Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am currently a member of too-many-books anonymous as I am an addicted reader. I love living in imaginary worlds of all kinds. I have had many incarnations in this particular life–mother, running Quarter Horse breeder, cattle rancher, late-in-life Ph.D. student. My doctorate is in East West Psychology and introduced me to the worlds of Eastern Religion, Western Psychology, and myth. It was one of the most fun things I have ever done. And required a LOT of writing on imaginative and esoteric subjects. So why not try fiction? “Karda: Adalta Vol I” is my first published novel, tho I have published a few articles over the years. It’s my third try at a novel. The first one was when I was eleven. It was about a run-away girl and wild horses. (I was eleven.) My parent wouldn’t get me a horse when I was young. Hence, the fifteen or so years spent raising horses and cattle in Eastern Oklahoma. It’s still not out of my system so the Karda I write about is half horse, half hawk.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is “Karda.” One day a few years ago I put down the fantasy book I was reading and had the panicked thought, “I’m gong to run out of books.” So I sat down at my computer and decided to create my own fantasy world. Adalta is a tech-resistant world colonized by one of the Ark ships that left in the diaspora that resulted from the near collapse of Earth’s systems. (A collapse that seems closer and closer every day as I read the news.)
The colonists are Luddites who believe out of control technology was a major contributor to that failure. They attempt to hide their destination and are undiscovered for 500 years when a trade ship appears, and Marta Rowan embarks on her attempt to bring technology to this world of swords and elemental magic.
I am working on Vol. II now. It will be available this spring and a third volume in the spring of 2016. Knock wood. (Picture me knocking on my hard head.)
I spent several years (and one of my incarnations) as an environmental activist, and my love for the natural world is given free range in my creation of the world of Adalta. The colonists found it stripped almost to its bare bones by an ancient war and over the years have ‘terra-ized’ much of it with the seeds and embryos they brought with them from Earth.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have any unusual writing habits. My most persistent habit is procrastination. I write slowly, rewrite constantly, and am unable to plot my books out. They just grow like Mandelbrot sets out of my computer right before my amazed eyes. I love to see words appear across the page like magic.
When I was very young–before I learned to read or write–I remember sitting down with a blank page and making line after line of writing-like scribbles across the page. I’ve been making those ‘writing-like-scribbles’ across pages ever since. Only now, they come from my keyboard and sometimes make sense.
I occasionally write poetry, too. That I have to write with a pen or pencil, preferably on a yellow legal pad. I have a fat file of yellowed, brittle, scribbled and marked through pages that just seems to keep growing. I do have plans to publish the one’s I wrote after my husband died, and I went a little crazy. I love that I can do that–self-publish them in tangible book form to leave for my kids and grandkids. It’s hereditary–my maternal Grandmother wrote her “80 Years of One Woman’s Life” when I was a teenager. Years later I combined that with the cook book she wrote, further family stories and recipes in “Grandma’s Cookbook: The Next Generation.” My mother and I had them printed for friends and family and one day I hope to get a new version uploaded for the next Next Generation.
Some of those poems are on my website: SherrillNilson.com
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read constantly and voraciously and probably am influenced by each and every book, for good or bad. I have developed a love of fantasy and non-technological sic-fi. (Is there such a thing?) So that’s what I write. I’ve been influenced by so many it is hard to pick out specific books or authors. I loved Madelaine L’Engle, the Narnia books, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover books, Anne McAffrey, Mercedes Lackey, Maria V Snyder’s Poison Study and Glass books. I particularly like books with strong female characters.
I only wish I could say I could find a Jane Austin influence in my work, but she’s so far above me it makes my neck ache from looking up. There are so many more–I really need to start a list somewhere. I have a terrible memory, or there is so much stuffed in my brain it takes a long time for what I’m looking for to surface. It will be a long long list. I think everything you read influences your writing–bad examples included.
What are you working on now?
Austringer: Adalta Vol. II is the story of the further struggle against the evil Itza Larrak and his pawn, Readen. Galen Danvyl, who is a ‘bad guy’ in Karda, is the main male protagonist. Galen struggles with his guilt, the breakdown of his emotional defenses, his more-than-just-disturbing connection to Adalta, and his love for the unavailable Tessa Me’Cowyn. Tessa herself struggles with the knowledge that she is the Austringer–one who hunts with hawks. Found by the Karda, Kishar, she must come to terms with the blockage of the Talents as a Healer she was born with and has lost and must become a killer. Her father is determined she marry the strongest Talent he can find for her to breed the grandsons who will bring him power and feed his growing ambitions.
Readen Me’Vere, the evil bad guy, is in prison. But that doesn’t stop him from trying to bring back the Itza Larrak, the even more evil ancient alien which will destroy Adalta in its efforts to–oops, spoiler averted.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still figuring that out. Any suggestions are more than welcome.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you are writing a series, have the next book or books ready before you publish the first. Learn the craft. I think that is an ongoing thing. Look up the Margie Lawson Academy for the most excellent teacher of craft I can imagine. Proof Proof Proof. Edit Edit Edit.
Love your characters. Love your setting.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Put your but in the chair and write.
What are you reading now?
On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington) by David Weber. Another strong female character,
What’s next for you as a writer?
Trying to keep my but in the chair. Finishing Austringer: Adalta Vol. II. Keeping Vol. III in the back of my mind so I can write it in a timely fashion. Finishing this series so I can write the book about the trees leaving. Leaving as in leave not leaf. Because I am saddened by the death of so many trees from bark beetles, drought, oak wilt and on and one and the issue seems urgent. When the dolphins left they said, “Goodbye and thanks for all the fish.” What will the trees say as they leave this ungrateful Earth?
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?
Jane Austin’s books–all of them. Marcel Proust’s In ‘Search of Lost Time.’ All seven volumes because that’s the only way I will ever get them read.
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