Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well my name is Scott Warren. In my day job I’m a world-traveling civilian instructor for the US military. In my spare time I write, and to date I’ve finished six novels and an assortment of short stories and novelettes.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Dragon’s Banker, and it’s a mix of high fantasy and finance. I wanted to create a story about a hero in a fantasy world that could not and would not employ violence against his enemies. I also wanted to craft a narrative that focused on characters who are traditionally secondary or background characters in more mainstream fantasy work.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not so much unusual habits, but definitely unusual circumstances. I do a lot of writing in airports, on airplanes, in tents, sitting on top of luggage, and on long drives. Some times my cargo space is so limited that I wrote an entire book on an Amazon Kindle Fire once.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My two biggest influences for fantasy are definitely Terry Pratchett and Steven Erikson. Their abilities to make huge, interconnected worlds that span disparate books with characters that might never meet but feel the effects of each other’s decisions really intrigues me.
What are you working on now?
Right now I’m switching gears a bit and doing some illustration while I debate my next project. I have a few ideas rattling around for book #7.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The majority of my focus is through Amazon and Kindle ads. Honestly promotion has always been my weakest aspect of writing.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read and write! Don’t make excuses or blame your environment when everything isn’t perfect. If I can knock out three pages in the back of a Blackhawk mid-flight then you can write on a train or a bus on the way to work, or during your lunch break.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To finish the whole first draft before editing. The prospect of getting through a first-draft, especially for a new author, has a daunting psychological affect. And people tend to retreat from it, it feels easy and safe to retreat back to earlier chapters to rewrite and improve, but continually retreading ground is the death of the finished project.
What are you reading now?
I’m between books! I finished Holy Sister last week, and next I’m going to be tackling The Thief who Went to War.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The future is unclear! I just finished up a three-book deal with the publisher of my Science-Fiction novels so I’m bouncing between ideas until I lock something down and get back into writing mode.
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 about how to survive when stranded on desert islands. Maybe a set of encyclopedias to build a physical shelter.
Author Websites and Profiles
Scott Warren Website
Scott Warren Amazon Profile
Scott Warren’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile