Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been telling stories since before I could write, though that’s probably nothing special among writers. I do, however, remember my mom typing up a story I dictated to her out of my head on our very first computer before I could write, so I’m not just saying it. đ
I also remember a computer repair guy some years later, when I could type myself, being called because our computer had become suuuuper slow; he said the problem was this folder with over a hundred Word Documents, taking up all the space. They were stories I’d typed up, mostly about horses and dragons. Or, rather, the beginnings of stories.
It was years before I actually completely finished a first draft. I would get too distracted by a new idea, and start on that; or, as a ‘pantser’, I’d run out of steam on the current idea and just hop on over to the next, shinier one. But at some point I realized I’d have to knuckle down if I ever wanted to finish a book.
I’ve finished many more since then; probably about nine or ten. Aside from a few short stories and novellas, none of my novels ever made it to publication – until Nightmare City. With that one, I finally felt like it was good enough.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The idea for Nightmare City – dreams and nightmares literally coming true – came to me at least 10 years ago. It went through quite a few installments and formats; a short story first, then a pilot script for a TV series, finally the novel. They’re all quite different from each other, as I wrote them all several years apart; but the idea, that initial premise, just wouldn’t let me go. So here, finally, it is.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I’m not sure if this is unusual, but I tend to crank out first drafts in the wee hours of the morning, when my mind is still close to the dreamspheres; whereas rewriting and editing I have to do in the afternoon, or at least after several cups of tea, when my analytical brain has kicked in.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Neil Gaiman, Ilona Andrews, and Patricia Briggs are the first three that come to mind, though they’re surely not the only ones. Naomi Novik, Rebecca GablĂ©, and J.K. Rowling are high up on that list, too, alongside Douglas Adams, Jane Austen, Kerstin Gier, Louis L’Amour and Jen Sincero.
Hm. Eclectic crowd. Some German authors in the mix, too (I’m half German).
My favorite book, one I’ve read cover to cover at least 20 times (and it’s a honkin’ long book, almost 1.000 pages!) is “Das LĂ€cheln der Fortuna”, or “Fortune’s Wheel” in English, by Rebecca GablĂ©; it’s a historical novel set in 14th century England, and it’s… unputdownable. Even on the 20th read-through. Seriously, if you can get your mitts on it, read. it.
What are you working on now?
Something non-book related, to be honest: Setting up some hopefully passive income in the form of an online course, teaching people how to get started as virtual assistants in Germany. That’s how I got started freelancing and managed to quit my 9-5 day job, and I would love to help others achieve that dream, too.
If all goes well there, I’ll be starting on the rewrites of Book 2 of the Nightmare City series in March 2020.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying things out. This is my first published full-length novel, after all. Netgalley seemed to work great in garnering a fair amount of reviews pre-publication. I would definitely use that service again.
My family and friends have also been amazing promoters – still are. I’d definitely recommend any self-publishing writer to tap into their own social network.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for the fun of it; write because you can’t *not* write. Don’t write for the money. That ain’t gonna happen (for fiction; non-fiction could conceivably be a different, erm, story). At least not in any sort of predictable time-frame. BUT, also: FINISH SOMETHING. And then finish the next thing. And the next. Get in the habit of finishing things, and sooner or later, there’ll be something really good in there.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Revise, revise, revise. Send your manuscript to beta readers, then revise, revise, revise again. Send it to an independent editor, then revise, revise, revise again. To make your book the best version of itself, you must involve other people; other writers, other readers, other editors. The act of writing is a lonesome gig; creating a good story, a good book, is not.
What are you reading now?
“A Wicked Kind of Husband” by Mia Vincy – recommended by Ilona Andrews, who never steers me wrong.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Learning the ins and outs of book promotion for self-published authors. It’s actually a lot of fun – I get to stretch my marketing muscles rather than my story-telling muscles; there’s quite a bit of overlap, but also a steep learning curve. Good thing the German in me loves to organize, make plans, create lists…
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?
Definitely “Fortune’s Wheel” by Rebecca GablĂ©. I could probably happily read that another 20 times.
At least one book by Ilona Andrews, though off the top of my hat I can’t decide which one.
And definitely a biiiiig notebook (and pen), to be able to write and journal, since being stranded on a desert island sounds incredibly boring. Does that count?
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