Jenna Johnson Interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

Well, that all depends on when inspiration strikes or how many hours I have to spare.  Sometimes, an idea for a new scene or story will come to me when I’m trying to go to sleep, and I must crawl out of bed and write it down.  At other times, I like to get up early and write before the world has a chance to distract me. 

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

Even though my first book was born through paper and pen, I like to keep separate files on my computer for my different stories, and I normally keep it all there (for example, I’ll have a file for my Oescienne series and in that file I’ll have a document set aside for the book, the characters, the world and random ideas or thoughts).  If my computer isn’t handy, however, I’ll jot down lines of dialogue or action scenes on one of several notebooks lying around my bed and desk.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

Most of my inspiration is drawn from reading other books.  A good number of my newer projects have stemmed from an idea formulated while reading.  Other times, the most random things will bring inspiration.  One night I happened to look out my window while the full moon was out and I thought it would be neat if there was a type of mythical creature living in one of my worlds that could only enter our world through a shadow cast by a stone with the light of a full moon.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

I will do this on occasion.  When I wrote my first book, I actually wrote down my word count goal on my calendar.  Now, when I get a chance to dedicate more than an hour to writing, I will aim to add 1,000 or more words for each session.  Sometimes I reach this goal, sometimes I don’t. 

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

I am a self published author.  I tried traditional publishing, but I was unable to find an agent and in the end I just wanted to share my story with others.  Currently I design my own cover art, but I am considering commissioning work for the covers of my future works (those not in the Oescienne series), just for a change of scene.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

I think if you ask any writer, they’ll tell you the same thing: it is a passion; something that I must do, something that chooses me.  I didn’t realize this was what I wanted to do until I graduated from college.  I had always invented stories in my head, and it never occurred to me that I should put them in book format.  Once I took that first frightening and exhilarating step, I was hooked and I haven’t stopped since.  If I could, I would make writing my only occupation, but since I’m independent and haven’t garnered a large enough following yet, I have to keep my day job.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

I do not own an ebook reading device, but I do have the Kindle application downloaded onto my computer.  I use it all the time and have discovered several excellent independent ebooks since downloading it.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

Oh boy, I have several favorite authors.  Among those traditionally published I enjoy Sherwood Smith, Sharon Shinn, Kristen Britain, Maria V. Snyder, Megan Whalen Turner, Moira J. Moore, Elizabeth Vaughan and Emily Rodda (I’m sure there are several more, but I can’t think of any at the moment). 

Some of the indie authors I enjoy include C.S. Marks, Susan Trombley, Melody Tink, Nicole Zoltack, Elizabeth K. Burton and Teresa McCullough.  Currently I’m reading ‘Elfhunter’ by C.S. Marks, ‘Wysard’ by Carolyn Kephart and ‘Visions of Power’ by Jeffery Quyle to name a few (I read several books at a time, jumping from one to the other depending on my mood).  I’m most definitely a reader as well as a writer.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

Book trailers are a new concept to me, but I find them intriguing.  I’ve only seen a few of them myself, and I’m not too sure about their popularity.  I have, however, considered making some for my own books; I’m just not sure how to go about it or how to design them yet.

10: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I’m currently ‘actively’ working on three books: the third novel in ‘The Legend of Oescienne’ series, another YA fantasy and also an adult fantasy.  The third book in the Oescienne series is currently titled ‘The Awakening’ (this may change) and will pick up from the end of ‘The Beginning’.  This book will follow my main characters, Jahrra and Jaax, as they journey from Oescienne to escape their common enemy while Jahrra continues to unravel who exactly she is.

The other YA book I’m working on is a step away from the Oescienne series.  It takes place in a world called Renorah where a spoiled princess and a humble farmer’s son are thrown together as they are forced to flee the royal city in order to escape an invasion of the kingdom’s enemy. 

The third book I’m working on is an unnamed fantasy for an older audience.  It’s currently in the infancy stage, and all I can tell you, right now, is that the world that it takes place in was inspired by Yosemite Valley.

Closing My Eyes.mov

Mike Watt Interview

Interview a la Mike Watt

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

In all honesty, whenever I have the time and energy to write is the most
productive time. I try to sneak in an hour of solid writing, regardless of
what it is, every day. I work best under deadline, professionally, so I
know precisely how long I have to procrastinate.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on
the computer?

Once upon a time, I used to write in longhand and then transcribe. I find
it easier to compose on a keyboard now. I can type almost as fast as I can
think, so there’s a much natural flow. Plus I can edit as I go along,
which was not a time-friendly luxury in longhand.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

The same as everyone else: everywhere. I pay strict attention to people I
know, listen to their speech patterns and personal motivations, which
helps me create characters and dialogue. I’m less interested in plot than
I am in the people in the story and how they handle the situations.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word
count?

No. I feel that’s counter-productive. You can only write as much as you
can. Some days the burnout comes quicker, some days it doesn’t come at
all. Forcing a word count just makes it feel like work and I write to
escape from “work”.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up
with your cover art?

Both. I’ve had fiction and non-fiction translated into four or five
different languages and I’ve been published all over the world. I turned
to self-publishing around the same time we began self-distributing our own
movies. The first book I self-published was a short story collection
titled Phobophobia, which consists primarily of previously-published
material. I’m lucky when it comes to cover art because my years spent as
print journalist exposed me to a wide variety of talented artists who are
usually able to come to my aid when needed. Romik Safarian provided the
amazing art for Phobophobia and the Library of the Living Dead Press’s
printing of The Resurrection Game. I also enjoy working with Matt
Gilligan, Bill Homan, Mike Okamoto and Michael Apice.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

Not being particularly skilled at anything else. I developed a taste for
writing at an early age and I stuck with it. I have the same thick file of
rejection slips as every other writer in the world and I still hear “no”
as often as I do “yes”. Largely, though, I write for no other reason than
to write. I keep a running, rambling journal of odd thoughts on a
traveling flash drive, I scribble on post-it notes. And I’ve heard other
writers do this too, so I feel no self-consciousness about this.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

Nope. It was recommended to me that I make my work available
electronically, so Phobophobia is available for the Kindle. Since The
Incomplete Works of Mike Watt Vol. 1 is primarily a collection of online
articles, essays and blog entries, translating that into an electronic
e-reader format seemed redundant. The Resurrection Game will likely be
available electronically towards the end of the year, but I don’t have the
final say in that decision.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

For fiction my favorites have remained over the years: Neil Gaiman,
Christopher Moore, Mike Resnick, Jonathan Maberry and Amber Benson.
Non-fiction: Harlan Ellison, William Goldman and Phil Hall. Comics: Will
Eisner, Gaiman, Alan Moore, Richard Moore, Jim Balent and Holly Golightly.

I’m currently in between Zot: The Black and White Collection, The Spirit
Archives Vol. 15  and Maberry’s Zombie: CSU.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I’ve only recently become aware of them because of Doug Sakmann’s trailer
for the novel “Play Dead” (I think
). Before that, it was a foreign
concept to me. I’m not a big fan of shooting trailers in the first place
and prefer to assemble them for our movies from existing footage, so I
doubt highly I’ll be doing one myself in the future, but if anyone else is
game, by all means have at it.

10: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I’m usually in the middle of multiple projects. Currently I’m bouncing
between a rewrite of the script for our next feature film (to be announced
soon); contributing to the second season of Forbidden Pictures’ Chainsaw
Sally Show; After Strange Flesh, the sequel novel to The Resurrection
Game; I’m shopping another supernatural horror novel to publishers now so
I don’t want to jinx that by talking about it; I’m writing graphic novel
adaptations of two scripts—Doomtown with artist Mike Okamoto and Severe
Injuries: House of a Half-Dozen Corpses with Matt Gilligan; I’m in the
midst of putting together an illustrated screenplay for Demon Divas and
the Lanes of Damnation as well as a collection of film articles from my
column, Movie Outlaw, tentatively titled You’ve Seen Worse.

All goodness and niceness related to me can be found at
happycloudpictures.com and mike-watt.net. Movie Outlaw’s digital home is
movieoutlaw.blogspot.com

Fangoria

Sirens of Cinema

Film Threat

Other

Go to the official Happy Cloud Pictures website:

www.happycloudpictures.net - check out their new projects and buy copies

of their past ones!

Join MOVIE OUTLAW - Oddities, grotesqueries and other movies you might

have missed - movieoutlaw.blogspot.com

Jess C Scott Interview

Interview with Jess C Scott

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

Early in the morning, and late at night ;)

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I like to start the projects writing with paper and pen, then continue on the computer. The organized clutter of messy notes (recording the thought processing) inspires me to create some order/structure out of the “chaos.”

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

Love, life, and everything in between.

4: Do you set yourself goals when you sit down to write such as word count?

Yes, but I need to do an outline before anything else.

5: Being a self published author how do you come up with your cover art?

I create my own cover art. As Plato says, “necessity is the mother of invention.” I guess my sketching and doodling habit (which kicked in during my late teenage years) are being put to some use.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

An incomprehensible, overriding need to make sense of things—via the written word.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

Not right now, though I’m eyeing whatever Nokia’s coming up with.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

Favorite authors include Vladimir Nabokov, Roald Dahl, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, D. H. Lawrence, etc. I’m currently reading Melville’s Moby-Dick (for my last paper this semester), and Lawrence’s The Rainbow.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I think they can be a great visual representation of a book. I’ve made four for my first two books (they can be found in the links I’ve included below). I haven’t decided if I’m going to make one for future works. If I feel like it…

10: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

Porcelain is a collection of short stories, poems, and sketches I’ve just completed (thought it covers material done over the past 10 years/ my written + illustrative work). I’ll soon be working on the cover for The Intern (first in a contemporary, multicultural YA series; a teenage version of Dirty Dancing means Punk’d).

Author Website: http://www.jesscscott.com

Book01 / EyeLeash: http://eyeleash.wordpress.com

Book02 / 4:Play: http://missfey.blogspot.com

Book03 / The Devilin Fey ($0.99 para rom novella): http://wp.me/p42G0-lL

Book04 / Porcelain: http://wp.me/P42G0-l7

Kindle For Android now available

Kindle on Android is now ready

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=red_lnd_shrt_url?ie=UTF8&docId=165849822

Trailer for my book

Here is the Trailer for my book

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8J1Mcts-UA

I have been interviewed on Breakout Books

Checkout the review and the interview I did for the Blog Breakout Books Thanks for the opportunity.

http://breakoutbooks.blogspot.com/2010/06/closing-my-eyes-helps-me-to-see-clearly.html

A 4 Star review for my new short story

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking Short Stories, June 25, 2010 By  Imogen Rose "Author of PORTAL" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Closing My Eyes Helps Me To See Clearly (Kindle Edition) This is a collection of two short stories and a sneak peak at Kipp Poe Speicher's two novels. The first short, Closing My Eyes Helps Me To See Clearly,  is a captivating journey of imagery, told by three separate voices.  It's Speicher's nightmare vision of the end of the world.  I had to read this fascinating story twice to really get it. The second story, Gas For Grass, is a disturbing,  graphic (fairly explicit, not suitable for the YA group) account of a man  dealing with his annoying neighbor. Kipp Poe Speicher made me think, made me go back and re-read the stories  (something I rarely do). I can't wait to read his novels. Great job!

Scott Nicholson Interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

I’m a morning person. Nothing like coffee and a keyboard. But I have to write whenever I can. So that means making the time to write in a world that hates writers.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I occasionally will doodle if I am not around a computer, and I draw little maps of my fictional settings. Usually I end up with one coffee-stained page of scribbles that are my entire notes for a novel. But these days is more convenient to go straight to file.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

I research a lot of local Appalachian legends, and as a journalist I come across a lot of quirky human-interest stories. It all goes in the mental filing cabinet and comes up when needed.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count? 

I have an overriding goal of two pages a day. Sometimes a good day of writing means throwing away five pages and moving backward. Consistency is the key.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

 I have done both. The industry is wide open right now and I will experiment with anything that better helps readers connect with me. Neil Jackson is doing my indie covers and they have a cool branding identity.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

Writing is one of those things you can’t not do. If you’re a writer, you do it no matter how many rejections you get, how bad you are, or how hopeless it all seems.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

I use Kindle for PC. I may buy when the dust settles a little. They sure are cool.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and what are you reading now?

Mark Twain, Shirley Jackson, William Goldman, Ray Bradbury, Elmore Leonard, Stephen King, John Steinbeck, Ira Levin. I have a lot of influences. Right now I am reading some new books by friends of mine, including Debbi Mack, David H. Burton, and Jon F. Merz.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I like the trailers if they have a narrative arc and tell a complete story. If it’s just an ad, I don’t understand selling a book by making you wish it were a movie instead. I am plotting a few but they will be complete, miniature stories related to the work, so that you get an experience out of it.

10: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I am revising a young adult novel and during final polish on my next indie release, Speed Dating with the Dead, an urban fantasy thriller that will be out as soon as possible. You can learn about it at http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/speeddating.htm. I have a psychological thriller Disintegration that will probably be out late summer, and then the author’s preferred edition of my 2003 novel The Harvest.

I am also excited about running Indie Books Blog and helping readers learn about new books not covered by the mainstream press and big blogs. If you’re a writer, drop a line to indiebooksblog at yahoo.com and get featured. The more indie writers talk about other indie books, the easier readers will 


http://indiebooksblog.blogspot.com/


http://hauntedcomputerbooks.blogspot.com/


http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/


http://www.amazon.com/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Scott%20Nicholson


http://twitter.com/hauntedcomputer


http://www.facebook.com/hauntedcomputer

Arlene Crenshaw Interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

Early mornings or late nights.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer? 

Always computer

3: What do you draw inspiration from? 

My writing starts with me praying to God, then I start typing and I ask God to guide my fingers and direct my mind. Then everything unfolds into a story.

4: Do you set yourself goals when you sit down to write such as word count? 

No not word count but, I do set a goal for a number of stories per month.

5: Being a self published author how do you come up with your cover art? 

I look through hundreds of photos mostly on fotolia.com until I find the right on to get my message across.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

I have found out that I love to write, it bring me a lot of peace, example it bring things in your imagination to life.  You can say and express things that a lot of people just can’t do in writing. It can open up new worlds in many ways.

7: Do you own an e-book reading devise?

No, I don’t I wish I did.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and what are you reading now? 

I love books on quotes my favorite book is Abounding Grace by M. Scott Peck and I am now reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrne a gift from my son.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I think there great and yes I do hope to have one in the near future.

10: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I really excited about my next book it will be called “Hidden Closets book of short stories”  It’s about secrets that many people have hidden about themselves that they don’t want anyone to know about.  There’s a lot of suspense, drama, mystery within this book. I can’t wait for this one to come out it’s a must read!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Roses-Uretta-Arlene-Crenshaw/dp/0557309204

Susan Hanniford Crowley Interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write? 

SHC:  It changes.  I love writing around midnight or at dawn before the family's awake, but on weekends I write all day.  When the writing flows, I can write 10 pages in two hours.  

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

SHC:  Every project is different. A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS was written entirely on computer.  THE STORMY LOVE LIFE OF LAURA CORDELAIS started in a journal.  I collect journals and pens since I start so many with paper and pen and then halfway through move to the computer.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

SHC:  Dreams.  All my stories come from dreams.  Then I do a lot of research to augment them.  Some locales give me wonderful dreams.  The Outer Banks, North Carolina, is a great place. So are Mystic, Connecticut, and Battery Park in NYC. 

4: Do you set yourself goals when you sit down to write such as word count?

SHC: I want to write a least 1000 great words (5 pages) every day.  I'm happiest when I hit the 2000 mark.

5: What drove you to choose the career of being a writer?

SHC:  I believe writing chooses you.  I eat, sleep, and breathe writing.  If I cannot write, I become ill.  I started writing when I was eight and was first published when I was 16.  If someone is a writer, they cannot quit being a writer.  The form of writing may change, but they will always write.

6: Do you own an ebook reading device?

SHC:  I get PDFs so I can read them on my computer.  My novellas and novel are  I don't own an ereader yet.  I haven't decided on which to get.

7: Who are some of your favorite authors, and what are you reading now?

SHC:  There are a group of new authors (besides myself) in romance and urban fantasy that I really love -- Bianca D'Arc, Audra and Stella Price, and a.c. Mason.  Right now I'm reading the edits from my editor at Tease Publishing LLC and working to send back the revised edition.

8: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

SHC:  I have one on my website http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com  for A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS and it's also on You Tube.  I have one that will come out when THE STORMY LOVE LIFE OF LAURA CORDELAIS (which is in ebook now) comes out in print.  

I think people enjoy them, and I have bought an ebook after seeing the trailer. 

9: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

SHC:  Since my books and novellas are part of my series called Vampires in Manhattan, I'm working on the sequel to WHEN LOVE SURVIVES, a scifi/fantasy/supernatural romance and the prequel to the series.  The sequel is titled VAMPIRE IN THE BASEMENT.  The story follows on what happens to Regina and Gregor when they leave New York to get married in Maine.  It focuses on Gregor's shapeshifter sister Lorraine and her quest for love.  It's going to be my first passionate romantic comedy. 
All my novellas and novels are tied into each other.  I love write about vampires, unusual and rare supernaturals, the vampire secret society in Manhattan, and humans with gifts.  They are all available at All Romance Ebooks http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whenlovesurvives-362921-143.html

They are all also available at Fictionwise and other fine ebook stores.

I'm also preparing to go to a really magnificent romance convention.  So much to pack and so little time.  If you love romance, you really want to go to this.

Jacquelyn Frank Presents: Authors After Dark 2010: Romance Unlimited

Date: September 16-19 2010

Place: Harmon Meadow Holiday Inn, Secaucus NJ

Registration: $140 per attendee, includes 5 meals, 2 evening parties, panels and goodies, this price is good until June 17, 2010 at which time it raises to $150 per attendee.

Room rates: $109 a night double occupancy. Please make sure you mention “Authors After Dark” when making your reservation.  The reservation period for this room block is only good through August 17, 2010.

To make a reservation for the hotel, please call: 201.348.2000 or 800.HOLIDAY

To register go to:  http://aadromanceunlimited.com/registration/

It's going to be an all romance adventure of the maximum kind for romance booklovers.  

Here's some of the authors that will be there: Allie Boniface, Barbara Sheridan, Bronwyn Green, Bridget Midway, Bianca D'Arc, Cara North, Cardidad Pineiro, Carol Lynne, Cat Johnson, Cathy Clamp/Cat Adams, Celia Kyle, Diana Castilleja, Diane Merlin, Eliza Gayle, Elizabeth Darvill, Jacquelyn Frank, Jade Falconer, Jennifer Armintrout, Jessica Anderson, Joey W. Hill, JoLynne Valerie, Judi Fennell, K.A. Laity/C. Margery Kempe, Kayleigh Jamison, Kimberly Gardner, Kris Norris, K.T. Pinto, Laura Baumback, Leanna Renne Hieber, Leigh Ellwood, Liz Strange, MK Mancos, Mechele Armstrong, Mia Watts, Rita Sawyer, Rosemary Laurey, Samantha Sommersby, Selena Illyria, Skyler Grey, Sonya Bateman, Stella and Audra Price, Stephanie Julian, Susan Sizemore, Tilly Greene, and me   

One more thing:  I will give a small gift to anyone who walks up to me at Authors After Dark and says they read this interview (until my supply runs out). 

To know more about Susan Hanniford Crowley, visit her at:

Website:  http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Blog: http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHCrowley

Facebook:  Susan Hanniford Crowley