Interview With Author Martin Wilsey
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Martin Wilsey, and I am a full-time author. I have written fourteen novels and dozens of short stories.
My first novel, STILL FALLING, was published on March 31st 2015. Less than three years and over half a million published words later, I retired from my career as a research scientist for a government-funded think tank. As a full-time science fiction writer, I still use my research and whiteboard skills to keep the books flowing. I like to put the science back into science fiction.
I have more projects than I have time. I live in Virginia with my wife, Brenda, our dog, Whiskey, and our cats, Brandy and Bailey.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled BLOOD HERETICS. It’s an action-adventure novel about a professional team of Vampire Hunters.
It’s an interesting, inspirational story. I had a collection of about 30 hard drives. Every hard drive from every computer I ever owned. I was finally getting around to copying all the documents, photos, videos, and music off them to a single big drive. In that collection of documents, I found an outline for BLOOD HERETICS that I had written in 1993. It was finally published 30 years later.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual the habit is, but I get up around 5:30 am, walk the dog, then sit down at my desk and proceed to… Drink coffee. Make stuff up.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My influences are classic sci-fi authors like Robert Heinlein, Author C. Clark, Isaac Asimov, and JRR Tolkien. I write the kind of books I like to read.
What are you working on now?
I am working on the final draft of a Science Fiction novel titled, REVENGE OF THE RENDERS. It is the climax in a series of books that details an AI War in the 27th century.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Your best promotion is your next novel. Keep the books flowing, and the new books will create interest in your entire catalog. Amazon.com is my website of choice.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish Things.
Never taking a book all the way before starting on another idea is the most common form of self-sabotage. It leads to nothing ever getting published. My advice is to only work on one project at a time until it is finished.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hammer all the way through your first draft, never looking back. Never go back and edit. Never go back and rewrite until you have reached the end. Constantly going back and editing the first chapters creates an imbalanced book. The beginning might have a high polish, but the end seems phoned in and weak. By hammering through all the way you save yourself from that problem. Give yourself permission to write a crappy first draft.
What are you reading now?
Fiction: School Days by Nathan Lowel
Non-fiction: The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington
Both are excellent.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have an ambitious year ahead for 2024. If the schedule holds, I will publish four new novels and some short stories in anthologies. I'm also trying to step up my marketing efforts. My new web store went live today. It will initially be selling signed copies of my books, making it easier for fans. Later it will offer all kinds of merchandise.
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?
How to Survive on a Deserted Island by Tim O'Shei and Al Siebert.
Wilderness Survival Guide: Practical Skills for the Outdoor Adventurer by Jason Marsteiner.
The Essential Skills of Wilderness Survival: A Guide to Shelter, Water, Fire, Food, Navigation, and Survival Kits by Jason Knight.
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett.
Author Websites and Profiles
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