Author Interview - Kam Newton and her debut book His Beautiful Nightmare

This week, I welcome Kam Newton, author of  His Beautiful Nightmare, as my victim interviewee . It is lovely to have you here to chat about your new book.

To begin, can you tell us a bit about you as an author? 

Since I was 12 I have wanted to write my own stories but that’s all it was really, a dream in the back of my mind. It was only last year though when I was introduced to the world of ebooks and Indi authors that I finally felt like I had the opportunity to take that first step. I was so excited to finally put this series of characters onto paper and hope people like them as much as I enjoyed writing them. 

What are the hardest part of being an author? For me it’s trying to work around my disability. When I was four I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis which affects all my joints including my hands. Just recently I had to postpone my release because I had a flare that has lasted nearly 3 months now. I have really only been able to start writing again the last few weeks. It’s not something I can predict only maintain. So I just have to go with the flow and work as I can. My friends, other authors and those waiting to read HBN have been incredibly understanding when I had to explain why my book was delayed yet again. We have a very lovely little community in the Indi world and I’m so proud to be a part of it.

What do you enjoy most about being an author? 

I love that I can let my imagination go wild, there are no restrictions on who your characters are or who they can become.

What authors/books have had an influence on your writing? 

I love T.M Frazier, Tillie Cole, Harper Sloan and Lane Hart. It’s hard to choose who really influenced me the most, I think it was a bit of all of them.

Do you ever get Writer’s Block? If so, how do you deal with it? Do you believe there is such a thing?
Absolutely, I was told once that your characters are like your imaginary friends in your head and writers block is just when they stop talking to you. I believe that most days, sometimes I can sit there for an hour trying to find the words my character would have said and it’s like they won’t tell me what they are thinking and nothing I write for them is good enough. I spend that time rereading through my work instead until they decide to cooperate with me haha.

Do you have a particular place that you like to write? 

When I first started writing it was just me and my laptop on my lounge or in bed with my children climbing all over me, which was quite a challenge. Now I have taken over my son’s old room for my very own writing cave. It’s all set up where I can lock myself away and pound the keys to all hours of the morning which has helped with my focus.

Do you have a favourite time of day to write? 

Honestly. I usually have to wait till my kids are in bed to really get in the zone of writing so I can get that momentum going. I love hiding away in my writing cave with a bit of music going and just see what comes out.

How do you like to reach your readers? 

I’m only a new author, His Beautiful Nightmare is my debut so I am still new to all this. Primarily I use social media, facebook to be specific, I practically live there haha. I am looking forward to 2017 though because I have the fantastic opportunity to attend two book signings. My first thanks to Kat T Masen who is hosting Books By The Bridge in Sydney next February and then Riveting Reads in Brisbane in October. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there and do a little fan girling of my own with most of my own favourite Indi authors attending. 

I practically live on Facebook so that’s the best place to find out everything that is going on with my releases, events and my random ramblings. Though I am new to Twitter also so please bear with me while I try at learn to be a twit haha.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkamnewton/

Twitter: @authorkamnewton

Can you tell us about your latest book? 

His Beautiful Nightmare is the first book in The Suffer Ring Series. It’s about this gorgeous and

curvy rockabilly chick named Ruby Lee and the bad boy Cobolt Wolfe who comes into town to shake up her world. It has a little bit of everything in there I think, bad boys, sassy girls, tattoos, classic cars and a little darkness mixed in. I guess all the things I like to read about myself.

How long did it take you to write the book?

I am a very slow writer, I have been writing HBN on and off since September last year, though I have had some health issues over that time, so I would say more like 6 months of solid writing time to get it to publication.

Do you have a favourite character/topic in your work? 

I love Ellie (Eloise), she is the ultimate best friend and is a combination of a few of my own friends in one. She is bright, sassy and funny. She will be getting her own book in The Suffer Ring series because I feel her story really needs to be told, she is more than just a character to me.

What was your process? Did you plot out the entire book, or just let the storyline flow? Do you write in chronological order? 

I’m a flow writer, I have a rough idea of where everything fits but really I let the characters determine the story. I had a dream about the ending of HBN last year and decided to write it out thinking that’s where it was heading. I looked back at it just a few days ago and realised how much the characters had changed the direction of this story since then. I love how sometimes I don’t even know what’s going to happen next, I excite myself haha.

Do you have plans for further instalments? 

Yes I also have plans to release a spin off series to The Suffer Ring Series later down the track.

Do you have a plan for your next book? 

My next book will be the second book in The Suffer Ring Series called Our Stolen Illusion, which is the story of Xander and Ivy. I do have a standalone that is itching at me to be written so I’m still unsure if to take some time after OSI to write that or to wait till the series is complete. I think I will just have to see what feels right at the time.

Ebooks vs Physical books? Do you have a preference when reading? 

I love the feel and dare I say smell of a good paperback (another confessed book sniffer - Amanda), there is nothing like it. I get all my favourite books on paperback and I hope to eventually get them all signed too. Though I love ebooks because I have discovered some amazing Indie authors this way and If I go anywhere I can take my kindle with me and have my entire library at my fingertips

Self-publishing vs traditional publishing? What are your thoughts? Do you feel that the industry is changing?

I think they both have their merits; you just have to find what format suits you personally. I’d love to publish with a company and be the next Nickolas Sparks, EL James or JL Perry but I am happy self-publishing and knowing that I am doing this for myself because I have always wanted to write my own books and this is a way I am able to achieve that.

And finally, what advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Give it a go. If you think you can do it and want to give it a try, then why not. There is no one stopping you but yourself. I was surprised by how much support I got from my family and friends. I honestly thought they would call me a fool and think nothing more of it. Instead I got messages and phone calls encouraging me to go for it and take that chance. It’s the best decision I have made and with ebooks and Indi-publishing anyone can do it now. All you have to do is try.

Thank you so much Kam for dropping in with your debut book, I hope we can follow you on your writing journey and it would be a pleasure to have you back with each book as we follow the Suffer Ring series. 

Thank you readers for once again droppin by. If you'd like to be interviewed for this blog, please drop me a line at amanda@amandahoward.com.au or find me on facebook.

Cheers, 

Amanda

Author Interview: Steve Dillon, Author, Artist, Editor, Publisher, Publicist and Philanthropist

Hey fellow readers and writers. This week I am interviewing Steve Dillon: author, artist, editor, designer, publicist, publisher and philanthropist

Steve Dillon is one of over 30 artists and writers involved in the creation of the fantastic collaboration The Refuge Collection. The book can be described as a series of tales about a place called Refuge. "Heaven to Some, Hell to Others". It's a place where the thin veil of death is often torn asunder, where Egyptian gods roam freely alongside Lovecraft's mythos deities. There are tales of terror, suicide and murder, perverted priests, corrupt politicians. All in the name of charity, with stories from Ramsey Campbell, Kaaron Warren, Paul Kane, Lee Murray, Tracie McBride, Mark Allan Gunnells and many more! So far, 32 interwoven stories have been published online, and the last few tales are in progress. Book 1 is out now, (Heaven to Some...) and this contains the first 18 stories by 12 authors), and the remaining 18 will be included in book 2 (Hell to Others!)

Steve not only wrote 15 stories for Refuge, but also contributed artwork and cover design work. He was also the series editor.  All of that equals a pretty big job in my eyes. 

Well done Steve and thanks for coming today to talk to me about your contributions to The Refuge Collection. 

Can you tell us a bit about you as an author? 
Writing fiction has always been a hobby, but as our kids have grown older, I’ve found more and more time to develop the hobby. Writing is now a passion; a compulsion and is rapidly in danger of becoming an obsession.

What are the hardest part of being an author?
Finding the time to get the ideas down before the next idea hits me. That, and the dreams… When I’m immersed in any project, whether that’s painting or writing, sleep becomes more like walking I’m just walking in a different world. Since I started work in The Refuge Collection, each night is like a visit to Refuge. I dream its streets into being, meet up with and converse with its people, study about their personalities and wonder what adventures will befall them next. I seldom sleep more than a couple of hours before waking, and if the ideas are buzzing about me—the hornets, I call these—then getting back to sleep is very difficult. Sometimes I have to switch on the laptop and start writing. Is that bad?

What do you enjoy most about being an author? 
Above all, the ability to construct an alternate reality, to play out my dreams, to test my theories, explore the interactions between ideas and personalities. Of course, this can be done while I’m painting, but writing provides—for me at least—a much faster means of transport to get there.

What authors/books have had an influence on your writing? 
I’m hesitant to offer a long list of writers, but of course everything we read influences us. The first library book I recall reading was a Doctor Who story. It was way above my age, but I was enthralled and subsequently labelled a ‘bookworm’ by my family. After filling my world with Spiderman, Doctor Strange, The Avengers and all those early British Marvel comics, I moved on to read more Science Fiction—I was equally attracted to the artwork and I collected Sci-Fi posters and artwork. I turned to fantasy after a while— everything by Tolkien, Terry Brooks’s Magic Kingdom and Shannara Chronicles (I hated the TV series) and of course Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea. I’ve Lol’d at most of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books and peripherals. My main inspiration for the darker side of fiction comes from Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell (who has a story in The Refuge Collection), HP Lovecraft, MR James, Brian Lumley and many more. Since coming to Australia, I’ve discovered a much broader wellspring among my colleagues and friends, as well as my co-writers at The Refuge Collection. Lee Murray’s ‘Into The Mist’ leaps out at me as one of the best novellas I’ve read recently, but I mostly read short stories now. I also listen to audiobooks on my daily commute, and have recently discovered Ian Tregillis’s ‘Something More than Night’ which in my opinion is a modern archetype. When I was young, I read the Bible studiously (especially Revelations), as well as Shakespeare (I memorised most of Macbeth and large sections of Hamlet and Richard III.)

Do you ever get Writer’s Block? If so, how do you deal with it? Do you believe there is such a thing? 
I believe in it, because people often refer to it. I have tried to write three novels, one of which got to 60,000 words before I put it down and accepted the fact that it was something I’d never finish. That’s not a block, in my opinion, even though it may be a dead end. There’s plenty more to write about, after all. Ideas come to me all day every day and I find I have to block them out, so I don’t believe I’ll ever suffer from lack of ideas. Personally, I find writing to be more of a sludge at times, when I have to pause the ideas factory in my head to write stuff down—the details if you like—when I really just want to crack on with the story.

Do you have a particular place that you like to write? 
At my day job, if I can get away with it—that’s where I’m writing at the moment. Usually when I’m waiting for some information before I can proceed with something. I write in bed sometimes, or on the commuter train—with earplugs in—and that’s where I wrote the first draft of ‘The Shiraz Train.’ I also have a dedicated space where I work at my day job as well as write, and I travel a lot and stay in hotels, so I do a lot of reading and writing at restaurants or in my hotel room. In general, I prefer solitude and quiet, so I always carry earplugs with me.

Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
During working hours is preferred, but not always practical as my day job gets in the way. Other than that, not really.

How do you like to reach your readers? (Social media? Book signings? Blogs etc.)
I use Facebook a lot, and Twitter tends to feed off that. We also have a fantastic web site built by Eric Gross, one of our contributing artists. I’d love to engage more in person at book shows and conventions, etc. but I’m fairly restricted in that respect because of my job, family commitments and geographical constraints.

Can you tell us about The Refuge Collection?

‘The Refuge Collection’ is a series of short, standalone, scary tales set in the shared, mysterious world of Refuge. 36 tales from Refuge have been imagined by about 30 writers and artists, but they also inter-leave and form a large organically-grown story-tree. It’s often in my own stories, and in my role as series editor, where we graft the other branches to the tree, or plant seeds that can grow into other tales, allowing the characters to blossom between stories.

All the proceeds are for charity to aid refugees, and we see this as a way for fictional horror stories to help people who are living real-life horror stories.

How long did it take to write the book?
“Book 1 of The Refuge Collection—subtitled ‘Heaven to Some’—saw print about 9 months after I kicked off the project, and Book 2—subtitled ‘Hell to Others’—will follow about 3 months later. A lot of that time is spent working with the other writers on how the plot will flow, and sequencing of the stories.

Do you have a favourite character/topic in the book?
Refuge is populated with an assortment of characters that are often revisited in different tales, sometimes by different writers. The town’s mayor is a devious, devilish sort, and along with father Millar, the corrupt parish priest, he’s probably the one most writers want to include in their own stories.

What was your process? Did you plot out the entire book, or just let the storyline flow? Do you write in chronological order?
I began by writing a few inter-related short stories in quick succession, to flesh out some of the key characters, places and events. Then the other writers developed the themes, contributed their storylines and ideas, and we worked together to make them all fit together. One of the stories, by Ramsey Campbell, is a reprint, and this needed to be adapted slightly to fit into Refuge. My most recent stories are inspired by the events and happenings that other writers have brought to Refuge through their stories. Although I had a beginning and an ending in mind, how those two elements came together have largely been affected by the other tales and the imagination of the other writers.

Do you have plans for further instalments?
Yes. Book 2 will be out later this year, and we’ve already begun writing for The Refuge Companion, which will include some additional stories, but also character summaries, plot overviews, and additional thoughts. Easter eggs and puzzles will be solved, and some of the symbolism in the books will be expounded upon.

Do you have a plan for your next book?
I don’t know that Refuge will ever let me go, and I’ve been asked by some of the writers to make this an annual project. Plus, we’ve already held discussions for a TV series, graphic novels, a role-playing game, etc. But I’m also trying to find time to write non-Refuge work for competitions and for escapism. The problem is, they always seem to draw me back to Refuge… I’m writing one about cats at the moment, and cats feature heavily in Refuge, so who knows?

Author, editor, artist, publicist, philanthropist... what do find to be the hardest "job"?
“Series editor, definitely. Being in control to some extent of the underlying plot – the shared world side of things, as well as the underlying empathy with the refugee situation – meant I sometimes had to explain why key characters couldn’t be killed off, or why a certain plot point wouldn’t work. In some cases, multiple review cycles were needed and eventually I ended up turning down stories after several revisions because we just couldn’t make it work. That was quite draining on my time and energy.

There are often people who try to detract from author's work. How do you deal with trolls/haters/detractors? 
“I see it all as personal opinion. I was never a Stephen King fan (now we’ll get the hate mail!), but I know he has sold one or two stories, so he must be good. If Stephen King was to write the way I’d like him to write, maybe it would be worse for that. Who knows? Having said that, some of his movies are great, and I loved ‘Needful Things.’

Why did you decide to help a charity with this book?
“I’ve always tried to help where I could. I generally avoid the news because I usually feel so helpless, but this one time I was visiting my Mum who lives in the UK. I turned on her TV and saw the real humane crisis that is the refugee situation, and I cried. I was already writing three or four stories, so I thought, Okay, these will be for charity. Then I hit on the idea of asking Ramsey Campbell if he’d be involved, and Kaaron Warren, and once I had their support, the rest came easy. There are a lot of people who want to help but don’t have any way to help out, and this kind of slotted into place: A book about fictional characters living in a place called Refuge, providing the readers an entertaining read, but still raising real-world refugee issues in a way that’s easy to absorb, and put in place by a bunch of people who love doing what they do – writing, artwork, etc.

Ebooks vs Physical books? Do you have a preference when reading?
I prefer hardback books to thumb through when I’m feeling self-indulgent. I like softbacks to read and fold the pages, and drink coffee over and while travelling, I read ebooks for their convenience, and listen to audiobooks most workdays in the car.

Self-publishing vs traditional publishing? What are your thoughts? Do you feel that the industry is changing? 
It seems to me that the advent of self-publishing is a writer’s heaven and a reader’s hell… The biggest challenge is to recognise the great stories from the masses. Most people will tend to stick to known authors as a consequence, which is a blessing and a curse—another duality.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors? 
Don’t aspire—just write. I’m an artist because I paint, no matter how good or bad (or unconventional) it might be. And I’m a writer because I write. Even if nobody else likes it, or ever reads it. I was an aspirant for way too long, and life is too short.

How can readers find out more about you:
Website: www.RefugeCollection.com
Smashwords (for ebooks): http://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/22669
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stevedillonwriter/ and http://www.facebook.com/refugecollection
Twitter: @Refuge
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/29KLmdF
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/user/show/12352170-stephen-dillon

As mentioned earlier, this book will benefit charity, to be more precise, The Sanctuary Australia Foundation. Here is a link to a great article about the book and the charity.  

Thanks Steve for dropping by this week. The collection was released in HC on August 1 and the PB is now available too!

Thank you everyone for stopping by. If you'd like to be interviewed for this blog, please drop me a line, if you have a cool story to tell also let me know. 

Until next week!

Cheers, 

Amanda Howard

The Author's Journey: Part 2 Where to Begin

Welcome again to another edition of The Author's Journey.

I am writing this as part of my Master of Arts (Writing) under the subject PWR70002 - Online Writing and I want to share with emerging writers as well as those who are keen to further their own writing.

So here I am, literally. I have an idea - and I often have a thousand ideas, but where do I begin? How do you turn that light bulb above your head into your next dynamo book? Well I thought I'd ask a few experts. I dragged a few friends in this week to help answer this question of 'where do I begin?"

I will share with you some of their processes for that very first step.

Mike Covell, a fellow Ripperologist and historian shares this with us:

Depends where I am. I always have a tablet with me, so sometimes it goes into a memo, If I don't have a tablet, I use my mobile, if I am at the laptop, I use that. We have a cloud, so it all goes into the home pc for further use.  A lot of my newspaper story ideas come at night when I am in bed, so I usually wake up, jot them down, then check the pc in morning.  Before that I used a pen and pad, and I still keep one in my bag or on my desk at all times. I also keep all my old notes in box files.

Musician and author Peter Altieri explains:

I like to let the idea percolate in my head for a while. It is so raw in the early stages, that for me at least, it takes time to form. Once that starts, then I like to do at least a rough outline. Depending on what I'm doing at the time, I would most likely keep it warm until I am ready to start working on it. Like most of you, I usually have several projects going on at the same time.

Philip Bradbury, author of 53 Smiles went into a fair bit of detail that goes beyond that first step of idea from head, but brings with him some valuable advice;, 

I jot down the idea - usually at around 3.00 am they come - and leave it beside my bed for 3 days, the time a Lakota elder told me that spirit needs to grow it. After the 3 days, I take myself off to a cafe or somewhere else quiet and I WRITE ... I just let it all out, whatever comes to mind, vomit on paper. Sometimes it's that exact idea, fleshed out, and sometimes it's a totally different idea. By the end of that I will have around 3,000 words and the inspiration to carry on ...

Amy Wright is a dear friend (that photo at Belanglo is of us) and also the author of the Murder Library and Serial Killer GPS app. She posts biographies and articles on serial killers every single day (and I highly recommend you clicking her name and joining the group). Though she doubted her status as author, I think she is one of the prolific writers in our genre. 

Her advice is:

I always have my iphone and/or my iPad with me. I immediately go to 'Notes' and jot down bits and pieces. If it's a link that's given me the inspiration I'll jot that down too. I put all the pieces together when I have time.

Kam Newton recently released her debut book, His Beautiful Nightmare. I am pleased to have been a part of its launch and happy to have her here sharing her advice as an emerging author, 

I have my notebook j write down new ideas with but if it's a story in in the middle of writing already I have a document just for random paragraphs or ideas I've written. I have a truly TERRIBLE memory, people's names, days of the week etc but my story plots I never forget. Though I have forgotten timelines pretty easy

Gone are the days of little handheld recording devices, or so I thought. Author John Foxjohn, is keen to share that 

"I carry a small digital recorder with me. I record my thoughts."  

I think this is often a better idea that writing things down. Sometimes ideas can be so fleeting and typing/writing can be so laborious that it is good to just talk to the little machine. I have done this on many occasions often when driving. I press record and start talking and recording the ideas that come to me.   

Author of the Dead Girl Series, Kirsty Ferguson explains her process: 

When I have an idea, I start by writing it in my notes on my phone, I'm usually on my walk when I come up with ideas. Then I start to write. I don't plan, I don't use a mind map, I just start typing and let the story take me away. Most of the time, I am surprised by the ending. I wouldn't write any other way. Have tried drafting chapter out by it stifled the storyline and was no good for me.

Best selling true crime author Paul Aitch, gave his advice: 

I like to get as much of the idea down as quickly as possible. I also ask myself questions and add potential solutions to these....  he gave a lot more advice, but I think I will save that for another post.   

Belinda Missen is another emerging author and is finding her process is changing as she writes more and more books.  

Up until recently, I had an idea and started writing. Lately, though, I've started getting a two paragraph synopsis/blurb onto paper and working the story around that.

Megan Badger, worrying that she had done too many steps (but I don't think she has), has a very novel approach before she commences her story writing:

I take notes first (this usually happens when I'm just falling asleep), then mind map followed closely by plot points (with a list of things I need to research), then a call to one of my two brainstorm buddies and coffee date made to trial the idea and refine it through conversation and good company. Then the research begins, the plot refined and fingers to keyboard. 

Chrissy Johnstone shares one of the most important points...

Scribble it down on the nearest scrap of paper!

If you don't write it down, no matter what the paper you need to use, it is much better on a napkin than later forgotten. I could not count the amount of ideas I have forgotten, thinking that they were so fantastic that there is no way that you will forget it. You are lying to yourself if you think you will remember it. One bad storyline written down is worth 100 good storylines forgotten!

A dear friend of mine, Debra Betts is an incredible artist and also an aspiring poet. She explains her process,

Occasionally I write some poetry that never sees the light of day..usually they just appear in my head, and if I don't write it down, it's gone

Lynne Lumsden Green describes, quite well, the anguish of the writer's mind and how we often have a lot of stories floating around our heads. As someone who has 54 current works in progress, I feel her pain and joy of the creative process. 

 I write the idea down and spend a few minutes jotting down related ideas that could be worked into a proper story. Then, a day or so later, I will do a mind map (I call it chunking, because I get 'chunks' of scenes and characters).

At this point, the idea might die. If not, I may set it away to write another day, as I have a lot of projects on the go and who really need another one? But, if the idea is really enticing, I may sit down and write it out. To hell with the other projects, for a couple of days at least.

Friend and travelling companion Charlotte Frisby gave a great insight into her process as an emerging writer, 

I jot it down anywhere, envelopes, notepad, post it note, even the back of my hand. I bought myself a really nice notebook in Rome and it's got loads of ideas for stories, but they have yet to make it into a fully formed, start to finish, story. I'm still a one book wonder.

She raises a great point here. Nice notebooks can, in themselves, be incredible inspiration. Every single book I have written (and I am at 18 published books as at October 2016) has an accompanying notebook. Some look well loved, they are tatty and torn from being carried around, others have pieces of napkins stuck in them from when inspiration struck and it was all I  had to write on. Others have additional storylines that are then torn out and glued into another book so that they can live on in a different story. Notebooks are a must, but you have to feel it too. I have a Sherlock notebook and a matching tiny note pad. They were gifts from a close friend, who calls me Sherlock, and they inspire me. They are both being used frequently. Then on the other side of things I have purchased other notebooks that remain blank. They have not assisted in any inspiring thoughts so for now they remain on the bookshelf in my home library awaiting their turn for greatness. 

Brian Kavanagh, an absolute legend in the Australian (and international) film industry and an incredible author who writes the Belinda Lawrence mystery books, gives a fantastic rundown on that very first part of pen to paper. 

I think it's a form of osmosis. The original idea percolates into the beginning and end (?) of a story; characters developed and re-developed. Then free flow ideas as they come. I end up discovering a desk covered with scraps of notepaper with a thought, an expression, a new character, some relevant dialogue, some bitchy dialogue, some funny dialogue, a new plot angle. Accompanying these is a parallel list lodged in my mind, forever playing as a visual photostream. Eventually, all gets loaded into my mental blender, switch it on, and heigh-ho - a book. One hopes

Author Suzi Jay works the way many of us do. Flying by the seat of our pants. Inspiration is there, so you may as well get stuck straight into it!

I start writing the story straight away. If I'm at my computer I start typing if I'm not, I get out pen and paper and write. If for some reason I can't start there and then, like if I'm in the middle of another story with a deadline, I will think of a title and make a mock up of a cover. This is enough to remind me of what it was and keeps me motivated to get it done.

Tegan Barber, another of my friends who may not be an author in the traditional sense but she publishes work on a daily basis that is of an incredible standard,

Depends, sometimes I just write it down other times I wait to see where I can take that idea and if it will work and won't result in becoming dry and mundane. I also don't let people read ideas in the simple stages, people trying to give input on what is simply an idea can sometimes be off putting for me

Steampunk author Karen Carlisle, who has recently released her latest Violet Stewart Adventures, shares her advice:

I grab a notebook and write down notes. Sometimes a full scene, or part of one, will emerge. I often handwrite at this stage as it seems to unlock the ideas more efficiently than typing. I have a notebook by the bed, in my bag ...

Prize winning author Rosanne Dingli, is a woman after my own heart. So many times I've had this happen to me. She explains,

I open a word doc and write a note to myself, addressing myself as if I were another person. "Write a dark novella with the title This Title and a MC whose hobby is weaving." Many months later I open the doc and have NO IDEA what the idea was!!! So I write one anyway, using the prompts I typed in at the time ... and I'm always pleased with the result.

Belle Brooks shows how technology changes and as one of the younger authors interviewed for this blog, she shows how technology is a good friend to the author:

I type everything in my phone when it comes. At 2 a.m. in the morning I will roll over, grab my phone from the nightstand and message myself. If I don't have time to write it, I voice record and play it back later. Some of my best work comes from doozy voice recordings haha. If a story is screaming at me I will write what needs to make it quiet again so I meet deadlines on projects. It is normally about 10,000 words which means I have always got a good start on my next project.

Penelope Romanov (doesn't she have the best name ever?), is a singer and author. She shares her advice with us:

No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I immediately type the beginning...a paragraph at least... then, I can't stop.

Dene Menzel, singer, performer and author of the Voice Factor - and a fantastic coach too who I am
forever indebted for her tips on overcoming stage fright-  shares her tips:

Voice memo on my phone because I might not have a pen and paper handy

Adult contemporary romance author Emma James shares her advice on what she does when inspiration strikes,

When a nugget appears in my mind , a notebook is always handy and a pen. I scribble away until it's all out. I carry notebook in handbag, beside bed, kitchen. All ready in case something hits my mind. Then I try to decipher that scribble later

David Russell, whom I shall call an emerging writer, purely because he has written some incredible epic stories but refuses to publish them though I have had the luxury of reading a lot of his work (yes David, I am saying put them out there!) shares his advice,

I go straight to the keyboard if possible and start getting it down, no matter how sloppily. a friend told me many years ago that bad writing can be fixed but no writing can't.

This is one of the most important pieces of advice I like to share. Many new authors get bogged down, correcting typos fixing grammar as they write their first draft. Hemingway said it best,

"the first draft of anything is shit"

This should be above every writer's desk. Don't worry about that first draft. It is about getting it down on paper/computer. No-one will ever read your first draft. Really, you should never ever share your first draft. This is you telling yourself the story, then you have to make it better. But first and foremost you have to get it out of your head!

I want to thank all of the authors above who took the time to answer my interview questions. This is really a labour of love and I appreciate them sharing their own advice with the blog. There are many more posts to come and I hope that you find inspiration here, and maybe even that tool that you have been missing from your writer's toolkit. Please show them some love by clicking on their name links and checking out their fantastic books. There is something here for everyone no matter your genre preference.

Until next time,

Cheers


Amanda Howard

If you'd like to be involved in this blog, be interviewed about your latest book or if you have a story to tell. Please contact me via the links below.

Links:
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Amanda Howard's books (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-Howard/e/B001JP7X7I/

Author Interview: Award winning author Rosanne Dingli

This week, please welcome esteemed international author Rosanne Dingli. 

Rosanne is sought by an international audience for prize-winning short stories and intricate novels, Rosanne Dingli has published fiction successfully for over 25 years. Most of her body of work is available in paperback and ebook.

The author's fiction centres around the classical Arts, such as painting, music, and literature. She also uses locations and their allure to anchor her stories and give them substance. Folklore embellishes some of her works.

In 2015, this author wrote, produced and published three full-length novels; A Funeral in Fiesole, which a family-oriented novel that takes place in Italy. Adult siblings gather for their mother's funeral, where new attitudes and opinions supplant old perceptions. How to Disappear is a novel in two parts that concerns the drudgery of some modern-day relationships and also the migrant experience. And The White Lady of Marsaxlokk is a paranormal historical novel. It once more features an Australian protagonist experiencing an adventure in Europe.

The Hidden Auditorium appeared in July 2013. It is a cultural adventure that takes an antiques dealer on a quest for a secret about a famous composer. He thinks a beautiful pendant contains an important clue. It received a BRAG medallion in 2015.

Camera Obscura is the third on this author's shelf of novels. A romantic adventure using photography, art theft, and fascinating locations, it takes the reader on one of this author's breathless chases, which are now well-known and loved by her readers. It has been short-listed in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Awards.

The novel According to Luke was released in 2010. This exciting and controversial novel has been described by some as a combination of religious thriller and romantic suspense. It received a Noveltunity award in 2015.

Her work in progress is a family-oriented novel that takes place in Italy. Adult siblings gather for their mother's funeral, where new attitudes and opinions supplant old perceptions.

Rosanne Dingli now writes full-time after retiring from teaching in 2009. Her out-of-print short fiction and poetry is once more available in handy easy-to-read volumes that do not cost the earth. She gives occasional workshops on writing and publishing.

Can you tell us a bit about you as an author?

I started in New South Wales in 1985, two years after moving to Australia from Malta, and immediately my short pieces were published in literary journals, anthologies, newspaper inserts, and more. My collected published and awarded poems came out as my first book in 1991, when Literary Mouse Press launched it at the Perth Old Observatory. Everyone came. My first novel saw more than two dozen publishers before Jacobyte Books in South Australia accepted and published it in 2001. They went on to take two of my story collections. When they closed in 2005, they passed me on to the British publishers BeWrite Books. Today, I have seven novels, six story collections, a few novellas, and that first lucky poetry book available under my own imprint, Yellow Teapot books.

What is the hardest part of being an author?

It’s all very hard, but discoverability is probably what approaches being impossible to achieve in these days of widespread independent publishing. The democratization of publishing means almost everyone is capable of putting out a book or six – and they do. As a result of this, getting noticed is rather difficult, and unless readers notice a book, however wonderful it might be, they cannot read it.

What do you enjoy most about being an author?

Autonomy is something I love. I can dabble, or I can be as professional as I like … always or in turn. And the consequences are all mine to own. Hard work, when I can do it, comes easily. Doing nothing, or reading the books of others, is also possible and gives great pleasure. Being my own boss appealed to me when I freelanced as a journalist, literary editor, and columnist back in the 1990s. Autonomous authors can measure their success as an outcome of their own efforts, so it’s very rewarding.

What authors/books have had an influence on your writing?

Rather than on my writing, the authors I read have an influence on the broadness of my outlook, the depth of my cultural understanding, and the eclectic array of subjects into which I like to delve. John Fowles, AS Byatt, and Ian McEwen are all intellectually stimulating authors whose topics are very relevant and interesting to me. The reading I did as a young adult also proved important as I discovered what I wanted to write about. Robert Goddard, John Dickson Carr, Georges Simenon, and Georgette Heyer were only four among dozens of authors whose books filled my bookcases. I am now reading everything by Peter Robinson, seeking the fascinating undercurrents in novels that to others might appear simple or boxed-in by genre.

Do you ever get Writer’s Block? If so, how do you deal with it? Do you believe there is such a thing?

I am not one of those writers who have a daily schedule. I go for months without writing, since I do not compose if there’s nothing to write. My 30 years of writing professionally have taught me to understand the kind of writer I am. I work when there’s a strong premise that won’t leave me alone, and when I find the words with which to present it. I am not a strong believer in “story”, yet I do not write navel-gazing philosophical recitals and chronicles that are just display cases for acquired knowledge.

Do you have a particular place that you like to write?

My office is great. I’ve always had one, and will always have one, wherever I live.

Do you have a favourite time of day to write?

The best is always the time when I am most likely to be interrupted. The middle of the afternoon, when the family return home, when dinner needs cooking, when the phone rings non-stop; that used to be the most fruitful time for me. Now that the nest is empty, the place is quiet, and my partner, who is rather self-sufficient, doesn’t need stuff in the middle of the afternoon, I find it hard to write. I need interruptions, it seems.

How do you like to reach your readers?

I engage on Facebook, which I use for nothing else. It’s not for family or friends, but is the vehicle for making myself and my books known. All I do there is about books, writing, reading, and neutral but fascinating topics that connect to what interests me. So this necessarily excludes anything to do with politics and other controversial topics. I also like to respond to queries on LinkedIn. Since the LinkedIn format changed, so did the nature of the discussions. I must remember to find better conversations to join.

I do quite a number of public appearances every year. About four or five workshops at libraries and writing organizations, and many talks and signings. These are excellent occasions to sell and sign, and readers who meet me eyeball-to-eyeball never fail to follow me on social media, so the enjoyable public events are also very useful. I have been speaking and reading publicly since 1987, and when I lectured in Creative Writing at ECU in the years that followed, I discovered some good techniques to engage an audience of readers.

Your latest book:

Can you tell us about your latest book, A Funeral in Fiesole?

A Funeral in Fiesole was one of three stand-alone novels I wrote, produced, and published in 2015. It’s what I like to call ‘location fiction’, based on a particular place that has fascinated me in the past, when visited personally. I love Italy, and speak the language fluently, so I often include the country in my writing. Fiesole is a village built into the hills above Florence, where beautiful villas catch the eye among the trees. This particular novel was a challenge from the outset, because it is narrated by four separate protagonists, all in the first person. They are four adult siblings who meet for their mother’s funeral and the reading of her will. They bring along emotional and financial burdens, which are disclosed as they find out how unreliable memories of one’s youth and childhood can be.

This novel is aimed at people of a certain generation. I am fascinated by baby-boomers, their concerns and peculiarities as a group. I also love that aspect of the human condition – relationships – which will always fascinate us. How couples bond or separate, how adult siblings relate. These are topics my readers love. When incorporated into a piece of location fiction, they really resound and stay in the memory.

How long did it take you to write the book?

It took about 5 weeks to set down the first draft of A Funeral in Fiesole. I do not plan my novels, but this one was fairly easily kept in my head, and it all came tumbling out of my typing fingers in a very short span.

Do you have a favourite character in your work?

The best character I have ever created – in all my writing life – became a real person in my mind. He lives inside two of my novels, According to Luke and The Hidden Auditorium. His name is Prof Bryn Awbrey, a Welsh eccentric who is very good at solving mysteries, especially if they relate to art, history, music, and related subjects. He is a loveable old man – the kind of uncle everyone needs.

Do you have a favourite topic in your work?

My favourite topics are Bryn Awbrey’s topics! My tertiary education consisted in Fine Arts, and History of Art and Architecture. I also love music and the lives of the composers. I read a lot of biographies. So it’s only natural that I should take these beloved subjects into my fiction without very much effort. Researching within these subjects is also very pleasurable, and sometimes preferable to writing.

What was your process? Did you plot out the entire book, or just let the storyline flow?  Do you write in chronological order?

Although it’s vital in fiction, storyline is not what comes first. I first seek a strong premise, give it a good base in the human condition, lace it with a lot of history, music, art, literature and so on … find the correct words with which to frame the narrative, seek some wonderful characters to bring it all to life, and it takes form, very swiftly, in my head. Then I hold my hands over the keyboard, and they do the rest.

Do you have plans for further instalments?

No. Occasionally I write a book and my readers ask for a sequel, so it does occur to me, but that’s not enough. I must have all the ingredients I mentioned above. When that happens, and another novel can be constructed on the tail of another, it’s a fine thing. It’s only happened once so far. But watch this space.

Do you have a plan for your next book?

I’m the kind of author who doesn’t plan. My life is too full of complications for that. If I applied the same structures and schedules to my writing as I must to what I call my real life, writing would cease to be enjoyable.

Ebooks vs Physical books? Do you have a preference when reading?

I read paper books for one simple reason – most of my day is spent in front of a computer screen for one purpose or another. Relaxing with a book means lying down with a paperback for me.

There will always be a place for both electronic and physical books in the reading world. Many readers love both, and some have a distinct preference for one or the other. Low cost makes ebooks wonderful, and without that stream, my books would not sell so widely or so well. I find, however, that people often buy the whole set of my paperbacks after they have bought an ebook or two … when they have come to love my characters and the way I write. Collectors love books they can place on a shelf.

Self-publishing vs traditional publishing? What are your thoughts? Do you feel that the industry is changing?

The industry – if we can still call it that – started to change sometime in 2008-09. That was the period my publishers started to telegraph a sense of excitement to me. Amazon started to tap into the groundswell of independent writers and small publishers, and suddenly there was a big inundation of new works that travelled well without the need of agents or established publishers. Wow. I took my backlist and published two or three volumes myself, gaining a lot of useful experience as I did it. When my last publishers folded, I was poised to fly. Rights were returned to me and within a fortnight ALL of my books were self-published and selling under my own imprint, Yellow Teapot Books. I have never looked back.

The last seven or eight years have been incredible – not only have mainstream publishing had to take a long hard look at what is happening, but traditional publishers found that participating pays. It’s not easy for them, and it’s not easy for small publishers and those who do it on their own. But the book world is not an easy place to inhabit. It’s always been a hostile place, almost impossible to navigate. Those who survive are the quick learners who are also patient and perseverant. There will always be a place for both trad and SP, but they will both evolve as we go, and the most likely way is in different directions, for different markets. I found it was wonderful to transition between one and the other. I was a hybrid author for a few years. It was what perhaps got me started so well on my own path.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Seriously? I suggest they never touch writing and publishing unless they are immune to frustration, doubt, and extreme difficulty. They must have minimal hope in making it pay financially, and be prepared for endless unpaid hours of not only drafting, editing, correcting and rewriting, but also innumerable hours of promoting, promoting, promoting, and finding new ways to make one’s books discoverable. It’s not for everyone. First, one must be a capable writer, and that takes decades to perfect. Then, one must be open to constant change. One must also be able to understand the book world, understand that ‘marketing’ is not a simple subject one can learn in one weekend; and that just a handful of books will never be enough to cut it in such a ferociously competitive marketplace.

My advice is – if you want regular money, stick to your real job. If you want quick results, reliability and predictability, avoid working in the arts. If you think it’s all about storytelling, delve further into the book world. If you think the life of a writer is uncomplicated and fairly simple, ask someone who does it full time. If you think success as a writer doesn’t involve luck, ask someone whose books are doing well. If you think a good book will automatically find readers, think again.

And finally, how can readers find you?

Website: www.rosannedingli.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rosannedingli

Twitter: @rosannedingli  (rarely used)

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Rosanne-Dingli/e/B002BOJFCM

Goodreads: https: www.goodreads.com/author/show/2743619.Rosanne_Dingli

Blog: www.rosannedingli.blogspot.com

Thank you for this opportunity, Amanda. I like reaching new readers, and your generous offer was very timely.

Rosanne Dingli

Thank you for visiting Rosanne. This was an incredibly stimulating interview.

Amanda

Serial Killers - Have they lost their Fame?

I have been researching serial killers for twenty years. I have spoken to some of the most heinous humans across the world. There was a time when serial murder was a main focus of pop culture.  With killers such as Dahmer, Gacy and Bundy taking up news space, many people could not get enough of hearing the gruesome details of murder. Yet I am finding that slowly, the interest has waned. Yes there are prime television shows such as Dexter and The Following that still propagate the serial killer genre, but killers themselves have fallen from the news.

Serial killers are being recognised and/or caught often, yet the interest in such cases is no longer there. Recently the next big thing in crime circles has been the locked away woman, taken as children by their fathers or strangers they were hidden from the world and raped for decades.

Serial murder is not what it once was. Of course this is a good thing, but one has to wonder about what else is happening out there when a multiple murderer no longer shocks.

The Light At the End of the Tunnel

The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train, but the completion of my very first novel. I just typed the last line of my book. Of course, until I am happy I will continue to tweak and twiddle away, but in essense it is done.

I am so happy. I sat here with my laptop beside me and cried. I have never felt that before. It was an amazing sense of achievement. Yes I know I have written six other books, but they were all true crime, the information was already there. I just had to interpret it and get it down on paper.

This time, it was from my own head, my own story, my own characters, my own novel. I did it.