Book Reader Magazine Author Interview

Hey y'all! A while back an interview I did went live at Book Reader Magazine and I don't think I ever posted it! You can read it here!

I know in my last post I promised an update soon, and I will write one, but tonight I'd rather be working on a story I can publish soon. No offense or anything. :P I'll try to post info about my next project soon! I have a lot of things planned.

AwesomeGang Interview + House of Ink Cover Reveal!

I did an interview over at AwesomeGang the other day, and it's live :) You can check it out here!

I also just posted a new Cosmo Knox book for pre-order; House of Ink is the first book in a series of the same name, featuring erotic gay romance novellas with inked hunks and the twinks they love. :) I'll post links when it's live! It's out on March 5th, if this pre-order is approved!

Here's the cover:

Author Interview: Heather Crews

Today on the blog I'm talking with Heather Crews, author of Unchanged, Dreams For The Dead, and Psychopomp. Heather's books are moody, atmospheric, and mysterious, and I was more than happy to get the chance to discuss writing with her!

The Author: Heather Crews lives in Las Vegas. Was born abroad. Studied art. Will spray paint almost anything. Loves popcorn. You can find her on Twitter or check out her blog, Keeping Ghosts Alive!

The Books:

Dreams For The Dead // Psychopomp // A Dark-Adapted Eye // Unchanged

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Interview:

When did you decide or realize you wanted to write?

Although my first dream job was an artist, I've been writing since first grade. My earliest efforts were short stories that basically made no sense. In third or fourth grade l I wrote my first book, an illustrated children's book called THE BIG PURPLE CATERPILLAR. I still have a copy somewhere. It wasn't until about seventh grade I made my first serious efforts at writing books. These were obviously pure crap. But I've kept all these efforts around, and one day they might make it into a novel that I'll actually let people read.

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 usually have a big pile of untidy notes that I've collected over time, since I write down ideas as they come to me and then throw them in a box. I work from those rather than an outline (because I'm bad at making outlines), but I always know how I want the story to end and events or conversations I want to happen. For the actual writing process I tend to type rather than write by hand, although with UNCHANGED I had filled a whole notebook with long scenes.

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

It was probably a dream. Most of my ideas come from dreams. I remember sitting in my art history class scribbling down notes for it when I was supposed to be paying attention to the lecture. But now the idea has evolved and isn't anything like the original.

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

I like to have music on!

What does your work space look like?

I write on my couch, oftentimes with a children's movie or PBS Kids playing in the background, and my kids chattering away. It's not the most relaxing setup, but I've learned to tune out distractions.

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

For UNCHANGED, I researched Heceta Head Lighthouse. For DREAMS FOR THE DEAD, I researched alchemy. For PSYCHOPOMP, I researched climate change and cloud seeding. For books I've set in real cities, I always like to look at maps in case I need to reference the geography of a place.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of writing?

Reading, of course! I also like drawing, hiking, and working on projects for my house.

Favorite snacks while working, if any?

I don't eat while I'm writing because the food distracts me and I don't get anything worthwhile done.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations as a writer?

L.J. Smith is a big one. Also Donna Boyd, Kim Wilkins, and Tanith Lee.

What can you tell us about your latest project?

It's a YA set near Branson, MO. A teenage girl goes looking for the sister she hasn't seen in a while and gets drawn into a goth underworld. One of the characters is an arsonist.

Speed Round!

Films or TV shows?

Films

Singles or entire albums?

Albums

Sweet, savory, or salty?

Sweet

Favorite Season?

Summer

Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?

Twitter

~

And there you have it! Alchemy, arsonists, and PBS Kids. What more could you want? Once again, you can buy Heather's books here, or follow her here!

Calling All Guest Bloggers

Hey there. If you like saying things and want another place to say said things, this might be that place!

If you're an indie author looking for some free promotion or exposure, or you have a new or upcoming release you'd like to talk about, feel free to shoot me an email at ApolloBlake@mail.com!

I love talking to fellow indies and helping out where I can, and if you write Young Adult or New Adult books, I'd probably love to feature you! Alternatively, if you're an indie author who wants to get interviewed for the blog, send me an email with the subject line interview and I'll send you a list of questions!

Welcome To Formatting Hell

I'm in formatting hell. Yesterday it was cover stuff, but today I'm redoing the interior formatting for Dreamseeker and Blood of Midnight over because I noticed some tiny errors that annoyed me, particularly the spacing in the Dreamseeker ebook. I'm fixing them, but it's annoying, because my word processor is being a bastard, and I suck at HTML and stuff.

That aside, I interviewed Heather Crews the other night (you may remember seeing my talk about her book Psychopomp, which I'm reading now, and I'd definitely recommend checking it out!) and I'm posting that later today.

I was going to post it right away, but I keep posting blogs at like, 4 in the morning, which is probably not going to be a good time to post blogs. I'll post it around 11 am, probably.

That aside I'm really just sitting here groaning over this formatting and eating nachos and salsa. #indieauthorthings

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+.

~

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! 

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! 

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!)

Pinterest, Podcasts & Pocky. Oh, We Also Got a New Government!

Canada has a new, Liberal Government! In case you aren't Canadian, let me explain how good it feels to be free of Stephen Harper to you: I feel like I live in Narnia and the White Witch has finally been banished. I feel like Beatrix Kiddo standing over Bill's dead body. And hey - Justin Trudeau isn't too hard on the eyes, either. . .

Okay, enough. Less politics, more pop culture! I'm working on SOSAS & Shadows today (finishing up SOSAS and starting to draft Shadows) so I'll keep this short. You need to watch Scream Queens. I'm watching it. I'm in love with it. I'm also re-watching MTV's Scream (which you'll remember once gave me nightmares) with my parents, and I'm gonna start iZombie sometime soon. I've heard good things about it.

There was talk of Podcasts on Goodreads, and I plugged Sarah Enni's podcast First Draft, which is fantastic. I honestly need more people to listen to this, because it's incredible. Back when I didn't have home internet during the winter I would download episodes of this at the public library and listen to it all day while I was home, so I felt less isolated.

http://firstdraftwithsarahenni.tumblr.com/tagged/podcast

Each episode is an interview with a YA or middle grade author, and they're some cool talks about writing, creating art, and even growing up and embracing yourself. Some of them get surprisingly deep (and funny!) so check them out!

I'm listening to the new Selena Gomez album. Especially the newest single:

And that's about it. I still have 5000 words to write tonight, and a bunch of dishes to do, so that's all for today, but I'll have another post up sometime this week!