Author Interview: Erika Kochanski

Today on the blog I'm talking with Erika Kochanski, author of Polarity and Indecision! On a quick aside, I'd like to apologize for the short hiatus on the blog the past week or so - I took a break from social media for the week of my birthday, but should be getting back into regular posts now!

The Author: Erika Kochanski was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, and graduated with a Bachelor's degree majoring in writing and literature from Griffith University. Writing has been a lifelong dream, travel an ever growing passion, and when given the option to live out of a suitcase in a foreign city while writing about the world the answer is always 'Let's go!'

Goodreads // Blog

The Book:

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Interview Questions:

When did you decide or realize you wanted to write?

I wanted to be a writer as a child already. I used to write ghost stories for myself after I finished my homework after school everyday. I hung out for Wednesday's when my family would take their weekly trip to the local public library.

What does your general process usually look like, from initial idea to published book?  Do you outline or wing it?  Write digitally, or by hand? 

Everything for me is digital, and the ideas just come to me and I collect them and expand on them. I usually have several folders put aside on my computer just accumulating imagery or writing files for me to see what takes off and what doesn't. Sometime over time folders end up merging when the ideas work right. I don't outline the entire story, so I suppose I wing it, but I generally have an idea of where I want it to go. I don't write in a linear progression of events, but more I write several events at different times depending on my mood and piece them together later. Sometimes that means a little extra rewriting, but more often than not I come up with better ideas than if I had of just followed a timeline and stuck to it.

What was the idea or spark that led to your latest book?

 Some of it is personal, although the story is complete fiction, but things in my own life tend to inspire my writing. At least as an adult. I like to think of it as taking pieces of the world that you already know and cutting them up into squares, then throwing them up in the air and watching as they come together as a completely different puzzle of events and people that you wouldn't have expected before. There is definitely a lot of myself in Polarity and Indecision, that's for sure.

Do you listen to music while you write, or do you enjoy the silence?

 Generally speaking I require silence. Occasionally a television might be running in the background, but for me to get any decent kind of work done on a story I need peace and quiet. Most of my best writing has happened when I was at home alone.

What does your work space look like?

 Ha, well, that changes. I am a traveller, so one day my workspace might be my room (which is light and bright with clean simple lines and a few travel knick-knacks) but the next day I might be fighting for space in a hostel common room or sitting in a quiet cafe. Sometimes when I need to get a real lot of work done I like to hire out a hotel comfortable hotel room for a couple days and just let myself be alone without interruption.

What type of research, if any, goes into your novels?

Mostly I just research as a situation requires it. Sometimes, like with Polarity and Indecision, I have to get people to look at certain situations to make sure they're reasonably accurate and realistic. I had a conversation in the original draft that I was never quite happy with, and when I presented it to a friend to read he said, "Two guys don't talk like that to each other." I knew straight away that he was right, that it was the entire issue with the scene, and after a long deliberation I decided to cut it because it never really fit right. It's always hard to cut out big sections of your work, but if they're inaccurately portraying the world that you're trying to create you'll end up losing your audience. Sometimes you have to research facts (e.g. does a hospital really operate in this way?) and sometimes it's more of a question of social interaction and if what you have written is plausible to your reader.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of writing?

Travelling and running. I try to go out running 3-5 afternoons a week and I save like a demon to make sure my travel dreams can become a reality.

Favourite snacks while working (if any?). 

Wow, so many. Haha. Sometimes all I want is water and coffee, but other times I want chocolate, popcorn, licorice or cookies. I think it depends on how emotionally attached to what I am writing and how involved in the process of expression I am. If I am in a writing frenzy generally I'm not snacking just keeping my fluids up. Other times I'm spending and entire weekend in my bed clothes just trying to get an idea out of my system and I continuously snack on little meals throughout (mostly so I have to get up and walk away from the computer as often as possible so I don't go cross-eyed).

Who are some of your biggest inspirations as a writer?

This changes a lot over time, but two books that have affected me very deeply are Colin Falconer's Anastasia and Vanessa Diffenbaugh's The Language of Flowers. When I was younger I also used to read a lot of Stephen King and Melanie La'Brooy (very different genres of course).

What can you tell us about your latest project?

I have several ideas as always, but I'm not sure which one is going to take the lead yet so we will just have to wait and see.

Speed Round!

Films or TV shows?

TV shows LOST and Sherlock are my favourites. Films would be Wild, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Hector and the Search for Happiness, and my guilty-pleasure Pitch Perfect (it's my go-to when I'm feeling down).

Singles or entire albums?

I'm actually into Soundtracks and Compilations.

Sweet, savoury or salty?

All in one please.

Favourite season?

I live in the tropics so everything is usually Summer for me all year long, so when I travel I love experiencing the different seasons. I love them all equally.

Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?

Facebook. I've done them all, but I streamlined my social media because it was becoming a little overwhelming so now I just have Facebook and Google+.

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There you have it, folks! You can read samples of and purchase Erika's books here, and as always, give her a shout on social media if you enjoyed the interview! 

Slut Goals and Working My Ass Off

I can't blog much this week since I'm busy working and working out. I need to work a bunch because I'm poor and need more books out to make more money, and I need to work out a bunch in order to become the messy slut I am on the inside.

So in lieu of actual blogging this week, here's more of my look goals collection and some music I listen to lately while writing or exercising!

 

Thinking Your Way Back

Earlier I was reading old posts from January, which is only two months ago but feels eons ago. It was eons ago, because time is relative and time doesn't exist, but I'm not here to blow your mind or lose my thought process talking about weird time jumps. There are shitty B movies that can do that for you better than I ever could.

I'm here to talk about thinking my way back to when I felt, for a while, like things were really looking up. I wasn't in the greatest place, but the world still felt brimming with possibility.

And with my birthday coming up, I've been freaking out - you know, that old paralyzing anxiety about aging and death, right? And I had a bit of a breakdown for a month or so, there. I'm back now.

I'm not going to lie and say I'm fine when just the other night I was talking about mental illness and suicidal thoughts, but I feel like I worked some stuff out of my system and I'm in a slightly better place after a day of reflection and calmness.

I'm still stressed about nineteen million things, but I can't change any of it, I know I can't, so I have to stop blaming myself for things I have no power over and just take it as it comes, because that, how I react to it, is something I have power over. I'm gonna use that power.

So that's how I'm feeling today. I'm dealing with school stuff (stressful) because after easter I have to go and get my diploma. I was originally going to go for an adult diploma but I think I'm going for my GED or equivalency now, because I know if I go back to that school not only will I not learn anything I need to, but I'll also A) have a relapse with my mental illness and B) get into a fistfight with one of the various racist, sexist, and homophobic students there. I'm not even joking - I have an inability not to start a fight if I see a wrongdoing. But basically I just need to not go back into the Canadian public school system, ever.

I started outlining a new project the other night and I have a cover for it, it's gonna come out a few weeks before Shadows of Ourselves, I think. It's longer than a novella but probably not a novel. I think it should be around 35 thousand words, but I'd like to stretch it to 40k or so if I can. I know there's enough story there, but I refuse to add words unless they're needed for the story to function, so we'll see.

It has the best cover of any of my books, ever, in my opinion. Better than the cover for a (possible) sequel to Shadows of Ourselves, which nobody has seen yet. Better than the cover of Maelstrom, which no one has seen yet. I just love it. Not sharing yet, but I love it.

But the book has a Pinterest board, and you can find that here for some glimpses about it. You should also check out the boards for my other books, and I dunno, maybe follow me? For reasons. For science.

And, for fun, some facts about the book:

• It's inspired by magical girl animes.
• And some mythology I love but feel is underused.
• It's paranormal, and the main romance is a lesbian one.
• It's standalone for now but there's room to tell other stories in the world that would also stand on their own.
• MONSTERS.
• A private academy.
• Long lost family members.
• Biracial main character! (Kat is white and Japanese.)
• FANCY BALL GOWNS GALORE.
• Did I mention the monsters?
• Romance!
• Slightly odd romance - or just more realistic? I'm going for a kind of Rainbow Rowell angle on the romance, so while there's a bit of romance genre cheese, for the most part the romance develops in kind of lowkey, average, everyday ways.
• Dragonflies.
• Magic weapons.

So yeah. I'm excited. I'm taking a break from SOO editing to draft this over the next four days, then I edit Shadows in around a week or two, edit this, do my copy edits on Shadows, and then put them both out around the same time. Maybe a week apart?

I have no clue, nothing's official right now, but I'm excited.

Sometimes I Forget Homophobia Exists

I shouldn't, because I've dealt with my fair share of it. I'm a homoromantic, nonbinary person who came out at fourteen with homophobic parents (they're a lot better now) and relatives, who lost friends after coming out, has been followed in public for blocks by groups of men calling me slurs, been beaten up and derided by teachers and school administrators - you name it, I've probably been there. . . .

And yet. Sometimes I forget. I think that goes to show how supportive the people in my life are, now. How my mom will so easily tell me I won't get a husband if I don't learn to clean better, or my dad will casually ask if there's a guy I like - those may seem like little, everyday things, but once upon a time they seemed like impossibilities.

Once upon a time I thought I would live my life in hiding, locked to someone I didn't love and forced to have kids I didn't want. Once upon a time I thought that God didn't love me and I was going to hell.

And every time I remember there are still people and kids going through that every day, it crushes me. When I see people saying gay teens deserve to be beaten - or even killed - for their orientation, when I see people caring more about what others do with their hearts and bodies and souls than they do the things that are actually any of their business, it breaks my heart.

I'm so lucky to wake up everyday and have people who are kind to me when it's hard to be kind to myself. So many people aren't in situations like mine, with tons of queer friends and supportive, if awkward, families.

If you're in a tough situation right now, please just know I love you, and you have every right to defend yourself. Don't take this bullshit lying down, don't let yourself believe you deserve it - you do not deserve this hatred.

If you're feeling alone, just know you're my favorite lone wolf, and use those teeth of yours to tear out the throats of your enemies.*

(*I'm joking. Don't kill homophobes. Get them fired if their work information is public, but god, don't kill the stupid assholes. Bad things happen to queer people in jail. Orange is the New Black is a lie.)

The Optimal Speed of Dreams

My dreams are not moving along at their optimal speed. I turn twenty in four days. That might be the scariest thing I've ever written, right there. That's coming from someone who writes horror.

I was complaining to some family members the other day, about how things aren't moving at the pace I'd hoped, and I figured I would get that same old spiel about things taking time and disappointment being a part of life, but instead, one of them told me I wasn't working hard enough.

Here is the thing: I am working hard enough.

I'm nineteen, and I've written more books than some bestselling adult authors have. I've given them the best editing and covers I can afford. I've taken on debilitating dayjobs that I loathe to pay for new equipment to keep creating. I've pushed through mental illness the best I can, when at times I thought I would not make it through the day without ending my own life.

I'm working. You may not see it, but I am. And I thought it would pay off.

It's hard, not to feel discouraged at this point. I force myself to use social media that often makes me mental illness worse and triggers bouts of depression and anxiety, I've had personal relationships crumble because of my work or because of aforementioned episodes of mental illness.

Last week or so, the 600 dollar laptop I'd bought on Black Friday - the one I took that seasonal job just to afford - broke. And I can't afford to replace it. And I can't - both can't and won't - take another job to get a new one. I have no clue how I survived that work.

It got to the point where I was not leaving my room unless it was to go to work. I would just lie in the dark and fantasize about dying - and that's if I wasn't self medicating. I lost eleven pounds, I started to hate myself. I did my best to stay positive, because it felt like if I acted positive, things might get better. They did not get better.

I can't afford a therapist anymore, I can't afford medication anymore - and I can't afford to go into another round of depression like that, where I'm barely making it through the day, where I have to leave work early because I've been awake for two days from stress and now I'm about to have an emotional breakdown on the floor. I can't do that.

And I also can't see how I can't not. We have no warranty and no receipt, because the person I gave them to to put away forgot to, and lost them. My parents aren't willing to help me out, and I don't blame them, since they can barely help themselves.

And that's what scares me; that I'm becoming like them. Not because I don't love them, or because they're aren't strong people. But because I was born into this cycle of poverty and mental illness and abuse and sometimes I worry I won't ever be able to break it. Sometimes I worry that I'm not cut out to be a writer, or not good enough, or that I don't have what it takes to survive - not just the moment, but this. Life. The world. sometimes I feel like that every day.

And maybe in five years I'll be reading this blog post, laughing about it. But right now that feels less and less likely by the minute. Right now, I can't see the light at the end of this tunnel.

The only thing I can really do is keep doing what I'm doing. Keep writing books, keep hoping at least one of said books gets at least a little bit of attention.

But hope is hard, and I'm tired. This is not the optimal speed of dreams.

The long and short of it, working and writing just got a lot harder. Being positive, even as positive as I've been, just got a lot harder. I'm not the kind of person to give up, but that doesn't mean I can't break. I'm afraid something is going to break me, one of these days.

How I Edit

A lot of people liked my post about fast drafting the other day, so I figured I would write more about my process. Specifically, editing! Even more specifically, making editing fast, easy, and fun.

If you haven't read the last writing post yet, you can find it here: How Long It Took to Write Each Book

So, editing used to scare me. When I wrote the Lilac Jones stories, my editing process was to go from start to finish several times, cleaning up different issues I hadn`t previously caught and generally trying to polish the work.

It was slow and mentally exhausting, and it made me hate my stories and my writing abilities.

Then Rachel Aaron saved my life. (Again.) If you haven't read her writing book 2k to 10k, it is, without a doubt, a lifesaver. It revolutionized the way I wrote, edited, and even interacted with my books. You can buy it here.

Seriously, any advice I give you will be fractionally less fantastic than hers, and she has more full length novels and more years of writing under her belt than I do, and has been traditionally published in the past. (Shoutout to hybrid authors, because they're like superheroes to me.)

Anyway, after implementing her advice and and toying around with different takes on editing and looking at different aspects of my own process, I came up with the process I use now.

The one that makes editing actually feel. . .refreshing, if I'm being honest. Fun.

I'm editing Shadows right now, so I'll give you a glimpse at my editing sheet as an example.

Once I finish a draft, I let it sit for a time while I draft something else. Then I come back to it, do my read through (without changing a word) and make a list of the book's most pervasive problems as I go.

I list problems in rank of their importance, with Sky & Hunter's relationship being the biggest issue, to the representation of the Seelie court as more minor. As you can see, I include space below each to write about the problem in detail, how I plan to correct it, and where it pops up in the novel, which chapters I'll have to work on the most to cure the issues.

Using this guide, along with my timeline (another Rachel Aaron advice bit that saved my ass while writing this book) and my chapter outline, I can jump around in the manuscript, correcting one problem at a time, instead of reading through my draft several times from start to finish.

Problems in books aren't linear, and it simply makes no sense to edit linearly, from start to end, when a problem might first appear in chapter one and not rear its head again until 12 chapters in.

Once I've got my list down, I start to flesh out each item on it. I won't show all of them, because, you know, spoilers (I do actually want people to read Shadows of Ourselves when it comes out, after all!) but here's an example of a full item:

As you can see, I include the actions I'll need to take in order to fix problems, as well as the chapters in which I they're most present.

Using the list as a tool, I can jump around in my book, fixing issues as I see fit, until I feel I have a stronger draft all around. This is my first round of edits, going through my list and fixing big problems.

Once everything on the list is crossed, though, it's time to start my first line edit. This is where I read my draft start to finish, again, without changing anything (at this stage I usually make an epub copy and read on my kobo) taking detailed notes of each scene.

These are rough, bulletproof notes that I'll use to do my chapter-by-chapter edit, and they look like this, jotted down in a notebook I keep beside me as I read:

• Expand conversation with Riley at the bar, they should catch up more.
• The change in the atmosphere has to be a sharper transition.
• sky should latch onto mention of "others."
• Examine Hunter further in office.
• Riley should be rolling her eyes at this.
• Sky should be making barbs about toxic masculinity.
• Make Riley grab Sky's arm.
• Lucie and Destiny should be featured more here.

And so on and so on. I go on like this until I have at least five or six chapters worth of notes, and then I sit down and implement those edits. These aren't large-scale things though, just little moments and details that I feel could be sharpened or made stronger. I also focus on language and word choice here, cutting small things and readjusting awkward phrasing.

Now it's time to send your book out. I have a core group of people who are allowed to read at this point, and I specifically ask for their opinions on certain elements of the story and try to implement their feedback. I pick and choose which criticisms I think are most valid and do my best to make changes that reflect them. Always remember, other people's eyes catch things yours won't!

Once this edit is done, the manuscript is almost ready to be formatted and published for real. I just need to do one more read through, not changing any prose or plot points, not writing anything new - just doing a copy edit, cleaning up spelling and grammar as best I can.

And then, well, then I'm done. It's time to ready your book for publication, sending it either to your agent or sending out arcs to book bloggers, finalizing cover designs, if you haven't, all the nitpicky business side of stuff that will lead to your book sitting on the Kindle Store, you know?

So that's my editing process. It's made it a lot more fun, a lot faster, and a lot less likely to see me pulling my hair out in bunches.

Resources:

2k to 10k

Let's Get Digital (Free!)

Shadows of Ourselves Character Spotlight #1

I'm editing Shadows of Ourselves now, so over the next few days I'll be doing character spotlights! Today's is for Riley! She's one of my favorites from the novel, and I have some big plans for her in the sequel! (She might even become a POV character!)

A Reminder

Friendly reminder that Frenzy & Rage is still free on Kindle right now! The book is on for the next three days, I believe, and you can get it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CTRN38C

If you like books about lesbians with magikal powers with romance and mystery and -of course- some scary bits, then this is clearly the book for you. And if you don't like books like that . . . well, there's no help for you then, is there?

When I was writing these I really wanted to bring different sides of Saint John to life, but both of my characters ended up wanting to leave the city. And so does Sky, in Shadows of Ourselves - although Sky kind of wants to run from everything. So I think in Maelstrom, Daisy is going to love the city and enjoy living here, because it really is nice here most of the time.

Author Interview: Stevie Turner

Today on the blog I'm talking with Stevie Turner, author of A House Without Windows (recipient of a 2014 New Apple Book Award) and various other titles including For the Sake of a Child, The Porn Detective, and Revenge.

The Author: Writing with a unique focus on the darker side of human relationships, Stevie's stories are interspersed with an intelligent, sharp humor, and complicated characters - you won't find any fangs or magic spells in her stories; just a tantalizing glimpse at the challenging and real lives of her characters - often while exploring dark subject matter.

Goodreads // Twitter // Facebook

The Books:

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Interview Questions:

When did you decide or realize you wanted to write?

It was back in junior school when I won an inter-schools’ writing competition aged 11.  I’d written a short story about my budgerigar and how I always let it out of its cage when my grandmother visited, as she hated birds and always went into meltdown if it flew anywhere near her.  Poor old Nan; she helped me win a certificate that I still treasure to this day.

What does your general process usually look like, from initial idea to published book?  Do you outline or wing it?  Write digitally, or by hand? 

I find inspiration from news items, but tend to wing it and make up the story as I go along.  If there are many characters I will write down their details and traits in a notebook.  I type out the manuscript on my computer using Word, as I can type much faster than writing, having worked as a secretary for many years.  I have recently signed with a publisher, Creativia, for my new book ‘Repent at Leisure’.  Creativia will be editing my new manuscript and providing a cover as well as publishing it, but previously I have always done the editing and published the books myself on KDP.  In the past I have usually paid for my book covers.

What was the idea or spark that led to your latest book?

As I said before I often find ideas from listening to the news.  I also gain inspiration from walking in the countryside around my village, and also from looking at photos.  In the case of ‘Repent at Leisure’ I was looking at a friend’s wedding pictures on Facebook who had married at the famous Gretna Green venue in Scotland.  This got me thinking… what if a couple married after knowing each other only a short time and the bride didn’t really know too much about her husband?  The cogs started to whirr, and hey presto, I had a story!

Do you listen to music while you write, or do you enjoy the silence?

To me there is nothing better than silence.  I cannot write with any background noise or with anybody else in the room.  I suppose I’m just an anti-social kind of girl!

What does your work space look like?

I have two desks joined together which are full of papers, books, and family photos.  It’s lovely, and it’s mine (I’m also very territorial, due to suffering with the ‘Only Child Syndrome’)!.

What type of research, if any, goes into your novels?

Having been around for 58 years I am fortunate to have lived through a wealth of life experiences which I can write about, and I tend to write from personal experience or about what I’ve found out as I’ve travelled along life’s rocky road.  However, I do check facts and figures on Google if I am unsure.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of writing?

I am totally undomesticated, and have no interest in cooking, sewing, or anything feminine.  I do like walking along country footpaths near where I live though, and also love reading, watching documentaries on TV, and going to music festivals and concerts (next one is the Isle of Wight festival in June – can’t wait!).

Favourite snacks while working (if any?). 

Pineapple, kiwi or grapes.  I also like to drink green tea or fruit teas.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations as a writer?

I like to read and write women’s fiction, so I’d say probably Gillian Flynn and Paula Harding for the modern times, and then classic fiction writers D.H Lawrence, L.P Hartley, R.F Delderfield, A.J Cronin, and Evelyn Waugh.

What can you tell us about your latest project?

I am working on a collection of short stories.  So far I’ve written 16, but would like that number to increase to about 30 before I publish.  I originally started out with the theme of births, deaths and marriages, but this has since fallen by the wayside!

Speed Round!

Films or TV shows?

Films.  Many TV programmes are utter rubbish.

Singles or entire albums?

Entire albums – you get more for your money.

Sweet, savoury or salty?

Savoury.  I’m not really keen on sweet or salty foods.

Favourite season?

Spring.

Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?

Facebook.  I don’t have an Instagram account.

~

There you have it, folks! You can read samples of and purchase Stevie's books here, and as always, give her a shout on social media if you enjoyed the interview! 

Interviews, Coffee Math, and More!

In the past couple days I've been talking with other authors (some indie and some not) setting up interviews for the near future, and I'm really excited for some of these. I love talking to other authors about their work and processes, and it's always fun to help another writer gain some exposure.

Those should be up over the next few weeks, and I plan to do as many as I can, with as many authors across as many genres, as I can. If you're an author interested in being interviewed here on the blog, email me at ApolloBlake@mail.com with the subject line interview, and links to your social media, and I'll shoot you over the interview questions!

Aside from that, most of the past few days has been me trying to figure out how much coffee I can ingest before I die, and trying not to commit murder. I get agitated a lot.

Especially by the people I live with.

Trust me, if I could afford to live in an ice palace in the subarctic somewhere, I'd be gone today. Clark Kent has no clue how good his ass has it.

Anyway, through laborious, harsh research, I've deduced that I can have nine coffees a day without dying. Maybe more. I'm not pushing my luck.

But I love caffeine. It's not good for me, I should probably quit it, but here I am on my fifth or six coffee since I woke up. I'm gonna try and cut myself off, here though.

Or maybe not.

I have a long night of editing ahead of me, including some blog breaks. I'm going to do more posts on writing, since they've gotten a good response all around - and maybe a few on marketing - though I'm not the best at marketing. I've talked about how annoying I find the fame game in the past, and I can't see myself stopping anytime soon, but it's still (a really big) part of the job. So.

Music of The Moment

So I thought I would start sharing more of the music I'm listening to, because I listen to a lot of it.

I like a bit of everything, but I go through phases. I always like pop and indie, but everything else - rock, screamo, rap, foreign music - all comes in waves and phases, where I'll only listen to rap or K-pop for a month and then go back to indie/alternative or mainstream pop music.

So here's what I'm listening to right now:

(This might be my favorite Ariana song ever, to be honest.)

And on the other side of things;

The Wondrous Evil of Video Games

If I finish editing the first two chapters of Shadows tonight, impleneting the edit notes I drew up for those chapters earlier, then I'm going to let myself play Alice Madness Returns for a few hours, because while I love it, I've never beat it before, and I haven't played it in like, a year and a half. But I bought my own copy the other day, along with a copy of Final Fantasy XIII, and I'm taking turns with both of them.

Video games are evil, beautiful, distracting things that I should probably spend less time on. But I won't, because that's how I roll.

Frenzy & Rage (Free Books!)

So. I wrote some things. Some things I would like to get more exposure and mainly, more feedback on. So I thought I would offer up some freebies! As you do, right?

Rage & Frenzy are both paranormal novellas. They're set in the same universe, and while they can each be read as standalones, they work best when read together, and are available in a single collection, as well as individually;

 

They feature racially and sexually diverse characters, as well as action, romance, comedy, and horror elements. And I want you to read them for free.

So, if you're a book blogger, or if you rate books on Amazon or goodreads, comment on the blog with your email - or shoot me an email at ApolloBlake@mail.com with the subject line 'rage and frenzy' and I'll send you a free epub!

I would love to see more reviews and ratings - it's always fun to hear feedback - and I'd love to share Myra and Evelyn's stories with more readers.

(Note: I know the blog has been slightly dead in the last few weeks - that's because I'm working on editing Shadows of Ourselves for publication, and getting ready to interview some fellow indie authors here on the blog! I'll be posting updates about those soon! And, if you're an indie interested in being interviews, feel free to email me!)

How Long It Took To Write Each Book + Wordcounts! (How Do You Write So Fast?)

So today I thought it would be interesting to write about the books I've written and how long the process took for each one. Not all of these are published, and I'm only counting novellas, collections, and novels - not individual short stories.

I have a fairly quick writing process; I take my initial spark or idea and come up with a few loose scenes, and usually the ending of the book. Then I create a character sheet with every character, a brief description of their looks and personality, and an outline for the book. Drafting itself takes around two or three days for a novella, and around fifteen to thirty days for a full-length novel. Editing can take days or months, depending on the manuscript.

I attribute my fast writing to my detailed outlining strategies, which I developed after reading about how authors like Amanda Hocking and Rachel Aaron outline, and try to emulate the attitudes of writers like Jennifer L. Armentrout, who write for 6 to 8 hours a day when working on a book.

It should be noted I've been writing stories and starting books since I was twelve, but didn't actually finish a novel until I was seventeen, so I did have plenty of writing practice and time to figure things out before I actually began to finish things.

So, here's all the books I've written, their wordcounts, and their writing lengths, in the order I wrote them in. The wordcounts aren't exact - rounded up or down to the nearest thousandth.

* = published

Stars Full of Lies:
Wordcount: 48,000 words.
Writing Time: 27 days.

(Note; this is my first book, and also the only book I wrote without an outline. Both those things show in the manuscript.)

Demon Moon:
Wordcount: 25,000 words.
Writing Time: approx. 14 days.

*The Lilac Jones Adventures:
Wordcount: 17,000 words.
Writing Time: 2 to 3 days per story.

Blood of Midnight:
Wordcount: 52,000 words.
Writing Time: approx. 20 days.

Shadows of Ourselves:
Wordcount: 73,000 words.
Writing Time: 14 days.

(Note; this is both my longest book to date and also, in my opinion, my best. I'm editing it for publication now, and the fact that it was fun to write definitely made the process faster. I highly recommend writing books that are as fun for you as they are your readers.)

*Things We Saw At Midnight:
Wordcount: 13,000 words.
Writing Time: 1 day.

(Note; I was able to write this in one day for lots of odd reasons. I'd been awake for two days, was stoned out of my mind, and had more caffeine in my system than is probably healthy. I don't recommend any of this, especially not the part where I smoked a bunch of pot -drugs, even ones as relatively harmless as weed, are not integral or even truly beneficial to the creative process- but I admittedly had a lot of fun writing this and think it's some of my strongest work.)

*Frenzy:
Wordcount: 15,000 words.
Writing Time: 2 days.

*Souls of Salt & Seawater:
Wordcount: 32,000 words.
Writing Time: 17 days.

*Rage:
Wordcount: 16,000 words.
Writing Time: 5 days.

So there you have it. I highly recommend Rachel Aaron's 2k to 10k for fast writing advice, especially if you want to draft quickly without sacrificing quality or artistic vision.

Fast drafting is about accepting that your first draft isn't just allowed to be bad, but that, to a certain degree, it exists to be. It's supposed to suck, in parts. A lot, sometimes. Editing exists for a reason, and is both fun and revolutionary for any manuscript.

As I mentioned above, I drink a lot of coffee when I'm writing. An unhealthy amount, even. I also make sure to drink a lot, if not more, water. 9 times out of 10, if my writing is interrupted, it's because I need another drink or I have to pee.

I also sometimes smoke pot, although I'm trying to do that a bit less. It can help with anxiety and distraction sometimes, but more often than not it puts you to sleep. I definitely work best while sober, so I don't really think this bolsters more creativity or work ethic, it's just something I do from time to time.

Mostly I put my fast writing times down to a few things:

1) Outlines.

My outlines have saved me more than once. Winging it can be fun, but going into your novel with a guide, structured to make the story the most exciting, fleshed-out, and intelligent it can be before I even write the first paragraph is always helpful. My outlines range from highly, highly detailed, to just one sentence per scene, and I always give myself permission to switch things up and introduce new elements while drafting. Your outline shouldn't restrict you, rather, it gives you more room to play around where it really matters.

2) Butt in Chair.

• Sit down. Open Scrivener. Stare at my outline.
• Put on my 8Tracks playlist. Scroll through my current projects Pinterest board.
• Do not look at Facebook or Twitter. Do not go on Tumblr.
• Write your damn book. You want it, you have to work for it. It's as simple and as difficult as that.

3) Dedication.

I dedicate myself to my writing and my current project. Don't start something unless it's something you care about or know that you can at least have some fun with. If you're bored or frustrated you're less likely to work on things and finish them. I'll admit some of my titles, like Rage and Souls of Salt & Seawater, have been harder to write than others. But that said, for the most part, writing should be fun. It should be intoxicating and enjoyable. If it isn't, you need to change things up until it is again.

4) Enjoyment.

Make your writing fun. Look up some graphics tutorials on Tumblr or Deviantart and make images and edits for your books. Posts quotes of WIPS to social media and make 8Tracks playlists for your projects or certain characters.

The plus side of playlists is you can listen as you write. I made one for Shadows of Ourselves (particularly for my main character, Sky) just tonight;

Listen here: http://8tracks.com/jinx-king/tiny-blonde-mess

Why do I recommend things like this? Because if you think like an actual fan of your novels would, you'll enjoy writing them more, and utilising multimedia to foster your creativity will give you a richer experience with what you're trying to create.

There are so many things you can do to make writing more fun, more fast, and more effortless. It's not supposed to feel like a complete chore. So there you go, that's how I write so fast.

Why I'm Leaving Goodreads

So. I decided something today that I’ve been trying to decide for a pretty long time, and that thing is essentially should I leave Goodreads?

The decision I came to was something like no fucking doubt.

Why? Lots of reasons.

I joined Goodreads in 2012, when I was in middle school. It’s been five years. I’m not even in high school anymore. I’m turning twenty this month. I’m an adult, and an author, and so many other more important things it’s hard to keep track of.

One of those things is someone who is fed up.

When I joined Goodreads, it was amazing. It was full of cool users and thoughtful reviewers, it was a place where authors were started to interact with their readers more, and it did - and still does - work as a great tool for keeping track of what I’ve read.

But the community has been going steadily downhill in the past five years, and it’s time for me to jump ship. Why? Because Goodreads is not the supportive, thoughtful, talented, and fun community it used to be. That’s not to say there aren’t some fantastic people here, that I’ll miss - there are. But at this point the cons outweigh the pros. Lots of users left back when Emily May created her book site, or left for Booklikes or left altogether when the whole no badmouthing authors censorship bullshit came up a while back. I don't want to be part of a site where I'm not allowed to drag Orson Scott Card through the mud for being a shite human being, honestly.

And I’m exhausted - of petty fights, rampant sexism and homophobia and transphobia, of pointless respectability politics and feeling obligated to read not for my own enjoyment, but so I can write reviews. I don’t want reading to be about writing reviews or gaining followers or defending my opinions (as if I should have to defend my opinions) or anything other than me and a book, an experience and hopefully some learning. I still like to talk about books, but it is what it is.

I’m exhausted of authors attacking readers and readers attacking each other and so many things it would be impossible to list. Over the years I’ve seen dozens of reviewers I loved and users I called friends leaving the site, most of the time for very good reasons.

Goodreads has become a shark tank. It’s not one I want to swim in.

I would rather spend my time reading than talking about reading. I would rather spend it writing, than talking about writing. And I would really also just rather be on almost any site but this one, these days.

So, am I leaving entirely? Nope. I’ll still be maintaining my presence as an author and using Goodreads to catalog what I’ve read. But I won’t be reviewing books, anymore. I won’t be rating them, either.

Over the next few days I will be removing most, if not all, of my old reviews, and then I’ll only be active on the site as an author, i.e. Posting covers and blurbs, syncing blog posts and making bookish announcements. I won’t be reviewing anymore.

That said, I do want to sincerely take the time to thank everyone on the site who is awesome for making the last five years such a memorable, curving, fascinating road - from other reviewers to other authors - so many of you are fantastic. So many of my experiences with this site are good ones.

I can’t say I love what Goodreads has become, but I can also say with certainty that not a part of me regrets the moment my younger self created their account.

So, thanks, and see you around - just not in the same capacity. It’s been fun <3

Meet The Ladies + Quotes!

Opulence Is My Middle Name

Okay, that's a lie. In fact, I'm kinda poor. My version of opulence would be being able to pay someone else to do cover designs and still having enough leftover to buy veggie burgers and a new pair of headphones. It would be being able to buy a new laptop, since that one that died on me last week is clearly done with life.

Alas, I can't really afford anything on that list, so I'll keep going DIY on covers (no big deal, since I'm also a graphic designer, but I like other people's art more than my own - who doesn't) and using broken headphones that I have to twist right in order to get them to work. That's how I roll.

I think a lot of people have this misconception that I have all of my shit together, or that, because I'm an author, I must be rich. The thing is, and if you're an author, especially an indie one, you will know this - we don't make much.

I mean, there are exceptions, obviously. There are indie authors out here who are killing it.

Then, there are the rest of us. The market is overflowing, and there are only so many readers. Even I'm skeptical of self-published books, sometimes. Probably the only indie authors who I don't really hesitate before reading one of their books is Nenia Campbell and Heather Crews. Wart Hill is really good, too.

And Leah Raeder/Elliot Wake, but he isn't self-pubbing anymore. Which is good, considering those books need to reach the widest audience possible. I need someone to share the pain with, since those books destroyed me.

My point is, it's scary taking a chance on a new author, especially an indie. It's why I run so many free promotions.

But we all know the only thing we can do is keep working at it, because the alternative is not doing anything at all, and that's a decidedly ugly alternative. But I can't lie and say I didn't come into this as a newbie without any dreams of blowing up and becoming some fancy bestseller. Isn't that what we all dream of?

Well, that, and becoming a top secret agent and/or contract killer for a government agency shrouded in mystery. Unless that one is just me?

Anyway, I just got home from a friend's place, and published Rage and the Rage/Frenzy collection the other day, so today is mostly writing and marketing stuff, and I figured I'd share the music that's getting me through it with you guys: