Know Your Two-Sentence Premise: An Interview with Mark E, Fisher

I'm a big fan of Celtic stories, so I was drawn to your books. What made you decide to write Celtic fantasies?

I’m mostly writing historical fiction now, but my first three historical books and my fantasy trilogy were based on ancient, Celtic Ireland. Why? Because I have family roots in Ireland, and for my first book, I wanted to tell a story about St. Patrick.

How long did it take you to write your first book?

Three years. But now I’m able to write a book in about nine months.

How many rewrites did you do on it?

The first book started out as a short story, grew to a novella, and then I changed the characters, the setting, the plot, and added St. Patrick, and suddenly, it was a novel. That’s exactly how not to write a book. And that’s why it took me so long to write it. Rewrite after rewrite after rewrite. At that point, who’s counting?

Are you active with any writing critique groups?

Not anymore. Instead, I attend a local writers discussion group. Or at least I did until the Chinese virus stopped everything.

How did you go about finding your publisher?

I found my first publisher by interviewing in person with them at a writing conference.

Did you go to conferences?

Before the virus hit, I was attending three writing conference a year and two monthly writing groups in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Attending a writing conference is the best way to find a publisher or agent.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Finding a good premise, a good idea that’s unique, and boiling it down to a few sentences. But by far, the most difficult part of the entire writing process—without question—is marketing.

What are the best tips you could offer on creating a fantasy world for a novel?

I’m writing mostly historical fiction now, but world-building is similar for both genres. For my fantasy series, The Scepter and Tower Trilogy, I created a world based on ancient, Celtic Ireland. I used the map of Europe and researched long-forgotten ancient names for countries and then drew a detailed map.

Maps are important for knowing who lives where, what geographical features one in the way, and how geography might affect the culture of the people. Each country’s culture should be unique, and I borrowed loosely from ancient European cultures in my Celtic world of Erde.

For historical fiction, one has to know well the time and place. For my upcoming novel, Death of The Master Builder, I read widely on the Italian Renaissance and cathedral building and spent two weeks traveling in Italy.

Can you give me an example of an "aha" moment you've had in doing your research for your books?

As for “aha” moments—when I’ve traveled to the places where my historical novels took place, there was always an “aha” having to do with geography. In Ireland, at the ruins of Tara, it was: “Oh no, you mean that from here to the Hill of Slane was half a day’s ride on a horse?”

What does your editor remind you to do most often?

Add action beats in dialogue tags. Instead of “he said” and “she said”, we’re to show the speaker doing something.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?

Reading reviews that folks just couldn’t put down my books, and seeing my novels reach the top 10 or 20 in an Amazon category. But it’s only marketing that makes this happen.

We have all experienced rejection. How have you learned to write past it?

When my LPC publisher dropped me because my niche wasn’t selling, I was in a funk for several months. But when a publisher only wants to put out the top sellers, those of us writing in certain niches either have to change their niche or else self-publish. I cannot seem to stop writing. So now I’m writing in new eras and also self-publishing my work. In other words, rejection caused me to change direction.

What has surprised or frustrated you the most in writing/publishing?

The answer to both—marketing. Even with a publisher, an author must be his or her own marketer. And for that, I’ve learned that social media—unless you’re famous—doesn’t work. Marketing is not the most fun part of the business, but it’s necessary.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?

Research the genre and niche you want to write in before spending years writing something that won’t sell. But sometimes, one has to ignore all that and just write what’s on your heart. For your second book, you can worry about its market.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

Boil your story idea down to a one or two sentence premise. Your character must have a goal—internal, external, physical, or emotional—that they want to reach, and something or someone standing in the way of that goal. The idea must have a kicker, something that makes it unique and compelling. Don’t write anything without knowing your premise.

2. Know how the story will end. Without knowing this, the story can peter out in the middle of the book. It’s happened to me. (Sometimes that ending will change, but at least you’ve got something.)

3. Flesh out your characters. Write down their histories, their families or work associations, and what they want out of life. But sometimes you can’t fully complete this until after writing a few chapters.

4. Come up with a dynamite first sentence or paragraph and write a dynamite first chapter.

5. Now create a chapter by chapter outline, with one or two sentences describing what happened in each chapter.

a. But don’t let your initial outline get in the way. Sometimes, new characters or scenes will just pop out of nowhere. What I do then is to stop and change my outline to reflect this.

b. As you write and outline, be aware of cause and effect. Every action taken ripples forward and often backward through the story. That’s why your outline must be flexible and fluid.

c. Don’t forget to foreshadow events.

7. All these ideas and more are in these three books: The Writer’s Journey, by Christopher Vogler, Story Trumps Structure by Steven James, and Layer Your Novel, by C.S. Lakin. They all give different approaches to writing and have greatly influenced me.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

Don’t give up writing. Persist, persevere, and keep at it.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

My next historical novel, Death Of The Master Builder, is written, edited, and looking for a publisher. Because of the virus and given the current dearth of writing conferences at which to present it to a big publisher—the only kind of publisher I’m now willing to entertain—I will probably self-publish this. Here’s the two-sentence blurb:

In 1469 Tuscany, a hedonistic city ruler hires Amadeo, a righteous builder, to absolve his sins by constructing the greatest cathedral of the Italian Renaissance. But as the walls rise, he wants Amadeo’s moral downfall more than he wants his cathedral.

Beyond that, I’m about 90% done with a first draft of The Sun Shines Even in Winter, a novel of World War I, written for the general market.

Both sound like intriguing stories. If you’d like to learn more about these and the other of Mark’s books, here are links to do that.

www.MarkFisherAuthor.com

Amazon link: Mark’s just released Celtic novel, The Slaves Of Autumn

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0864Z99RN

Giveaway: Win a free eBook (Contest ends July 31):

www.MarkFisherAuthor.com/giveaways

First or Third POV? Author Interview with Amy Bearce

I recently participated in a local book fair and signing with 16 authors. Besides chatting with readers, I had the pleasure of meeting several authors and discussing the craft of writing. Today's interview is with one of the authors I met. I hope you will enjoy learning about her writing journey as much as I did. So read on and learn about her writing story.

What drew you to writing in the fantasy genre for kids?

I have always been drawn to fantasy.  As a child, the first book I ever bought with my own money was a beautifully illustrated book of fairy tales, and I always loved mermaids, unicorns, and dragons. I became an avid reader thanks to authors such as Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffery, and Madeleine L’Engle.  

How did your writing journey begin?

I didn’t start writing books until I had spent close to 10 years writing short passages and articles for test assessment companies—but I could never include magic for those.  So I started writing a story for myself and realized that there are some big differences between writing short fiction and a novel.

I joined SCBWI and finished that manuscript, which remains unpublished (for good reasons.)  I wrote three other manuscripts before I found a home for FAIRY KEEPER, which was my first published book. 

What was your inspiration for creating for your magical creatures in your World of Alluvia?

Prior to writing that book, I had written a short fiction piece about a young beekeeper trying to save her bee colonies, based on articles at the time about the mystery of Colony Collapse Disorder. Soon, though, my thoughts turned to, “What if, in a world with magic, fairies had gone missing and no one knew why?”  And that was the beginning of my book. 

How long did it take to complete the book?

It took me about two years to complete, in part because I was in graduate school at the time and I also paused mid-way to write a different book before finally returning and completing this one. My world is fairly low in magic compared to some fantasy worlds. I looked to science for ideas as I pondered what the magical creatures might be like.  For example, for my merfolk, I gave them bioluminescent skin after studying deep-sea marine life.  It was a lot of fun to research.

FAIRY KEEPER went through several revisions. It began more as YA urban fantasy, but my editor suggested making the setting a fully separate fantasy world and also recommended aging it down to an upper middle grade/lower YA age-group.  It had also been drafted in first person-present tense, and we changed it to third person-past tense. That took a lot of effort, but it was worth it in the end.

How did you go about finding an agent/publisher? Did you go to conference  Send out queries?

I do attend SCBWI conferences, but I found a small publisher for my first book before I found an agent because of a Twitter pitch contest. I recently signed with agent Alice Sutherland-Hawes, and I’m thrilled!  I connected with Alice by regular querying, but I paid close attention to the information available on Manuscript Wish List and reached out to her specifically because she was looking for stories for tweens, which is what I was querying.  

What is the hardest part of writing for you? Starting? Creating a scene? Dialog? 

For me, drafting the first draft tends to be fun because I write without worrying too much about what’s coming out.  But going back and revising that mess into a coherent story is the hardest part.   I prefer to work from an outline because that helps smooth the whole process, but even with an outline, revision usually takes me longer than drafting it in the first place.

What does your editor remind you to do most often?

I’m too wordy! I always have plenty I can trim from scenes, but it can be hard for me to see those parts that are unnecessary at first.  

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?

Just get something on the page.  You can’t improve what’s not there.

We have all experienced writing rejection. How have you learned to write past it?

Early on in the days when I began writing manuscript-length works, I went to a writing workshop event. I don’t remember all the details anymore, but I do remember that there was a small panel of editors and agents and a room full of 50 writers. Participants were to stand up and read our first page out loud, and then the panel critiqued us, in front of everyone. 

I don’t know if every participant did this, but I know I did because I remember that none of the people on the panel liked anything from my first page!  The writing was choppy, the characterization was flat, the pacing was too slow—and these things were all true.  It was my first completed manuscript, and the public break-down of its failures was painful.  We had a break right after I was finished, and I just wanted to melt into the floor instead of speaking to anyone.

A few lovely writers told me they had liked my story. An author I admired came over and encouraged me to keep going, that she saw something in my writing. Those words meant the world to me, and I decided to work even harder to improve. That conference was a turning point for me, and despite the painful experience, I’m thankful for that workshop.  And many times since then, I have experienced the value of a writing community you can lean on when things are hard.  That kind of support can make all the difference.

What has surprised you the most in writing/publishing? What frustrated you the most?

The answer to both of these is the same, which is the slow speed of the process.  Everything takes so long in publishing, and I’m a very impatient person! I try to distract myself with other projects while I’m waiting on news about another.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?

Writing a book is just one part of being a published author.  There are so many other things involved, such as marketing and author visits/speaking events, and those skills need to be taken seriously, as well.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

 Read a lot and write a lot.  It’s advice that’s often given, so I can’t claim it as my own, but it’s true.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

 It’s never too late to begin writing! I hear from a lot of people that they’ve always wanted to write a book, and I always encourage them to go for it.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

My next book is SHORTCUTS, and it comes out April 9th in ebook and hardcover, with the paperback following about a month later. 

Here’s the blurb:

When psychic powers and secrets collide, no one is safe.

Parker Mills has it all.  She's the two-time winner of the Miss Divine Pecan Pageant, head of the 8th-grade dance committee, and a secret psychic empath. Since she absorbs strong emotions from those around her, Parker has committed herself to finding shortcuts to happiness.  Whether acting as a tutor, coach, or matchmaker, Parker knows that when others are happy, she's happy.   Granted, all that fixing other people's drama means her own crush has no idea how she feels, but it's still a win-win so long as her psychic method remains a mystery.

At least, that's how it always worked until Mia came to town.   With her mysterious past and dark cloud of depression, Mia's moods threaten to rain on Parker’s happiness parade.  After Parker's usual shortcuts fail-- even after bringing gorgeous Josh on the scene--she's forced to kick things up a notch, or two.  But when Parker's psychic power goes haywire, dangerous secrets unravel... starting with her own. 

Sounds like a potential clash of powers! If you’d like to learn more about Amy’s writing and books, here are some links to get you started.

Website: www.amybearce.com     

Amy’s webpage for SHORTCUTS.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amybearce

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AmyBearce

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmyBearce/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13020518.Amy_Bearce

Conquering Your Writing Fears: Author Interview with Jane Delaney

What made you decide to write your fantasy novel? 

I've always been drawn to the fantasy genre, even when I was a very young girl. I love exploring different worlds and peoples and customs and letting my imagination take flight. I had a lot of tragedy in my life as a child, and fantasy books were the perfect refuge: evil vanquished and love and justice triumphs in the end.

For many years I was afraid to write. Afraid of failure. Afraid of ridicule. Afraid no one would like it. Afraid that even after hundreds of hours of work in the end my manuscript would be rejected, and all that time would be wasted. Then, one day I sort of had an epiphany, right around the time an old college friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. I realized that when my life comes to an end, I would regret never giving writing a go, and so out of that epiphany, Theorie of the Storm was born.

How long did it take you to write the first book?

A long time. About 18 months, but during that time I had months where I didn't write hardly anything at all, and many of those early months were spent learning as much about the craft as possible. 

How many rewrites did you do on it? 

Honestly, I don't even know. If I had to guess I would say about six. I started off as a "pantser," someone who just sort of wings it as they go, with a very loose idea of the characters I wanted to create and the direction of the story I wanted to tell.

I am sure for many writers this method works well, but for me? It was a disaster. The story kept changing, evolving, and my characters and their motives became increasingly complex. I kept having to go back and rewrite earlier chapters to fit the changing narrative, which made the whole process three times as long.

I am currently working on a very detailed outline for my sequel, Visions of the Storm, along with fully fleshed character sketches. Because of this, I expect my writing process to be much smoother, with fewer bumps in the road. At least, that is what I am telling myself.

Who helped you with the editing?

I hired a freelance editor I found through a writer's group. To be honest, I wish I had shopped around a bit more. But my husband, and my little sister, who is 16 years my junior, helped with early critiques. This really made me see the book through a potential reader's eyes and make changes accordingly. For Visions of the Storm, I will be asking for unbiased Beta reader volunteers and looking for an editor with a bit more experience. 

Could you give me a short synopsis on the first novel, for my readers?

This is a hard one without giving anything away! My book has lots of turns and twists! If there is one thing I hate, it's a boring and predictable read. But basically, the story follows three main characters. The first is Theorie, an acolyte mage whose magic is stunted. The law states she has to take a test called "the trials" by her 19th birthday in order to determine her abilities. If she passes, she'll be granted the title of magi, a rank that brings great wealth and the privilege of making your own choices. But those that fail become the property of the High Council, who determine where and in what capacity you'll work.

In other words, acolytes who fail the trials usually get shipped off to fight in far-off wars or end up with not-so-glamorous public works positions. Theorie is somewhat spoiled and rebellious and resents this dilemma. She longs for adventure and wants to travel. Like most teens, she doesn't want anyone telling her what to do. 

The second main character is Kyte, a crime lord who has a big secret of his own--he isn't entirely human, but as he was abandoned at a young age, he has no idea who or what he really is. He wants out of Dynas Rhydent so he can find answers and forge a new life for himself, and he sees Theorie as the perfect meal ticket: a hostage who can be ransomed for enough money to pay his debts and start over.

Of course, things don't work out as he plans, and the two end up marooned on an island thought lost to the world forever. This remote island is home to ancient Fae who once ruled the world before disappearing after a long and bloody civil war. On the island, Theorie and Kyte meet the third main character: Taren,  a Fae prince who desperately wants to free the remainder of his people from the wards that have kept the Fae trapped and hidden for the past five hundred years.

But there are those on the island who have different plans, and things soon come to a head. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and readers can expect any unanswered questions from the first book to be revealed in the second.

Have other books been started and stopped along the way?

Well, when I was in high school my best friend and I started writing a book together. This was in the late 90s before everyone had their own computer at home, and so we wrote in notebooks and on loose leaf paper, and anything else we could get our hands on. We would each take turns writing a chapter. Our whole friend group got involved and was very enthusiastic. We even had friends draw beautiful character sketches and maps, all inspired by our story. I really wish I still had that old manuscript and those drawings.

In the end, the project fell by the wayside. Writing is tough, and even more challenging without the benefit of a word processor and the internet. But those memories of writing and collaboration have stuck with me, and I hope to one day write a book with my high school best friend, but this time we'll finish it. 

When did you decide to self-publish? 

For a long time, I thought I wanted to traditionally publish. I think there is this narrative still circulating that you aren't a "real" writer unless one of the big publishing houses validates your work. However, as I started to talk to fellow writers and do research, I came to realize that finding success in the traditional publishing world is very, very tough, and publishers are not eager to take on unknown, unproven authors. 

Further, I had a friend--a fellow indie author who will remain unnamed--tell me about some shady practices in the publishing world, stories like having to repay publishing advances if their book didn't sell, even if the publishing house did next to nothing to promote the book.

So, with the encouragement of my husband and my author friend, I decided to self-publish. It certainly isn't easy, as you have to take care of your own cover art, editing, formatting, and of course marketing. But I have no regrets. The indie publishing world is thriving, and it is easier than ever before to put your work out there. 

What type of publicity do you do to promote your book? What has worked best for you in generating sales?

This is something I am still working on. I had a Goodreads giveaway in January and over the holidays I ran a few Amazon ads. Those ads are expensive, and as an unknown author with only one book  I wasn't seeing a positive return on investment. I've decided to focus on promoting my book through book bloggers and via word of mouth until I get closer to releasing Visions of the Storm.

My plan is to start promoting about 8 weeks before the release of my second novel. I will utilize Facebook, Amazon, and Instagram ads, as well as pursuing a Bookbub deal and maybe even attending some conventions (if time and money allow).

The indie market changes every day, and one thing I love about self-publishing is the camaraderie it brings with other writers. We all work together to share tips on selling books, and I've practically made a new hobby of listening to writing and marketing podcasts and doing all the research I can. 

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?

"Comparison is the thief of joy." That is a quote someone recently told me, and it is so very true. Self-publishing takes so much time and energy and if you are constantly comparing yourself to the Titans in the industry, you aren't going to appreciate the small, but important victories. Every page read, every book sold, every person who "follows" me on Goodreads, or writes a review--those are all victories.

I have a competitive nature, and I've learned to step back and realize that so much about "success" in this industry is writing the right book at the right time and having the right people believe in you and promote your work. Like a lot of things in life, success in the writing world takes a lot of work, but also a fair amount of luck. I am learning to block out the "noise" and focus on what I love best: telling stories.

What other books do you have in the works?

My sequel, Visions of the Storm, is currently underway, and I hope to have one more book after that. I also plan on writing prequel/sequel novellas. I want to listen to my readers. If there is a character or a story line that is especially appealing to them, I will definitely give that more "page time." 

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned

that you would like to pass along?
People always say to "write what you know," and I couldn't disagree more. Write what you love. Write what appeals to you. If you want to write about swashbuckling assassins but live in a small town and work at the local ice cream shop, chances are, you don't know much about assassination or swordsmanship. So learn.

Read and research all you can. And don't let fear stop you. In his masterpiece, the science fiction novel Dune, Frank Herbert writes that "fear is the mind killer." For too long I ignored those words and allowed my fear to rule me, killing my creativity and drive. Don't make my mistake and let fear stop you from working towards your dreams.

That’s all for today’s interview. If fantasy is what you read, check out Jane’s books.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18676900.Jane_Delaney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VasEhries/

Instagram: @TheMain_Jane

Another Worldly Christmas: An Author Interview with Nix Whittaker

How did you come up with the idea of your latest book?

Dimitri has been a prisoner for hundreds of years. The dragon hunter who frees him is little more than a morsel but he doesn't want to eat her as a snack, but he does want to devour her. Awkward after so many years enslaved, he has to find his voice to ask Charani to be more than just the woman who freed him.

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?

I started writing the story in October and wondered when to publish it. With Christmas was just around the corner, that seemed like the perfect time. Besides I love Christmas.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
Big family meals sans the drama. Though drama can be fun as well. We are from South Africa and we always bring out our South African food at Christmas time. Boerewors, Milktart and sosaties.

What’s next?

I’m busy with a mystery set in this world which will be published early next year called Lady Golden Hand. It is in its last edits. It’s time frame is about 80 years after this book and set in England instead of Eastern Europe. But it still has dragons.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given you’d like to share?

Read. You will learn more from other writers than you think. And from that practice. Write all the time. Even if it is only a sentence, get into the habit of writing every day.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?

I wish I’d learned a lot more about the craft of writing. Mostly I’ve learned along the way and I wish I had known more before I wrote my first book. Now I just consider that my own university or course in writing. I’m super grateful to all the people online willing to share what they know about writing.

That’s all for today’s interview. Here are two options to learn more

If you want to pick up her collection of short stories in this world you can do that by signing up for her newsletter at www.nixwhittaker.com

https://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Beyond-Compare-Christmas-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B077PRKJ37

A Twist to the Reindeer Tale- An Interview with Heather Karn

How did you come up with the idea of your Christmas themed book?

When I decided to do a Christmas book, my two biggest criteria were that it couldn’t have a saving Christmas plot or be a Christmas Carol retelling. Those plots have been done so many times I didn’t want mine to be lost among them. Like my other books, I wanted this one to be different.

In the end, I decided Santa didn’t need reindeer to fly the sleigh, but I needed something else, and one thing led to another. So I took my love of shifters and my love of Christmas and combined them, creating an ice dragon shifter Christmas novel where Santa uses dragon shifters to pull his sleigh. Thus, First Christmas was born.

Would you give a short synopsis of the story for my readers?

Vixen, an ice dragon shifter living at the North Pole meets her mate, Lunar, who has no idea about Christmas. It’s up to her and her elven friends to teach him all about their favorite holiday. In the meantime, Vixen is being sought after by another ice dragon with evil intentions, who will do anything to make her his so he can rule her clan. In the end, it is the magic of Christmas that must prevail in the hearts of elves and dragons alike.

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?

I love Christmas. I’m actually a bit obsessed. It’s a family trait. Once I started writing my tiger shifter series and it was approaching Christmas, I knew I needed to add Christmas books to my published works. I couldn’t NOT write one. It was thinking of an original, unique plot that was the more difficult part, but now that world and its characters have come alive and won’t stop giving me ideas.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

There are so many traditions that I love. Decorating has to be one of the best traditions. That usually takes place early to mid-November. Every year we open a gift on Christmas Eve with whoever is at my parent’s house. Last year we did a Secret Santa where we all bought mugs for another person. Another year it was pajamas. This year has yet to be determined.

I also love that we can’t touch the presents until it’s time to hand them out, and growing up, Mom and Dad always hid the names on the presents so we couldn’t tell what present belonged to which person. The one tradition I’ve never liked, though, is having to eat a large breakfast. I was usually too excited to eat and enjoy the meal.

What’s next?

I have two other books releasing in November and December:  Cookie Christmas and Evergreen Christmas.

After that, in late January/February, I’ll be releasing the second book in my Gargoyle’s series, called Gargoyle’s Pixie. I’ve begun work on a PNR Beauty and the Beast fairytale retelling, and that should release early to mid-2019 if all goes well.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given you’d like to share?

One I’ve strictly followed is to not let anyone read your work until the first draft is finished. The first draft is always bad and needs more attention to make it amazing, but if someone reads a beginning portion and tears it down (in its imperfect state) then it could deter you from finishing the project.

Since I don’t plot out the story in advance, some of my greatest ideas don’t happen until I’m further along the story. So, I’ll go back and redo the beginning parts. I don’t want to be discouraged from completing a project when I know I can fix it later.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?

Marketing is a lot harder than it appears on paper! Most authors will tell you that, and it’s easy to brush it off, but it’s true. If I’d known that, I would’ve taken marketing classes in college, so I was better prepared. Not only is it harder, but it’s ever-changing, and you have to change with it.

Any last words or tips?

Marketing! Network! It’s so important to network with other authors, especially in your genre. Not only can you give one another tips but having someone right there who you can go to when you feel discouraged is the best thing ever. You need that, and so do they. Plus, sharing knowledge will help you both.

One of the first tips I learned was from a beta reader. In my first draft, all the other characters sort of just existed around the main character. When she and I were done talking, I realized one of the greatest things I could do was to develop those characters. I needed to add what they were thinking, consider the life experiences that shaped them, and show how their motivations drove their decisions. Now my secondary characters have come alive and each one takes on a life of their own as the story deepens.

That’s all for today’s interview. If you’d like to learn more about Heather’s books, here are some links to get you started.

www.heatherkarn.com

www.facebook.com/heatherkarnauthor

https://www.amazon.com/Heather-Karn/e/B01JCXJLCI

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heather-karn

Bringing Fantasy to Life: Author Interview with Jennifer Nielsen

Jennifer’s debut book was Elliott and the Goblin War in 2010. That series became known as The Underworld Chronicles. The next series she released was The Ascendance trilogy, beginning with The False Prince in 2012. She wrote the sixth book of the Infinity Ring series, Behind Enemy Lines in 2013. Her current series is Mark of the Thief. This woman never stops writing. Read on to find out how she does it.

What drew you to writing fantasy? Was there a specific author that you read that made you think, “I could write that”? 
For a long time, I was writing adult mysteries, but not having much success. I was also a big fan of the Harry Potter series. Shortly before the seventh book was released, I saw a fan fiction site that challenged people to see if they could write the final HP book. Ultimately, HP is a mystery story, and since I was writing mysteries at the time, the idea of meeting the challenge appealed to me. I had so much fun in writing it, I knew about halfway through that I was forever converted to writing fantasy.

When did you actually start writing your first book? How long did it take to write your first draft? 

I started my first book in my mid-20s, though it was total garbage. I’ve always been a fast writer, so I do quick first drafts - around four to six weeks - but then I spend a long time on rewrites. 

Who encouraged you along the way? 

I think along the way toward publication, my best encouragement came from two critique partners who refused to let me quit. I’m not working with them anymore, but they deserve a lot of credit for helping me get published.

Each of your books are current books are published by Scholastic. How did you get involved with them? 
My agent is Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Agency, and she’s fantastic. For The False Prince, she submitted to six different publishers, and Scholastic gave the offer we liked best. 

Prior to writing these books, what other writing credits did you have?

Prior to being published with Scholastic, I had a smaller series with Sourcebooks Publishers.

Other than completing your novels, what was the most difficult aspect of publishing for you?
For me, the most difficult part of publishing is waiting. Waiting to announce news, for a release date, for acquisition meetings to happen - I’m not the most patient person, and it’s sometimes hard to play the waiting game.

What is the status of bringing your book, The False Prince to the movie screen? 
A new screenwriter has been hired to continue with revisions. Once he’s finished, the studio will evaluate the new script and determine if they want to bring it to the big screen. My next official update will be sometime in late August, although the update could be “no news.” My fingers are crossed though!

What is the best advice you could give a new author in reviewing a contract before signing?
Regardless of whether an author is agented or not, it’s important not to sign something if you don’t understand it. A lot of contract language might seem innocent on the surface, but has greater implications for an author’s career than they might realize at the time. 

Unfortunately, there are some publishers out there with contracts that are heavily lopsided against the author’s best interests. So if there’s something you want clarified, make sure you get that done before you sign.

What do you know now about publishing that you wish you knew sooner?

I think with my debut release, I wanted so much for that book to break out. When it didn’t happen, I wondered if I had a career ahead of me at all. I understand now that in most cases, an author’s career grows slowly, one book at a time.

What’s been your best promotion for selling books?
Promotion is sort of like the chicken and the egg quandary. If you have fans, it’s easy to reach them to broaden your base. But until you have a broad base of fans, how can you reach them? I’ve always considered it important to interact with my fans, to care about them, and respect their time in contacting me. Because I do this, I’ve had very loyal fans. I think investing in them comes back to me when I ask them to consider reading my next book.

What advice would you give someone who wants to indie-publish? What is the best advice you’ve been given or learned?
I’ve never indie published, so I’m not the best spokesman for giving advice here. However, I will say this, which I think is true for all authors: Identify your career goals now. How do you define success as an author? Is it to have a certain income, to win a certain award, to get on a bestseller list, to have a movie deal - whatever? The goal itself doesn’t matter, but it is important to know what you want and then only make the decisions that will take you closer to the goal. Otherwise, it’s very easy in this industry to wander onto other paths that look appealing at the time, but take you in directions that are ultimately unsatisfying.

What other works do you have in the process?

I’m up to my eyeballs in other works right now. I’ll release a standalone fantasy in August called The Scourge, and the third book of the Mark of the Thief trilogy in January. In fall of 2017, I’ll release book 2 of the Horizon series, a multi-platform series from Scholastic that’s headed up by Scott Westerfeld. Then in winter of 2018, I’ll open a brand new series called The Traitor's Game, which I think is going to be awesome - I can’t wait to share it.

That's it for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Jennifer's writing, here's the link to her website: http://www.jennielsen.com/

Her next book, The Scourge, can be ordered now! Here's the  Amazon link: 

http://amzn.to/29rLV8l.