Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, all! I was born in Washington state, but lived in Reno, Nevada, for the first twenty-odd years of my life. I graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a BA in English Lit, went to Penn State for my MA, and have taught writing and composition and worked as a technical writer in three industries–defense, aerospace, and computer manufacturing.
That’s the boring stuff. More interestingly, I’ve written three books published to Kindle–The Valkyrie, The Goddess Denied, and The Goddess Embraced. I’m also the author of a well-received fanfic entitled The Spirit of Redemption. It’s more of a series of fan novels under one title that weighs in at around 3.5 million words.
I love video games, role-playing, writing, reading, poetry, history, art, science, archaeology, and generally believe that any day on which I haven’t learned something was a wasted day. I currently live in Houston, TX, with my husband, our son, and a rather crazy elkhound puppy.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Goddess Embraced is the most recent title. Actually, I wrote Books I-III as one big narrative chunk, and realized that it was far too big to be one book. Then I realized it was too big to be two books. My husband suggested the titles, and as soon as he did, I saw *precisely* where the narrative breaks were, and the series could be broken apart neatly.
Unfortunately, print publishers tell me it’s still too big to be just three books. It’s not dead-tree friendly, as series go.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what ‘unusual’ writing habits might constitute. Generally speaking, I turn on music that doesn’t have words (or if it has words, it has to fit the character or the scene *precisely*), I sit down, and I write. Generally, I have a list of signpost scenes I want to write, and a list of necessary scenes I need to get through to get to those signposts, but if the characters tell me a given action is stupid, or they wouldn’t do it, I try to listen to them. Often, they are smarter than I am.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, this is a list. Terry Pratchett, for, oddly enough, really *looking* at the world. Diane Duane, for using science to underpin magic. Tad Williams, for his sense of epic scale. Clive Barker, for inserting breathtaking humanity, understanding, and compassion into the most outre of scenes. Tim Powers, for being able to create pastiches of reality, fantasy, and history that are welded together so tightly, I’m forced to go read up on the historical personages he uses, just to weed out the fact from the fiction. When he’s at his best, his work is hypnotic.
What are you working on now?
Book IV of the series; the working title is “On Wings of Night” but that may change.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, Kindle direct ads and Facebook, though I was fortunate to have an interview with DungeonsandDragons.com earlier this year, which was just tremendous.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Sit down and write.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Frank Herbert said that when he went back to re-read what he’d written on days on which he felt inspired to write, and what he’d written on days on which he wrote just to get the damned scenes done, he saw no qualitative difference. I use that to flog myself into writing.
What are you reading now?
I read a *lot* of nonfiction. Far more these days than fiction, honestly, but a friend and reader got me into the Simon Scarrow “Under the Eagle” books, which I’m trying to find more time to grab from the library. They’re better written than Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe’s novels, and intrigue me more.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing the series, and either going to my long-gestating pure fantasy world, or my longer-gestating pure sci-fi world.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Galilee, by Clive Barker. It comforted me on the plane on my way to say goodbye to my dad, and got me through the rough year before my divorce. When I talk about Barker’s surprising understanding of, and compassion for humanity, this is the book I mean.
Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett. Understanding of humanity, compassion for our insanity, and wicked glee. And Thud!
While I’m at it, I’d stuff Tim Power’s Last Call, Expiration Date, and Stress of Her Regard in with them.
. . . I can really only pick three or four?
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