Interview With... Gary Stillman
To all who are reading this,
Today we speak to Gary Stillman of Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing who has released his new novel, From the Distant Past.
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Name: Gary Stillman
Age: 62
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Hi Gary, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the reader?
1. I'm left handed.
2. I've lived in both Massachusetts and Virginia, but I've never seen the Atlantic Ocean.
3. I type with one hand.
What made you want to be a writer?
For as far back as I can remember I've had a vivid imagination. I wrote little short stories when I was younger. It wasn't until early 2000 that I even thought about having others read my stories.
What motivates you to write?
Things I see or do. Things I see others do. Places I go. People I talk to. Things I hear or read. I never know what will inspire and motivate me to write the next story. When it happens it just jumps into my thoughts and I jot the idea down.
Do you have particular writing process?
I'm what is called a punster. I seldom have a fully developed idea. Much of the time I have no idea how the story will end. I start writing and I make notes below as they come to me. Sometimes what I write first isn't even at the start. I guess you could say when I write it's a mess to start with.
How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block?
Often I can avoid it by changing to one of my other WIPs (work in progress). If that doesn't happen then I just do something else. In a brief time something will pop into my mind to put into one of my stories. I guess I'm just lucky in that respect.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
You can rewrite and polish for a long time but if you are going to be an author, you have to eventually say this story is not perfect but it is finished, then submit it.
What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so?
Lost on Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was the first science fiction/fantasy/romance book I ever read and it focused my imagination, which eventually lead to me writing.
Have you ever derived any inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited?
Often.
Your most recent publication is From the Distant Past. Have you had any publications prior to this?
Yes. I have ten books of my own published and I have contributed stories in two anthologies.
What is From the Distant Past about? It certainly sounds interesting!
It is science fiction with romance and humour.
Kat awakens to find that millions of years have passed since she went to sleep. The Earth has changed. Her artificial intelligence implant soon informs her just how much. Her long deceased father has given her a seemingly impossible talk to accomplish. To her relief, her AI informs her there are other women from her time that will help once she has revived them and like herself, they are not ordinary women. Now if she could just get off the island where she is stranded. Enter Nolan and his boat.
What drove you to write dystopia and science fiction?
I like reading science fiction so I guess writing it is natural. I try not to make my science fiction overly technical. That turns a lot of readers off.
Your Amazon.com Author Page shows a variety of genres in which you have written. Do you ever find this difficult or challenging in any way? Or is it just the way you work?
In addition to science fiction, I write contemporary and paranormal. All my stories so far have romance and most have action. That is just my style I guess.
What does the future hold for you as a writer?
More writing. I currently have the first book of two different series published and several stand alone books.
Thanks for such a fantastic interview Gary!
Be sure to check out From the Distant Past on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
You can also find Gary here:
https://www.facebook.com/gary.stillman
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGEStills?ref=hl
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Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
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Currently reading: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Today we speak to Gary Stillman of Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing who has released his new novel, From the Distant Past.
---
Name: Gary Stillman
Age: 62
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Hi Gary, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the reader?
1. I'm left handed.
2. I've lived in both Massachusetts and Virginia, but I've never seen the Atlantic Ocean.
3. I type with one hand.
What made you want to be a writer?
For as far back as I can remember I've had a vivid imagination. I wrote little short stories when I was younger. It wasn't until early 2000 that I even thought about having others read my stories.
What motivates you to write?
Things I see or do. Things I see others do. Places I go. People I talk to. Things I hear or read. I never know what will inspire and motivate me to write the next story. When it happens it just jumps into my thoughts and I jot the idea down.
Do you have particular writing process?
I'm what is called a punster. I seldom have a fully developed idea. Much of the time I have no idea how the story will end. I start writing and I make notes below as they come to me. Sometimes what I write first isn't even at the start. I guess you could say when I write it's a mess to start with.
How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block?
Often I can avoid it by changing to one of my other WIPs (work in progress). If that doesn't happen then I just do something else. In a brief time something will pop into my mind to put into one of my stories. I guess I'm just lucky in that respect.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
You can rewrite and polish for a long time but if you are going to be an author, you have to eventually say this story is not perfect but it is finished, then submit it.
What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so?
Lost on Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was the first science fiction/fantasy/romance book I ever read and it focused my imagination, which eventually lead to me writing.
Have you ever derived any inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited?
Often.
Your most recent publication is From the Distant Past. Have you had any publications prior to this?
Yes. I have ten books of my own published and I have contributed stories in two anthologies.
What is From the Distant Past about? It certainly sounds interesting!
It is science fiction with romance and humour.Kat awakens to find that millions of years have passed since she went to sleep. The Earth has changed. Her artificial intelligence implant soon informs her just how much. Her long deceased father has given her a seemingly impossible talk to accomplish. To her relief, her AI informs her there are other women from her time that will help once she has revived them and like herself, they are not ordinary women. Now if she could just get off the island where she is stranded. Enter Nolan and his boat.
What drove you to write dystopia and science fiction?
I like reading science fiction so I guess writing it is natural. I try not to make my science fiction overly technical. That turns a lot of readers off.
Your Amazon.com Author Page shows a variety of genres in which you have written. Do you ever find this difficult or challenging in any way? Or is it just the way you work?
In addition to science fiction, I write contemporary and paranormal. All my stories so far have romance and most have action. That is just my style I guess.
What does the future hold for you as a writer?
More writing. I currently have the first book of two different series published and several stand alone books.
Thanks for such a fantastic interview Gary!
Be sure to check out From the Distant Past on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
You can also find Gary here:
https://www.facebook.com/gary.stillman
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGEStills?ref=hl
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
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