitter: @writernbt















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Daniel Zazitski Interview

Continuing with my interviews, I have a fellow writer that I have befriended on twitter and Facebook named Daniel Zazitski. He is a writer of an ongoing sci-fi series ~ The Amderesta The 3rd/4th Republic Series. 











Daniel, thanks for stopping by! Please tell
us a little bit about you~




My name is Daniel
Zazitski and I have lived in the southeastern part of NC my entire life. I’ve
written a nine book scifi series within the last 12 years give or take a brief
sabbatical from writing. I enjoyed company of a few cats, some of whom like to help
with my writing. I also make regular visits to a coffee shop ran by a friend of
mine where I’ve written most of my books.




Tell us about your books

Well, the nine books I have written and  published so far are all in the same book
series and form an ongoing storyline. The Amderesta The 3rd/4th Republic Series
basically depicts an intergalactic conflict centered around the 4th Amderestan
Republic. I am currently writing the tenth book to my series and have started
to write an online serial as well.




When did you
start writing?

Honestly, I’d say
around 2001, I proceeded to type up the first chapter of what is now Amderesta
The 4th Republic #1. The NDEG Mission and set that aside. I wrote the first
five chapters of Amderesta The 4th Republic #4 then proceeded to handwrite the
rest of Amderesta The 4th Republic #1, all of Amderesta The 4th Republic #2,
and Amderesta The 4th Republic #3, and the rest of 4.




Why do you write?


Basically, I love
to write and want people to read what I write, hence the reason I’ve put my books
out there.






Who is your
favorite author?



Besides yourself,
I’d say William J. Kenney, Tom Clancy, Charles Cumming,  and many others as well. Both indie and
traditional published authors are in favorite author list.




What are you
reading now?

Let’s see, I am
reading Secrets of The Ebonite Mines, Shards of S’Darin, The Hobbit, The
Spanish Game, and many other books.




Who is your
favorite character to write?

That would have
to be Jack Airian, he starts as in the first book as high-ranking politican and
by book 7, he has become a freedom fighter against his government. He basically
does a Bendict Arnold in my second book.




Do you have a
writing process?

I normally write
as I go along even though my series has an intended goal in mind. Anyone
reading this will have to read my books in chronological order story-wise to
find out what that is.




What advice would
you give to an aspiring author?

I’d tell them to
keep writing and one day you could see yourself in print something, however you
publish if you do is a lot of work. Just don’t give up and keep it at.




What inspired you
to pursue writing?

I am not sure
actually. I’ve had a love of writing from a very young age.

What are your
favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?

Any Star Trek
Series or movie, Star Wars, LOTR, actually this would take a entire blog post.















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

What Have You Done For Me Lately...(And Other Things)

Taking a brief respite from the stream of amazing interviews (next is Sci-Fi writer, Daniel Zazitski, and then Natalie Buske Thomas, author of the Serena Wilcox Mysteries), I wanted to let the readers of my blog in on some things
that have been going on with me. I have been on a bit of a hiatus, especially at the pace at which I was writing as I have these past few years. I have been getting some emails and queries asking when my next book will be out and I am hoping it will be this summer. Here's why...




In order to tell you what's going on now, I need to take a step back first. In March of 2012, I started a new job. It is a call center
job that requires technical knowledge as well as the customer service skills required
for such a thing. It is mentally exhausting. I was writing throughout, trying to learn the ins and outs
of the job AND preparing for GenCon 2012 and all of the preparations that it demands.
While I was at GenCon, my wife had a seizure. Out of nowhere. 




She did not tell
me until I got home, and of course I yelled at her for it. Well, not yelled,
but scolded her for not calling me. But, she knew that if she called me, I
would have packed up and left. It was kind of
reckless and scary, but her heart was in the right place. But, I digress.




In October, she began to stutter. We did speech therapy and
eventually purchased an expensive piece of equipment--a delayed auditory functioning device with which she can hear her own voice on a 130 millisecond delay. With the device on,  she can
speak with no stutter. Another blessing and an answer to her immediate
frustrations. 




A week after she had it, she lost it! (Not kidding)




Her co-workers and people she did not even know (customers/passersby/etc.)
scoured the store and everywhere inside and out where she had been, looking for
it, but to no avail. Two of her co-workers even went back to look for it after
dinner from 8pm until 1am that same evening. I am grateful and humbled by their dedication and
love for my wife that they would do such things above and beyond. Incredible
people. So, long story short, we worked with her therapist and got a replacement
three weeks later. Again, a blessing, despite the economic
strains it puts on us.




My wife had her second and third seizures this past Monday.
So, instead of turning the corner, we are back to square one again with the
meds. I feel so bad for her as she is an amazing woman—so kind and warm—and she
certainly does not deserve this hand that she has been dealt. As I ramble on
about this and my personal dealings, I am encouraged and happy for several
reasons, despite the hardships.






It could be worse; always! And if you don’t think
so, think again.
  She has a loving and supportive family and I am comforted
by the continuous support and love that her friends and co-workers show on a
daily basis.
  It always puts life in perspective when you
suffer some kind of hardship (not that I encourage it, but it happens and is
unavoidable)











Now, about the writing... I ran into a bit of a Writer’s Block
situation. I had hit the wall. Despite a solid outline and an exciting story-line 
I was rambling on and the writing suffered. I had to stop and give myself a
break. At the time, I did not recognize what was happening, but looking back, I see it.





Ashenclaw thumbnail by William Kenney


I hadn't realized why, but when I stopped to take a breath,
I realized this: In three years, I had been laid off from my job of 9 years, my
father passed away, I studied and graduated with a B.S in Information
Technology, wrote, edited and promoted 3 books from scratch and all that
entails, dealt with getting a new job (I actually had 3 others prior to this
one) and now the issues with the epilepsy. Whew! That’s a lot. Not
insurmountable. But certainly a lot.




That being said, I am picking up the remains of what I had
started on Book 4 and am continuing to push forward with edits, new twists,
re-writes and more editing. And so, I tell you this to let you all know that
the series will continue; your heroes are not dead, merely in hibernation as
they await the breath of life I give them so that they may come back to
entertain you in the near future.

On another positive note, I am working on releasing ‘The
Legend of Ashenclaw’ as a singular story that is currently in 'A Gathering ofDust’ and William Kenney is doing a dragon cover for me. Can’t wait!




Thanks as always for checking out the blog and listening to
my rants! See you in Wothlondia!















 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!




All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here




See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!




Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!




All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.