M.L. Chesley's Blog, page 42
April 4, 2013
D Is For Dragons...
There are lots of typical creatures in fantasy writing that some writers choose to leave out for whatever reason. The one creature that is starting to fade from fantasy, in my opinion, is dragons.
Maybe I am not reading the right books. But George R. R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" is the first book series I have seen in awhile that even mentions dragons.
I remember back when I started writing, I casually mentioned I had never read any of J. R. R. Tolkien's books. I could feel the astonishment weighing heavily in the silence that followed before the person practically erupted, saying, "HOW can you call yourself a FANTASY WRITER if you have NEVER. Read. Tolkien!?"
Allow me to exclaim:
How can you call yourself a fantasy writer if you don't write about dragons!?
Some people think dragons are over done. I don't think so. I think dragons are as crucial an element of fantasy as the sword and shield. Kings and Queens, Knights, Dwarves, Elves, all of it. Lots of people are veering away from a lot of these things in fantasy writing because they're afraid of sounding cliche, but geez, man! Don't eliminate them altogether!
More often these days, I browse the fantasy section of books on Amazon and almost all of them seem to me better off in the paranormal or sci-fi section. A good majority of them involve werewolves, vampires and witches.
Oh. My. Gah!
If I am wrong, please tell me. But it seems that good old fashioned sword and sorcery is starting to go the way of the garden gnome.
Bring back the Dragons! Bring back their caves of gold and jewels, their fire breathing ferocity and their wise, honorable nobility. Make them fill the sky with the spread of their massive wings and block out the sun!
Maybe I am not reading the right books. But George R. R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" is the first book series I have seen in awhile that even mentions dragons.
I remember back when I started writing, I casually mentioned I had never read any of J. R. R. Tolkien's books. I could feel the astonishment weighing heavily in the silence that followed before the person practically erupted, saying, "HOW can you call yourself a FANTASY WRITER if you have NEVER. Read. Tolkien!?"
Allow me to exclaim:
How can you call yourself a fantasy writer if you don't write about dragons!?
Some people think dragons are over done. I don't think so. I think dragons are as crucial an element of fantasy as the sword and shield. Kings and Queens, Knights, Dwarves, Elves, all of it. Lots of people are veering away from a lot of these things in fantasy writing because they're afraid of sounding cliche, but geez, man! Don't eliminate them altogether!
More often these days, I browse the fantasy section of books on Amazon and almost all of them seem to me better off in the paranormal or sci-fi section. A good majority of them involve werewolves, vampires and witches.
Oh. My. Gah!
If I am wrong, please tell me. But it seems that good old fashioned sword and sorcery is starting to go the way of the garden gnome.
Bring back the Dragons! Bring back their caves of gold and jewels, their fire breathing ferocity and their wise, honorable nobility. Make them fill the sky with the spread of their massive wings and block out the sun!
April 3, 2013
Insecure Writers Support Group...
IWSG is brought to you by the Ninja Captain himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh. We post the first Wednesday of every month, sharing our insecurities or support. So drop by Alex's place for details and a list of participants.
So two posts from me today! This and my post for the April A-Z blog challenge. Aren't you the lucky ones?
Well, since there is so much going on I will try to keep it brief. Ha, yeah... right. ::snorts::
I've been slacking in the book promoting area these days. Trying to get my book set up to give away for free for a day or two. I may have to take matters into my own hands and set up a form here with a link to an automatic download page. I know it can be done, but I have to research it a bit. I know Goodreads has a giveaway option, but it looks like it is for new releases only.
So if you know of a place that will show me how to set this up, please share in the comment section. Otherwise, I will figure it out.
Why the slacking, though? Well... life to be honest. We're getting more daylight here now that it is Spring. We're a bit more involved in activities. (We being me and hubby.) My son is about to graduate, my daughter is close to her due date. We're moving to Washington in July, but we're driving, so that means a huge purge has to happen. We spent most of the winter going through stuff, but there is always more.
It entails quite a bit of work, promoting a book. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You can flood all your social sites with links, but the best advice given to me was flood the market with stories. Get your name out there.
Thanks to all who shared that advice with me. I'm still working, still revising and nearly done with book two. Other stories have sort of blind sided me and I had to get the bare bones of them written down before they drove me crazy. Characters just don't have much patience, do they?
So there, that's my insecurity for the month. If it can be deemed as such. I'll be hopping around today, reading some of yours, so see you soon!
So two posts from me today! This and my post for the April A-Z blog challenge. Aren't you the lucky ones?
Well, since there is so much going on I will try to keep it brief. Ha, yeah... right. ::snorts::
I've been slacking in the book promoting area these days. Trying to get my book set up to give away for free for a day or two. I may have to take matters into my own hands and set up a form here with a link to an automatic download page. I know it can be done, but I have to research it a bit. I know Goodreads has a giveaway option, but it looks like it is for new releases only.
So if you know of a place that will show me how to set this up, please share in the comment section. Otherwise, I will figure it out.
Why the slacking, though? Well... life to be honest. We're getting more daylight here now that it is Spring. We're a bit more involved in activities. (We being me and hubby.) My son is about to graduate, my daughter is close to her due date. We're moving to Washington in July, but we're driving, so that means a huge purge has to happen. We spent most of the winter going through stuff, but there is always more.
It entails quite a bit of work, promoting a book. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You can flood all your social sites with links, but the best advice given to me was flood the market with stories. Get your name out there.
Thanks to all who shared that advice with me. I'm still working, still revising and nearly done with book two. Other stories have sort of blind sided me and I had to get the bare bones of them written down before they drove me crazy. Characters just don't have much patience, do they?
So there, that's my insecurity for the month. If it can be deemed as such. I'll be hopping around today, reading some of yours, so see you soon!
C Is For Creatures...
I have spoken of creatures before, when writing fantasy. This is where you want to think outside of the box, but you also don't want to confuse your readers. There are lots of cool creatures in fantasy writing. Gnolls, Goblins, Imps, you name it.
What about thinking outside of the box and coming up with new, exciting creatures.
I've talked about mine before. There is the Belching Scurvy Knave. He's a very ugly bird. Looks like an ostrich that is constantly molting. Blue feathers, probably cross-eyed if you looked him straight on. But he struts around like he's the most gorgeous thing in the world. His mating call gives him his name. It's a belch, followed by an "Oooh!".
I also have Morigwaiths. These are shadow wraiths that were created when Argisindya (the wizards city) magically destroyed itself. The blast leveled the land and when the shockwave struck people almost 500 miles away, it knocked their souls out of their bodies and into their shadows. So they drift around looking for a weary traveler to stop and doze in the shade so they can inhabit their body.
So think about things when you want to create creatures for your world. Pick a couple of animals, toss 'em together and give them a funny name. I mean, really, we have a platypus. Come on. Who thought that one up?
What about thinking outside of the box and coming up with new, exciting creatures.
I've talked about mine before. There is the Belching Scurvy Knave. He's a very ugly bird. Looks like an ostrich that is constantly molting. Blue feathers, probably cross-eyed if you looked him straight on. But he struts around like he's the most gorgeous thing in the world. His mating call gives him his name. It's a belch, followed by an "Oooh!".
I also have Morigwaiths. These are shadow wraiths that were created when Argisindya (the wizards city) magically destroyed itself. The blast leveled the land and when the shockwave struck people almost 500 miles away, it knocked their souls out of their bodies and into their shadows. So they drift around looking for a weary traveler to stop and doze in the shade so they can inhabit their body.
So think about things when you want to create creatures for your world. Pick a couple of animals, toss 'em together and give them a funny name. I mean, really, we have a platypus. Come on. Who thought that one up?
April 2, 2013
B Is For Bodies...
Got your attention, didn't I? Yes, yes I did.
But the Bodies I am speaking of today are actually Bodies of water and Body counts.
Before we get started though, here is a question I had when building my world:
What is the difference between an ocean and a sea?
Answer: "Many people use the terms "ocean" and "sea" interchangeably when speaking about the ocean, but there is a difference between the two terms when speaking of geography (the study of the Earth's surface).
Seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet. Typically, seas are partially enclosed by land"
I had no idea when I first started building my world and throwing in a continent here, an island there. So I had to make sure I correctly named the oceans and seas. Your readers, if they know the difference, will look. Trust me.
And body counts... what do I mean by that?
Well, as writers, we tend to fall in love with our characters and wish them no harm. Some writers will create what I call "Cannon Fodder Characters". These are characters created specifically to kill.
While having a few of these CFC's is okay, don't just run your characters through some heavy stuff and expect them to come out at the end all shiny and new like they're still in the package. People gotta die!
So make sure you keep a good body count if you are writing stories that involve war or assassins.
C you tomorrow! (Ha! I know. I'm a dork.)
But the Bodies I am speaking of today are actually Bodies of water and Body counts.
Before we get started though, here is a question I had when building my world:
What is the difference between an ocean and a sea?
Answer: "Many people use the terms "ocean" and "sea" interchangeably when speaking about the ocean, but there is a difference between the two terms when speaking of geography (the study of the Earth's surface).
Seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet. Typically, seas are partially enclosed by land"
I had no idea when I first started building my world and throwing in a continent here, an island there. So I had to make sure I correctly named the oceans and seas. Your readers, if they know the difference, will look. Trust me.
And body counts... what do I mean by that?
Well, as writers, we tend to fall in love with our characters and wish them no harm. Some writers will create what I call "Cannon Fodder Characters". These are characters created specifically to kill.
While having a few of these CFC's is okay, don't just run your characters through some heavy stuff and expect them to come out at the end all shiny and new like they're still in the package. People gotta die!
So make sure you keep a good body count if you are writing stories that involve war or assassins.
C you tomorrow! (Ha! I know. I'm a dork.)
April 1, 2013
A Is For Arlee...
Ha! Thought I was going to say April or even some other... 'A' related... um... thing to do with world building.
Well, it IS April Fool's Day. I'm the biggest fool!
While it is the first day of April, it is also the first day of the April A - Z Blog Challenge and of course it was started by the Awesome, Articulate Arlee! Click the link to learn more or even join.
I couldn't think of any more 'A's.
Arlee, thanks for starting this challenge. Not only has it brought some wonderful people to my blog when I first participated, but I keep finding more and more and more! My first A-Z challenge was kind of scary, but I am so glad you invited me to participate when I was a little nobody, all scrunched in my tiny corner of the blogging world.
Made me feel all special. But it is you who are special, sir. Thank you for all you do!
Well, it IS April Fool's Day. I'm the biggest fool!
While it is the first day of April, it is also the first day of the April A - Z Blog Challenge and of course it was started by the Awesome, Articulate Arlee! Click the link to learn more or even join.
I couldn't think of any more 'A's.
Arlee, thanks for starting this challenge. Not only has it brought some wonderful people to my blog when I first participated, but I keep finding more and more and more! My first A-Z challenge was kind of scary, but I am so glad you invited me to participate when I was a little nobody, all scrunched in my tiny corner of the blogging world.
Made me feel all special. But it is you who are special, sir. Thank you for all you do!
March 29, 2013
Friday Favorites, Fantasy Art & A Funny...
It's Friday! And not just any Friday, my friends. The Friday before April 1st!
That's right, April 1st will be upon us before we know it and then we're off like a shot to do the April A-Z Blog Challenge.
I've participated before. It was very fun! I even managed to post a favorite movie and a musical group that coincided with the letter du jour. I think that is where I got the idea to do these Friday Favorite posts.
Now that I have wound my way through all my favorite books, movies and music groups, I find I need new favorites. So now I post some 'new to me' favorite authors I stumble upon.
However, today's favorite is going to be food: My old favorite food used to be pizza, but now it is a yummy salad with lots of greens and other veggies. I've started juicing at the beginning of the year and Hubby and I have lost some decent weight. We even got a juicer for our anniversary! Sadly, it's that time of year where work is slow and it's cold outside so we have to choose between fresh veggies to juice or heat. I pick heat.
Reason #532 why I can't wait to move to Washington.
Okay, so enough about that, let's get on with the rest of this post! Here is your Fantasy Art for the week:
This is called "Flight Path" by Daren Horley:
And the funnies:
There, I gave you three for missing last week. Have a good weekend!
That's right, April 1st will be upon us before we know it and then we're off like a shot to do the April A-Z Blog Challenge.
I've participated before. It was very fun! I even managed to post a favorite movie and a musical group that coincided with the letter du jour. I think that is where I got the idea to do these Friday Favorite posts.
Now that I have wound my way through all my favorite books, movies and music groups, I find I need new favorites. So now I post some 'new to me' favorite authors I stumble upon.
However, today's favorite is going to be food: My old favorite food used to be pizza, but now it is a yummy salad with lots of greens and other veggies. I've started juicing at the beginning of the year and Hubby and I have lost some decent weight. We even got a juicer for our anniversary! Sadly, it's that time of year where work is slow and it's cold outside so we have to choose between fresh veggies to juice or heat. I pick heat.
Reason #532 why I can't wait to move to Washington.
Okay, so enough about that, let's get on with the rest of this post! Here is your Fantasy Art for the week:
This is called "Flight Path" by Daren Horley:
And the funnies:
There, I gave you three for missing last week. Have a good weekend!
March 27, 2013
Looking Forward To April...
My mind has been buzzing with stories lately. So much so, that I am dreaming them half the time. I have lots of ideas and very little time. I'm thinking I will be writing up a couple of short stories, to sort of get the thoughts flowing, the ideas out there and then go back to other stuff.
Again, I have lots and lots to do. And I'm gearing up for the A-Z Blog Challenge! I'll be posting and hope to get around to everyone else who is a part of it.
My theme for the challenge is going to be "World Building From A-Z". It'll be interesting to see if I can pull it off. Wish me luck!
I can't wait to see what you all will post about.
So tell me, do you have a theme or you just going to wing it? What is your theme if you have one? Have you done the A-Z blog challenge before or are you new?
Have a great rest of the week! I'll see you Friday with some funnies.
Again, I have lots and lots to do. And I'm gearing up for the A-Z Blog Challenge! I'll be posting and hope to get around to everyone else who is a part of it.
My theme for the challenge is going to be "World Building From A-Z". It'll be interesting to see if I can pull it off. Wish me luck!
I can't wait to see what you all will post about.
So tell me, do you have a theme or you just going to wing it? What is your theme if you have one? Have you done the A-Z blog challenge before or are you new?
Have a great rest of the week! I'll see you Friday with some funnies.
March 25, 2013
Not Fun...
Wow, I was totally unprepared for anything last week. Had maybe two posts go up and then I got sick. I thought I'd be able to post a couple little bits, but sadly that didn't happen.
I'm feeling much better, but now trying to play "Catch Up" on everything!
My desk still looks like a bomb went off on it. That is one of the things I didn't get to.
I did a lot of reading... well, more like "trying-to-get-past-these-first-few-pages-oh-please-let-this-book-get-better", rather than reading. I think I dumped six books off of my Kindle in one night before I found something I could actually get into.
Here's the thing. I love reading indie authors. I really do! I just don't like how when I choose the books, I have to filter through twenty of them before I find the gem.
Here is why I dumped those six books:
1 - There was one book where the author told me everything. I was sitting through a six page narrative and being shown very, very little. I didn't connect with anything in that book at all. And before I got too invested in it, I skipped ahead and was still being told. So I dropped it.
2 - One book started off great and hooked me, then flopped because it wasn't getting to the point. It more or less was beginning to be all about the teenage girl ogling the "strange, mysterious" boy beside her. I suffered through several chapters with no more information than I had when I started.
3 - Flat, flatter and flattest! No substance to the characters, the story and even the world they were presented in.
They wrote such great blurbs for the books! But once I started reading, it all fell apart very quickly. Typos, grammar errors, lots and lots of mistakes. One dimensional characters and lifeless dialogue.
Maybe being sick made me a bit more grouchy and snarky than usual, but I really had to look at these books, and the authors, and wonder... what the heck?
I know my writing isn't perfect and that I tend to repeat phrases a bit too much. (I'm not the only one!) But I care about what my story is going to look like once it is out in the real world. I'm even ashamed when I come across a typo. (I surely should have caught that before it went to print!!!) But it does happen. I can't fault anyone for being human. But I can sigh and be exasperated at people who do seem to have a talent for writing, but are in such a rush to get their work out there that it is riddled with mistakes.
Sad thing is, that could have been me at one point last year.
I was in such a rush to get my story out there, to put it in the hands of everyone I knew would love it, that I didn't want to take the time to fix it. But I had to. I didn't feel comfortable self publishing my book because I was afraid it, too, would have so, so many errors that people would get through the first paragraph and then just remove it from their e-reader.
Again, I say this: If you are going to self publish your book, polish that baby up! Be proud of what you have created and take the time to dust off the mistakes and clean around the edges to make it shine and be something you can be proud of, not something you want to shun later on down the line.
What turns you off about a book? What advice do you want to give to authors in a rush?
I'm feeling much better, but now trying to play "Catch Up" on everything!
My desk still looks like a bomb went off on it. That is one of the things I didn't get to.
I did a lot of reading... well, more like "trying-to-get-past-these-first-few-pages-oh-please-let-this-book-get-better", rather than reading. I think I dumped six books off of my Kindle in one night before I found something I could actually get into.
Here's the thing. I love reading indie authors. I really do! I just don't like how when I choose the books, I have to filter through twenty of them before I find the gem.
Here is why I dumped those six books:
1 - There was one book where the author told me everything. I was sitting through a six page narrative and being shown very, very little. I didn't connect with anything in that book at all. And before I got too invested in it, I skipped ahead and was still being told. So I dropped it.
2 - One book started off great and hooked me, then flopped because it wasn't getting to the point. It more or less was beginning to be all about the teenage girl ogling the "strange, mysterious" boy beside her. I suffered through several chapters with no more information than I had when I started.
3 - Flat, flatter and flattest! No substance to the characters, the story and even the world they were presented in.
They wrote such great blurbs for the books! But once I started reading, it all fell apart very quickly. Typos, grammar errors, lots and lots of mistakes. One dimensional characters and lifeless dialogue.
Maybe being sick made me a bit more grouchy and snarky than usual, but I really had to look at these books, and the authors, and wonder... what the heck?
I know my writing isn't perfect and that I tend to repeat phrases a bit too much. (I'm not the only one!) But I care about what my story is going to look like once it is out in the real world. I'm even ashamed when I come across a typo. (I surely should have caught that before it went to print!!!) But it does happen. I can't fault anyone for being human. But I can sigh and be exasperated at people who do seem to have a talent for writing, but are in such a rush to get their work out there that it is riddled with mistakes.
Sad thing is, that could have been me at one point last year.
I was in such a rush to get my story out there, to put it in the hands of everyone I knew would love it, that I didn't want to take the time to fix it. But I had to. I didn't feel comfortable self publishing my book because I was afraid it, too, would have so, so many errors that people would get through the first paragraph and then just remove it from their e-reader.
Again, I say this: If you are going to self publish your book, polish that baby up! Be proud of what you have created and take the time to dust off the mistakes and clean around the edges to make it shine and be something you can be proud of, not something you want to shun later on down the line.
What turns you off about a book? What advice do you want to give to authors in a rush?
March 24, 2013
Please Help...
I know it is Sunday. Not a day when people are usually hanging out on the blog-o-sphere, but this is kind of important. I'll be putting up a button on my page and redirecting people to it for awhile.
This is a call for help for my best friend's mom. She's like a mom to me as well. Tonya has been my best friend for over 20 years now. We met in high school and we've been through thick and thin together. We've stuck by each other's side through lots of things from break-ups, divorces, abuse and the loss of a child.
I'm not there to help much, so I am doing what I can.
If you go to this page, you'll read about what happened to Tonya's mom this year. She lost a leg and insurance will only pay for so much. She needs a prosthetic and well, that's one of the things insurance doesn't cover.
If you can help, fantastic. If not, all I ask is that you share this link, pass it around, invite people to help out. These are hard-working people who bend over backwards to help anyone out in their time of need. Well, now it is Tonya's mom who needs the help. They don't like asking for charity, but they are at the end of the road. This is the only option they have left. So please, take some time and help out. It's greatly appreciated!
This is a call for help for my best friend's mom. She's like a mom to me as well. Tonya has been my best friend for over 20 years now. We met in high school and we've been through thick and thin together. We've stuck by each other's side through lots of things from break-ups, divorces, abuse and the loss of a child.
I'm not there to help much, so I am doing what I can.
If you go to this page, you'll read about what happened to Tonya's mom this year. She lost a leg and insurance will only pay for so much. She needs a prosthetic and well, that's one of the things insurance doesn't cover.
If you can help, fantastic. If not, all I ask is that you share this link, pass it around, invite people to help out. These are hard-working people who bend over backwards to help anyone out in their time of need. Well, now it is Tonya's mom who needs the help. They don't like asking for charity, but they are at the end of the road. This is the only option they have left. So please, take some time and help out. It's greatly appreciated!
March 23, 2013
Author Interview: Michael Brookes...
1.Please tell us a little known fact about you.
I once managed a heavy metal band called 'Big Jesus Trashcan'. We were terrible :-)
2.What was your favorite genre to read growing up? Is this the genre you currently write in?
I enjoyed fantasy and horror a lot when I was younger. I write mostly horror at the moment.
3.What inspires you to write?
The stories in my head. I seem to be full of ideas and writing is the best way to set them free.
4.What sort of atmosphere do you need to write?
I'm quite lucky in that I can write in most conditions. I do like a bit of music to help the mood.
5.What is your all time favorite book?
Excession by Ian M Banks. I re-read it every year and enjoy it every time. Banks does a great job with the AI characters.
6.Who is your all time favorite character that is not your own.
A tricky question, probably Lucifer from Paradise Lost. He acts like a petulant child sometimes, but you have to admire his courage.
7.Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Friar Francis from The Cult of Me and Conversations in the Abyss. He's wise and quick witted. He's also not afraid to take on some very dangerous enemies.
8.When did you decide to become a writer?
I've written short stories for most of my life, however it's only in the last 2 years that I've started making my work available to the public.
9.Where are you from?
I'm currently living in the eastern part of the UK. There are hardly any hills around here, it's a lovely part of the country.
10.Why do you write?
For the love of it. I enjoy telling stories and creating worlds.
11.What’s the best piece of writing advice you have ever been given?
Keep writing. Keep working on your skill, you will get better.
12.What’s the worst thing someone has ever said about your work?
I've been fortunate that I haven't had any bad reviews as yet. I think the worst I've had was from an editor that said my writing was 'competent'. I'm sure I'll receive worse at some stage.
13.Has your writing ever been compared to another, famous author? If so, who?
Not yet, but when they do I hope it's somebody good
14.And last, but not least, something really random:~ What is your favorite meal?
Roast dinner with all the trimmings and nice rich gravy.
Conversations in the Abyss
‘Conversations in the Abyss’ is the sequel to the 5 star rated supernatural thriller ‘The Cult of Me’
Stealing Lazarus’s miracle gifted him immortality. Combined with his natural ability of invading and
controlling people’s minds this made him one of the most dangerous people on Earth.
But the miracle came with a price. His punishment was to be imprisoned within the walls of an
ancient monastery and tormented by an invisible fire that burned his body perpetually. To escape the
pain he retreated deep into his own mind.
There he discovers the truth of the universe and that only he can stop the coming Apocalypse.
Buy now from Amazon:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BCP08JU/
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCP08JU/
About Michael Brookes
Michael Brookes is an Executive Producer with a leading UK games developer. Working in games and
writing are two of his life passions and considers himself fortunate to be able to indulge them both.
He lives in the east of England, enjoying starry skies in the flattest part of the country. When not
working or writing he can sometimes be found sleeping. Which is good as that is where many good
ideas come from.
Other Books by Michael Brookes
The Cult of Me
For too long he dwelt apart, watched those who passed him by. With his unique abilities he entered
their minds and inflicted terrible suffering upon them. They didn't even know who he was. The game
has lasted for years, but now the game has become stale. On an impulse he decides to make a final
and very public last stand. After surrendering himself to the police he enacts his plan to seize the
prison for his final bloody act.
There he discovers that he's not as unique as he once thought.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Cult-Third-...
An Odd Quartet
A quartet of dark short stories (10,000 words) to thrill and chill.
The Yellow Lady
Grave robbing is a dirty business, in more ways than one. When he disturbs the grave from a
childhood scary story he discovers it's not always treasure to be found.
This Empty Place
At the heat death of the universe, Death contemplates his existence.
Forced Entry
Terrorists seize an average suburban house. A Special Forces hostage rescue team is sent in and
encounter more than they were trained for.
The Reluctant Demon
A young demon prepares to take his possession exam.
http://www.amazon.com/An-Odd-Quartet-...
I once managed a heavy metal band called 'Big Jesus Trashcan'. We were terrible :-)
2.What was your favorite genre to read growing up? Is this the genre you currently write in?
I enjoyed fantasy and horror a lot when I was younger. I write mostly horror at the moment.
3.What inspires you to write?
The stories in my head. I seem to be full of ideas and writing is the best way to set them free.
4.What sort of atmosphere do you need to write?
I'm quite lucky in that I can write in most conditions. I do like a bit of music to help the mood.
5.What is your all time favorite book?
Excession by Ian M Banks. I re-read it every year and enjoy it every time. Banks does a great job with the AI characters.
6.Who is your all time favorite character that is not your own.
A tricky question, probably Lucifer from Paradise Lost. He acts like a petulant child sometimes, but you have to admire his courage.
7.Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Friar Francis from The Cult of Me and Conversations in the Abyss. He's wise and quick witted. He's also not afraid to take on some very dangerous enemies.
8.When did you decide to become a writer?
I've written short stories for most of my life, however it's only in the last 2 years that I've started making my work available to the public.
9.Where are you from?
I'm currently living in the eastern part of the UK. There are hardly any hills around here, it's a lovely part of the country.
10.Why do you write?
For the love of it. I enjoy telling stories and creating worlds.
11.What’s the best piece of writing advice you have ever been given?
Keep writing. Keep working on your skill, you will get better.
12.What’s the worst thing someone has ever said about your work?
I've been fortunate that I haven't had any bad reviews as yet. I think the worst I've had was from an editor that said my writing was 'competent'. I'm sure I'll receive worse at some stage.
13.Has your writing ever been compared to another, famous author? If so, who?
Not yet, but when they do I hope it's somebody good
14.And last, but not least, something really random:~ What is your favorite meal?
Roast dinner with all the trimmings and nice rich gravy.
Conversations in the Abyss‘Conversations in the Abyss’ is the sequel to the 5 star rated supernatural thriller ‘The Cult of Me’
Stealing Lazarus’s miracle gifted him immortality. Combined with his natural ability of invading and
controlling people’s minds this made him one of the most dangerous people on Earth.
But the miracle came with a price. His punishment was to be imprisoned within the walls of an
ancient monastery and tormented by an invisible fire that burned his body perpetually. To escape the
pain he retreated deep into his own mind.
There he discovers the truth of the universe and that only he can stop the coming Apocalypse.
Buy now from Amazon:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BCP08JU/
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCP08JU/
About Michael Brookes
Michael Brookes is an Executive Producer with a leading UK games developer. Working in games and
writing are two of his life passions and considers himself fortunate to be able to indulge them both.
He lives in the east of England, enjoying starry skies in the flattest part of the country. When not
working or writing he can sometimes be found sleeping. Which is good as that is where many good
ideas come from.
Other Books by Michael Brookes
The Cult of Me
For too long he dwelt apart, watched those who passed him by. With his unique abilities he entered
their minds and inflicted terrible suffering upon them. They didn't even know who he was. The game
has lasted for years, but now the game has become stale. On an impulse he decides to make a final
and very public last stand. After surrendering himself to the police he enacts his plan to seize the
prison for his final bloody act.
There he discovers that he's not as unique as he once thought.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Cult-Third-...
An Odd Quartet
A quartet of dark short stories (10,000 words) to thrill and chill.
The Yellow Lady
Grave robbing is a dirty business, in more ways than one. When he disturbs the grave from a
childhood scary story he discovers it's not always treasure to be found.
This Empty Place
At the heat death of the universe, Death contemplates his existence.
Forced Entry
Terrorists seize an average suburban house. A Special Forces hostage rescue team is sent in and
encounter more than they were trained for.
The Reluctant Demon
A young demon prepares to take his possession exam.
http://www.amazon.com/An-Odd-Quartet-...
