Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 2 short stories and I’m 20% done with my 400 page novel, Dark Ascendancy.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Apprentice Mistake, is an exciting story similar to Fantasia in that the apprentice to a wizard gets himself into trouble. My story isn’t so cartoon-ish, though. There are secret doors, magical dragons, wizards and the possibility of death.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write whenever I get the chance, so I don’t know that there are any unusual habits. Its a lot harder to get yourself into the muse mode when it doesn’t want to, but I’m getting better at it.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Goodkind’s Wizard’s First Rule inspired me to create a world that was both dangerous and unknown to the main character. Originally, I was only thinking up this new world as a game idea, but I soon realized that writing the story comes first. If enough of my fans get excited about that world, then I’ll try and make it into a game.
What are you working on now?
Dark Ascendancy. Teslanar (the main character) is going to quickly find himself in a war he didn’t want to be in. Besides, there are layers and layers of things happening in this world. I ran into the Marshall Plan, which really helped me out on the creation of this book. There will be several points of view (not just the main character) for the reader to get enmeshed in the story. I hate how long it is taking to write this story, but I love that world too much to do a poor job of painting the picture for my fans.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Unfortunately, there is no one method or website that takes care of everything. If it did it would either be really expensive or so unbelievable of a good deal to be true. However, the best marketing advice I can give you is this… Pretend readers are sitting at the bar and you are going to walk up to them and seal the deal. Instead of dating that person, you’re trying to get them to read your book. Many times an author will spend so much time creating their book and then just serve it up as if it were fast food. Readers have so many choices that they can easily buy the best “food” for pennies on the dollar. Take the time to introduce yourself and show the reader that its not just about you. Take the perspective of the reader and help them decide if your book is right for them. It might not be, in which case, you move on to the next person. My point is this… pick-up lines don’t usually work. Unless the other person is so enamored with you that it doesn’t matter what you say. Okay. I’ll get off of my soap box, now.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stay the course. Enjoy writing for the sake of writing and stay true to yourself. Don’t expect the big bucks to come immediately. If they do, great, but don’t hold your breath. Remember that everything you create will have value for the next 100 years. It can be very difficult psychologically, but having two to three products to sell makes marketing so much easier.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn from other people’s mistakes, so that you don’t have to. Unfortunately, I still learn things the hard way. I just hope they are fewer than they could be.
What are you reading now?
I just finished reading a couple of Brent Weeks’ books. The Black Prism and The Way of Shadows. I really like the complexities he puts into his writing. I think he is still growing as an author, too. I can’t wait for the book that comes out when he’s nailed down all the things he’s researching.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I just want to keep writing.
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?
Blank ones. Its not that I don’t like other people’s writing. Its just more fun to be the first reader of a book. I have a muse that I listen too, so I get to be the first reader.
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