Jennifer K. Lafferty's Blog: Authors' Musings, page 6
September 11, 2013
Cliched Writing Advice
Check out my article on Examiner about the most cliched rules for writers, and why they often get in the way of creativity.
http://www.examiner.com/list/most-cli...
http://www.examiner.com/list/most-cli...
September 1, 2013
Interview with Damon Marbut
Author Damon Ferrell Marbut who inspired readers with his novel "Awake in the Mad World" last year, is now offering a very personal and bold collection of poetry, "Little Human Accidents" published September 1, 2013.
Q: Was it difficult to select poems to include in "Little Human Accidents"?
A: It was easy, surprisingly. The paperback edition is 145 pages, and my editor at Bareback Press and I actually cut out about 15 poems to shrink it down to its current size. I wanted to cut about 7-8 more poems, but my editor pretty much said I was taking out some of the better pieces because I was suddenly afraid to offend the reader. He came just short of calling me names and we left them in. The poems in "Little Human Accidents" were part of probably a thousand poems written over the course of two years when I was halfway through graduate school, but I’d separated these off into their own volume a few years ago because they seemed to stand out from all that output. I discarded tons of writing from those years. It was far more difficult selecting poems for a new and smaller collection I’m publishing next year.
Q: What do you enjoy most about writing poetry?
A: I love that brief moment when I completely let go of any attempts at control and structure and write around a topic rather than hit it head on. But letting go can also just mean honesty and directness. There’s a real intimacy with the reader then, I think, when you as poet allow yourself vulnerability in turns of phrases and believe your audience will see it not as an obscurity but a different manner in which you can describe something familiar. In my shorter collection I do a lot of writing around a topic—for example, rather than say I’m sad and confused I wrote in a poem called History:
In the absence of warmth and light,
where in the trenches you or I or We survive,
the saline and cursed wave over my shoulder in the deep
is the monster of memory.
But in "Little Human Accidents" there is no room for confusion when it comes to what is being explained to the reader. It’s very direct, very much under control of a storyteller.
Q: What is the best piece of advice on writing you have received from another writer?
A: My fiction mentor in graduate school said, “Go slow.” I can still hear him saying it. That’s really difficult for some writers. It’s great life advice, too, but in terms of creative work I know it trips up authors on occasion. I’ve talked with plenty of writers over the last year since my novel published in summer of 2012, and they put so much pressure on themselves to write write write write write. Some got really annoyed with me when I told them I don’t write every day. There’s just no need to rush because then the work suffers. And we all have different processes. I’m not interested in cranking out a series just to capture readers as a loyal fan base. I don’t write to make money or impress people. I write what I think is germane to my life as I see it. That requires time and patience. So “Go slow” really works for me.
Q: Generally speaking, do you feel that poetry is more soul-baring than other types of writing?
A: No, not generally speaking. It can be incredibly intense and raw and emotional and evocative, and it can open a writer to elevated vulnerability. But I think the personal essay and memoir can be just as soul-baring. I’ve been working on a nonfiction collection of essays and stories and actually started crying in the middle of two different pieces as I was working on them. I’ve experienced that when reading and writing my poems, too. So they’re on an even par for me. But I also have to acknowledge that what I consider to be “soul-baring” comes from how I express something, whereas other writers might define it as what they put into a work. Good question.
Q: Is there one particular poem from "Little Human Accidents" that is a special favorite of yours?
A: Overall, there is handful of pieces in the book that remind me of people I’ve lost. They were written for some who’d already passed, and some have since died as this book was on its way to being published. So those generally stand out to me because they document how I was feeling at the time about the living and the dead versus how I see our relationships now, a decade later. But there is one poem in the book that really, still, makes me squirm. It’s the longest in the collection, a performance poem I wrote as a companion piece to two other poets’ work years ago. We used to slam together at bars and coffee shops. It’s lewd and brash and so much fun to do at readings. People will know which one I’m referring to once they read the book.
Damon Ferrell Marbut’s Social Media Links:
www.damonferrellmarbut.com
http://www.facebook.com/DamonFMarbut
Twitter: @dfmnola
Little Human Accidents Publisher: www.barebackpress.com
Q: Was it difficult to select poems to include in "Little Human Accidents"?
A: It was easy, surprisingly. The paperback edition is 145 pages, and my editor at Bareback Press and I actually cut out about 15 poems to shrink it down to its current size. I wanted to cut about 7-8 more poems, but my editor pretty much said I was taking out some of the better pieces because I was suddenly afraid to offend the reader. He came just short of calling me names and we left them in. The poems in "Little Human Accidents" were part of probably a thousand poems written over the course of two years when I was halfway through graduate school, but I’d separated these off into their own volume a few years ago because they seemed to stand out from all that output. I discarded tons of writing from those years. It was far more difficult selecting poems for a new and smaller collection I’m publishing next year.
Q: What do you enjoy most about writing poetry?
A: I love that brief moment when I completely let go of any attempts at control and structure and write around a topic rather than hit it head on. But letting go can also just mean honesty and directness. There’s a real intimacy with the reader then, I think, when you as poet allow yourself vulnerability in turns of phrases and believe your audience will see it not as an obscurity but a different manner in which you can describe something familiar. In my shorter collection I do a lot of writing around a topic—for example, rather than say I’m sad and confused I wrote in a poem called History:
In the absence of warmth and light,
where in the trenches you or I or We survive,
the saline and cursed wave over my shoulder in the deep
is the monster of memory.
But in "Little Human Accidents" there is no room for confusion when it comes to what is being explained to the reader. It’s very direct, very much under control of a storyteller.
Q: What is the best piece of advice on writing you have received from another writer?
A: My fiction mentor in graduate school said, “Go slow.” I can still hear him saying it. That’s really difficult for some writers. It’s great life advice, too, but in terms of creative work I know it trips up authors on occasion. I’ve talked with plenty of writers over the last year since my novel published in summer of 2012, and they put so much pressure on themselves to write write write write write. Some got really annoyed with me when I told them I don’t write every day. There’s just no need to rush because then the work suffers. And we all have different processes. I’m not interested in cranking out a series just to capture readers as a loyal fan base. I don’t write to make money or impress people. I write what I think is germane to my life as I see it. That requires time and patience. So “Go slow” really works for me.
Q: Generally speaking, do you feel that poetry is more soul-baring than other types of writing?
A: No, not generally speaking. It can be incredibly intense and raw and emotional and evocative, and it can open a writer to elevated vulnerability. But I think the personal essay and memoir can be just as soul-baring. I’ve been working on a nonfiction collection of essays and stories and actually started crying in the middle of two different pieces as I was working on them. I’ve experienced that when reading and writing my poems, too. So they’re on an even par for me. But I also have to acknowledge that what I consider to be “soul-baring” comes from how I express something, whereas other writers might define it as what they put into a work. Good question.
Q: Is there one particular poem from "Little Human Accidents" that is a special favorite of yours?
A: Overall, there is handful of pieces in the book that remind me of people I’ve lost. They were written for some who’d already passed, and some have since died as this book was on its way to being published. So those generally stand out to me because they document how I was feeling at the time about the living and the dead versus how I see our relationships now, a decade later. But there is one poem in the book that really, still, makes me squirm. It’s the longest in the collection, a performance poem I wrote as a companion piece to two other poets’ work years ago. We used to slam together at bars and coffee shops. It’s lewd and brash and so much fun to do at readings. People will know which one I’m referring to once they read the book.
Damon Ferrell Marbut’s Social Media Links:
www.damonferrellmarbut.com
http://www.facebook.com/DamonFMarbut
Twitter: @dfmnola
Little Human Accidents Publisher: www.barebackpress.com
June 10, 2013
'Thorn in My Heart' article
Check out my Examiner article about the exciting Christian romance "Thorn in My Heart" by bestselling Christian author Liz Curtis Higgs. This novel centering on a love triangle in 18th century Scotland was inspired by The Book of Ruth: http://www.examiner.com/article/thorn...
May 27, 2013
Interview with Suneeta Misra author of 'Rani of Rampur'
The suspense novel "Rani of Rampur" is colorful thriller filled with drama and exotic locales. Readers travel with young journalist Rani as she journey's to the Indian village where her mother grew up, in an attempt to help her gain part of the family estate. Drama, intrigue and scandal await in this juicy read.
Let's hear what author Suneeta Misra has to say about "Rani of Rampur".
Q: Was it difficult to write a book as eventful and complex as Rani of Rampur?
A: No, I come from India and even though I didn’t grow up in a village, I visited often enough to understand the complexities of village life. Last year, I spent some time in a Indian village in east UP in order to make a documentary on the education of low caste dalit girls. I documented many stories of girls who showed great courage in the face of challenges. Out of these stories grew a desire to create a fictional story of a strong Indian girl, who takes on challenges that come her way without the need of a prince charming to save her. This story is meant for a new adult (18-25) audience and so I was striving to drive the point home that Indian women should make themselves so capable that no one can question their abilities. The teacher in me is unfortunately, always looking for lessons learned.
Q: What do you think American readers will find most interesting or surprising in reading about India?
A: India is a country where the modern and feudal, coexist side by side. We have state of the art software companies and we have grand traditional arranged marriage where people waste millions of rupees to impress their family and friends. This juxtaposition of the modern with the traditional is often missing in the American way of life.
Q: In what ways, if at all, do you identify with Rani?
A: She is based both on elements of my personality and on what I wish to be. She is also based on my vision of what a strong Indian girl needs to be like in a patriarchal culture like that in India.
Q: Is there a genre you’d like to explore but haven’t yet?
A: I have only touched upon the supernatural genre in my first two books, and would like to make one of my future books a full- fledged ghost story.
Q: What is your greatest source of inspiration?
A: My daughter, who I can bounce ideas off of, and sometimes seems to be the only person who appreciates some of the stories I like to spin. Incidentally, she is also a writer, and helped me edit this book.
Let's hear what author Suneeta Misra has to say about "Rani of Rampur".
Q: Was it difficult to write a book as eventful and complex as Rani of Rampur?
A: No, I come from India and even though I didn’t grow up in a village, I visited often enough to understand the complexities of village life. Last year, I spent some time in a Indian village in east UP in order to make a documentary on the education of low caste dalit girls. I documented many stories of girls who showed great courage in the face of challenges. Out of these stories grew a desire to create a fictional story of a strong Indian girl, who takes on challenges that come her way without the need of a prince charming to save her. This story is meant for a new adult (18-25) audience and so I was striving to drive the point home that Indian women should make themselves so capable that no one can question their abilities. The teacher in me is unfortunately, always looking for lessons learned.
Q: What do you think American readers will find most interesting or surprising in reading about India?
A: India is a country where the modern and feudal, coexist side by side. We have state of the art software companies and we have grand traditional arranged marriage where people waste millions of rupees to impress their family and friends. This juxtaposition of the modern with the traditional is often missing in the American way of life.
Q: In what ways, if at all, do you identify with Rani?
A: She is based both on elements of my personality and on what I wish to be. She is also based on my vision of what a strong Indian girl needs to be like in a patriarchal culture like that in India.
Q: Is there a genre you’d like to explore but haven’t yet?
A: I have only touched upon the supernatural genre in my first two books, and would like to make one of my future books a full- fledged ghost story.
Q: What is your greatest source of inspiration?
A: My daughter, who I can bounce ideas off of, and sometimes seems to be the only person who appreciates some of the stories I like to spin. Incidentally, she is also a writer, and helped me edit this book.
May 16, 2013
Interview with author of 'Killer Rumors' Antonello Fiore
Author Antonello Fiore answers question about his exciting new crime thriller "Killer Rumors (Frank Rinelli #1)" centering on the murders of well-respected priests.
Q: Do you prefer writing mysteries over other genres?
A: Since I love to read mysteries, I prefer writing mysteries. I have been reading mystery novels for over fifteen years. As a result, I am well aware of the structure to a mystery novel. That was the reason why I never received any roadblocks when writing Killer Rumors. Prior to begin writing my novel, I would outline the main plots from beginning to end. So I already knew how the beginning, middle, and end would turn out. I just needed to fill in the minor details while my story. Not surprisingly, filling in the minor details came with no difficulty since the flow of the story was very smooth.
Q: Do you prefer to write character driven or plot driven stories?
A: As previously mentioned, I tend to outline the major plots prior to begin writing my story. A technique that I found most useful was to write twenty scenes of my story on small papers. Then I would number each scene in the particular order. This technique was definitely beneficial. Not only was it easier for me writing my story, but the intensity of the plot was rising until the climax was unfolded.
Q: If you could recommend Killer Rumors to fans of any other mystery author who would it be?
A: I would recommend Killer Rumors to fans of James Patterson, Dan Brown, and Dean Koontz. My book has the similar thriller and suspense drive that they carry. My influences are very much present in my book.
Q: Describe in one sentence why people should want to read Killer Rumors.
A: Killer Rumors would make you think twice when hearing priests being accused of child abuse.
Q: What did you enjoy most about writing Killer Rumors?
A: What I enjoyed most about writing Killer Rumors was the creative control I obtained. Since I already knew and wrote the major plots to the story, actually writing the story was so much fun for me. I was portraying myself as a reader when writing my story. That way, I was challenging myself to write the best possible story that I can write. My goal was to inform my readers the unfortunate results when priests are falsely accused. I believe I achieved my goal.
Q: Do you write consistently or just when you have a particularly compelling story in mind?
A: I have a huge passion to write. Therefore, I am writing consistently. I always carry a notebook and pen with me. That way, whenever I think of a great scene and/or idea for a story, I would immediately jot it down before I forget it. It is amazing how all those small thoughts could turn into a page-turner of a book.
Most of my writing would take place at night. That way, the entire day is behind me and I have a fresh mind to work on my story. I would have my laptop, notebook, and a cup of coffee when working on my novel.
Q: Do you prefer writing mysteries over other genres?
A: Since I love to read mysteries, I prefer writing mysteries. I have been reading mystery novels for over fifteen years. As a result, I am well aware of the structure to a mystery novel. That was the reason why I never received any roadblocks when writing Killer Rumors. Prior to begin writing my novel, I would outline the main plots from beginning to end. So I already knew how the beginning, middle, and end would turn out. I just needed to fill in the minor details while my story. Not surprisingly, filling in the minor details came with no difficulty since the flow of the story was very smooth.
Q: Do you prefer to write character driven or plot driven stories?
A: As previously mentioned, I tend to outline the major plots prior to begin writing my story. A technique that I found most useful was to write twenty scenes of my story on small papers. Then I would number each scene in the particular order. This technique was definitely beneficial. Not only was it easier for me writing my story, but the intensity of the plot was rising until the climax was unfolded.
Q: If you could recommend Killer Rumors to fans of any other mystery author who would it be?
A: I would recommend Killer Rumors to fans of James Patterson, Dan Brown, and Dean Koontz. My book has the similar thriller and suspense drive that they carry. My influences are very much present in my book.
Q: Describe in one sentence why people should want to read Killer Rumors.
A: Killer Rumors would make you think twice when hearing priests being accused of child abuse.
Q: What did you enjoy most about writing Killer Rumors?
A: What I enjoyed most about writing Killer Rumors was the creative control I obtained. Since I already knew and wrote the major plots to the story, actually writing the story was so much fun for me. I was portraying myself as a reader when writing my story. That way, I was challenging myself to write the best possible story that I can write. My goal was to inform my readers the unfortunate results when priests are falsely accused. I believe I achieved my goal.
Q: Do you write consistently or just when you have a particularly compelling story in mind?
A: I have a huge passion to write. Therefore, I am writing consistently. I always carry a notebook and pen with me. That way, whenever I think of a great scene and/or idea for a story, I would immediately jot it down before I forget it. It is amazing how all those small thoughts could turn into a page-turner of a book.
Most of my writing would take place at night. That way, the entire day is behind me and I have a fresh mind to work on my story. I would have my laptop, notebook, and a cup of coffee when working on my novel.
May 15, 2013
Interview with 'Sportsman's Bet' author Judy Nichols
In the new mystery novel "Sportsman's Bet" set in the colorful little town of Tobias, North Carolina, it's up to British transplant Ian Dodge to find the culprit in the murder of Velma Saunders; not an easy task given how many enemies she had.
So let's hear what the author, Judy Nichols, has to say about this entertaining whodunit.
Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing "Sportsman’s Bet"?
A: Biggest Challenge: As always it was just writing it--managing to sit down every day and string words into sentences, sentences into chapters and chapters into a book. For me, so much of writing consists of staring at the blank screen on the laptop, and willing myself to type out something--anything--even if it's the worst thing anyone's ever written.
Q: What did you enjoy most about writing "Sportsman’s Bet"?
A: What I enjoyed most about writing Sportsman's Bet: The character of Ian Dodge is based on my husband Nigel, a native of the UK and I had a lot of fun putting Nigel in all the situations that Ian Dodge finds himself in. I also enjoyed how in the course of writing the book, Ian became his own character, different from the man who inspired him.
Q: The character of Ian Dodge is very much an outsider in this colorful North Carolina town. Did you feel that it was important for the investigator to be a fish out of water, and if so why?
A: Ian as fish-out-of-water: People are much better observers when they are in unfamiliar territory. Ian is fascinated by every aspect of the small town culture of Tobias and he notices all the details, unlike someone who's always lived there. But he also wants to hang on to his own British identity. Many years ago, in a college anthropology class, I remember the Japanese born professor saying that you discover how much your own culture is a part of you when you're immersed in a different one. And that's true for Ian. He is far more aware of his British background and hangs on to it because he lives away from it.
Q: How closely do you identify with Ian, if at all?
A: Seeing as how Ian was inspired by my husband, I feel very close to him, like I know him better than I know anybody else. But he's a lot different than I am. He's organized, he likes to keep things neat and orderly, and he's very disciplined. But he does get to say the things I'm always thinking, being a bit of a wise guy/smart aleck.
Q: Who are some of your biggest influences as a writer?
A: My biggest influences in writing: My high school English teachers were the first people who told me I had a talent for it, which at the time, meant a lot to me and set me on the path to becoming a writer. Another major influence was Jonathan Valin who wrote the Cincinnati based Harry Stoner series. It sounds odd, but I never thought a mystery series could be based in Cincinnati. I thought there was some rule that they had to be in New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. Reading about my own city in his books made me want to write my own book with my own view of it.
Q: Describe what you think your typical fan is like.
A: I'd say my typical fan is female, a mom, from the baby boomer generation and loves to read. That this describes me perfectly is probably no coincidence.
So let's hear what the author, Judy Nichols, has to say about this entertaining whodunit.
Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing "Sportsman’s Bet"?
A: Biggest Challenge: As always it was just writing it--managing to sit down every day and string words into sentences, sentences into chapters and chapters into a book. For me, so much of writing consists of staring at the blank screen on the laptop, and willing myself to type out something--anything--even if it's the worst thing anyone's ever written.
Q: What did you enjoy most about writing "Sportsman’s Bet"?
A: What I enjoyed most about writing Sportsman's Bet: The character of Ian Dodge is based on my husband Nigel, a native of the UK and I had a lot of fun putting Nigel in all the situations that Ian Dodge finds himself in. I also enjoyed how in the course of writing the book, Ian became his own character, different from the man who inspired him.
Q: The character of Ian Dodge is very much an outsider in this colorful North Carolina town. Did you feel that it was important for the investigator to be a fish out of water, and if so why?
A: Ian as fish-out-of-water: People are much better observers when they are in unfamiliar territory. Ian is fascinated by every aspect of the small town culture of Tobias and he notices all the details, unlike someone who's always lived there. But he also wants to hang on to his own British identity. Many years ago, in a college anthropology class, I remember the Japanese born professor saying that you discover how much your own culture is a part of you when you're immersed in a different one. And that's true for Ian. He is far more aware of his British background and hangs on to it because he lives away from it.
Q: How closely do you identify with Ian, if at all?
A: Seeing as how Ian was inspired by my husband, I feel very close to him, like I know him better than I know anybody else. But he's a lot different than I am. He's organized, he likes to keep things neat and orderly, and he's very disciplined. But he does get to say the things I'm always thinking, being a bit of a wise guy/smart aleck.
Q: Who are some of your biggest influences as a writer?
A: My biggest influences in writing: My high school English teachers were the first people who told me I had a talent for it, which at the time, meant a lot to me and set me on the path to becoming a writer. Another major influence was Jonathan Valin who wrote the Cincinnati based Harry Stoner series. It sounds odd, but I never thought a mystery series could be based in Cincinnati. I thought there was some rule that they had to be in New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. Reading about my own city in his books made me want to write my own book with my own view of it.
Q: Describe what you think your typical fan is like.
A: I'd say my typical fan is female, a mom, from the baby boomer generation and loves to read. That this describes me perfectly is probably no coincidence.
March 25, 2013
Interview with Susana H. Case, author of Elvis Presley's Hips & Mick Jagger's Lips
Author Susana H. Case found inspiration in classic rock music for her new book of poetry, "Elvis Presley's Hips & Mick Jagger's Lips" due out April 1, 2013 from Anaphora Literary Press.
In my interview with Case, we discussed her book and her writing process.
Q: Would you say that you’re a fan of all the artists who inspired Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips?
A: Some more than others. And there’s music I love very much which never ended up being a source of inspiration for the poems in the book. For example, Blondie and Queen didn’t make it into this collection, yet they are both inspirational to me in my work. They will be in my next volume of rock poems, I’m pretty sure.
Q: Which part of Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips did you enjoy working on the most?
A: That’s a hard question. I’m not sure. The book is divided into three sections. I didn’t want to call the sections “Sex,” “Drugs,” and “Rock and Roll,” because those labels are trite by now. But they mirror those themes to some degree. I decided instead on “The Honey Thing,” “Mood Alteration,” and “Do a Song About It.” “Mood Alteration” also incorporates emotional shifts and “Do a Song About It” contains a lot of thematic content about the music business. Some of my favorites are in each section. But I wanted to write about musicians and the business, and not just write about myself. So I enjoyed going back and forth between poems with the pronoun, “I,” and those that were constructed differently.
Q: What was the most challenging thing about writing Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips?
A: The challenge is always to whip disparate poems into a narrative that tells a story of some sort. When I was growing up, I wanted for a period of time to be a songwriter. It was important for me to remind myself while I was organizing the book that I was not that songwriter, but—someone entirely different—a poet. I also had to get past the notion that every favorite musician of mine had to be in the book. I had to go with what worked for the narrative. There will be other books.
Q: Who do you see as your audience for Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips?
A: The audience for poetry is usually other poets, but I’m always looking for ways to expand my audience and I think that those interested in rock and roll would also be interested in this book. I think it can be instructive also, as a sort of ekphrastic work, to see the way in which the music becomes the muse, if not always what is directly addressed as the subject of the poem.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from this book?
A: I hope they are entertained by the funny parts, that they think about the other parts, and that it stimulates more poetry based upon music—all kinds of music—which I’m a big fan of. I think there’s also a lot of information embedded in the poems, about what life was like in the seventies, as well as other decades, about the trajectories of various musical careers, about the way in which early rock music emerged from rhythm and blues, for example.
Q: Do you think there is a real difference between a poet and a lyricist or do you see them working at essentially the same craft?
A: The requirements are different, though both work at condensing. But the ways line and sound and rhythm are used are different in both, though there is overlap in what is paid attention to. I think some of my lines could be parts of songs. And I think there are lines of songs that could easily be poems. Pink Floyd comes to mind here. Think about the lines of “Brain Damage,” for example. Those lines contain more rhyme than most contemporary poetry, but “Brain Damage” is a very poetic song.
Susana H. Case
In my interview with Case, we discussed her book and her writing process.
Q: Would you say that you’re a fan of all the artists who inspired Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips?
A: Some more than others. And there’s music I love very much which never ended up being a source of inspiration for the poems in the book. For example, Blondie and Queen didn’t make it into this collection, yet they are both inspirational to me in my work. They will be in my next volume of rock poems, I’m pretty sure.
Q: Which part of Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips did you enjoy working on the most?
A: That’s a hard question. I’m not sure. The book is divided into three sections. I didn’t want to call the sections “Sex,” “Drugs,” and “Rock and Roll,” because those labels are trite by now. But they mirror those themes to some degree. I decided instead on “The Honey Thing,” “Mood Alteration,” and “Do a Song About It.” “Mood Alteration” also incorporates emotional shifts and “Do a Song About It” contains a lot of thematic content about the music business. Some of my favorites are in each section. But I wanted to write about musicians and the business, and not just write about myself. So I enjoyed going back and forth between poems with the pronoun, “I,” and those that were constructed differently.
Q: What was the most challenging thing about writing Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips?
A: The challenge is always to whip disparate poems into a narrative that tells a story of some sort. When I was growing up, I wanted for a period of time to be a songwriter. It was important for me to remind myself while I was organizing the book that I was not that songwriter, but—someone entirely different—a poet. I also had to get past the notion that every favorite musician of mine had to be in the book. I had to go with what worked for the narrative. There will be other books.
Q: Who do you see as your audience for Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips?
A: The audience for poetry is usually other poets, but I’m always looking for ways to expand my audience and I think that those interested in rock and roll would also be interested in this book. I think it can be instructive also, as a sort of ekphrastic work, to see the way in which the music becomes the muse, if not always what is directly addressed as the subject of the poem.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from this book?
A: I hope they are entertained by the funny parts, that they think about the other parts, and that it stimulates more poetry based upon music—all kinds of music—which I’m a big fan of. I think there’s also a lot of information embedded in the poems, about what life was like in the seventies, as well as other decades, about the trajectories of various musical careers, about the way in which early rock music emerged from rhythm and blues, for example.
Q: Do you think there is a real difference between a poet and a lyricist or do you see them working at essentially the same craft?
A: The requirements are different, though both work at condensing. But the ways line and sound and rhythm are used are different in both, though there is overlap in what is paid attention to. I think some of my lines could be parts of songs. And I think there are lines of songs that could easily be poems. Pink Floyd comes to mind here. Think about the lines of “Brain Damage,” for example. Those lines contain more rhyme than most contemporary poetry, but “Brain Damage” is a very poetic song.
Susana H. Case
February 20, 2013
Interview with Sarah J. Pepper author of 'Devi'd Lullaby'
In Sarah J. Pepper’s fantasy novel "Devil’s Lullaby (Ringer’s Masquerade Series #1)", a young woman, whose sole reason for existence is to act as an organ donor, is motivated to fight for her life and change her destiny when she finds love. Let’s find out what Pepper has to say about "Devil’s Lullaby" and the writing process.
Q: Once you got the idea for "Devil’s Lullaby" did you start working on it right away or did you have to live with it for a while?
A: I got the idea late one spring. I let it soak in my imagination that summer while riding my bike - I'm a bit of a biker fanatic, so it was wonderful to think about all the twist and turns the story could take. Once I did start, I polished off the novel in 19 days. I couldn't stop writing.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with this series of books?
A: I hope to change people's opinions. Everything in life isn't black and white. There is no clear-cut answer, especially when in love... or hate.
Q: What are the most interesting trends you see in the paranormal genre? Where do you think paranormal fiction is headed?
A: The possibilities are endless. In the realm of fantasy and paranormal, it can go as far as one's imagination.
Q: If "Devil’s Lullaby" was made into a movie who would you want to see cast in the leading roles?
A: Oh, I kinda of have this crush on Paul Wesley from the Vampire Diaries. I think Isla Fisher would make a lovely leading lady.
Q: Do you have a primary source of inspiration?
A: I don't try to sound cliche, but my husband...I actually dedicated the series to him....To the valiant warrior who stole my delicate heart only to protect it with his own. He whispered surreal possibilities and opened my eyes to a world I dared not to imagine. My life would be comprised of dull colors and lifeless music without you, Dusty. You give me the world when I gaze into your eyes—your soul.
Q: Describe what you think your typical fan is like.
A: Like me and my friends.... a bunch of girls who dream about prince charming when scrubbing the toilet while wishing that their husband had better aim, lol. And then there is the high schooler/college girl who is still trying to find their way in the world. This novel is written about a girl trying to make sense of her life; thus, I think they could relate.
Devil's Lullaby
Q: Once you got the idea for "Devil’s Lullaby" did you start working on it right away or did you have to live with it for a while?
A: I got the idea late one spring. I let it soak in my imagination that summer while riding my bike - I'm a bit of a biker fanatic, so it was wonderful to think about all the twist and turns the story could take. Once I did start, I polished off the novel in 19 days. I couldn't stop writing.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with this series of books?
A: I hope to change people's opinions. Everything in life isn't black and white. There is no clear-cut answer, especially when in love... or hate.
Q: What are the most interesting trends you see in the paranormal genre? Where do you think paranormal fiction is headed?
A: The possibilities are endless. In the realm of fantasy and paranormal, it can go as far as one's imagination.
Q: If "Devil’s Lullaby" was made into a movie who would you want to see cast in the leading roles?
A: Oh, I kinda of have this crush on Paul Wesley from the Vampire Diaries. I think Isla Fisher would make a lovely leading lady.
Q: Do you have a primary source of inspiration?
A: I don't try to sound cliche, but my husband...I actually dedicated the series to him....To the valiant warrior who stole my delicate heart only to protect it with his own. He whispered surreal possibilities and opened my eyes to a world I dared not to imagine. My life would be comprised of dull colors and lifeless music without you, Dusty. You give me the world when I gaze into your eyes—your soul.
Q: Describe what you think your typical fan is like.
A: Like me and my friends.... a bunch of girls who dream about prince charming when scrubbing the toilet while wishing that their husband had better aim, lol. And then there is the high schooler/college girl who is still trying to find their way in the world. This novel is written about a girl trying to make sense of her life; thus, I think they could relate.
Devil's Lullaby
February 5, 2013
Interview with author of "Starseed" Liz Gruder
“Starseed” by Liz Gruder centers on Kaila, a unique sixteen-year-old girl, struggling with the challenges of growing up, in particular being bullied at school, who meets a boy Jordyn, an extraterrestrial sent to earth on a mission. The two fall in love, but that isn’t the only change Jordyn brings to Kaila’s life. She learns, through knowing him, that she is also half extraterrestrial herself.
As much as “Starseed” is about aliens and young love it is also about growing up and being forced to make difficult decisions along the way.
Let's hear what Liz has to says about her sci-fi romance, "Starseed", out February 5, 2013.
Q: Did you write Starseed with a particular audience in mind?
A: I don’t believe in writing to a particular audience. I think an author has to write their story, with their vision—within whatever genre confines--and the audience will gravitate toward the material—or not. If you write for a particular audience you could get stage fright and wonder, will they like this? Should I say that? That stifles what you really want to say. Or, you could end up with formulaic, predictable, imitative fiction. Write within your genre what you want to say and the audience will find you.
Q: Like many sci-fi novels, Starseed has a prominent romantic storyline. Why do you think sci fi and romance are such a good combination?
A: Sci-fi can scare some readers off -- believing it to be inaccessible (too “out there” or concept driven). A romantic storyline can make sci-fi more emotional and accessible. While Starseed takes place in normal Earth settings like high school and home, it encompasses elements of “fringe” science such as multi-dimensions, teleportation and telepathy. Falling in love is one of life’s most sublime emotions. In Starseed, the lovers are half-human, half-alien, so by fully opening to love, it illustrates what it means to be human.
Q: Is there a genre you haven’t yet explored as an author but would like to?
A: This past fall I took a Writers’ Workshop with the New Orleans Arts Council. I wrote (and am still editing) a collection of ghost stories. While short story collections are a tough sell, I did it solely to have the freedom to improve my craft and explore different characters, situations and voices. I will always write speculative fiction.
Q: If Starseed was made into a movie would you want to write the screenplay yourself?
A: Though I’ve taken a screenwriting course (ha!), I think fiction writing and screenwriting are two different skillsets. I’d prefer a skilled screenwriter to convert the book to a movie. Most published authors will relate that it took many, many unpublished words to become published and it’s the same for screenwriting. Plus, to have another vision added to the mix: perhaps they’d view the scene where Jordyn teleports Kaila to Egypt completely different and add something inside the pyramid I hadn’t thought of to make it more visually stimulating. Whereas in fiction, you can describe a character’s thoughts, screenwriting is a purely a visual medium. You “show” everything. There are fabulous, creative screenwriters out there -- they know better than me what works on screen.
Q: Do you personally identify with either Kaila or Jordyn, if so, how?
A: I identify with both Kaila and Jordyn in that sometimes I wonder why I am on this planet—I shake my head with what people do to each other. After watching the evening news, you might imagine how aliens might view us. So high school was the perfect place to depict how cruel people are to one another, making fun of anyone who is different, shy, or not “cool” according to group standards. We all recall certain people who were called names and bullied. I cringe when I see people belittled or bullied. Some people need to tear down others to build themselves up. But I take the stance that people--and ETs--can be benevolent or malevolent. If we, as a species, could evolve beyond war and control, and instead of tearing each other down, accept and love one another, there’s hope for this planet. Tall order, I know.
Q: Who are some of your biggest influences as an author?
A: As a kid, the first thing I ever bought with my allowance was A.A. Milne’s illustrated Winnie the Pooh. Not gum or comics (which came later, but a book). Later, reading Edward Eager’s Magic by the Lake, and Half Magic by flashlight under my covers while imagining magic coins and time travel made me hold his books with reverence and true, first love. I didn’t want to return them to the library. Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach made me realize imagination had no limits. Then, reading Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, I realized I wanted to be like Jo, a writer. To this day, I have to slash 19th-century prose, because I went through a binge as a young adult loving Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, the Brontes, Ambrose Bierce, etc. As an adult, I read historical fiction, romance, literary fiction, sci-fi, chick-lit—and of course, YA. But it was these early books, I think, that first seeded my imagination with fantastic possibilities.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LizGruder
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizGruder
Website: www.lizgruder.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlizgruder
Amazon link to Starseed: http://www.amazon.com/Starseed-ebook/...
As much as “Starseed” is about aliens and young love it is also about growing up and being forced to make difficult decisions along the way.
Let's hear what Liz has to says about her sci-fi romance, "Starseed", out February 5, 2013.
Q: Did you write Starseed with a particular audience in mind?
A: I don’t believe in writing to a particular audience. I think an author has to write their story, with their vision—within whatever genre confines--and the audience will gravitate toward the material—or not. If you write for a particular audience you could get stage fright and wonder, will they like this? Should I say that? That stifles what you really want to say. Or, you could end up with formulaic, predictable, imitative fiction. Write within your genre what you want to say and the audience will find you.
Q: Like many sci-fi novels, Starseed has a prominent romantic storyline. Why do you think sci fi and romance are such a good combination?
A: Sci-fi can scare some readers off -- believing it to be inaccessible (too “out there” or concept driven). A romantic storyline can make sci-fi more emotional and accessible. While Starseed takes place in normal Earth settings like high school and home, it encompasses elements of “fringe” science such as multi-dimensions, teleportation and telepathy. Falling in love is one of life’s most sublime emotions. In Starseed, the lovers are half-human, half-alien, so by fully opening to love, it illustrates what it means to be human.
Q: Is there a genre you haven’t yet explored as an author but would like to?
A: This past fall I took a Writers’ Workshop with the New Orleans Arts Council. I wrote (and am still editing) a collection of ghost stories. While short story collections are a tough sell, I did it solely to have the freedom to improve my craft and explore different characters, situations and voices. I will always write speculative fiction.
Q: If Starseed was made into a movie would you want to write the screenplay yourself?
A: Though I’ve taken a screenwriting course (ha!), I think fiction writing and screenwriting are two different skillsets. I’d prefer a skilled screenwriter to convert the book to a movie. Most published authors will relate that it took many, many unpublished words to become published and it’s the same for screenwriting. Plus, to have another vision added to the mix: perhaps they’d view the scene where Jordyn teleports Kaila to Egypt completely different and add something inside the pyramid I hadn’t thought of to make it more visually stimulating. Whereas in fiction, you can describe a character’s thoughts, screenwriting is a purely a visual medium. You “show” everything. There are fabulous, creative screenwriters out there -- they know better than me what works on screen.
Q: Do you personally identify with either Kaila or Jordyn, if so, how?
A: I identify with both Kaila and Jordyn in that sometimes I wonder why I am on this planet—I shake my head with what people do to each other. After watching the evening news, you might imagine how aliens might view us. So high school was the perfect place to depict how cruel people are to one another, making fun of anyone who is different, shy, or not “cool” according to group standards. We all recall certain people who were called names and bullied. I cringe when I see people belittled or bullied. Some people need to tear down others to build themselves up. But I take the stance that people--and ETs--can be benevolent or malevolent. If we, as a species, could evolve beyond war and control, and instead of tearing each other down, accept and love one another, there’s hope for this planet. Tall order, I know.
Q: Who are some of your biggest influences as an author?
A: As a kid, the first thing I ever bought with my allowance was A.A. Milne’s illustrated Winnie the Pooh. Not gum or comics (which came later, but a book). Later, reading Edward Eager’s Magic by the Lake, and Half Magic by flashlight under my covers while imagining magic coins and time travel made me hold his books with reverence and true, first love. I didn’t want to return them to the library. Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach made me realize imagination had no limits. Then, reading Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, I realized I wanted to be like Jo, a writer. To this day, I have to slash 19th-century prose, because I went through a binge as a young adult loving Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, the Brontes, Ambrose Bierce, etc. As an adult, I read historical fiction, romance, literary fiction, sci-fi, chick-lit—and of course, YA. But it was these early books, I think, that first seeded my imagination with fantastic possibilities.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LizGruder
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizGruder
Website: www.lizgruder.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlizgruder
Amazon link to Starseed: http://www.amazon.com/Starseed-ebook/...
January 25, 2013
Interview with 'Circuits of the Wind author Michael Stutz
The evolution of computers and subsequent internet explosion was an exciting time in which to grow up, especially for the Ray Valentine, the central character in the internet coming of age novel "Circuits of the Wind: A Legend of the Net Age" by Michael Stutz. In my interview with Stutz we examined the novel and what went into creating it.
Q: Computers are such a big part of Ray’s life, even before the
internet. Do you think that in this technological era, people in
general, are in danger of letting computers take over their lives?
A: If your life is liable to takeover then computers pretty much make it
easy. And it's common. It's easier to partake in a world where the
physical, time and space, is no longer a factor---and the computer
environment is a perfect demonstration of the means of addiction,
submission and control.
We can talk about the magnificent wonder of these big tools of
change, and it's definitely so, but in so many of the important ways
people, generally speaking, are becoming utterly boring and the
same---like in their attitudes and behavior and the way that they
think and the things they produce. If you look around, you'll see
that there's little genuine variation in so many of the things that
matter, and there's no getting around that. There was an opinion
piece in Pravda.ru not long ago that described this as people going
about their lives almost like zombies, with no future, trapped inside
a nihilistic fantasy of their own desires, hooked on childish
technology---a world of hollow men and white noise. It's kind of like
that. Computers help make it easy.
Q: What inspired you to write CIRCUITS OF THE WIND?
A: It was something that had been building up for quite a while, but in
the end what really inspired and set it off was actually a song, a
recording by the late great Sarah Vaughan---and recently I had a
chance to talk about that with Roz Morris at href="http://mymemoriesofafuturelife.com/20...
Undercover Soundtrack. That's the whole story right there, that's
what inspired it.
Q: To what extent, if at all, do you identify with your central character Ray?
A: I know how he feels.
Q: When you’re writing a book, do you feel like you are in charge, or
your characters?
A: It's a lot of work. I'd love to give it all over to them. It would
make things so much easier, and free me up with more time for reading
or other pursuits. The characters are real, that's for sure---if
they're any good they are---but there's no denying that you're in
charge of all the hard labor and heavy lifting. They might show you
what's happening and lead you into places but you've got to be the
one to get in there and sweat it out and then come back and put it
all down. And believe me I've tried to get out of this. I mean, I've
experimented with dictation and every other trick you can think of
and there's just no escaping it. There's no escaping anything,
really. This is it.
Q: How much planning goes into your books before you begin the
actual writing process?
A: Probably a lot. You can't have a big storm without the requisite
conditions and buildup, and all of that goes on beforehand. Then, at
the right moment, bam! Let it rain, let it all come down and soak the
earth.
Q: Are you planning a fourth volume of CIRCUITS OF THE WIND?
A: That's a seriously interesting question, because it's one that I
don't think anyone would normally ask. I mean, it's done, it ended
right there, the book's over---but does that mean that nothing else
can ever touch that world, go into it, or even reference it?
I will say this: I know that all of my books, including those yet to
be written, are somehow connected, if only lightly and in passing;
that seems to be the way. It's a single world of connected books. So
even if CIRCUITS OF THE WIND is over, and even if there's no more Ray
after this, that's not to say that something else might somehow
touch. We're not going to know for sure until at least a couple of
years, I think. Tell you the truth I sometimes wonder how Ray's
doing.
Q: Computers are such a big part of Ray’s life, even before the
internet. Do you think that in this technological era, people in
general, are in danger of letting computers take over their lives?
A: If your life is liable to takeover then computers pretty much make it
easy. And it's common. It's easier to partake in a world where the
physical, time and space, is no longer a factor---and the computer
environment is a perfect demonstration of the means of addiction,
submission and control.
We can talk about the magnificent wonder of these big tools of
change, and it's definitely so, but in so many of the important ways
people, generally speaking, are becoming utterly boring and the
same---like in their attitudes and behavior and the way that they
think and the things they produce. If you look around, you'll see
that there's little genuine variation in so many of the things that
matter, and there's no getting around that. There was an opinion
piece in Pravda.ru not long ago that described this as people going
about their lives almost like zombies, with no future, trapped inside
a nihilistic fantasy of their own desires, hooked on childish
technology---a world of hollow men and white noise. It's kind of like
that. Computers help make it easy.
Q: What inspired you to write CIRCUITS OF THE WIND?
A: It was something that had been building up for quite a while, but in
the end what really inspired and set it off was actually a song, a
recording by the late great Sarah Vaughan---and recently I had a
chance to talk about that with Roz Morris at href="http://mymemoriesofafuturelife.com/20...
Undercover Soundtrack. That's the whole story right there, that's
what inspired it.
Q: To what extent, if at all, do you identify with your central character Ray?
A: I know how he feels.
Q: When you’re writing a book, do you feel like you are in charge, or
your characters?
A: It's a lot of work. I'd love to give it all over to them. It would
make things so much easier, and free me up with more time for reading
or other pursuits. The characters are real, that's for sure---if
they're any good they are---but there's no denying that you're in
charge of all the hard labor and heavy lifting. They might show you
what's happening and lead you into places but you've got to be the
one to get in there and sweat it out and then come back and put it
all down. And believe me I've tried to get out of this. I mean, I've
experimented with dictation and every other trick you can think of
and there's just no escaping it. There's no escaping anything,
really. This is it.
Q: How much planning goes into your books before you begin the
actual writing process?
A: Probably a lot. You can't have a big storm without the requisite
conditions and buildup, and all of that goes on beforehand. Then, at
the right moment, bam! Let it rain, let it all come down and soak the
earth.
Q: Are you planning a fourth volume of CIRCUITS OF THE WIND?
A: That's a seriously interesting question, because it's one that I
don't think anyone would normally ask. I mean, it's done, it ended
right there, the book's over---but does that mean that nothing else
can ever touch that world, go into it, or even reference it?
I will say this: I know that all of my books, including those yet to
be written, are somehow connected, if only lightly and in passing;
that seems to be the way. It's a single world of connected books. So
even if CIRCUITS OF THE WIND is over, and even if there's no more Ray
after this, that's not to say that something else might somehow
touch. We're not going to know for sure until at least a couple of
years, I think. Tell you the truth I sometimes wonder how Ray's
doing.
Authors' Musings
Jennifer K. Lafferty, author of Movie Dynasty Princesses, reviews a wide range of books and discusses various aspects of contemporary and classic literature.
- Jennifer K. Lafferty's profile
- 108 followers
