An Interview with Immy Keeper
This month I'm talking to Immy Keeper, author of The Bonding. She writes science fiction romance but be warned, her work is rather explicit!
So, Immy, what inspires you to write? Given the content of your book, many readers will be dying to know if it is from personal experience.Honestly, no idea. I've heard writers say they flip through the news, or they see something in the course of their day and leads to some logical progression of inspiration. This is not something I've ever experienced. For me, it comes in bed at night as I'm trying to shut my brain down to sleep, or more likely now, as I'm actively working at the keyboard. The words just flow out of me and the characters take on a life of their own. They really decide the story far more than any external objective from me.
Writing, editing, marketing. How do you fit it all into your day?With a crowbar. My days belong to my son, and my daughter will be born in a few weeks and I imagine, I'll have even less time then. I get two hours or so during nap time, which I guard jealously. Those two hours are strictly for writing. I avoid doing anything else like the plague. If I've got the energy and the inspiration, I work in the evenings as well once he's asleep. I look with longing for the days of school when I'll be able to snatch whole blocks of time to myself... oh the productivity!I have two daughters myself, so I know how that feels. Neither of them ever did naps, though - you are so lucky!
How do you define success for yourself?Can I take a mulligan on this question? Sorry, no dodging.Okay. I don't know. This question and its answer seem to shift with the wind. Two years ago, I'd have said finishing a single story would be enough. But then I did that, so I'd have said getting it published. But then I did that, and I just wanted someone to buy it with real money and read it. Just for fun. But that happened. And then I wanted more readers. Some days, I want to be a best seller, other days, I don't care about numbers. Just enough people to justify the time I spend on my bottom with my nose in a blue screen. Somewhere between a hundred readers and a thousand, I guess.Yeah, the thousand reader threshold is a very satisfying one to pass. Hopefully this blog post will introduce a few more people to your work.
Do you have a writing ritual?Not so much. I try to plan out what I'll write during a walk I take with my son before his nap. That way when I sit down, I already know what's coming so I don't waste any time deliberating. But aside from that... I edit the scene before, or give it a quick read over to remind myself of my characters goals, fears, concerns and voice, and just start typing away.Physical activity seems to a common theme with quite a few writers I've interviewed. It's the same for me too - a good walk or run seems to allow thoughts to coalesce. Its probably due to reducing the conscious thought put into planning.
Once you've finished your walk, what is your writing process like?Chaotic at best. I've become less disorganized. The more I work, and the more stories I complete, the more I'm learning to know myself. That was the hardest part, I think. Figuring out what worked for me. And what didn't. I work in order. Usually just write whatever comes out for the first act - the first five chapters or so - then sit down and do a bit of organizing and plotting. After that, just keep on going. I edit as I write, so the final editing process isn't too arduous. Each consecutive story gets easier. And faster. And hopefully better.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I'll let you get back to work on those sequels, and good luck with your daughter's birth
Imogen Keeper is from the East Coast, born and raised and back there now with her husband and son, who is a handful and a half.She discovered writing when her son was about six months old. It was something she'd always dabbled at in the past, but never really put on her serious hat. So, bored at home with a kid who truly took magnificent naps, she started studying up on the how-to’s and the how-not-to’s of writing. With about six active works in progress, she decided to knuckle down and focus on one.
It made her blush, and it made her sweat, and it made her cry a few times, but The Bonding came out. She had to get over the embarrassment of having people read sex that came out of her head, but get over it she did.Her first novel was published by Ellora's Cave, and she has to admit, she's proud of it.
There are quite a few 99c and free scifi ebook offers on at the moment. Here are a few...
And here's one for short stories that isn't exclusively scfi but I'm told there will be quite a few SF stories on it...
So, Immy, what inspires you to write? Given the content of your book, many readers will be dying to know if it is from personal experience.Honestly, no idea. I've heard writers say they flip through the news, or they see something in the course of their day and leads to some logical progression of inspiration. This is not something I've ever experienced. For me, it comes in bed at night as I'm trying to shut my brain down to sleep, or more likely now, as I'm actively working at the keyboard. The words just flow out of me and the characters take on a life of their own. They really decide the story far more than any external objective from me.
Writing, editing, marketing. How do you fit it all into your day?With a crowbar. My days belong to my son, and my daughter will be born in a few weeks and I imagine, I'll have even less time then. I get two hours or so during nap time, which I guard jealously. Those two hours are strictly for writing. I avoid doing anything else like the plague. If I've got the energy and the inspiration, I work in the evenings as well once he's asleep. I look with longing for the days of school when I'll be able to snatch whole blocks of time to myself... oh the productivity!I have two daughters myself, so I know how that feels. Neither of them ever did naps, though - you are so lucky!
How do you define success for yourself?Can I take a mulligan on this question? Sorry, no dodging.Okay. I don't know. This question and its answer seem to shift with the wind. Two years ago, I'd have said finishing a single story would be enough. But then I did that, so I'd have said getting it published. But then I did that, and I just wanted someone to buy it with real money and read it. Just for fun. But that happened. And then I wanted more readers. Some days, I want to be a best seller, other days, I don't care about numbers. Just enough people to justify the time I spend on my bottom with my nose in a blue screen. Somewhere between a hundred readers and a thousand, I guess.Yeah, the thousand reader threshold is a very satisfying one to pass. Hopefully this blog post will introduce a few more people to your work.
Do you have a writing ritual?Not so much. I try to plan out what I'll write during a walk I take with my son before his nap. That way when I sit down, I already know what's coming so I don't waste any time deliberating. But aside from that... I edit the scene before, or give it a quick read over to remind myself of my characters goals, fears, concerns and voice, and just start typing away.Physical activity seems to a common theme with quite a few writers I've interviewed. It's the same for me too - a good walk or run seems to allow thoughts to coalesce. Its probably due to reducing the conscious thought put into planning.
Once you've finished your walk, what is your writing process like?Chaotic at best. I've become less disorganized. The more I work, and the more stories I complete, the more I'm learning to know myself. That was the hardest part, I think. Figuring out what worked for me. And what didn't. I work in order. Usually just write whatever comes out for the first act - the first five chapters or so - then sit down and do a bit of organizing and plotting. After that, just keep on going. I edit as I write, so the final editing process isn't too arduous. Each consecutive story gets easier. And faster. And hopefully better.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I'll let you get back to work on those sequels, and good luck with your daughter's birth
Imogen Keeper is from the East Coast, born and raised and back there now with her husband and son, who is a handful and a half.She discovered writing when her son was about six months old. It was something she'd always dabbled at in the past, but never really put on her serious hat. So, bored at home with a kid who truly took magnificent naps, she started studying up on the how-to’s and the how-not-to’s of writing. With about six active works in progress, she decided to knuckle down and focus on one.
It made her blush, and it made her sweat, and it made her cry a few times, but The Bonding came out. She had to get over the embarrassment of having people read sex that came out of her head, but get over it she did.Her first novel was published by Ellora's Cave, and she has to admit, she's proud of it.
There are quite a few 99c and free scifi ebook offers on at the moment. Here are a few...
And here's one for short stories that isn't exclusively scfi but I'm told there will be quite a few SF stories on it...
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