Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Here’s my official bio:
Michael Kingswood has written numerous science fiction and fantasy stories, including The Pericles Conspiracy, The Glimmer Vale Chronicles, and the Dawn of Enlightenment series. His interest in scifi/fantasy came at an early age: he first saw Star Wars in the theater when he was three and grew up on Star Trek in syndication. The Hobbit was among the first books he recalls reading.
Recognizing with sadness that the odds of his making it into outer space were relatively slim, after completing his bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University, he did the next best thing – he entered the US Navy as a submarine officer. Almost seventeen years later, he continues to serve on active duty and has earned graduate degrees in Engineering Management and Business Administration. Fitting with his service onboard Fast Attack submarines (SSNs), he does his writing on Saturdays, Sundays, and at Night.
He is married to a lovely lady from Maine. They have four children, and live wherever the Navy deems to send them, which for the moment is San Diego, California.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published novel is Out-Dweller, Glimmer Vale Chronicles #2. As the name implies, it’s the sequel to Glimmer Vale, which this fine site has featured. I don’t know that anything inspired it, per say. I just wanted to continue Raedrick and Julian’s adventures in the Vale because they’re a fun duo. It seems like there’s a lot of fodder for good fun stories in this little valley, and I intend to re-visit it from time to time as the years go forward.
That said, that’s not my most recent published work. I’ve had a couple short-stories, a novella, a novelette, and a pack of 10 short stories (called, interestingly enough, Short Story 10-Pack) published since Out-Dweller came out. You can find them all on my Amazon page or the equivalent on the other ebook sites.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Define unusual?
My company name is SSN Storytelling. In the Navy SSN stands for Submersible Ship Nuclear – a fast attack submarine. Not to be confused with an SSBN, which stands for Submersible Ship, Ballistic, Nuclear – a ballistic missile submarine. Or an SSGN, which stands for Submersible Ship, Guided Missile, Nuclear – what it sounds like. SSBNs and SSGNs have two crews that swap back and forth taking the boat to sea, while SSNs have just one. This means the workload per person is higher, or at least more consistently high, for SSN crew members, and we have a joke that SSN really stands for Saturdays, Sundays, and Night, since that’s when you can expect to be on the boat working. Since I have the Navy and lots of family, I tend to write on…wait for it…Saturday, Sunday, and at Night. Hence the company name.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to list without missing a few. But I have to say my all-time favorite is Robert Jordan, and his Wheel of Time series. Freaking awesome stuff there. I was blessed to by a Memory Keeper (basically an usher and assistant) for the Memory of Light signing at the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore here in San Diego. Talk about a great time! 🙂
What are you working on now?
Tollard’s Peak, Glimmer Vale Chronicles #3 is in post-production for a targeted release in late June. Once that’s done, I’m finally going to finish the sequel to my very first novel, Masters of the Sun. I’m also working on shorter stories for submission to the L Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest and other venues – that’s something I always try to keep going, because short stories can be fun and they’re a great way to introduce people to a writer’s work without costing them a lot of time and/or money.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
You got me. 🙂 Every long-term pro I know says the best advertisement is the next book.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t freak out over every little thing.
Follow Heinlein’s Rules:
1. You must writer.
2. You must finish what you write.
3. You must refrain from rewriting except to editorial demand.
4. You must put your work on the market.
5. You must keep your work on the market until it sells.
Ignore the all-too-frequent internet bruhahas that seem to continually surround the online writing community, and especially the online SciFi/Fantasy community. Most of them are pure BS, but they can cost you a lot of time and energy if you get enflamed by them.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
What are you reading now?
I finally started reading A Dance With Dragons by George R R Martin. I’ve waited almost 2 years on it because I do pretty much all my reading on ebook now and I refused to pay the $15 his publisher wanted to charge for the ebook version. Only recently, with the mass market paperback release, has the price reached a reasonable level.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I think I’ve already answered this one. 🙂
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?
Probably books on survival, fishing, and how to make a raft from the leavings of palm trees. Because who wants to remain stuck on a desert island forever?
Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Kingswood Website
Michael Kingswood Amazon Profile
Michael Kingswood Author Profile on Smashwords
Michael Kingswood’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account