An early trip this week with our featured author due to the fact I'll be in Nashville on Friday. However, today in Iowa it looks to be another very warm day, so I'm off to meet Rodney Robbins in Denmark this morning. While doing the interview, we're touring the National Museum, looking at the Gundestrup Cauldron and other Celtics relics. Then we're seeking out a open air cafe by the canal. Apparently, he has a hankering for some Southern style tea and, as you'll see in a bit, gluten free cookies.
1. Who is Rodney Robbins and what makes you the most fascinating person in your home town of Maiden, North Carolina?
I write paranormal fiction, plays and musicals. Who else would write a book about an elf queen hiding out as a school nurse, a dramatic comedy about a man with multiple personalities (one of which may be a ghost), and a musical about a reluctant porn star and a mad scientist looking for true love?
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
Most people don’t know that I live with three chronic illnesses: migraine headaches (2-3 per week—that’s a lot), Celiac Disease (an “allergy” to wheat and other common grains) and Periodic Paralysis (a rare muscle disorder that causes spells of weakness or outright paralysis). I think these are part of “Macha’s Curse.” There’s an ancient Irish legend about how the goddess Macha, who was annoyed with her drunken husband, cursed the men of Ulster says, “May your strength fail you when you need it most.” I think I’ve been caught up in the tail end of that curse.
3. What interested you in becoming a writer rather than something else such as a cobbler?
I was working on a kitchen cabinet assembly line one day, and my mind was racing and worrying and fretting over improbable or impossible scenarios when a little voice in my head said, “Well, if you’re going to imagine this kind of crap all day, maybe you should try and get paid for it.” Isn’t that what we writers do? Worry, scribble, and worry about what we scribbled?
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
I’d love to meet Steven Koontz for dinner on the beach in Hawaii. It would be my pleasure to treat him, and his wife, to a couple of nice shark steaks and some flowery drinks. Then I’d ask him how much of his own personality comes through in his character Odd Thomas. I’d also love to ride my Honda Goldwing motorcycle to the Rock Store (a famous biker hangout and restaurant in California) and have dinner with my boyhood hero Rod Serling (creator of “The Twilight Zone”). I’d ask him for tips on turning out so many wonderful teleplays, and pass along a cryptic warning about the dangers of smoking. (Serling died during heart surgery at age 50).
5. If I were stranded on Papua New Guinea (or suffering a four hour layover at the Heathrow Airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
Well, the books are still being written, so I suggest your best bet for entertainment would be to check out one of my plays. If you were stuck of an evening in Papua New Guinea, I would suggest you scoot over to Port Moresby and check out my psychological dramedy “House of Many Rooms.” It’s the story of a young man struggling with multiple personality disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder sort of runs in my family and this play takes an honest but humorous look at dealing with multiples. (After you see the show, don’t tell anyone it’s really a ghost story.)
Now, if you were at Heathrow Airport, outside London, you might be able to squirt over to the West End and see my sexy, musical comedy “Big Feet, Big Love.” This show is a blast. It’s about a reluctant porn star and a mad scientist looking for true love. It includes a Real Woman, two witchy sisters, a half dozen hot poll dancers, The Leather Lovers (Eros and Psyche), a car crash, a restaurant fire, a reanimation sequence and much more. It’s good, clean, sexy fun--for adults only.
6 Share the Robbins process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing,
and number of rewrites.
Here is an example. I’m currently working on a middle grade paranormal fiction novel called “Nurse Brandt’s Waiting Room.” Nurse Brandt has been with me for a long time—over ten years. I knew she was an elf queen hiding in plain sight. I knew she used dreams to help treat her young patients. The story really started to come together when I was driving along in a snow storm and suddenly had an image of her standing on a Carolina beach in her chain mail—a storm wind ripping at her cloak. I saw her very clearly, staring out to sea and crying. In that instant, I knew her entire back story, why she was crying, who she was showing this image to, and what she wanted more than anything in the world.
Then I did character biographies, scene cards, two different written outlines, two synopses and a final set of scene cards. Now, I’m using the scene cards to write the actual manuscript.
I like to write first thing in the morning, before I go to work. Once I’ve done that, I can concentrate on being a good husband, father and employee without worrying that there is something important I’m supposed to be doing.
Rewrites—well, it takes as many as it takes. My first draft is written quickly, about 2 pages an hour. Then I’ll rewrite a bit to make it read well aloud. Then I might read sections to my wire and son. When the whole novel is done, I’ll go back and make corrections and do what most people call editing.
I don’t do line edits. Not my job. That’s what professional editors are for. They need the work, and they’re welcome to it. I can’t spell and won’t agonize for hours over which word is the best substitute/alternative/choice/possibility for “forgotten.” Editing—it’s best left to the professionals.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
If you don’t know where to begin writing, it’s because you don’t know your story yet. Stop writing immediately and start dreaming. Flesh out some character biographies. Write down your elevator pitch. Follow your characters around for awhile, or let them follow you. Don’t start writing the manuscript again till you’re just bubbling over with things to say. Also, don't be afraid to start with what you know. Write the opening later, it's not going anywhere.
8. I saw an amusing t-shirt the other day which read “Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
I saw a T-shirt once that read, “Every job worth doing is worth doing poorly.” Think about it. If the job is to give shoes to 10,000 African orphans, and you only manage to put shoes on 500 of them, well, that’s 500 kids walking around in new shoes. That ain't bad.
9a. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing?
Stop writing? Are you nuts? I can’t stop now. I’ve got three mystery series to write, four new musicals, a second middle grade series, an epic science fiction trilogy plus three picture books to write. I won’t be able to stop till I’m 80.
9b. What’s next for Rodney Robbins?
It will take a few months to write the first “Nurse Brandt” novel. Then I might jump ahead to a murder mystery set in uptown Charlotte. Of course, I’m starting to do more publicity so keep an ear out for me on your radio.
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
For the plays, musicals and theater publicity tips visit http://www.MyNewPlay.com. For more about my paranormal fiction, plus writing tips and stories, visit http://www.RodneyRobbins.com.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Around the Globe with KALI VAN BALLE
This week, I transport Kali Van Baale and myself to a place neither of us has been to - Amsterdam. The day is cool, the bicyclists are out in force, and as I conduct my interview, we're visiting all the museums, including the Van Gogh museum. She mentions he is her favorite artist. Plus, she has a connection to the city as her husband is Dutch.
1. Who is Kali Van Baale and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?
Hah! I'm sure no in my town would name me as the most fascinating. But let's see...I can recite all the American Presidents in order to the tune of "Yankee Doodle"? That's kind of fascinating in a dorky way.
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
I have an adopted daughter from India named Gauri. Our names, Kali and Gauri, are both Hindu goddesses. Kali is the goddess of energy and destruction, and Gauri is the form she takes for motherhood and nurturing.
3. What interested you to be become a writer rather than something else such as becoming a nuclear physicist?
The world would seriously be in trouble if I were a nuclear physicist. I've always been two things: imaginative and talkative. Writing seems to be a perfect marriage of the two.
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
I'd have to go with Jane Hamilton. She's my favorite author of all time and so brilliant. Also very funny in a quirky sort of way, but very down-to-earth and approachable. Not a single snobbish bone in her body. I met her at an AVID event a few years ago and made a total fool of myself with all my nerdy swooning, but she couldn't have been more gracious and nice.
5. If I were stranded on a deserted island (or suffering a four hour layover at the airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
On a stranded island, it would make good kindling, I suppose! In an airport, it's just short enough you could probably read it during a single layover.
But on a serious note, I think it's a story about someone surviving and overcoming a painfully desperate situation. A relatable theme for one stranded on a desert island. Or in an airport.
6. Share the Van Baale process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing, and number of rewrites.
I'm a big believer that every writer has to find their own process. I hate writing advice that says "This is what you have to do." My process starts first with a very general story idea and character that interests me. I usually turn the idea over in my mind for months, maybe even years, letting it incubate until the egg is ready to hatch. During that incubation period, I take lots of notes as thoughts come to me. They're very jumbled and nonsensical in some ways--a line of dialogue, a snippet of description, a description of a scene--but once I start writing the first draft, I use them like bread crumbs to find my way through the forest. I also do some preliminary research at the library or online, but just enough to get me started.
My first draft is typically skeletal in nature. I work just to get down the bones of the plot, structure, overall attitude of the story, find the voice of the character, make sense of the timeline, and get to the end. The revision process, which I most enjoy, is where I start to add meat to the bones, really flesh out the characters and scenes with details, fine-tune my sentences and scrutinize my word choices. My revisions tend to messy with lots of cutting, rearranging, adding and fiddling. I can easily produce a half a dozen drafts of any single story before I get to the draft that finally feels right.
When it comes to critiquing, I use my monthly writer's group as my "is-this-even-working?" barometer during the first draft, and their comments and feedback then become a big part of my revisions. I next give that revised version to a couple of "ideal readers," as Stephen King likes to call them, to read from begging to end, which can produce vastly different reactions and feedback than my "critique-as-I-go" readers, who get the story in pieces over a long period of time. After several rewrites from ideal reader comments, I send my manuscript to my agent, who usually comes back with a few suggestions for polishing. Then the ms gets shopped around to editors.
I write 5 days a week, M-F, about 4-5 hours a day, when my kids are in school. I get very little writing done during the summer months and virtually none during the weekends. When my kids were babies and home all day, I did most of my writing during their naptimes and evenings, sometimes early in the morning before they awoke. I like my current schedule MUCH better.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
My best suggestion would be to just write on a regular basis and play around with a few approaches, maybe some you've read about from other writers, until you find the one that lights your fire, the one schedule or approach that keeps you motivated and excited to keep writing. My guess is that you'll end up with a style that is totally personalized to you and what's going on in your life.
8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read ‘Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
"I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate." --George Burns
9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?
Right now, I'm finishing rewrites on my second novel to return to my agent before the holidays. She'll then shop it around to editors with New York publishers and hopefully snag a contract for me. I'm starting graduate school in January to finally get my MFA in creative writing, and plan to revise the rough draft of my third book as my graduation project. I'd love to eventually teach creative writing at a university level once I have a degree. I'm also the Literary Advisor to The Modern Dickens Project, a serial novel in the form of a monthly contest designed to feature an untold Iowa story by undiscovered Iowa authors. We're picked our first winning chapter last month and will pick our November in a few weeks!
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
On my website: www.kalivanbaale.com and I'm also on Facebook: Kali White VanBaale
Complete details about The Modern Dickens Project can be found at www.moderndickens.org and on Facebook: The Modern Dickens Project.
1. Who is Kali Van Baale and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?
Hah! I'm sure no in my town would name me as the most fascinating. But let's see...I can recite all the American Presidents in order to the tune of "Yankee Doodle"? That's kind of fascinating in a dorky way.
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
I have an adopted daughter from India named Gauri. Our names, Kali and Gauri, are both Hindu goddesses. Kali is the goddess of energy and destruction, and Gauri is the form she takes for motherhood and nurturing.
3. What interested you to be become a writer rather than something else such as becoming a nuclear physicist?
The world would seriously be in trouble if I were a nuclear physicist. I've always been two things: imaginative and talkative. Writing seems to be a perfect marriage of the two.
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
I'd have to go with Jane Hamilton. She's my favorite author of all time and so brilliant. Also very funny in a quirky sort of way, but very down-to-earth and approachable. Not a single snobbish bone in her body. I met her at an AVID event a few years ago and made a total fool of myself with all my nerdy swooning, but she couldn't have been more gracious and nice.
5. If I were stranded on a deserted island (or suffering a four hour layover at the airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
On a stranded island, it would make good kindling, I suppose! In an airport, it's just short enough you could probably read it during a single layover.
But on a serious note, I think it's a story about someone surviving and overcoming a painfully desperate situation. A relatable theme for one stranded on a desert island. Or in an airport.
6. Share the Van Baale process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing, and number of rewrites.
I'm a big believer that every writer has to find their own process. I hate writing advice that says "This is what you have to do." My process starts first with a very general story idea and character that interests me. I usually turn the idea over in my mind for months, maybe even years, letting it incubate until the egg is ready to hatch. During that incubation period, I take lots of notes as thoughts come to me. They're very jumbled and nonsensical in some ways--a line of dialogue, a snippet of description, a description of a scene--but once I start writing the first draft, I use them like bread crumbs to find my way through the forest. I also do some preliminary research at the library or online, but just enough to get me started.
My first draft is typically skeletal in nature. I work just to get down the bones of the plot, structure, overall attitude of the story, find the voice of the character, make sense of the timeline, and get to the end. The revision process, which I most enjoy, is where I start to add meat to the bones, really flesh out the characters and scenes with details, fine-tune my sentences and scrutinize my word choices. My revisions tend to messy with lots of cutting, rearranging, adding and fiddling. I can easily produce a half a dozen drafts of any single story before I get to the draft that finally feels right.
When it comes to critiquing, I use my monthly writer's group as my "is-this-even-working?" barometer during the first draft, and their comments and feedback then become a big part of my revisions. I next give that revised version to a couple of "ideal readers," as Stephen King likes to call them, to read from begging to end, which can produce vastly different reactions and feedback than my "critique-as-I-go" readers, who get the story in pieces over a long period of time. After several rewrites from ideal reader comments, I send my manuscript to my agent, who usually comes back with a few suggestions for polishing. Then the ms gets shopped around to editors.
I write 5 days a week, M-F, about 4-5 hours a day, when my kids are in school. I get very little writing done during the summer months and virtually none during the weekends. When my kids were babies and home all day, I did most of my writing during their naptimes and evenings, sometimes early in the morning before they awoke. I like my current schedule MUCH better.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
My best suggestion would be to just write on a regular basis and play around with a few approaches, maybe some you've read about from other writers, until you find the one that lights your fire, the one schedule or approach that keeps you motivated and excited to keep writing. My guess is that you'll end up with a style that is totally personalized to you and what's going on in your life.
8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read ‘Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
"I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate." --George Burns
9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?
Right now, I'm finishing rewrites on my second novel to return to my agent before the holidays. She'll then shop it around to editors with New York publishers and hopefully snag a contract for me. I'm starting graduate school in January to finally get my MFA in creative writing, and plan to revise the rough draft of my third book as my graduation project. I'd love to eventually teach creative writing at a university level once I have a degree. I'm also the Literary Advisor to The Modern Dickens Project, a serial novel in the form of a monthly contest designed to feature an untold Iowa story by undiscovered Iowa authors. We're picked our first winning chapter last month and will pick our November in a few weeks!
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
On my website: www.kalivanbaale.com and I'm also on Facebook: Kali White VanBaale
Complete details about The Modern Dickens Project can be found at www.moderndickens.org and on Facebook: The Modern Dickens Project.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Around the Globe with JERRY HOOTEN
This week, my landlord, after starting 15 months ago, finally completes putting in my central air conditioning...right in time for the cool down. Sigh! Today, I hop in my transporter, pick up author Jerry Hooten, and we're off to Cabo San Lucas where we partake in margaritas in the El Squid Roe bar. It's where i snapped his picture for this week's interview. Speaking of...
1. Who is Jerry Hooten and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?
My ‘anomonimity ‘ (I think I made up a word.) Ask anyone “Who is Jerry Hooten” and you will get the same response. “Who?”
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
I have been pretty well trained to be a first class burglar. Nice to have a fallback career.
3. What interested you to be become a writer rather than something else such as becoming an Arctic explorer?
I think that meeting Michael Connelly and having the opportunity to assist him with some of his research for his books. I had been a fan of his from the beginning. I had been a writer wannabe since I took typing in High School.
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
Michael Connelly and the late Barara Seranella because I have had dinner with them and enjoyed it immensely. Just about any mystery writer. I feed off of their experience.
5. If I were stranded on a deserted island (or suffering a four hour layover at the airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
I think it would be because they are a fast read and I try to keep the chapters fairly short.
6. Share the Hooten process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing, and number of rewrites.
I usually get my ideas out of the blue. I got the idea for “Don’t Talk to Strangers” while driving to Oregon. The sequel, “Dead End”, came out of the rewrite process. I got the idea for “Friends and Others” from my grand daughter’s imaginary friend. The characters seem to develop on their own as I’m writing. I don’t do an outlne, (probably should), I do my research online and at the library and a lot of it comes from personal experience (twenty five years of law-enforcement). My schedule is erratic, not by choice. I like to have my wife edit. She is very critical. I lose count of rewrites. At least ten per book, and that’s before the edit process.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
My advice would be to just start writing. Ideas have a tendency to develop on their own. I think that process works for about anyone. Once you get started, you can arrange your methods. I do “NaNoWriMo”, the National Novel Writing Month contest that occurs every November. It’s a contest against yourself to try and write 50,000 words in the month of November. The focus is on quantity, rather than quality. I think it is a great motivator. I’ve finished the last two years, but I’m way behind this year.
8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read ‘Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
I try to go with the flow. Avoid confrontation. Keep smiling.
9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?
As I mentioned earlier, I’m doing NaNoWriMo. I’ve started on a new idea for this year. I also have several good starts from previous years.
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
I have a website. Two, in fact. One is the “Mystery Writers Resource”, where I give tips and links on writing for mysteries. The second is my security site. I’m still available to do investigations and security consulting. The first is http://www.facebook.com/l/de067FldUCniKDbu80qwG4yBOrQ; www.jerryhooten.com, and the security site is, http://www.facebook.com/l/de067Bi-B8s8mvpT2VANJRRS5zQ; www.tech-conrite.com. I have a newsletter that is in limbo right now. Back issues are available on my mystery writer’s site. I plan on starting it up again soon.
1. Who is Jerry Hooten and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?
My ‘anomonimity ‘ (I think I made up a word.) Ask anyone “Who is Jerry Hooten” and you will get the same response. “Who?”
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
I have been pretty well trained to be a first class burglar. Nice to have a fallback career.
3. What interested you to be become a writer rather than something else such as becoming an Arctic explorer?
I think that meeting Michael Connelly and having the opportunity to assist him with some of his research for his books. I had been a fan of his from the beginning. I had been a writer wannabe since I took typing in High School.
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
Michael Connelly and the late Barara Seranella because I have had dinner with them and enjoyed it immensely. Just about any mystery writer. I feed off of their experience.
5. If I were stranded on a deserted island (or suffering a four hour layover at the airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
I think it would be because they are a fast read and I try to keep the chapters fairly short.
6. Share the Hooten process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing, and number of rewrites.
I usually get my ideas out of the blue. I got the idea for “Don’t Talk to Strangers” while driving to Oregon. The sequel, “Dead End”, came out of the rewrite process. I got the idea for “Friends and Others” from my grand daughter’s imaginary friend. The characters seem to develop on their own as I’m writing. I don’t do an outlne, (probably should), I do my research online and at the library and a lot of it comes from personal experience (twenty five years of law-enforcement). My schedule is erratic, not by choice. I like to have my wife edit. She is very critical. I lose count of rewrites. At least ten per book, and that’s before the edit process.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
My advice would be to just start writing. Ideas have a tendency to develop on their own. I think that process works for about anyone. Once you get started, you can arrange your methods. I do “NaNoWriMo”, the National Novel Writing Month contest that occurs every November. It’s a contest against yourself to try and write 50,000 words in the month of November. The focus is on quantity, rather than quality. I think it is a great motivator. I’ve finished the last two years, but I’m way behind this year.
8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read ‘Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
I try to go with the flow. Avoid confrontation. Keep smiling.
9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?
As I mentioned earlier, I’m doing NaNoWriMo. I’ve started on a new idea for this year. I also have several good starts from previous years.
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
I have a website. Two, in fact. One is the “Mystery Writers Resource”, where I give tips and links on writing for mysteries. The second is my security site. I’m still available to do investigations and security consulting. The first is http://www.facebook.com/l/de067FldUCniKDbu80qwG4yBOrQ; www.jerryhooten.com, and the security site is, http://www.facebook.com/l/de067Bi-B8s8mvpT2VANJRRS5zQ; www.tech-conrite.com. I have a newsletter that is in limbo right now. Back issues are available on my mystery writer’s site. I plan on starting it up again soon.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Around the Globe with Elizabeth Kolodziej
Yeah, I know, I couldn't pronounce her name either. On our way to a spot away from the main crowds on a southern Italian beach, this week's author taught me how to say her name. After a few tries, she congratulated me on my efforts. So, now I get to teach all of you how to properly say her name. Ready? Let's try it together... Ee-liz-uh-beth. Very good. Oh, her surname? Fugetaboutit! Lol. Actually, it's - collage-E or ko-la-g.
However you say it, we had a pleasant time next to the ocean and a fine interview.
1. Who is Elizabeth Kolodziej and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?
I don’t think that I am the most fascinating person in my city. I would say what makes me fascinating to some is my drive and goals in life. But then again that is also what intimidates other people too. I don’t know why. But anyways, that and I am very honest and fun.
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
I am very shy. I know this sounds weird because I will go up to anyone at any point in time to talk to them but while doing this I get lots of anxiety because I am naturally shy and self-conscious.
3. What interested you to be become a writer rather than something else such as becoming an astronaut?
I hate math and I’m pretty sure being an astronaut means I would have to be good at math. Hehe. It’s that whole right brain left brain thing. I am just the creative type and becoming a writer was where my passion is. For me that is something special because I can be fickle or very indecisive. To actually finish something like a book and continue down this world without ever getting bored or wanting to give up tells me that it is meant for me.
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
Tamora Pierce, Jeaniene Frost, Kim Harrison or Christopher Moore. Tamora Pierce is the first author who ever inspired me to start writing myself. The other three are authors I admire and love to read. (and they aren’t snobby!)
5. If I were stranded on a deserted island (or suffering a four hour layover at the airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
I think my book would make great company because it is a world you get lost in and one you keep flipping the page to see what happens next. In my humble opinion, that is what I look for in a book and what saves me from four hour layovers.
6. Share the Kolodziej process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing, and number of rewrites.
I am a hands on writer. If I can I will go to the place I am writing about because I like to see first hand what the area is like, the people, etc. I hate having to write about places I haven’t been to and so far I haven’t done that yet. Though it kind of sucks I am lucky to live in DE, because it is adjacent to places like New York, Philly, Baltimore, DC, etc. The big name cities so many stories take place in.
As for a writing schedule, I tend to write at the very minimum once a week. It really depends what my projects going on are. When working on my second book I was writing every night or every other night unless plagued with writers block. I get my book edited by a professional after it goes through a couple beta readers. And I don’t keep count of rewrites. I kind of just fix problems when they occur.
Lastly, I research, research, research. I Google so many things and get books on so many subjects because researching to me is key it making a fiction story factual and relatable. Plus it gives me great ideas and inspiration for my stories.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
Just start writing. It is really that easy. Though my process won’t work for you, developing your own process will and the way a writer does that is by sitting down and writing. It all comes to you through trial and error. Hopefully not too much error!
8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read ‘Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
Well, I am a Taurus so I am ruled by my emotions very much so. With that said my philosophy for life is to follow your heart. It will rarely steer you wrong.
9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?
I don’t think I could keep myself from writing! It has become like an extension of my self. Right now I am working on getting the second book ready for publishing. In fact, I am considering going totally indie and publishing the book myself. After I get through edits for the second book to Vampyre Kisses I will begin work on the third because once everyone reads the ending for the second they are going to bug me to no end for the third due to the way the second one ends.
On top of that I am constantly writing short stories for anthology submissions or contest. I am working on an anthology for charity. As always going to as many conventions and conferences as possible to network and make new friends. I like to keep busy.
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
Website: www.vampyrekisses.com
Twitter: @ejkolodziej
Facebook: /kweenkitten
However you say it, we had a pleasant time next to the ocean and a fine interview.
1. Who is Elizabeth Kolodziej and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?
I don’t think that I am the most fascinating person in my city. I would say what makes me fascinating to some is my drive and goals in life. But then again that is also what intimidates other people too. I don’t know why. But anyways, that and I am very honest and fun.
2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?
I am very shy. I know this sounds weird because I will go up to anyone at any point in time to talk to them but while doing this I get lots of anxiety because I am naturally shy and self-conscious.
3. What interested you to be become a writer rather than something else such as becoming an astronaut?
I hate math and I’m pretty sure being an astronaut means I would have to be good at math. Hehe. It’s that whole right brain left brain thing. I am just the creative type and becoming a writer was where my passion is. For me that is something special because I can be fickle or very indecisive. To actually finish something like a book and continue down this world without ever getting bored or wanting to give up tells me that it is meant for me.
4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?
Tamora Pierce, Jeaniene Frost, Kim Harrison or Christopher Moore. Tamora Pierce is the first author who ever inspired me to start writing myself. The other three are authors I admire and love to read. (and they aren’t snobby!)
5. If I were stranded on a deserted island (or suffering a four hour layover at the airport), why would your book(s) be great company?
I think my book would make great company because it is a world you get lost in and one you keep flipping the page to see what happens next. In my humble opinion, that is what I look for in a book and what saves me from four hour layovers.
6. Share the Kolodziej process of writing in regards to: idea and character development, story outline, research (do you Google, visit places/people or make it up on the spot?), writing schedule, editing, and number of rewrites.
I am a hands on writer. If I can I will go to the place I am writing about because I like to see first hand what the area is like, the people, etc. I hate having to write about places I haven’t been to and so far I haven’t done that yet. Though it kind of sucks I am lucky to live in DE, because it is adjacent to places like New York, Philly, Baltimore, DC, etc. The big name cities so many stories take place in.
As for a writing schedule, I tend to write at the very minimum once a week. It really depends what my projects going on are. When working on my second book I was writing every night or every other night unless plagued with writers block. I get my book edited by a professional after it goes through a couple beta readers. And I don’t keep count of rewrites. I kind of just fix problems when they occur.
Lastly, I research, research, research. I Google so many things and get books on so many subjects because researching to me is key it making a fiction story factual and relatable. Plus it gives me great ideas and inspiration for my stories.
7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”
Just start writing. It is really that easy. Though my process won’t work for you, developing your own process will and the way a writer does that is by sitting down and writing. It all comes to you through trial and error. Hopefully not too much error!
8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read ‘Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” What is your philosophy of life?
Well, I am a Taurus so I am ruled by my emotions very much so. With that said my philosophy for life is to follow your heart. It will rarely steer you wrong.
9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?
I don’t think I could keep myself from writing! It has become like an extension of my self. Right now I am working on getting the second book ready for publishing. In fact, I am considering going totally indie and publishing the book myself. After I get through edits for the second book to Vampyre Kisses I will begin work on the third because once everyone reads the ending for the second they are going to bug me to no end for the third due to the way the second one ends.
On top of that I am constantly writing short stories for anthology submissions or contest. I am working on an anthology for charity. As always going to as many conventions and conferences as possible to network and make new friends. I like to keep busy.
10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?
Website: www.vampyrekisses.com
Twitter: @ejkolodziej
Facebook: /kweenkitten
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