Neil Gaiman Advocates for Making Good Art

The Great Neil Gaiman on making good art, doing the impossible, and taking the time to enjoy it (via http://polentical.wordpress.com). Go ahead, take twenty minutes to be inspired. :D

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Author Spotlight: Susan Spann, Mystery Writer

Two years ago, I had just moved to Colorado and wanted to meet more writer-types like me. As luck would have it, the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer’s conference in September was just down the road, so off I went. For those in the area, I highly recommend attending this one if you can. There is so much great information shared by both local and national professionals, you just can’t help but finish the three day event feeling more pumped to keep writing than you ever have!The speakers and events were excellent, but I have to tell you, the best thing of all was getting to meet some fantastic—and by fantastic I mean INCREDIBLY AWESOME—people. Susan Spann, mystery writer and publishing attorney, is exactly that. Knowing her and seeing her reach her publishing goals has been one of the coolest experiences for me. She is hands down one of the warmest, smartest, and funniest writers you’ll ever meet, and I feel fortunate to call her a friend.So without further ado, an interview with Susan.First, tell us about yourself. Your background, your writing history, what you’re writing right now and what it’s about. Most of all, tell us all the juicy details about your exciting publishing contract!I am a transactional publishing and business attorney, which basically means I specialize in contracts. I represent a variety of publishers and authors (both traditionally and independently published). I also speak at writers’ conferences, blog and tweet about writing issues, in the hope of helping share information with authors at all stages of their writing careers. I see the transfer of information – to clients and interested authors both – as an important facet of my legal career.As an author, I write mystery novels. My current series focuses on the adventures of master ninja Hiro Hattori, who solves crimes in 16th Century Kyoto with the assistance of his friend and sidekick, a Jesuit priest named Father Mateo. The first three books in the series recently sold to Thomas Dunne publishers, and the first novel (currently titled SHINOBI) is scheduled for publication in Spring 2013. I’m very excited to see it in print!On to more general, writer-ly questions.How long have you been writing?I plagiarized my first book when I was five. Not, perhaps, the most auspicious start for a future author and intellectual property attorney, but I loved birds and “The Bird Book” was one of my favorites. I spent a week copying the pictures (and some of the words) onto construction paper, tied it with yarn and “created” a version of my own.I’ve been making up stories ever since. Fortunately, my originality has improved.What made you first pick up a pen (or laptop, computer, etc.) and want to write?I’ve made up stories in my head for as long as I could remember. My practical inspiration for writing fiction came from my ninth-grade English teacher. Her “short story” assignment prompted me to refine a fantasy world I’d been building in my head for several years. In the end, I asked her if I could turn the short story into a novel-length manuscript, and she agreed to read it. By the end of the year, I’d written almost 50,000 words. I was hooked on writing novel-length fiction, and in one form or another I’ve been writing it ever since.Why mystery? When we met, you had written at least one historical fiction book; have you written in other genres? What type of story do you have the most fun writing?I’ve written full-length manuscripts in fantasy and historical fiction as well as mystery, but I self-identify as a mystery author. It took me several manuscripts to get there, but once I started writing SHINOBI I realized that mystery is really “my thing.”  I love the puzzle element and all the “moving parts” – and I enjoy murdering my imaginary friends. (Sick, but true.) I still love the other genres, and read widely, but when it comes to writing I’m going to stick with mystery for now.What or who are your inspirations and influences?They are far too numerous to list, so I’ll give you a sampling.  A list of my writing influences would have to include both Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game is one of my all-time favorite novels) and James Rollins (author of the Sigma Force thrillers). I’ve probably read Ender’s Game a dozen times, and it never loses its power to captivate me and make me think. I’d love to write a novel that impacted readers that way.James Rollins is an inspiration on both a personal and a professional level. I’ve met him and seen him present at writers’ conferences – he’s a New York Times bestselling author, but he genuinely cares about helping other authors and about talking with writers, even those at the beginning of their careers. He also writes a rollicking good story. I own every one of his novels and most of them are tattered from multiple readings. I aspire to write as well and to interact as personably a she does.Is being a soon-to-be-published writer what you thought it would be? What expectations did you have for yourself, and how is your current trajectory comparing with that?I’m really enjoying the process. I see so much of publishing in my day job that I have a fairly accurate impression of the process, but there’s a surreal quality about it happening to me. The morning after I learned my novels had sold to Thomas Dunne, I literally woke up and told myself “Curiouser and Curiouser” – because life looks very strange on this side of the looking glass.The biggest surprise to me was discovering that publication doesn’t actually move you along the “worry curve” –it merely shifts the curve along the spectrum. Before an author finds an agent, she worries whether she will find one. After she finds an agent, the worry shifts to finding a publisher … and from there, to whether anyone will actually like the book. Since I spend a significant part of my professional life counseling other authors not to worry, it surprised me to find that I wasn’t immune to the emotional effects.Why do you write? What motivates you?I write to silence the voices in my head.In some ways, that’s literally true. When I don’t write for a day or two, I feel a pressure in my mind, as if I need to sit down and get back to the writing process. That feeling, and the motivation that accompanies it, have grown stronger in the last four years since I made the decision to focus on my writing and work toward publication.I don’t literally “hear voices” – but I’m not truly happy if I haven’t spent some part of my day on writing (or editing, which counts as writing where I’m concerned).In your opinion, what makes a great story?Anything that keeps me from thinking about the dirty laundry.For me, a “great story” keeps me up at night when I should be sleeping, and stops me from remembering there’s laundry in the wash. In some cases, it’s the characters that draw me. In others, it’s the plot or pace. Mostly, though, a great story is defined by an author’s ability to draw me into a world that replaces my real one while I’m reading and makes me long to return there after I’m through.What are some of the challenges you experience with writing?I have the attention span of a hyper-caffeinated squirrel. I am easily distracted by shiny objects, the Internet, my aquarium and cupcakes. Mmm…cupcakes. My biggest challenge is keeping my behind in the chair.Who are your favorite authors or books in your genre? In other genres?In addition to Orson Scott Card and James Rollins, I’m a big fan of Lee Child (who writes the Jack Reacher series), and P.D. James (who I consider one of the masters of modern mystery). In nonfiction, I like Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air is a good one) and John Elder Robison. I think Be Different is mandatory reading for authors.What is your writing process? Are you a dedicated everyday writer, or catch-as-catch can? Do you have any special rituals or activities you do that help you prepare to write?I write first drafts without editing. I don’t allow myself to make even minor changes until the entire draft is complete. Then I go back and revise. The first 4-5 drafts are for my eyes alone. The next 2-3 drafts pass through my peer editors and critique group, and by draft 8 or so I’m comfortable calling the work “complete.” On balance, I’d say 80% of my writing hours are actually spent in editing.I try to write (or edit) every day, even if only for an hour or two. My daily goal is 5,000 words (if I’m working on a first draft) or 2 chapters (if I’m editing). Five days a week I write at the office, after I finish my client work for the day. Five days a week I write at home (three weeknights and two weekend mornings). The other evenings a rededicated family time with my husband and son.I don’t know if I’d call it a ritual, but I usually feed my seahorses before writing. It keeps them from banging their noses against the aquarium glass while I write. Also, I drink coffee. Lots of coffee.What made you decide togo the traditional publishing route of becoming agented then going through a publishing house over the new wave of self-epublishing?I made the decision to pursue a traditional road after considering all of the benefits and disadvantages – on balance, traditional publishing met my goals and needs better than the independent road. For example, as a publishing attorney I do business with other authors and publishers every day. It’s easier for me to avoid conflicts of interest if someone else is proposing my work to publishers – and I couldn’t think of anyone better for that job than my agent, Sandra Bond. I trust her completely and am thoroughly pleased with our business relationship. In addition, having a publisher handle typesetting and production frees me up to focus on my clients’ needs.Ultimately, I think the decision to pursue traditional publishing was exactly right for me. I also think it’s avery personal decision that each author needs to make for him-or-herself – and I’m doing a lot of blogging and personal appearances this year to help authors learn how to make that very decision.You have been speaking at writer conferences about the legal side of publishing for authors. Is your law background in copyright/intellectual property law? What has your experience as a speaker been?My practice has focused on intellectual property and publishing law for ten years now, and I’ve seen a lot of changes during that time – far more than I’ve seen with regard to my other business clients. I love being on the “cutting edge” of publishing and helping authors –published and unpublished – learn more about publishing and copyright law. That’s one reason I enjoy speaking at conferences – authors are generally bright and eager to learn as much as they can about managing their careers.More and more often, I’m finding that venues (writers’ conferences, blogs, libraries, and radio shows) are asking me to speak about the various options available to writers and how authors should choose among them. The message has shifted from “this is how you do it” to “how you decide what to do” – and I’m pleased to see authors taking responsibility for managing their careers as they would any other business.You also started the brilliant and invaluable #publaw hashtag on Twitter and your blog. I personally want to thank you for bringing such immeasurably important information to the writing world. What has your experience with this feature been like? Do you get the sense that you’ve been able to help a lot of writers who otherwise might not have had access to this kind of legal advice and information?Thank you for the compliment! I started the #PubLaw hashtag to fill a void in Twitter’s otherwise strong support for the writing community. Twitter’s hashtag system offers fantastic resources for authors – from community building (#MyWana and #AmWriting to name two), to agent advice (#AskAgent and #10QueriesIn10Tweets) and much more. I started #PubLaw to offer information about contracts and publishing law, as well as are source for authors with questions best answered by an attorney.I do have a sense that #PubLaw is filling a gap in a positive way. It lets me reach a broad audience of authors who might otherwise have no access to legal information – and I think that’s a very good thing.Do you have any advice for other writers? Anything else you want to mention or elaborate on?Nora Roberts probably said it best: “Ass in the chair.”Writers write. It’s what we do. Even if you have to start slowly – 10 or 15 minutes at a time – the only way to make progress is to write. And edit – under-editing is like under-baking a cake. Youmight call it dessert, but if it’s indistinguishable from the soup course, nobody’s coming back for seconds.Thank you so much for having me here – I’ve really enjoyed the interview!**Thank you again, Susan. It’s been a treat to have you on my blog and spend more time getting to know you. For everyone reading, please visit Susan’s super-informative blog here, talk with her on Twitter @SusanSpann, and don’t miss #PubLaw on Wednesday afternoons. And mark your calendars for the debut of Shinobi in Spring 2013!UPDATE: Susan will also be speaking at the 2012 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Conference for the second year in a row! W00t! Her two scheduled talks will be on how to choose between publishing options, and a class called "Law for the Lone Wolf," giving business and legal advice for independent and self-represented/self-published authors. The conference is September 7-9. I hope to see some of you there.

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Author Spotlight: Carmilla Voiez, Erotic Paranormal Writer

When the Red Hot Chili Peppers named their album Bloodsugarsexmagik, they may have been having a premonition about U.K.-based author Carmilla Voiez’s debut novel Starblood. Mix those elements together with a finishing dash of violence and you have the precise witch’s brew for a riveting cocktail of words, and Carmilla serves it up with a splendid and elegant flourish. It is my distinct pleasure to have her as a guest on this blog to tell us more about her delicious novel, and share many of her thoughts on and experiences with writing. So, with no further ado—

Carmilla Voiez

First of all, outside of the book review readers can find on Amazon, is there anything else about Starblood you would like to tell people? How long is it and do you plan to write a sequel?

Starblood is a story about Goths and magic. It's often dark and violent. The language is urban and uncensored, and each character is deeply flawed. Oh and it's very, very sexy. Diversity of the sexual experience is explored closely within the story's pages.

 

The tale starts in Satori’s bedroom. Satori is a powerful magician who is still in love with his ex-girlfriend. When he attempts a ritual to get her back something goes wrong and Lilith steps out of Chaos and into his life. The main characters are Satori, his ex Star and Lilith. Lilith embarks on a killing spree. Satori tries to send her back into Chaos while at the same time trying to convince Star to come back to him. Meanwhile, Star tries to untangle her own hopes and desires while being used and abused by both Satori and Lilith.

 

Starblood is just over 300 pages long and a complete, standalone story. However, as I finished writing the last paragraph an idea for a sequel developed. I have now written the sequel, which will be called Psychonaut, and I am currently editing it with the hope of publication in 2012. Of course, as I wrote the last paragraph of Psychonaut an idea for a third part to the trilogy thrust itself into my brain. I love the characters. There is a chance I might write about them for ever. 

Do you have plans or are you already writing something to follow up Starblood? How long did it take to write?

Starblood was written in one month, during NaNoWriMo in November 2009. I spent the following twelve months rewriting and editing the story. Psychonaut is a longer tale and is more in the traditional fantasy style, so I was involved in creating worlds as well as developing the story and characters. Psychonaut was started, but not completed, during NaNoWriMo 2010. I expect the editing process will take another twelve months. Following in this tradition, I have sketched down my ideas for the third story, but plan to write it during NaNoWriMo 2011.

In addition to the Starblood trilogy, I am working on a novel about anarchy and shamanism.

Besides Starblood , can we read any other works of yours?

There are a couple of short stories at www.carmillavoiez.com, but Starblood is the first novel I have been lucky enough to have published. 

On to more general, writer-ly questions. 

How long have you been writing?

As a child I always wanted to be a writer, and was very prolific through to my late teens. The only things published at that time were a few Gothic and vampire poems in Goth fanzines, and no power on earth would compel me to share those early attempts with you.

Then, for some reason I cannot quite fathom, life got in the way and I stopped writing. I didn't write again until I was well into my thirties. Writing, for me, is an act of rediscovering myself. I have to open all those cobweb covered closets and full to bursting drawers and look at things afresh: things I have experienced, things I have felt, and even those things I have previously been afraid to feel. It's traumatic and liberating at the same time.  

What made you first pick up a pen (or laptop, typewriter, etc.) and want to write? Why erotic fiction? Have you written in other genres?

I started writing again as part of a degree course and I quickly realized what had been missing from my life for over a decade.

Starblood is erotic, that is true, but I would class it as horror. Some other readers class it as dark fantasy and a couple of readers told me they felt it was a Gothic romance. I guess that means it isn't just one thing, but flows like water through different genres. Or perhaps people see what they wish to see in every book they read. I have written outside of genres, in literary fiction, but I haven't yet been published outside of the erotica/horror genre.

I write erotica because sex and sexuality fascinate me. I explore the way sexual desire can turn the strongest of us into gullible idiots. I look into that dichotomy quite often in Starblood.

What or who are your inspirations? And being from the U.K., do you find being surrounded by so much history and culture to be something of an inspiration as well? 

I am inspired by so many things: the constantly changing sky and sea outside my front door, sexual politics and the barrage of attacks by the far right on what it means to be a woman, the varied and rich mix of dialects within the U.K. and how these both reflect and create cultural differences within a relatively small geographical landscape, gothic music and the people I meet.

Writers who inspire me are just as varied. I love Clive Barker’s writing, both in the horror and fantasy genres. He explores sexuality and its close relationship with violence in ways I find challenging and fascinating. Other authors who have inspired me include Storm Constantine, Iain Banks, and Margaret Atwood.

Is being a published writer what you thought it would be? 

It’s too early to tell. So far Starblood is an undiscovered gem. Maybe that’s a question to ask again in twelve months?

Why do you write? Do you find writing to be an activity that satisfies you in ways nothing else can?

I write because I am compelled to write. Characters storm through my head demanding to be heard. I write to release them and find peace for a moment.

In your opinion, what makes a great story?

I love character-driven stories. I love the psychology of a good story and the way it opens my mind to fresh perspectives. I changed my lifestyle after reading Robert Newman’s The Fountain at the Centre of the World. Great stories have power. They make you think, they make you feel and often they make you cry.

What are some of the challenges you find in writing?

I think the greatest challenge is in knowing when to stop. I am speaking more of editing than writing. How do you know when a book is as good as it can be? The main challenge in writing seems to be finding enough time to sit at the keyboard.

Who are your favorite authors or books in your genre? In other genres?

I pretty much covered this in my answer to a previous question. In addition to Clive Barker, Storm Constantine, Iain Banks and Margaret Atwood I would add a few of the literary greats whose stories have transported me to other times and places: Leo Tolstoy, Haruki Murakami, Honore Balzac and J.K. Huysmans among others.

What is your writing process? Are you a dedicated everyday writer, or catch-as-catch can? Do you have any special rituals or activities you do that help you prepare to write?

My writing process? Well I suppose that depends. Are you referring to intentions or practice, which unfortunately vary widely. I always plan to write for an hour each morning and two hours each evening. During November and NaNoWriMo I manage to achieve my goal. For the rest of the year I slot writing in around work and family in a very ad hoc manner.

Did you pursue the traditional publishing route of first getting a literary agent and then having them sell your book to a publisher, or did you decide right away to go straight to Stone Circle Publishing Ltd. and work with them? Why or why not?

It was always my plan to work with a literary agent. However, one of my beta-readers had a dream of setting up a publishing company. When he read Starblood, he fell in love with the story and characters, and in particular Lilith. He asked me whether I would consider publishing through Stone Circle Publishing Ltd. After some thought and negotiation I agreed, and Starblood  is the first novel to be published by SCP. I still intend, for my non-genre novel, to snag an agent.

Do you have any advice for other writers? Anything else you would like to mention or elaborate on?

Keep writing. Try not to let your inner editor stifle the tale. Believe in yourself and the intrinsic value of a good story.

You also have a very cool online clothing story called Drac-In-A-Box that’s earned some awards. Do you want to tell us anything about that?

Drac-in-a-Box was set up by Dorian and myself in 1999. It has been very successful and through it I have met some amazing people and accumulated an impressive wardrobe. The ethos of the company has always been to celebrate diversity in beauty and we cater to all sizes of Goths. It isn’t run as a profit-hungry capitalist business, but rather as a niche clothing maker and supplier. I hope it will continue to prosper, alongside my writing, for many years to come.

*************

Isn't she inspiring? I just want to shout out another thanks to Carmilla for spending her time with us. Please feel free to send any other questions or share your thoughts on Starblood or writing in general. The novel is out now in e-format at Amazon and should be available on iBook within a couple of days. You can find Carmilla on Tumblr at http://carmilla-voiez.tumblr.com/ or Twitter @CarmillaVoiez.

If you'd like to read more interviews by other other writers, including me, wander on over to The Battered Suitcase blog. Because really, when you aren't actually writing, what could be better than reading about writing? Cheers!

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

You're In For a Treat

Oooh, put your best erotique fantasy fan face on because next week I'll be posting an interview with author Carmilla Voiez whose first novel Starblood was just released in Amazon. Yes, it's okay to be titillated.

Book Description from Amazon

In a seedy Goth club, a beautiful woman dances, waiting to be set free. Along an unlit street, another woman stumbles,fleeing her pursuer. In a darkened room, a man speaks to demons.Starblood, the debut novel by Carmilla Voiez, is a tale of magic and horror. Blinded by love, Satori, a young magician, attempts a spell that goes horribly wrong, resulting in the demon Lilith returning to Earth. Satori knows he must send Lilith back. The dark goddess, brimming with power, makes it her mission to wreak havoc on Satori's life by ensnaring Star, the woman he loves, and her friends in a web of chaos and deceit.Lust, obsession, terror and humiliation storm into the lives of Star and Satori, proving the age-old maxim – be careful what you wish for.

Book Review: Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Have you ever picked up a volume of something, whether a novel, a historical study, even a cookbook, and after reading just a few words became so wrapped up in it that the rest of the world completely disappeared? OK, maybe this doesn't happen much with cookbooks, unless you're a chef and cooking is your thing. As a dedicated reader, I have sunk my fangs into untold books and have become very good at spotting something that will turn my knob within the first few paragraphs. And I'm definitely not the kind of person who will force myself to sit through an entire story, ten or so hours of my life, if those first sentences don't do it for me. There are so many wonderful books out there, there's no reason to make them wait on the less wonderful books (and by less wonderful, I just mean the ones that don't work for me personally, it doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with the writing).Mystic River is one of those books that stripped the outside world away and made me want to stay on the couch until I'd read the entire 500 or so pages. A lot of you probably saw the movie by the same name starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon that won quite a number of awards a few years ago, and deservedly so. When I saw the movie, I was quite moved by the entire story. The plot, the dramatic turns, and the heartwrenching emotional impact of it all was profound. It seemed that if a movie, which is often a poorly modified version of the original story when coming from a book, could be so well done, the book must be an amazing piece of work. And in the case of Mystic River, that's true times ten.Dennis Lehane has drawn the three main characters and all of his supporting characters with a pen made of part gold and part brilliance. It's not often that I read a book where at least at some point I feel like the author has to resort to at least a little bit of a laundry list to get across all the character details s/he wants. Not so with Mystic River. The story Lehane tells is so viscerally and subtly powerful that it's almost as if you're there, not reading about these people and the tragedy that befalls them, but witnessing it, a passer-by on the sidewalk.For those who don't know, here's just a quick synopsis of the story. In the mid-seventies, three boys, Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus, and Dave Boyle are just typical kids growing up in a blue collar neighborhood in Boston. One day, Dave is abducted and sexually abused for four days by unknown men. When he escapes, his life and the lives of his friends are forever changed.They grow up and fulfill what could be argued are sadly unavoidable twists of destiny: Sean becoming a State Trooper, Jimmy becoming a criminal, and Dave living a marginal blue collar life. They lose touch with each other beyond an occasional nod in a neighborhood bar, but their lives come into collision again when Jimmy's oldest daughter is found brutally killed the night before she planned to elope with her boyfriend. Sean is assigned to the case and Jimmy makes it clear that Sean either finds the killer soon, or he will. Jimmy's wife is cousins with Dave's wife, and they begin to grow close again as Dave and Celeste help Jimmy and Annabeth work through their grief.The cruel twist of fate, however, is this question: on the night Jimmy's daughter is killed, Dave returns home covered in blood with no strong alibi for what happened. He admits to having seen Katie, Jimmy's daughter, minutes before she died, but claims not to know what became of her. Is Dave lying? Did he kill Katie?The story uncovers the deepest secrets of the human heart and studies what it is that makes a person do what they do. It asks the questions of whether or not fate can be challenged, and how, and if there's any way to avoid your own. It's a beautifully written novel and I highly recommend it.Dennis Lehane has a new book out now called Moonlight Mile. I picked it up at the grocery store and read the first couple of pages yesterday--I could tell right away that it's going to be just as fantastic. He's also the author of Shutter Island, and many others.

To The People Who Make Living in a Fantasy Land That Much More Fun

You know that feeling you have when you meet someone who's extraordinary in some way and you just can't enough of hearing about them and their fantastic and interesting life? Yeah, well that's what happens at Writer's conferences (not a typo, I'm really loving my Writer friends these days and feel that the noun is more than proper, it's downright Germanic).

I'm talking about Susan Spann who is in the process of taking the "his" out of history and making it "herstory"(see what's happenin' on twitter - @susanspann). She's written not one but two historical novels featuring Moulin and Joan of Arc (though she'll be the first to tell you that the title "D'Arc" was never used by our heroine during her lifetime). Not only is Susan breathing new life into history, she's giving these powerful women a voice of their own, something I know more than just I can appreciate. I can't wait to get my hands on copies of these novels and spend some time in ancient China and 15th Century France. Who can?

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.