Tannis Skye interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write? 
In the car on the way to work. It is a forty minute drive and I find I always write the most then. If I wasn't still working and doing this full time, I have had great success at sitting in deserted parks on a sunny day and spending hours there.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?
I have tried. I have really tried! I've had a writers bump on my finger since grade eleven because of how much I wrote and it gets unhappy after about two pages. It drives me nuts but in the end, I write more via typing anyways.

3: What do you draw inspiration from? 
I try and write about things I have questions to personally. Hence why I really went into the origins of how vampires/shades came to be. I never liked the 'make me a vampire' theme in all books/movies so I changed that.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?
Sometimes, yea. I'd like to say 'I just write until the story is told' but that is BS. I do keep my eye on the word count a little, but it doesn't decide much for me other than if it is a reasonable sized novel or not. Biggest goal I have is writing out the main points I want the book to cover before I begin it.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art? 
I am self published. But not for a lack of trying in other ways, believe me. I wanted this amazing model and photographer to do my cover art. But then contracts got involved because it would be a book cover and I tossed that idea out fast because drama and complications aren't my bag. So I sat for the picture, my fiance took it and my friend did the smoke and spooky trees as a favor.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer? 
I am great at nothing else. Kinda simple. I am good at everything, great at nothing, except this. Plus, it would be so bonkers to have something else as a career but still dream/think/obsess over these story lines in my mind. Like, two full time jobs. One I am doing and one I am thinking.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device? 
Only if my iphone counts.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now? 
I am a big fan of Brent Weeks and his 'Shadows' books. I am also re-reading Eat Pray Love again because it is a great book, but it gives me a break from the supernatural wold I am writing about. Also, I want to do a first person book soon, this will help me in doing so.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?
Book trailers are only good if they're done well. Which most are not. So, unless Stephen Spielberg did mine, I would pass.

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book? 
I watched a documentary on heaven and hell, and instead of calling them circles, I called them levels and instead of it being just vampires, I wanted there to be a very big difference is power. Shade is strong, demon born, vampire is weaker, vampire born. 

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?
I am in the midst of the second book in The Shade Series, called The Shade and The Unholy Priest. When I want breaks from that, I am doing a non-fiction book called Sewer Sisters. Its about two sisters who live in Columbia and are homeless and at night, off duty police and business men go around hunting them for sport. It started in the early 1980's and still goes on to day. It baffles and sickens me that this isn't a fictional story I am telling. 

I just created a twitter account so i can chat will fellow writers or bloggers: tannisskye
I will be making a facebook under tannisskye as well. I really have to create these accounts just for this because really, I don't do much facebook and never do twitter.

I am on amazon and smashwords under tannisskye. Just look for The Shade and The Nine Lower Levels!

www.tannisskye.com is offering the ebook for download for free for two weeks under the "FREE BOOK!" tab, so enjoy it!

Graphic novels come alive on Kindle Fire

Graphic novels come alive on Kindle Fire with Kindle Panel View. Double-tap on any region to see it magnified. You can also swipe forward or backward to be guided through the panels in the author’s own sequence for an immersive reading experience.

Pre-order today and have them when your new Kindle Fire arrives.

The Dead Man Series now $0.99 limited time Kindle

For a limited time The DEAD MAN series is only $0.99 a book get them now before the sale ends.

Law & Order The Complete Series 104 DVDS

Law & Order: The Complete Series

This title will be released on November 8, 2011
The Emmy®-winning series Law & Order is the longest running crime series of all time and you now hold a complete collection worthy of its iconic status. This incredible set includes every powerful hour made from Law & Order's 20 years on NBC and comes with an exclusive and collectible episode guide. For twenty seasons, Dick Wolf's Primetime series covered the dedicated New York City police who investigated crimes and the district attorneys who prosecuted the offenders. Known for its hard-hitting, ripped-from-the-headlines style, the series showcased the talents of numerous illustrious stars from stage, film and television. Rediscover Law & Order's intelligent writing and the riveting acting that inspired a brand of successful dramas that continues to captivate audiences around the globe.

I was interviewed about Indie Publishing

Check out the interview I did over at The Pudge Factory "Rise of the Indie Author" 

http://www.jpudge.com/?page_id=309

It Was The Dead Who Groaned Within now on NOOK

My new book is now on the NOOK

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/it-was-the-dead-who-groaned-within-kipp-poe-speicher/1106674444?ean=2940013310414&itm=4&usri=kipp%2bpoe

It Was The Dead Who Groaned Within now on Kindle .99 cents

Is now available on Amazon Kindle for .99 cents

http://www.amazon.com/Was-Dead-Groaned-Within-ebook/dp/B005V82S7E/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318504552&sr=1-4

THE RAVEN in theaters March 9th 2012

March 9th 2012 THE RAVEN hits theaters

"It Was The Dead Who Groaned Within" Free on Smashwords Zombie Apocalypse

My new short story It Was the Dead Who Groaned Within is now FREE on Smashwords.com

A police officer wakes up in a strange location, and finds himself in the middle of a Zombie Apocalypse. 



https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/93107

FIVE STAR review for THE ROT

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book to read, October 1, 2011

By 

J. P. Wilson (Americus, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: The Rot (Kindle Edition)

The Rot is a fine collection of short stories that showcases this author's originality and skill. "The Rot," a short I can't really discuss without giving away a good bit of the plot--I will say expect to be horrified--is a fun and fast rollercoaster read, and fans of the horror, thriller, and crime genres can expect to enjoy it.

The prose in the next story, "i," is really rich, and the story is almost poetic as it unravels, the tale of love lost and regained, only to be lost again. It delves into the human psyche, and I think it would be hard for someone to not connect with this piece. And though it is sad, and gloomy, like something Edgar Allen Poe would create, there is a great optimism about it in the end that leaves you with a sense that there is hope.

"Die Already" is another short in this collection that is really great. This one is about a man with a horrible curse. When he curses a loved one, he tries to figure out how to unravel the horror he has cast upon her. This one is very original and worth reading to get a sense of the style this author possesses.

"Closing My Eyes Helps me to See Clearly" is the final tale in this collection, and it shows off another wonderful, bizarre plot from this author. Nothing is as it seems in this piece.

I believe that The Rot is a great book that shows a promising new talent in the field of horror. I think everyone should give it a chance and judge these tales. I am a fan of Kipp Poe and can't wait to see his next offering. 

Michael Davidson (herocious) interview

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

The morning. My brain hums in the morning. My fingers can't keep up. As the day progresses, my fingers outpace my brain, and the writer in me becomes inert. That's when I do things like run down to the lake and fill my brain with new smells and images, which often slip their way into whatever it is I'm working on the next day.

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

I always start longer manuscripts on the computer. But I enjoy writing book reviews on my notepad first, usually while drinking bottomless coffee at my local coffee shop. I also tend to write short stories and essays longhand. Whenever there isn't a mountain of material behind whatever it is I'm writing, the whole pen and paper thing works quite well. I'd even go so far as to say that writing by hand gives a different pacing to my sentences and paragraphs. It's almost as if I'm a different writer depending on my tools.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

It's hard to say what exactly inspires me to write. Definitely not just any one thing. I think almost everything inspires me always. I tend to write stuff down. I'm the person taking pictures of inanimate objects and composing odes to them.

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

When I'm focused on writing a novel, word count does come into play, at least on the days I'm writing as opposed to revising. The goal used to be much higher when I was just starting, but as I wrote more, the quota dropped, and I began to care more about the weight of each word, making the most of the space on a page.

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

I've had short stories published in print journals and magazines. That's what motivated me in my early 20s. This year I decided to self-publish my first novel because it seemed like the best thing to do in this economy. As for the cover art, I came up with it. The typeface is Helvetica. The image is a close-up I took of a girl's lower back. I was going after the whole 'slice of life' idea.

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

Something indestructible. It's almost scary how hard it is. I think it sits somewhere close to my heart, or maybe inside my lips.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device? 

No. I still read books. I lug them around with me and stare at how beautiful their binding is. Since I handpress books on my kitchen table, binding is no small miracle.

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

I'll start with what I'm reading right now: HEAVY PETTING by Gregory Sherls, MUSEUM OF THE WEIRD by Amelia Gray, and DON QUIXOTE by Cervantes. Some of my favorite authors are Thomas Bernhard, W. G. Sebald, José Saramago, Knut Hamsun, and Noah Cicero.

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

Book trailers are a fresh new medium great for communicating your book's premise to a wider, bouncier audience. I'm not sure if the effort that goes into making one actually increases sales, unless is goes viral, but I do know that it gets your book out there, it opens up some inroads. I actually already have one for AUSTIN NIGHTS. My girlfriend, Bridget, put it together using footage I took on our epic move from Miami Beach to Austin. She kept it short, under two minutes, and so far people who either review the book or interview me have enjoyed including the video on their site. I'm happy to have it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jXfmKoPbUE

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book? 

AUSTIN NIGHTS, when read aloud, sounds exactly like Austinites, which is what denizens of Austin like to call themselves, and the book wouldn't have been possible without its weird cast of homegrown Austinites.

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

Great question. Thanks for asking.

40% of my energy is dedicated to Tiny TOE Press, which is an imprint I started to publish my first novel but has grown beyond that. For Halloween we'll be releasing our second title, a killer vampire story by M. L. Kennedy called THE MOSQUITO SONG. It's not your usual fare, but it will leave readers of this genre highly satisfied and yet hungry for more. Both handpressed and ebook versions will be available for consumption.

30% of my energy is concentrated on giving love either directly or indirectly to my book. It's like a slightly crippled creature I've had to coax into reader's hands.

20% of my energy is concentrated on reading and reviewing books from contemporary small press authors who deserve way more attention than they're getting.

8% of my energy is reserved for indulging in creative outbursts just to keep my trusty legs oiled for the next marathon.

And 2% of my energy is focused on editing 'completed' manuscipts to get them up to par for the light of day.

Relevant links:

Tiny TOE Press: http://theopenend.com/bookstore/
Austin Nights: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M8S60C