Travis Heermann's Blog, page 16

Author Interview #69 – Sam Knight

Sam Knight is an author from the Colorado Front Range, and he experiments with all sorts of genres, from SF to horror to weird tales to children’s books. I met Sam soon after I moved to the Denver area myself, and found an incredibly rich community of working professional fiction writers at various stages of their careers, from a few early sales to established pros. The number of areas that rival the Colorado Front Range in sheer number of writers could probably be counted on one hand. Sam is an active, friendly part of that community.

TH: What is The Story of Sam?  Is it a novel?  A collection of bizarre short stories? A family drama?

SK: I feel like it is more a mystery. Not your typical one though. Instead of solving the crime, I’m trying to figure out what it was that happened. You know that feeling that you were destined for something great, for something more than all of this? It’s kind of like that, except I have the strangest feeling that it already happened, and I can’t remember what it was. It’s silly, I know. But sometimes when I wake up and have a bruise, cut, or scrape I don’t remember getting, I start to wonder what memory the aliens stole from me this time…

TH: When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?  How did you know?

SK: I never wanted to be a writer, per se, but I have wanted to have already written stuff my whole life. There was little mystique in the profession for me, but a lot in the end product, the finished story. When I was young, I became ill and found that reading allowed me to escape the misery of the illness. During that time, the thought occurred to me that the authors of the books I was reading had given me a great gift, and I really hoped that someday I could give it back. Unfortunately, many of those authors have passed on since, so instead I have my sights set on paying it forward.

TH: How would you describe your body of work thus far?

SK: Ha! A disheveled mess badly in need of a shower! I have been all over the place. I have played with horror, thriller, adventure, science fiction, western, children’s, and everything else that caught my fancy. It’s been kind of like having ADD. While this may not be so great for establishing a reader base that likes everything I do, I think it keeps me a lot more engaged which ultimately improves everything I do.   Did you just hear an echo? I thought I heard an echo. Hmm. No matter.

TH: Every writer has things they would like to accomplish, e.g. first sale, next sale, first novel sale, first bestseller, etc.  What accomplishment are you striving for right now?

SK: Recently I have been teaching myself some different art programs on the computer. Some of it I find amazing, some just hurts my head. But I have found I really like it, and I hope to soon finish illustrating my own children’s book The Ant Who Held Down a Mountain. When I hold a print copy of that in my hand so I know it’s real, and I hear someone comment (not to me)  on the art not being horrible, I will feel a real sense of accomplishment.

TH: What is it like learning to illustrate at this stage of your life? What tools are you using?

SK: It is both frustrating and therapeutic. I can easily lose myself in it for hours, but I never know if that is going to be in the creative process or in the “It doesn’t &*#!&$ work!” process of trying to figure out the programs. I have been trying to learn Manga Studio, Daz Studios, Poser, Hexagon, Anime Studio, Adobe Photoshop 11, Sculptris, Sketchbook, and a couple of others. It seems extreme, I know, but I seem to find things that I ‘need’ to do that only one will do, but none of the others will. It can be frustrating trying to switch things back and forth to get a desired effect. It really is hard to learn it yourself! For example, the Manga Studio PDF is in English, but all of the illustrations are in Japanese. That makes finding the right pull down menu a real pain!

TH: Do you have any writing stuck away somewhere that will never see the light of day, but nevertheless helped you build your skill to publishable? What does that look like?

SK: When I was in elementary school, we had a personal journal we had to write in every week. We were told to write about whatever we wanted to, and it was expected that we would talk about what we had done during the week. I chose instead to write an ongoing story that would read kind of like a Dragonlance novel. Not that I would compare it to what Tracy and Laura Hickman and Margaret Weis accomplished. I started doing it based on what I wanted my D&D adventures to be like years before I ever saw the first Dragonlace! If I had seen one of theirs first, perhaps it could have seen the light of day, someday. Alas, now that I have remembered it, I think I need to go home and burn it.

TH: What about the writing process most appeals to you?  What is the most fun?

SK: I like to ‘get into the zone’. Sometimes when you watch a movie, or read a book, or go running, bike riding, whatever… you move into a zone where you lose self-awareness and become completely enthralled in what you are doing. You know what I mean. You never know you are there until something snaps you out of it. I like those moments while I’m writing. I like to feel like I was completely immersed in what I was creating.

TH: Have your reached the point at which you realized that you had “made it” as a writer and author?  If so, can you describe the milestone or circumstances where you had that realization?  Do you recall how that felt?  If not, what is the milestone you’re seeking?

SK: Um. No. I guess. And yes. When you realize that you are sitting on a panel, next to an author you have admired for years, and you are answering questions, as an equal, it is most definitely a milestone moment. But as I mentioned earlier, the idea of being an author never truly held mystique for me. What I really want, all I really want, is to entertain. I suppose the milestone I am seeking is to hear from someone who I know is not out to stroke my ego (because as all family and friends of any type of artist know, we all need all the ego stroking we can get!), who just wanted to tell me how much they really enjoyed my story.

TH: Some say that professional writers have to look at themselves as a business, a branded commodity.  Do you take that approach?

SK: Not until recently. Because I was just interested in putting stories out there, I wasn’t too worried about it. But as time went on and I realized just how hard it is to make your stories available, I decided I needed to stop relying upon traditional methods and start doing some (most) of it myself. I have dipped my toe up to the waist into the self-publishing pond. This has forced me to re-think what I was doing. And yes, that makes me into a business, and a commodity. I have to make sure that I am representing myself appropriately at all times, otherwise I devalue myself.

TH: What are the most effective ways you have found to promote yourself?

SK: A smile and a handshake. Really. We see so many advertisements every day that we are darn near immune to them. I may never be able to promote myself in a ‘mass market’ manner, but every time I actually meet someone, and they are impressed with me enough to give my work a chance, I have done better than thousands of ignored advertisements.

TH: What are some of your craziest ideas for building an audience?

SK: I thought about becoming a famous Erotica writer and then revealing myself to the world so that everyone would then read my other stuff.  And I think it would have worked too, except I’ve found that I can’t write Erotica.

TH: Can you recall a moment when a two or more influences or inspirations came together and smacked you with a cool idea?

SK: This actually happens quite often to me when playing with my kids. I’ve found that just being silly with them, making up stories, cracking off jokes, calling each other names—you know, all the things that kids do, tends to lead to ideas crashing together in new and original ways. Like my son dipping his cheese hotdog into his root beer the other day. Only a kid would do that. Or a parent trying to entertain a kid. Then start teasing each other about it, do some one-upmanship, and get silly. Next thing you know, you’ll be writing a kid’s Halloween Cookbook.

TH: What can readers expect to see from you in the near future?  What are you working on?

SK: I just self-published two small collections of short stories in e-book format and am following them up with print versions (so I can have something to sign). My biggest reason for doing this was to learn how. I intend to follow them with the children’s book I mentioned before, The Ant Who Held Down a Mountain. And then, I’m off to the races. Once I have this self-publishing thing down, there’s not going to be a lot to hold me back!

TH: What are the names of your recently released collections?

SK: Time Travel Trio and Four Adventure!  The first is three time travel short stories, the second is four adventure short stories. Don’t try to find the meaning of life or a moral lesson in any of the stories, they are purely for entertainment purposes only!

TH: What authors have given you the greatest gifts?

SK: I had a flippant answer to that, but I realize it is a serious question. Although I have met some pretty big names in the business, and they have been really nice people (mostly),  I have become friends with some other local Colorado authors since I set out to do this, and honestly, their friendship and support has been the greatest gift. When I feel like something can’t be done, they show me it can. Their encouragement is the only reason I didn’t give up on this long ago. Their friendship and company is what keeps me coming back for more, and is more than enough reward for having set out on this endeavor in the first place.

TH: What is the most memorable moment (good, bad, or other) you have had in your life as an author?

SK: This is kind of someone else’s personal moment, but I will share it anyway. I was at the Superstars Writing Seminar in May of 2013. I knew that Peter J. Wacks had a meeting with an editor scheduled and that he was pitching himself and some ideas, and I had high hopes for Peter. Fingers were crossed.

When I encountered Peter after the meeting, Peter was a mess. Tears, red-eyes, couldn’t talk. It never occurred to me that this had to do with the meeting. Peter is pretty cool under pressure, and he could take a rejection, or an acceptance for that matter, like a slap on the wrist. Over, done, move on.

So when I saw Peter … losing it, I thought the worst. I thought “Someone’s been in a car accident, or had a heart attack!” All thoughts of Peter’s meeting fled my head. This was something bad.

When I asked if he was all right, it took Peter a couple of moments to compose himself before he could answer me.  It was with stuttered breath Peter told me, “He said writers like me were the reason editors bothered going to cons …”

I was shocked and taken aback. I didn’t know what that meant at first. And then it dawned on me.

No one was hurt. Peter hadn’t been rejected. And it wasn’t even that he was going to be given a chance.

It was that he had been given the ultimate compliment he, personally, could have received. Someone who Peter felt was in a position to be a worthy judge, had affirmed Peter’s life-long goal as something Peter was worthy of pursuing.

I had seen Peter’s “Made it” moment. It was beautiful, and I will never forget it.

Author Interview Series #68 – Bryan Young

Do you remember what I said last week about meeting other authors at conventions. I served on a couple of panels at Denver Comic Con a few weeks ago with Bryan Young, an up and upcoming writer from the Salt Lake City area. He has creative irons in a number of fires, as you’ll see below, from fiction to film-making to screenplays to editing to journalism.

[I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because I'd rather be writing than proofreading today.]

TH: What is The Story of Bryan? Is it a novel? A WWII time-travel thriller?

BY: I think that’s a complicated one and it would take a long time to tell. It would require viewing a few documentaries, a few feature films, and reading a massive body of work, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as a number of novels. Perhaps time travel would make it easier. And certainly having Nazis chasing you as you skipped through time reading about my story would make things more interesting.

At its core, though, the story of Bryan is one of a hardworking guy who needs to tell stories.

TH: When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? How did you know?

BY: My first taste of wanting to be a writer came with an award I won for a short story I’d written in the fifth grade academic olympics. It grew exponentially when I had a creative teacher in 8th grade (whom I still talk to and am ever grateful for) showed me what you could do with the written word. It exploded when I sold a short story to a magazine (that has been gratefully lost to time) when I was in high school. Whether it was in prose or screenplays and movies, I couldn’t NOT write.

I imagine I knew the same way people describe their sexual orientation. It’s just biology. You don’t choose, you are. I’m a writer, good or bad.

TH: How would you describe your body of work thus far?

BY: Eclectic and prolific. My first novel, Lost at the Con, was a humorous take on convention culture (think Hunter S. Thompson going to Dragon*Con), my second novel was a WWII time travel thriller called Operation: Montauk. I’ve written four other books, all unpublished, that are in a different genre. One’s a literary coming of age story, the next was a Steampunk take on World War I by way of Hemingway and Graham Greene. I’m putting hard work into a revision on a sci-fi western I’m working on now, and still trying to put the finishing touches on the first draft of a sci-fi-horror piece.

But that’s just novel length prose. My short stories range from romance to fantasy, science fiction to horror, literary to superheroes.

And in the field of journalism I cover many topics for Huffington Post, the official Star Wars blog, and am the editor-in-chief of Big Shiny Robot!

Then there are the films… Two features and three documentaries and more on the way. And there are comics in there, too. And a bunch of other things.

So yes, eclectic and prolific.

TH: Every writer has things they would like to accomplish, e.g. first sale, next sale, first novel sale, first bestseller, etc. What accomplishment are you striving for right now?

BY: Right now, I’m doing a dance with some agents and I really want to try my hand at some licensed work in someone else’s Universe. I’ve got a couple of leads I’m in contention for, but I would really love to play in those sandboxes. I’m also working on some serialized fiction. I think some of the best storytelling going on right now is in television and I’d love to take that serialized structure to digital publishing and print collections.

TH: Do you have any writing stuck away somewhere that will never see the light of day, but nevertheless helped you build your skill to publishable? What does that look like?

BY: I think my first book, that literary coming of age tale, has very little chance of seeing the light of day. Who knows, maybe some more re-writes could make that publishable, but it was the first novel where I sat down and felt “I can do this” and I did.

I have a hard drive full of stories I wrote back in the day that just look awful and I wouldn’t want to show anyone. And I have a dozen screenplays that, unless I become very wealthy, probably won’t see anything. Screenwriting was where all of my initial, post-school training went. And I still love screenwriting, but I’ve taken to novels because getting them in front of people is an easier, more direct process.

I must have written millions of words in screenplays and shorts before I started publishing prose, which is a totally different beast.

TH: What is it about the screenplay form that appeals to you? How is it different from narrative prose?

BY: That is a very long question. I love the form because I think in movies. Anyone who read my novels would notice instantly that all of my strengths and weaknesses stem from the fact that I’m thinking about things from the angle of a screenwriter and a director. Novels take more work for me for that reason. But screenplays are a different beast altogether, with different rules, different shortcuts, different lingo, and in that medium, I find I have a lot of fun.

TH: What about the writing process most appeals to you? What is the most fun?

BY: First drafts. Getting my ideas out there in that rushed and hurried frenzy of the first draft. I love tinkering with people and stories and stringing them together and there is nothing to me more inspiring than taking that first pass at creation. I love it. I couldn’t live without it.

TH: What about the writing business is most painful?

BY: Having to deal with business altogether. I wish I could just write my story perfect the first time, skipping revisions, and then just upload it to the world and not have to deal with marketing and sales and everything else that we have to do as writers. But that’s part of the job, so I find ways to enjoy it and grit my teeth. If I wasn’t doing this, I have no other marketable skills, so if I don’t play along with the painful aspects of the business, I don’t eat.

TH: Have your reached the point at which you realized that you had “made it” as a writer and author? If so, can you describe the milestone or circumstances where you had that realization? Do you recall how that felt? If not, what is the milestone you’re seeking?

BY: I’ve constantly felt that at any moment I can feel a tap on my shoulder and a man will be there, asking to see my ID, inspect it closely, comparing my face to the photo for a long minute, then say, “No, sir. You’re in the wrong place, you’ll have to leave.”

Success and “making it” is an ever changing goal line. I revise what that goal is every day. Right now, my definition of it would be a big publishing deal, or a contract to write a licensed book. After I accomplish that, it will be something else.

TH: Some say that professional writers have to look at themselves as a business, a branded commodity. Do you take that approach?

BY: Not when I’m writing. I do, obviously, when I’m in marketing mode, or whatever. I think all authors, whether they like it or not, are building a brand with their name, a trust with readers to say, “If you like this book, other books with my name will be as good.”

But that doesn’t mean I’ll be adding a little TM to my name at all. I just need to be genuine and honest, and the brand really is JUST me. That makes it easier, I think. And since I think (I hope!) I’m likable enough, that the brand works as just that.

TH: What are the most effective ways you have found to promote yourself?

BY: What I call indirect marketing has been what I find the most effective. I’ll do an interview on Huffington Post with, say, Scott Bakula, and we’ll talk about Star Trek. At the bottom of that post is a link that says I’m also an author. If people who like what I’m doing in that arena, they like the questions I’m asking of people they want to hear from, then maybe they’ll want to read my prose.

Conventions are another great way to do it. I just got done at Origins Game Fair, which is building a sizable stable of writers who teach seminars and sell books and I met so many amazing people and taught them what I could and they repaid me by checking out my work.

TH: How did you come to participate in Origins? Are there other conventions you have found particularly useful and enjoyable?

BY: I had met Mike Stackpole at Dragon*Con more than a few years ago, and he’d invited me to participate in his Chain Story project (http://chainstory.stormwolf.com/). I wrote a novella length steampunk story for that called “The Colossus” and we had more conversations about that. When Origins was starting its Library program, Mike asked me if I’d have the novel he’d coaxed me into publishing, “Lost at the Con,” ready in time for the convention, because he’d love to have me participate. I flew out and found a table with my name on it to sell books from, and a schedule full of writing seminars for me to teach. I just got back from my third year in the Library at Origins and it might be one of my favorite conventions.

As to the other question, every convention is useful (though some, like San Diego Comic Con, may no longer be enjoyable). It’s all about meeting people with similar interests, talking to potential readers, and passing on what knowledge you have, limited as it might be. It’s just a great experience and a thrilling exchange of ideas.

TH: Are you part of any writer communities in your local area?

BY: I am, actually. There’s a small group of us locally that get together and critique each other’s work. The larger writing group I’m a part of is much more national in scale. A number of us meet every year (usually on the East Coast, the last two years have been in Washington, D.C.) and spend a weekend sight-seeing and critiquing our work. The group (which consists of people like myself, Aaron Allston and Janine Spendlove) travels the con-circuit quite a bit and we sometimes get the band together at those events to workshop our stories as well.

TH: What are some of your craziest ideas for building an audience?

BY: A giant hot air balloon with my face travelling cross-country?

I dunno. Any idea I have to build an audience all boils down to just trying to tell good stories and let people know they exist.

TH: Can you recall a moment when a two or more influences or inspirations came together and smacked you with a cool idea?

BY: Definitely. I read a lot of Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway and fell in love with their ways of telling very human stories. Their time spent discussing times of war were incredibly influential and a story spun out of that. But then I realized that no one I had in my audience would care about that story, and so my love of science fiction led me to Steampunk and I built a version of World War I with that to set my tale in.

I think it’s a very cool idea, but I’ll have to leave others to decide if it really is.

TH: What can readers expect to see from you in the near future? What are you working on?

BY: Well, I’m prepping for publication a science-fiction/western hybrid called “The Serpent’s Head.” It’s about a gunslinger on the outer rim of colonized space who comes across a town massacred by a band of mutants. There, he finds the only survivors are three children who need his help in order to live. It really is a spaghetti western in space.

TH: What is the most memorable moment (good, bad, or other) you have had in your life as an author?

I think one of the most memorable moments was last year when my second book, Operation: Montauk, had come out. I was at a convention and my table was next to Timothy Zahn’s. After me pitching my book all weekend, Tim came over to my table and tried to buy a copy of my book and asked me to sign it. I tried giving him the book, as a token of my appreciation for all the inspiration he’d offered me with his books, but he held fast. “No. I’m paying you. You’re a professional writer, and professional writer’s get paid.”

That moment never fails to wow me when I think back to it.

Author Interview #68 – Bryan Young

Do you remember what I said last week about meeting other authors at conventions. I served on a couple of panels at Denver Comic Con a few weeks ago with Bryan Young, an up and upcoming writer from the Salt Lake City area. He has creative irons in a number of fires, as you’ll see below, from fiction to film-making to screenplays to editing to journalism.

[I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because I'd rather be writing than proofreading today.]

TH: What is The Story of Bryan? Is it a novel? A WWII time-travel thriller?

BY: I think that’s a complicated one and it would take a long time to tell. It would require viewing a few documentaries, a few feature films, and reading a massive body of work, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as a number of novels. Perhaps time travel would make it easier. And certainly having Nazis chasing you as you skipped through time reading about my story would make things more interesting.

At its core, though, the story of Bryan is one of a hardworking guy who needs to tell stories.

TH: When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? How did you know?

BY: My first taste of wanting to be a writer came with an award I won for a short story I’d written in the fifth grade academic olympics. It grew exponentially when I had a creative teacher in 8th grade (whom I still talk to and am ever grateful for) showed me what you could do with the written word. It exploded when I sold a short story to a magazine (that has been gratefully lost to time) when I was in high school. Whether it was in prose or screenplays and movies, I couldn’t NOT write.

I imagine I knew the same way people describe their sexual orientation. It’s just biology. You don’t choose, you are. I’m a writer, good or bad.

TH: How would you describe your body of work thus far?

BY: Eclectic and prolific. My first novel, Lost at the Con, was a humorous take on convention culture (think Hunter S. Thompson going to Dragon*Con), my second novel was a WWII time travel thriller called Operation: Montauk. I’ve written four other books, all unpublished, that are in a different genre. One’s a literary coming of age story, the next was a Steampunk take on World War I by way of Hemingway and Graham Greene. I’m putting hard work into a revision on a sci-fi western I’m working on now, and still trying to put the finishing touches on the first draft of a sci-fi-horror piece.

But that’s just novel length prose. My short stories range from romance to fantasy, science fiction to horror, literary to superheroes.

And in the field of journalism I cover many topics for Huffington Post, the official Star Wars blog, and am the editor-in-chief of Big Shiny Robot!

Then there are the films… Two features and three documentaries and more on the way. And there are comics in there, too. And a bunch of other things.

So yes, eclectic and prolific.

TH: Every writer has things they would like to accomplish, e.g. first sale, next sale, first novel sale, first bestseller, etc. What accomplishment are you striving for right now?

BY: Right now, I’m doing a dance with some agents and I really want to try my hand at some licensed work in someone else’s Universe. I’ve got a couple of leads I’m in contention for, but I would really love to play in those sandboxes. I’m also working on some serialized fiction. I think some of the best storytelling going on right now is in television and I’d love to take that serialized structure to digital publishing and print collections.

TH: Do you have any writing stuck away somewhere that will never see the light of day, but nevertheless helped you build your skill to publishable? What does that look like?

BY: I think my first book, that literary coming of age tale, has very little chance of seeing the light of day. Who knows, maybe some more re-writes could make that publishable, but it was the first novel where I sat down and felt “I can do this” and I did.

I have a hard drive full of stories I wrote back in the day that just look awful and I wouldn’t want to show anyone. And I have a dozen screenplays that, unless I become very wealthy, probably won’t see anything. Screenwriting was where all of my initial, post-school training went. And I still love screenwriting, but I’ve taken to novels because getting them in front of people is an easier, more direct process.

I must have written millions of words in screenplays and shorts before I started publishing prose, which is a totally different beast.

TH: What is it about the screenplay form that appeals to you? How is it different from narrative prose?

BY: That is a very long question. I love the form because I think in movies. Anyone who read my novels would notice instantly that all of my strengths and weaknesses stem from the fact that I’m thinking about things from the angle of a screenwriter and a director. Novels take more work for me for that reason. But screenplays are a different beast altogether, with different rules, different shortcuts, different lingo, and in that medium, I find I have a lot of fun.

TH: What about the writing process most appeals to you? What is the most fun?

BY: First drafts. Getting my ideas out there in that rushed and hurried frenzy of the first draft. I love tinkering with people and stories and stringing them together and there is nothing to me more inspiring than taking that first pass at creation. I love it. I couldn’t live without it.

TH: What about the writing business is most painful?

BY: Having to deal with business altogether. I wish I could just write my story perfect the first time, skipping revisions, and then just upload it to the world and not have to deal with marketing and sales and everything else that we have to do as writers. But that’s part of the job, so I find ways to enjoy it and grit my teeth. If I wasn’t doing this, I have no other marketable skills, so if I don’t play along with the painful aspects of the business, I don’t eat.

TH: Have your reached the point at which you realized that you had “made it” as a writer and author? If so, can you describe the milestone or circumstances where you had that realization? Do you recall how that felt? If not, what is the milestone you’re seeking?

BY: I’ve constantly felt that at any moment I can feel a tap on my shoulder and a man will be there, asking to see my ID, inspect it closely, comparing my face to the photo for a long minute, then say, “No, sir. You’re in the wrong place, you’ll have to leave.”

Success and “making it” is an ever changing goal line. I revise what that goal is every day. Right now, my definition of it would be a big publishing deal, or a contract to write a licensed book. After I accomplish that, it will be something else.

TH: Some say that professional writers have to look at themselves as a business, a branded commodity. Do you take that approach?

BY: Not when I’m writing. I do, obviously, when I’m in marketing mode, or whatever. I think all authors, whether they like it or not, are building a brand with their name, a trust with readers to say, “If you like this book, other books with my name will be as good.”

But that doesn’t mean I’ll be adding a little TM to my name at all. I just need to be genuine and honest, and the brand really is JUST me. That makes it easier, I think. And since I think (I hope!) I’m likable enough, that the brand works as just that.

TH: What are the most effective ways you have found to promote yourself?

BY: What I call indirect marketing has been what I find the most effective. I’ll do an interview on Huffington Post with, say, Scott Bakula, and we’ll talk about Star Trek. At the bottom of that post is a link that says I’m also an author. If people who like what I’m doing in that arena, they like the questions I’m asking of people they want to hear from, then maybe they’ll want to read my prose.

Conventions are another great way to do it. I just got done at Origins Game Fair, which is building a sizable stable of writers who teach seminars and sell books and I met so many amazing people and taught them what I could and they repaid me by checking out my work.

TH: How did you come to participate in Origins? Are there other conventions you have found particularly useful and enjoyable?

BY: I had met Mike Stackpole at Dragon*Con more than a few years ago, and he’d invited me to participate in his Chain Story project (http://chainstory.stormwolf.com/). I wrote a novella length steampunk story for that called “The Colossus” and we had more conversations about that. When Origins was starting its Library program, Mike asked me if I’d have the novel he’d coaxed me into publishing, “Lost at the Con,” ready in time for the convention, because he’d love to have me participate. I flew out and found a table with my name on it to sell books from, and a schedule full of writing seminars for me to teach. I just got back from my third year in the Library at Origins and it might be one of my favorite conventions.

As to the other question, every convention is useful (though some, like San Diego Comic Con, may no longer be enjoyable). It’s all about meeting people with similar interests, talking to potential readers, and passing on what knowledge you have, limited as it might be. It’s just a great experience and a thrilling exchange of ideas.

TH: Are you part of any writer communities in your local area?

BY: I am, actually. There’s a small group of us locally that get together and critique each other’s work. The larger writing group I’m a part of is much more national in scale. A number of us meet every year (usually on the East Coast, the last two years have been in Washington, D.C.) and spend a weekend sight-seeing and critiquing our work. The group (which consists of people like myself, Aaron Allston and Janine Spendlove) travels the con-circuit quite a bit and we sometimes get the band together at those events to workshop our stories as well.

TH: What are some of your craziest ideas for building an audience?

BY: A giant hot air balloon with my face travelling cross-country?

I dunno. Any idea I have to build an audience all boils down to just trying to tell good stories and let people know they exist.

TH: Can you recall a moment when a two or more influences or inspirations came together and smacked you with a cool idea?

BY: Definitely. I read a lot of Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway and fell in love with their ways of telling very human stories. Their time spent discussing times of war were incredibly influential and a story spun out of that. But then I realized that no one I had in my audience would care about that story, and so my love of science fiction led me to Steampunk and I built a version of World War I with that to set my tale in.

I think it’s a very cool idea, but I’ll have to leave others to decide if it really is.

TH: What can readers expect to see from you in the near future? What are you working on?

BY: Well, I’m prepping for publication a science-fiction/western hybrid called “The Serpent’s Head.” It’s about a gunslinger on the outer rim of colonized space who comes across a town massacred by a band of mutants. There, he finds the only survivors are three children who need his help in order to live. It really is a spaghetti western in space.

TH: What is the most memorable moment (good, bad, or other) you have had in your life as an author?

I think one of the most memorable moments was last year when my second book, Operation: Montauk, had come out. I was at a convention and my table was next to Timothy Zahn’s. After me pitching my book all weekend, Tim came over to my table and tried to buy a copy of my book and asked me to sign it. I tried giving him the book, as a token of my appreciation for all the inspiration he’d offered me with his books, but he held fast. “No. I’m paying you. You’re a professional writer, and professional writer’s get paid.”

That moment never fails to wow me when I think back to it.

Author Interview Series #67 – Christopher M. Salas

As so often happens in this line of work, I met Christopher M. Salas at a convention. In this case, the convention was COSINE 2013, a local science fiction convention in Colorado Springs. Christopher Salas writes horror and science fiction from the Colorado Front Range area.  He is also a firefighter, martial artist, and purveyor of comic books. If that doesn’t pique your interest, I dunno what will.

TH: What is The Story of Christopher? Is it a vampire novel? A noir thriller?

CMS: I have thought about how cool it would be if I were a vampire detective in the ‘40s era. Does that count? My story isn’t really that adventurous. I have three jobs and they consist of make up stories, teaching Martial Arts classes and selling comic books and collectible toys. It takes a lot of my time but I enjoy what I do.

TH: When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? How did you know?

CMS: My passion for writing began after I received my degree in Fire Science and graduated from the Firefighter academy. While in service as a Volunteer Firefighter, story ideas would come to me all the time. Even in circumstances that required my full attention in the field (medical and fire related). To make a long story short, eventually I succumbed to the muse and ever since my occupation has lead me in a challenging yet rewarding path.

TH: How would you describe your body of work thus far?

CMS: Best to describe my work thus far… demanding, Adventurous, and sinister.

TH: Every writer has things they would like to accomplish, e.g. first sale, next sale, first novel sale, first bestseller, etc. What accomplishment are you striving for right now?

CMS: My accomplishment will always be a work in progress even though I have published works, done panels and taught writing classes. I strive to master the craft of writing that best suits me. I do understand mastering can take a lifetime but I am up for the challenge and wouldn’t want it any other way. That said, I strive to be better with each project. Not only for my personal accomplishment but also for my readers and without them, my stories would be nothing more than words aligned on paper. My deepest gratitude to them all!

TH: Do you have any writing stuck away somewhere that will never see the light of day, but nevertheless helped you build your skill to publishable? What does that look like?

CMS: I do have unpublished stories that will never see the day of light and they have paved the way to where I am at today. I will save myself the embarrassment and keep them top secret.

TH: What about the writing process most appeals to you? What is the most fun?

CMS: Well… I do like an occasional glass of Scotch when I write. What I find most enjoyable is having the muse take control and see its story unravel on my computer screen. Experiencing the story before the audience has a chance to read it is an adventure in itself. I find encrypting ideas from the muse is quite challenging at times. I do not structure plots or outline the stories. I just go with the story I am given. I think all writers, like myself, experience several revisions and in some cases have frustrating moments and want to give the computer screen a good thrashing while rewording a paragraph. Now that I think about it… do all writers have that problem or is it just me? LOL! Back to what I was about to say. What I find amusing, I call myself an author but really I am a slave to my muse.

TH: What is your Scotch of choice? What do actually keep on hand?

CMS: My Scotch of choice would have to be either Glenlivet 21 year old single malt or Dalmore 40 year old single Highland malt. Recently I had a bottle of Glenlivet 15 year old single malt but unfortunately, I am all out of Scotch at this time.

TH: How might all your different jobs feed the Muse?

CMS: My study of Martial Arts has played a role, not only by creating strong characters but also structuring fight scenes such as accurate descriptions and correct terminology of techniques and weaponry. Selling collectibles has helped me a great deal. I learned how to lure a potential reader by striking up a conversation of some kind related to the genre I write in. Sometimes I will ask selective questions about their reading interests, who their favorite authors are and what type of hero or villain they like. It may be an unorthodox approach to some but it has worked for me. To be honest, it takes humility, confidence in yourself and in your work to sell what is most precious. The universe you have created. In my point of view, I think of myself as a Muse’s advocate.

TH: Have your reached the point at which you realized that you had “made it” as a writer and author? If so, can you describe the milestone or circumstances where you had that realization? Do you recall how that felt? If not, what is the milestone you’re seeking?

CMS: With all the published works I have out there, I don’t acknowledge myself as making it. For example, I find it surreal and a great deal of gratitude when someone requests a signature or admires a story I have written. I do have confidence in what I do but due to my own worst critic, it is gratifying to hear nice things about my work.

TH: Some say that professional writers have to look at themselves as a business, a branded commodity. Do you take that approach?

CMS: I do see myself as a business and I believe it is crucial to have that mentality. In my experience, publishers may do so much, a little advertisement here and there and what have you, but it is up to me to reach out to potential readers and the right network connections. Attending Conventions and participating in panels help greatly. It is also important to build a network with other authors, editors, illustrators, local book stores, etc. It wasn’t easy and I experienced more of the bad than the good of this industry in the beginning of my writing career. Looking back, I am grateful to all I learned and accomplished so that I can help those who have the passion like I do and have not been published. I do not have all the answers but I can lead someone in the right direction and from there it is up to the individual. Within the last five years, I have been fortunate to know and work with such talented writers, illustrators and editors that have helped and have given me wonderful opportunities. It truly is a blessing.

TH: What are the most effective ways you have found to promote yourself?

CMS: I have found promoting myself most effectively on Facebook, conventions, author panels, writer workshops, networking, bookstore signings and word of mouth from my readers.

TH: Can you recall a moment when a two or more influences or inspirations came together and smacked you with a cool idea?

CMS: I stake my faith in the muse of each project I do and I believe it has its way of reaching out. Sometimes it can be triggered by music, people watching, an individual experience, an object or a single sentence. For example, in 2007 I was driving in rush hour when a muse planted a seed of words “My name is Abigail”. I pulled over and wrote down those four words on a tablet and thought nothing more of it. A few days later a full sentence came “My name is Abigail and I am an abomination”. Two days later, another sentence “My Angel, Angel of Death.” All related to the same story it turned out. I found it a little bizarre how these ideas without any kind of influence or inspiration I was used to. Call me superstitious but I believe a muse is an entity of some kind that has its way of communicating with the right translator (the writer).

TH: What can readers expect to see from you in the near future? What are you working on?

CMS: I have two upcoming projects scheduled for release. Abigail: Unbreakable graphic novel Vol. 2 coming late summer by Themis Comics and Abigail: Unbreakable novel coming early Fall by Bytiluna Publishing. Currently I am working on a story that has been on the back burner for more than five years. Here is a hint to my readers who have read the short story and without giving too much away to new readers; the antagonist of the story goes by the name “The Man in the Hat”.

TH: What is the most memorable moment (good, bad, or other) you have had in your life as an author?

CMS: That’s hard to say. I have blessed with a lot of memorable moments. One of them was my first book sale at StarFest in 2006.

TH: What are some of the worst of things that go along with a writing career?

CMS: From my experience, a nine month writer’s block, a dishonest publisher, self-doubt and rejection. It wasn’t easy but if it were not for my friends, family, and fellow colleagues’ (authors) encouragement and later my will to succeed, I may have given up. My gratitude and loyalty goes out to those who pulled me out from the abyss.

Denver Comic Con Appearance

It’s going to be a crazy weekend, as I’ll be appearing at the 2nd Annual Denver Comic Con, to be held at the Denver Convention Center.

I’ll be appearing on panels with the likes of Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, Carrie Vaughn, Mario Acevedo, Lee Collins, Daniel Abraham, Stephen Graham Jones, Betsy Dornbusch, Guy Anthony DeMarco, David Boop, Warren Hammond, and others.

Friday, 5:00-6:00 pm — Steam and Gears

Saturday, 12:00-1:00 pm — Fans vs. Writers

Saturday, 2:00-3:00 pm — Creating an Indie Publishing Co-op

Saturday, 6:00-7:00 pm — Writing Outside the Lines

Sunday, 2:00-3:00 pm — Character Building

Sunday, 4:00-5:00 pm — Fairy Tales Retold, the New Trend

All that, and a couple of people you might have heard of will be around — Stan Lee and George Takei.

I’m definitely looking forward to a great weekend.

Summer Appearances

The next few months are going to be busy on the promotion front.

Upcoming appearances:

Book Signing – Tradesmart, Littleton, CO, May 18, 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Reading, Signing, Panels – OSFEST 6, Omaha, NE, July 26-28

Vendor Table – DragonCon - Atlanta, GA, August 30-Sept. 2 (this promises to be huge)

I’m also planning on Bubonicon in Albuquerque, NM, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to do anything except hang out.

Ronin News

Work on the next Ronin novel is coming along on schedule. The text is entering the final phases. Within a couple of weeks we’ll have a complete design, inside and out. All the artwork is also finished.

I’d like to give you a little taste of that. Here is Alan M. Clark’s awesome cover painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Drew Baker’s painting. This will appear on the back cover of the hardcover edition.

Thanks to the great success of the Kickstarter campaign, this book will also have interior illustrations by Drew Baker.

I’m really pleased thus far with how the project is working out.

More to come!

Goodreads Giveaways Galore – Free Books Folks!

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Goodreads Book Giveaway







Legs



by Travis Heermann

Giveaway ends March 31, 2013.

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Heart of the Ronin



by Travis Heermann

Giveaway ends March 31, 2013.

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Goodreads Book Giveaway







Rogues of the Black Fury



by Travis Heermann

Giveaway ends March 31, 2013.

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The Wild Boys



by Travis Heermann

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Dipping a Toe into a New World

Like everyone, I’ve been hearing about digital publishing, e-books, self-publishing, etc., for some years now. This week marks the first that I step into this realm. I’ll be putting out a short story called Legs as a standalone across all e-reader formats, with even a chapbook-style print edition. This is a little scary, because it’s all new territory, and there’s somewhat of a learning curve.

Thanks to fellow writer friends jim pinto, Guy Anthony DeMarco, and Quincy J. Allen, who helped grease the tracks on this little train, Legs will be available any minute now across all e-reader formats. I’ll put up official announcements once all the books formats have gone through the distribution channels successfully.

Of course, I expect the sales to come rolllllllling in.

Well, not really. The average e-book, most likely published by Joe Inexperienced Writer, with cover design by Little Sister on her high school’s copy of Photoshop, sells about three copies, according to statistics I have seen.

The key for me is to just keep putting work out there and letting the marketplace do as it will.

This venture is also scary because Legs could be somewhat of a controversial story. It’s dark, sexy, and twisted. It was actually sold to an erotic horror anthology a couple of years ago, but the publisher pulled the plug on the project before it could be completed. So this story is ready to lurch into the world.

I also felt this step was necessary because after the success of my Kickstarter campaign for Sword of the Ronin, I needed to jump into the self-publishing arena to prepare for that project (which is still in the editorial phase). I entered this project as a learning experience, and if I sell some copies of Legs along the way, I got paid to learn the ropes.

Another impetus was some experiences and conversations I had with Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch at their Anthology workshop in Oregon a few weeks ago. I had the opportunity to visit the offices of their own publishing enclave, and learn a lot the business of publishing and the bottom line for all of us: how to make money in an extremely difficult career choice. (Who am I kidding? I didn’t choose to be a writer at all. It chose me.)

The publishing world is changing so quickly, no one knows what things will look like two years from now. Traditional publishing is not going to die, but it behooves writers to get their work in front of the public, to put the ball into play, as my agent once told me.

COSine Events Schedule – Colorado Springs

I’m excited to be making my first appearance at COSine this weekend. Here’s my schedule. I’m really delighted to be appearing on panels with the likes of Kevin J. Anderson, Connie Willis, S.M. Stirling, Marie DesJardin, Peter Wacks, Guy Anthony DeMarco, David Boop, and Quincy Allen, among others. Looks like it will be a great time, so come and get your con on!

FRIDAY

4 – 5pm – “The Future of our Favorite Vices”

with Marie DesJardin, S M Stirling, Peter Wacks, Connie Willis

SATURDAY

12 – 1pm - “Ebooks, podcasts, and online publishing – the effects of technology on SF publishing”

with Kevin J. Anderson, David Boop, Guy Anthony DeMarco, Daniel Willis

5 – 6pm – “Author Reception, Raffle, and Mass Autographing”

Quincy Allen, Kevin Anderson, Dana Bell, David Boop, Ed Bryant, Marie DesJardin, Guy Anthony DeMarco, Travis Heermann, Carol Hightshoe, Lynda Hilburn, Nikki Hohl, Sarah Hoyt, Paul Lell, Rebecca Lickiss, Nathan Lowell, Wil McCarthy, Rebecca Moesta, Pamela Nihiser, Christopher Salas, John Stith, S M Stirling, Peter Wacks, Connie Willis, Daniel Willis,Shelly Goodman Wright

7 – 8pm - READING

8 – 9pm - “Lovecraft: A Retrospective”

with Ed Bryant, Guy Anthony DeMarco, Nikki Hohl, Pamela Nihiser, Chris Salas

SUNDAY

11 – noon - “Where Worlds Collide – The Art of Writing Parallel & Alternative Timelines”

with Marie DesJardin, S M Stirling, and Connie Willis