Mocha Memoirs introduces a chilling coming-of-age horror tale in Sinister Ascension!

Bruckner University senior, Carmen Guerra learns from her grandmother that being a medium run in her family. Carmen assumes the ability skipped her as she can’t commune with the dead.

But an evil presence rouses her abilities and she goes through a painful awakening that torments her physically, mentally, and emotionally. Todd Anderson, the transfer grad student, is a vampire. He has come to campus in search a host body to possess once he has completed an arcane spell. One that will allow him to ascend into a demon. When he sets his sights on Carmen’s roommate as his potential host body, she must quickly learn her abilities and how to control them.

With aid from her long-distance grandmother, a lost spirit and an unexpected ally, Carmen struggles to cope with new abilities while finding her the strength to battle Todd from completing the sinister ascension. 

From Mocha Memoirs Press, Sinister Ascension is a chilling coming-of-age tale that follows a young medium growing into her powers in time to uncover a diabolical plot against her college roommate. Can Carmen Guerra stop the sinister ascension before her roommate becomes the host body for a new demon lord?

Find out now!

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #12: Alledria Hurt

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Alledria Hurt! 

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

My current work in progress started with one sentence: You are always outlawed until you’re needed. It’s the story of the last necromancer left after a culling and how she gets drawn into a royal scandal by being asked to bring a dead princess back to life. That’s tentatively titled “Holy Land”.

The most recent piece I sold was a cyberpunk romance called “Dreamless” which is a story set in a world where human beings have to be assisted to dream because they have become essentially 24/7 consumer drones. It’s a little weird, but it was fun to write.

But my latest published work came out last year (2020) that's "ALICE". Sometimes the one you need most is your mother. Alice is a superwoman in the middle of a zombie apocalypse leading a band of misfits to where she thinks the end of the trouble will be in the East. There are zombies and a cult and even an Elder God.

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer? 

Some kind of dark unmentionable trauma I’ve fully repressed, I’m sure. Or it could just be I was always praised for being able to string words together. Something like that. I had a teacher who assigned a creative portfolio in my 8th grade year and she said I had a very good head for prose and thus I started thinking, maybe. It would take a few years and a good natured dare before I would write my first book. It’s a trunk novel that I don’t even want printed posthumously.

What inspires you to write? 

A lot of things. Mostly the gremlins in my brain. There are many and they have a desire to have their adventures told. So I’m really a glorified scribe for my imaginary friends. It’s a lot of fun.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work? 

I revisit family, both found and blood, a lot. I’ve had the good fortune to be blessed with a fine blood and found family over the years and think those dynamics are really fun to watch play out.

What would be your dream project? 

Funny you should ask that, my dream project is usually whichever project I’m working on because my dreams keep running and I keep chasing them down. However, if I had to say there is a project that I don’t feel ready to tackle yet, it would be an opus like the Dark Tower saga from King. I’m not ready for that yet, but one day I will be and then there will be an epic written with my name on it.

What writers have influenced your style and technique? 

Definitely Stephen King because I’ve probably been reading him the most consistently of anyone who I have read. I started on my King journey when I was eight years old, much to my mother’s dismay. Other writers I have unabashedly fangasmed over: Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, and S.M. Stirling. I actually had the honor of meeting S.M. Stirling once. I hope to meet King one day.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do? 

I honestly wouldn’t because I believe my projects are all part of who I was at the time they were written. Not quite fossilized, but like museum pieces. I can see their flaws and their virtues, but changing them would intrinsically change the piece itself. Now, would I take some of the underlying bones maybe and make them dance to a different tune, perhaps, but I wouldn’t go into it trying to fix something I already wrote.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?  

I believe writing is an art with some science underpinnings. I mean, the way we construct sentences and paragraphs and overall stories is repeatable in the way a science experiment is repeatable but despite that repetition, you would still come out with something a little different each time. It’s like observing it changes the outcome. The piece being read by a different person changes the perception. Therefore, writing like medicine is as much an art as a science.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? 

The most difficult part of my artistic process is making myself look at something a second time. I’m a discovery writer and I have a tendency to write myself into corners. I do this quite often and yet I still have the hardest time making myself go back and look at work I’ve already written. I want to be better about it, but I fear that I have to kind of let someone else point out the flaws and then make myself go back and fix it then rather than trying to make myself go back and read it without any kind of outside intervention.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not? 

My writer friends remind me that I am not alone in doing the work. Sometimes, it certainly feels that way, but I get together with

them about once a week and we shoot the breeze and talk about our projects and use each other as Kleenex for our pity parties. However, on the flipside of that, I get more work done with these others around me than I truly ever did on my own. Plus, my writer friends introduce me to neat opportunities to talk about my work and myself, so bonus.

What does literary success look like to you? 

Wow, for a girl who never thought she would get the first book published, having more than ten out feels like success. Speaking at DragonCon which was the first convention I ever went to and the convention I had on my bucket list to speak at feels like success. The bar is moving, I’d like to make enough to write full-time and run my bookstore, but I’m not there yet, so literary success at this point is winning an award like a Hugo or a Dragon and making enough off my writing life I can afford to give up part of my non-writing life.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug? 

At current, my upcoming project is my bookstore, Sista Ghoul Booktique, which is currently a pop up bookstore in Savannah, GA. I’m working on getting inventory in for it now. I love reading almost as much as I love writing and I want to share the work of my friends, some of whom may never be in a bookstore, with others. You can check it out at http://www.sistaghoul.com.

For more information, visit: 

You can catch me on Twitch a lot of mornings as NoirLadyLuck -- http://www.twitch.tv/noirladyluck

Check out my website at http://www.alledriahurt.com

Or drop me a line through my bookstore at http://www.sistaghoul.com

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #11: Lisa Wood

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Lisa Wood! 

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

Telecommuting is a psychological horror novella from Mocha Memoirs Press that shows the unsettling side of being alone.  It is particularly hard-hitting considering the state of the world and what many people experienced in the beginning months of the pandemic.  It is dark, it sits too close to home, and it is scary.

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

Birth.  😊  I have been writing since I was five years old and always strayed toward the darker side.  Not so much the blood and gore, but the psychological twists and turns.  This has made me a fan of thriller novels and suspense, as well as horror for as long as I can remember.  I can’t recall reading anything like that when I was young, but the moment I sat down to write, that is what came out.

What inspires you to write?

Everything!  I write regardless of my emotion at the time; my stories don’t usually lend themselves to that kind of introspection.  I can find inspiration, motivation, and interest in the rain, the look on someone’s face when they don’t know anyone is watching, a song lyric.  I never know when inspiration will hit and that is one of the things I love most about my writing process.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I like ghosts and vampires so I tend to use those antagonists often.  Psychological horror is often about an internal struggle, so I find that I like to play in that space as well.  Otherwise, I really like to mix things up and try new things.

What would be your dream project?

The next project is my dream project!  I tend to fall in love with the current thing I am working on and nothing else matters or can ever measure up until I type "The End" and meet the next love of my life.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Ira Levin.  Anyone who has not read Levin and decides to after this interview is in for a treat.  You only think you know The Stepford Wives from the movie.  Wait until you read it.  His voice is so compelling, you don’t even realize that you’ve made it through most of a book in one sitting.  I would also add Shirley Jackson for her ability to make something so incredibly creepy that you almost feel like you can’t sit still in your chair any longer.  And Stephen King for confirming that I was not the only person who wondered what was wrong with the crack in the sidewalk when everyone else was walking over it without a care in the world.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I don’t believe in going back – when you do that you are changing what was right at the time.  A novel that doesn’t come together is that way for a reason – perhaps there was more research needed or maybe you weren’t ready to write the novel at that time.  Maturity, new experiences, all sorts of things impact how a story comes out and if you go back to “make it better” you are destroying the thing that made it what it was the first time.  That doesn’t mean that you don’t revisit projects or ideas but I believe that one should do so with the understanding that they are creating something brand new in the process. I don’t normally go back, but I have taken pieces of something that just wasn’t right and used them later, putting them where it probably belonged all the time.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Writing is an art – it is imprecise and immeasurable – metrics fail when applied to it.  It is creative and impulsive and unique to each person.  Art is life and life is art.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

I think that varies for everyone.  I try to embrace every step.  If an idea won’t come, it isn’t ready to; if I can’t find the words one day, I’ll come back when I can.  I don’t force it so I don’t find it difficult.  That’s not to say that I like editing!  LOL!  But there is a beauty in editing as well.  I can often add 5,000 new words to a piece that I was supposed to just be editing because they fit.  I think the artistic process is only hard when someone forces themselves to do something.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

I don’t think they make me a better writer, but they are the people who understand me when I say I am in the middle of something or if I daydream in the middle of a conversation.  The people in my life who don’t write understand that now as well, but it took some time.  I view my writer friends as people on the same path as me – we don’t need to talk about the rock in the road ahead because we both see it and will sidestep it when necessary without needing to say a word.

What does literary success look like to you?

Knowing that my work has impacted someone, brought some kind of emotion – that is literary success.  Having the respect of my peers as well.  There’s a feeling that comes with experiencing those things that cannot be described. 

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

Yes!  Mocha Memoirs Press and I are coming out with a realistic horror story in early 2022 called The Black Hole.  It’s a novella about a group of friends who go out for some much-needed stress relief and get more than they bargained for.  Before that part two of my The Realm series will be coming out – this one is a psychological horror sci-fi action mashup that keeps you on your toes as you move through an afterlife that is unlike anything we have ever conceived of, rushing alongside Patrick as he tries to save his family in a race against time.  Fun stuff!

For more information, visit:  

Check me out at www.lmariewood.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter or on Twitter: @LMarieWood1 and Facebook:  www.facebook.com/LMarieWood

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #10: Maya Preisler

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Maya Preisler! 

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

The Laws of Entanglement is a ghost story about love after death and how love teaches you about yourself. It’s Donnie Darko meets Practical Magic. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

Honestly, trauma. Writing has always been a form of escape; a safe place to explore myself, relationships, emotions… anything that I might feel nervous expressing in my waking life. 

What inspires you to write?

Life, usually. There have been definite moments that I’ve made note of and said, “This is going to be a story one day.”  

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

The red string of fate, ravens and crows, love transcending death, returning from the dead, vengeance, empowerment, and transformation. 

What would be your dream project?

I’d love to write a short story for one of the Valdemar anthologies; it would be an honor to contribute to the world of Velgarth. Of course it would be a childhood dream come true to write for Star Wars. Otherwise, an epic Xianxia style fantasy series. 

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, Isaac Asimov, Anne Rice and Alice Hoffman. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Probably one of the fantasy novels I was writing in high school; The Children of Compromise. The concept of gods stealing each other’s children to raise as their own is still fascinating to me. Though I think this time I would delve into the intergenerational ramifications of colonization and the conflict of being a product of both sides; my protagonists wouldn’t be the children of Welsh deities stolen by the British ones, they would likely be the children of the Americas, Africa, India, and any place the British Empire once held hold. 

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I would rank it on the art end of the continuum. As a visual artist, my best training in the language of symbols came from my high school English teachers. Whether you are creating static visual art, a time-based piece such as film, or a written piece — the level of complex thought and multi-layered communication is the same. Science is a method; a system for analyzing the world around us in ways we can all agree upon. Art is language; a form of communication of complex ideas.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Prioritizing creativity. I tend to place everything else in my world first. The drawback of being a professional creative is that my own personal projects tend to be pushed so far to the back burner that they fall off the stove and live underneath it with the dust bunnies. 

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

Peer pressure. For the longest time, I was under the delusion that I could either be a visual artist or a writer, but not both. Unfortunately, writing is contagious. Authors love to hang out together and goad each other to write and submit things. And the next thing you know you’re signing each other’s books. True story. 

What does literary success look like to you?

Having my own category of Fan-Fiction on AO3. At the point that people love your creation enough to want to play in their sandbox instead of their own, you’ve left a mark on the collective unconscious in a positive way. 

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I always have something brewing. Right now I’m working on an actual play Star Wars RP podcast as well as a sequel to and a parallel universe exploration of The Laws of Entanglement. 

For more information, visit:

www.mayarenee.com

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #9: V.G. Harrison

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet V.G. Harrison!  (Well, Marcia Colette writing at V.G. Harrison.)

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

My latest is from the Slay anthology and it's called "Message in a Vessel," where I'm writing as V.G. Harrison. It's about what happens when the vampire world runs out of food and has to look to the stars to figure out where their next meal is coming from. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

I was on the subway in Boston and read everything I could get my hands on until I couldn't find anything that interested me anymore. So, I started writing my own. Back then, nobody had coined the name urban fantasy.

What inspires you to write?

Movies and other stories. I enjoy putting my spin on the what-if question and seeing where it takes me.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Anyone can be a hero and you don't have to be a brooding jackass for it to be believable. Brains win out over brawn, which is why my heroines rely on their wits more than anything else. They're pilots, mechanical engineers, scientists, etc. Sometimes, all it takes is for them to be in the right place at the wrong time or vice versa.

What would be your dream project?

Anything that stands the test of time like Star Wars or Star Trek.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Kelley Armstrong, L.A. Banks, Tananarive Due, Stephen King, John Saul, and Bentley Little to name a few. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

The Light at the End of Judgment and Day. I would like to have made it longer, since it's a novella. I had a lot of fun writing that book. The fun where you don't want it to end so soon.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Oh wow. For me, I'm right in the middle. As V.G. Harrison, I have fun crafting a story and making it seem as close to reality as possible. But I weigh and measure certain aspects of my story to make sure there's just enough fact for people to forget that it's fiction.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Seeing an idea through to the end. I forget I am my first and most important fan. Everyone else comes second. If I lose interest in an idea, then that means I'm not having fun with it anymore and neither will readers. I've tried both plotting and pantsing and it doesn't matter. 

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

Their success makes me want to succeed. I see how much they enjoy writing and how passionate they are about their stories, and I want to feel the same way about mine. That's probably why I LOVE hanging out with them at conventions.

What does literary success look like to you?

Being able to do this as a full-time career rather than having to work my life around it.  

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I just got a contract for my next sci-fi novel, Engine in the Sky.

For more information, visit: 

www.vgharrison.com

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #8: Stephen Brayton

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Stephen Brayton! 

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

My story is about a young boy who goes to a school to learn how to be a wizard and is adept at some broom flying game… Wait, that’s not right. Let me start over.

Night Shadows. Killer shadows invade Des Moines! Homicide Detective Harry Reznik teams with FBI agent Lori Campisi to investigate a series of heinous murders. What they discover will introduce Reznik to the paranormal and the supernatural. For Campisi, she is confronted with her enigmatic past and the secrets she’s forgotten.

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

As an orphaned child, I wandered the country shoeless with only the stub of a pencil and a dog-eared notebook to my name. I figured if I was going to survive, I’d better entertain people, so I started writing stories.

Okay, seriously, I’ve been an avid reader since childhood. I read a lot of horror and mystery. At some point, I decided I could write stories like I enjoy reading. Many years passed before I learned the craft...and I’m still learning.

BTW, I’m not an orphan.

What inspires you to write?

The constant desire to keep from being bored.

Well, actually, this is difficult to answer. I’ve been a writer since childhood. As the years have passed, I think of more and more ideas. Some stall out before they get any traction, others bug me until I do something about them. I get that writer’s ‘itch’ that reminds me if I don’t write, then I’m missing out on something wonderful. While I fashion an outline for each story, I keep it fluid. I’m eager to see what creativity comes out as I’m writing. I enjoy the feeling of satisfaction with a completed project.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I’m not sure if rainbows and unicorns are what you’re looking for. (Although I know someone who is writing about unicorns.)

For the Reznik/Campisi stories, I focus on relationships and family history. Night Shadows deals a lot with Campisi’s amnesia about her childhood. The next story in the series will bring Reznik’s ancestors into play.

Another series, featuring a female private investigator, brings in stories that have her involved with children. Usually, protecting them from danger. Also, in that series, I see how low I can bring her before her inner strength rises to help her to victory.

What would be your dream project?

I don’t think I dream projects… Oh, that’s not what you’re asking. You’re thinking something along the lines of Pulitzer prize stories, rising above the fame status of Stephen King and James Patterson. Well...sure, why not?

Okay, let’s get the tongue out of the cheek and answer this. In truth, I’m writing my dream projects. I’m continuing with both the Reznik/Campisi series, the private investigator series, and looking at another series featuring Reznik and another partner.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

All of them. All right, you’re thinking I’m joking, but I’m really not. All writers help me find my style and voice. Maybe they help me by critiquing my work or by the material they bring to the table.

If you want to venture into authors I enjoy, I don’t think you have enough space for my entire list. However, I’ll give you several. Night Shadows has elements of Lovecraft. I’ve read numerous mystery authors such as Evanovitch, Paretsky, Grafton, Viets, Mayor, Chandler. Of course, the thrillers and high adventure novels are great. Golemon, Reilly, Ludlum, Flynn.

So many great authors and I pick up ideas from all of them. I try not to copy their style and technique. I hope I have developed my own.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I have a book entitled New Year Gone that was released August 24. While I think the book is great (of course I do), I would have started earlier on getting permission to use some of the quotes I really wanted to include. Many quotes are from other books, and one came from a song. I learned too late the time needed for a response. I ended up changing out four quotes. While the substitutions are fine and work, I thought the original quotes were better.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Writing is a form of art. Painting, sculpting, drawing, and playing around with wet clay on a spinning table are also art forms. With each style of art, there is crap and there is quality. With every art form, one can have a ‘natural’ ability, or one can learn and improve as the years pass. I think, too, that if you’re not practicing and fine-tuning your art, you may lose something. To get it back may take extra effort.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Knowing at some point I have to stop writing, go out, and earn a real living. Lol.

Actually, while I don’t think the rewrites are difficult, they are time-consuming. Here I’ve written a complete story. Now, I have to go back and, in one sense, write it again. Add, delete, change, correct, alter. I’m a member of two critique groups and for each piece of material I read to them, I take copious notes to later consider. The difficult part keeping the big picture in mind with those notes. Some notes require referencing material earlier in the story.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

Does beating me with a stick count?

As I’ve mentioned, I enjoy critique groups. While I accept praise, I’m not going to have someone say, “Oh, that’s wonderful. Don’t change a thing.” Are you kidding? Tell me what doesn’t work. Point out my mistakes.

The biggest aid my writer friends provide is asking them questions about difficult scenes. How could I make this better? I’m stuck trying to figure out some action scene to put here, any suggestions? Many times, they’ll come up with something that will either work or that I can alter slightly to make work.

What does literary success look like to you?

$$$. Millions of fans giving me accolades and inviting me to lavish dinners in my honor.

What? You think I’m kidding here? Isn’t that what every successful writer wants?

Of course, the monetary aspect is important. There’s the humble answer of: Success is for readers to enjoy my work, want more, and recommend me to their friends. That’s also important.

However, I would like to be comfortable and have fun. To be able to write when I want, not worry about paying the bills, and to thoroughly enjoy what I’m doing. This includes everything from story creation, to outlining, to writing, editing, and meeting readers after the book is published.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I’m working on the blueprints for a huge office building/entertainment venue that will make the Burj Kalifa in Dubai look like a child’s Lego toy. While I’ve considered diving right in, I think I may have to put that on the back burner due to the time I’ll spend ironing out the fine details.

Oh, did you mean writing projects? I would like to get the next Reznik/Campisi story to my professional editor. I’m reading the first in a series with Reznik and his new partner. I also have started writing two stories in the private investigator series with another outlined. Oh, and I’m going through a collaborative story put together years ago by one of my critique groups. It’s a fun project, but time-consuming. At times, I think the building might be completed faster.

For more information, visit:

You can visit me personally. Just stop on by my apartment any time you like. Here’s my address… Uh, wait a minute, maybe that isn’t a good idea. I haven’t vacuumed in a while, and the dust bunnies keep reproducing and hiding from me.

Instead, why don’t you surf on over to these three websites:

https://www.facebook.com/stephenbraytonauthor

https://stephenbrayton.wordpress.com/ - for the weekly blog

https://braytonsbookbuzz.wordpress.com/ - for the weekly book review

Also, I have a monthly (okay, sometimes I skip a month, but never more than two) news update. Send me an email if you’d like to be part of the gang. You get up updates on my books, where I’ll be, and how I’m doing on my fitness regimen. (Yeah, that last one is serious.)

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #7: Sumiko Saulson

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Sumiko Saulson!

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

I am really happy to announce that Mocha Memoirs Press has picked up my horror / paranormal romance series. The series revolves around a series of Greek deities known as Oneiros who are aspects of dreams, personified. This in particular revolves around the subset of erotic nightmares. The books combine horror, dark fantasy, romance, and kinky erotica. There are four books at this time: Happiness and Other Diseases, Somnalia, Insatiable, and Akmani. And I am already getting started on the outline for a fifth book, Phobetor. 

The series starts with Happiness and Other Diseases. The central protagonist, Flynn Keahi, is being haunted by disturbing nightmares where a succubus-like creature calling itself Mercy is latching herself onto his repressed sadomasochistic sexual desires. Initially, he finds himself exhausted, depleted of energy. Overtime, things worsen and he wakes up with unexplained injuries on his body. The creature is becoming increasingly able to affect him in the waking world. Mercy and her siblings are trying to break out of the dream world and into the mortal realm.

Alarmed by this, her great-grandmother, Nyx, a Titan, becomes involved. If Mercy and company disturb the natural order, it may create conflict with her old nemesis, Zeus. She is ready to destroy Mercy and her entire line, when her son, Somnus, the personification of sleep, intervenes on their behalf. Nyx tells him that if Flynn survives, his grandchildren, the Somnali (grandchildren of Somnus) will also survive. But if he dies, all of them will die and be forced to reincarnate as mortals with no memory of their divine origin. Somnus is allowed to assign a champion to protect Flynn. He assigns half-human Charlotte. She tries to protect Flynn, but her lust and romantic attraction towards him create even more danger for the mere mortal Flynn. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

I started writing when I was very young. I dreamed of being an author from the time I was in kindergarten, and I was on my high school newspaper. I was a published poet by the age of 19, but I didn’t achieve my dream of being a novelist until I was 42. What prompted me to write my first novel was finding out that both of my parents had cancer. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer in the same family as leukemia and lymphoma, which affects African Americans at a rate twice as high as the general population, in August 2009. My father was diagnosed with lung cancer a year and a half later, in 2011. I decided that I should write a novel while they were living, so they could read what I wrote, and generally be a part of my achieving my dreams, while they were still living. I became very focused, and I wrote three novels between 2011 and when my father died in January 2013. My mother was a survivor. Against all odds, she fought multiple myeloma for 9 ½ years, despite it having been so advanced by the time it was diagnosed that she was only expected to live 1 1/12 years. She passed away in January 2019.

What inspires you to write?

I have a compulsion to write, which I think is due to my bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder – and very likely, to my basic personality other than my mental health issues and trauma. But writing horror is definitely something that helps me to process the traumas that are behind my PTSD diagnosis. I also often write very topical sociopolitical horror based on issues in the headlines that I find inspire me.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I wanted to have children and wasn’t able to, and I find that fertility issues and difficulties in procreation have resurfaced in various ways in many of my works. Mental illness also shows up in a lot of them. Flynn Keahi has bipolar disorder, and the title of Happiness and Other Diseases is a reference to how, whenever he is truly happy, his doctors accuse him of having a manic episode. He has trouble getting people to take his problems seriously because he’s mentally ill. He isn’t the only mentally ill character I have written, but he is the first central protagonist who is. I wrote a lot of other characters of one sort or another who had mental health issues before and after Flynn.

What would be your dream project?

Honestly, this is my dream project. I have a deep love for this series. Anne Rice said that people should write the book they want to read, and that’s what I did. I wrote a series of books that told a story that I wanted to read. And about two-thirds of the way through the first book, the stories just started writing themselves. The characters lived for me, and they told their own tale, and I had a deep and still abiding love affair with this world and these characters. Of course, if they made a movie out of them that would be even better.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Like anyone, I am influenced by what I read a lot of. That would be Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, LA Banks, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Robin Cook, Peter Straub, Frank Herbert, Susan Cook, C.S. Lewis. Also mythology, I was a huge fan of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology as a kid. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Again, I am actually getting a do-over. The fourth book in the series Akmani has never been released before, but the first three are out of print now. I think Happiness and Other Diseases is a really great book that can be even better. I know that Mocha Memoirs Press will give it a brilliant edit and a beautiful cover, and that it will get all of the love and care it truly deserves. I put a lot of work into it as a self-pub, but honestly, it deserved better than what I could do on my own. 

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

For me, it is an art. The only science I know is computer science, and although I put some planning into my books, the notebooks full of character notes and world-building are pretty chaotic. There is something frenetic and organic about the process. Which is not to say that writing isn’t a science for someone, nor is it to say that there is nothing mechanical in it for me. I use the three-act structure, so that is a method I find useful. But most of it is like intentional daydreaming for me.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Definitely editing my own work, as there are always a lot of things you miss when you look at the page. Reading aloud helps – missing words or phrases are more noticeable when reading aloud. When you read what you wrote on a page, your brain inserts what you think you meant to say. So that makes it harder to catch. My English teacher also taught us that it helps to read backward from the last page to the first, a page at a time. It stops your brain from focusing on the story and forces you to look at the words themselves. Working with an editor can also be difficult – although, I tend to just approve 95 to 100 percent of the editing suggestions. They usually know what they are talking about. But sometimes they have rewrites. I can love rewrites, but they can also be frustrating.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

Writing requires self-promotion, and it is really hard to see yourself as a brand or a product. It feels self-aggrandizing or egocentric. Working with other authors on the promotion trail helps me feel like it is okay to promote my book. I love doing book signings and readings with other authors. It’s more fun, more relaxing, and makes me feel like a part of a team. The same goes for anthologies. It’s a lot easier to promote a book full of stories by your friends that you love than it is to just constantly talk about yourself. 

Being in writer’s groups and critiquing one another’s work has also helped me as a writer. Other writers are able to give specific, constructive critiques that are useful and can be acted upon.

What does literary success look like to you?

Every time something new and exciting happens, I feel like I have succeeded – so I take it one day at a time, just like any other job. When I reach a new level, it is like getting a raise at a 9 to 5 job, or a promotion. So I try to appreciate each new plateau and I still feel very excited about it. I know I am going to get to go to DC and present in person at WorldCon in December, and I am thrilled. Not only will it be my first in-person convention appearance since March 2020, but it is the furthest I will have traveled for an appearance. Writing is a humble career for most of us – most of us will never exceed a middle-class standard of living as an author, and honestly, many of us will never make that. For me being able to support myself as an author looks like literary success. Having an audience looks like success.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I have a poem, “Darkest Night of Faerie Bright,” in the upcoming Horror Writers Association Poetry Showcase 8, and one called “With December Comes Elune” in a poetry anthology called Infectious Hope.

For more information, visit:

www.SumikoSaulson.com

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #6: Alexandra Christian

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Alexandra Christian!

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

Falling Into Rhythm is my latest from Mocha Memoirs Press. It’s a contemporary small-town romance about a kindergarten teacher who falls in love with one of her students’ dads. It’s a seasonal story in the vein of a Hallmark movie. Nothing too complicated, but a light, feel-good read. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

My family is full of storytellers and readers. My father was the master of telling a joke or funny story and definitely passed that on to his children. My sister, novelist Lucy Blue, was the first to pursue writing as a career, and watching her put down stories that were entertaining and the kinds of things I wanted to read, was really inspiring.

What inspires you to write?

Finding stories that I want to read. I know I can’t be the only person that wants a good, character-driven adventure with a romance at the center. I always loved movies like Romancing the Stone and Crocodile Dundee that are essentially romances with an awesome adventure for the couple. 

Unfortunately, finding books with that same sensibility is not easy, so I decided to write my own.  

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Unlikely pairings and small-town weirdness are probably my favorite things to work into a story. 

What would be your dream project?

I’ve always wanted to write a Harley Quinn YA novel. She’s one of my favorite comic book characters and I think she gets a bum rap for being a stupid nymphette in most iterations. 

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

My sister, Lucy Blue, has definitely been a big influence—by proximity if nothing else. I’ve also been heavily influenced (get this mix…) by Stephen King, Anais Nin, Nora Roberts, and most definitely all those “old school” romance writers — Julie Garwood, Sandra Brown, and other purveyors of the bodice ripper.

Where would you rank writing on the Is it an art or it is a science continuum? Why?

I definitely think writing is an art. Or it should be, anyway. Just like singing or painting, or acting—one can be taught technique, but to be good, one must have natural talent. Art is an expression of the soul that comes from the artist but can be interpreted in a thousand different ways by the receiver. It takes that little spark of magic to make that happen and not everyone is gifted with it. Which is great. I mean, I can’t do math. I was not gifted with that spark. If one approaches art from a scientific standpoint, it shows. If a writer is using a marketing formula to create, you might sell a few books, sure. But the books will never speak to the reader’s soul. They won’t be remembered in a few weeks’ time. 

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Finding the time to do it. 

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I have a couple of things out right now that I’m super-excited about. First is my squishy contemporary romance, Falling Into Rhythm. It’s a small-town romance about a kindergarten teacher and a retired rock star. It was so much fun to write and the perfect “curl up with a cup of tea on a rainy day and read” book. The other is the second novella in my Shadow Council Archives series starring Dr. Watson, Dr. Watson and the Ladies Club Coven. In this episode, Dr. Watson finds out that his landlady, Mrs. Hudson, is a witch whose coven is charged with protecting the secrets of the philosophers’ stone. That one is especially dear to me right now following the death of Una Stubbs, the incredible actress who played Mrs. Hudson in the BBC’s Sherlock. 

For more information, visit:

I can always be found on Facebook and haunting the outskirts of Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. My website is under construction at alexandrachristian.com, but you can still find my links at https://lexxxchristian.wixsite.com/alexandrachristian 

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #5: Crymsyn Hart

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Crymsyn Hart!

Tell us a bit about your latest work: 

My latest work is called Forest of Bones -- Kaya is the only one of her kind: a hybrid vampire and magician. A demon from days past is trying to free its banished brethren from the dark realms by an ancient sun god. Kaya is the key to freeing them.

Valik, her vampire protector, must help her contain the demon. Stavros, the mortal king, will kill any vampire he comes across because they caused the death of his wife and son. Begrudgingly, he takes Kaya as his fiancé. To stop a war, Stavros must join forces with the very thing he hates and keep the demon at bay.

Old ghosts are stirred up. Magic is growing wild. Mysteries from ages past resurface revealing more questions about Kaya’s heritage and how she’s entwined with the demon. Can she reconcile the past?

Or will the demon claim everything she holds dear, including her soul?

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

Nothing happened in my life to prompt me to become a writer. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. My grandmother read to me as a child and I grew up loving books. As I got older, my imagination grew and I knew I wanted to be able to create my own stories.

What inspires you to write?

The inspiration from my writing comes from dreams, movies, other books, the world around me, my experiences as a psychic. I have to write to keep myself sane.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Many of the characters I write about go through some sort of dramatic change in their lives -- normally revolving around death. I enjoy writing about vampires and grim reaper characters. After over a hundred books, the grim reapers show up in over half of them.

What would be your dream project?

My dream project would be... well I don’t know really because most everything I find interesting for a storyline I write. I guess the dream would be to have more time to do everything I want to get out of my head so my muses will leave me alone.

What writers have influenced your style and technique? Writers that have influenced me are:

Anne Rice, Karen E. Taylor, Nancy Kilpatrick, Nancy Collins, Poppy Z. Brite, Jean Auel, and so many more I can’t think of all of them over the years. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

If I had a former project to do over again, it would be my Soul Reaper Series. It was the first big series I wrote over ten years ago. From it came my one character that crosses genres and universes, Azrael the Angel of Death, because why not ---death is everywhere. I would go in and make the writing tighter. The plot would be better than what it is and I’d fix a few scenes that are overly explicit, but I still love the series. 

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I would have to weigh in on writing is an art. Sure you get books that have a “formula” to them that can be scientific, but in my opinion, you need the artistic spark in order to write a good book. You need something to give life to the book besides an outline telling you where to put things as in a formula. If you don’t have characters that work well together or an intriguing storyline, you can outline or have a great formula, but a boring story.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

The most difficult part of my artistic process can be when I have an idea and everything in me says to write, but I have no motivation to write something. However, that normally breaks after a couple of days. It’s not the same for me as writer’s block because when I am blocked I have no ideas. Plotting is easy and building the story and characters flows good too.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

My writer friends are always helping me grow as a writer. They call me out on any bullshit, point out where my writing is lacking, and what my weak points are. They are also great to bounce ideas off of when needed and as friends lending an ear when needed.

What does literary success look like to you?

Literary success would look like for me is knowing that people enjoy my books. Having the knowledge people are reading and getting lost in a world I created and the pages would be wonderful.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug? 

I don’t have anything immediately coming up, but I am currently working on a tie-in to Forest of Bones, tentatively titled The Name Thief, but I think that will change in the future. 

For more information, visit:

Website http://crymsynhart.com

Twitter: @Crymsynhart

Facebook https://facebook.com/crymsynhart

Amazon http://amazon.com/Crymsyn-Hart/e/B002BMJ1Z0

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/crymsynhart

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

Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/crymsyn-hart

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #4: Vonnie Winslow Crist

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Vonnie Winslow Crist!

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

Dragon Rain is a collection of 18 stories of dragons and their kin set in the past, present, and future. Filled with magic, these dragon tales of adventure, dark fantasy, and romance occur in locations around the globe as well as in fantastical worlds. Dragon Rain was released  September 3, 2021 by Mocha Memoirs Press LLC  I think fans of dragons will find lots of stories in the book to love. Here's the link for those interested: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BRHMWFV/ 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

When I was 3, my family visited an older friend on a regular basis. “Grandma Margaret” gave me a little 12-page booklet from The Platt & Munk, Co. Inc.'s fairy-tale/folktale series on each visit to entertain myself with while the adults chatted. The books were easy to read, had wonderful illustrations, and a poem on the back page. I think those booklets (I still have quite a few of them) influenced the direction of my life! In addition to my fiction, I have hundreds of poems and over 1,000 illustrations in print. So you never know what small thing you do might have a great impact on a child.

What inspires you to write?

Everything inspires me, but it is the need to tell stories that keeps me writing.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I think my fiction often deals with people making choices and the consequences of their actions and choices. Also, since I believe the world is still filled with magic, mystery, and miracles, nothing seems too strange to include in one of my tales—so wondrous things happen. Lastly, I suppose love is a theme I return to. Whether romantic, parental, between friends, for a pet, beyond death, etc., love is often woven into my fiction.

What would be your dream project?

I suppose once I'm fully re-immersed in The Chronicles of Lifthrasir (the world of my novel), an opportunity to see that world brought to life on film. I've always been fascinated by the process of using a book as the beginning place for a movie. It would be interesting to participate in that process.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Every writer I've read, from good to awful has influenced me! Even when I was young, I noticed when a story rang true and held my interest. From childhood on, when I read a poorly-written book, I think about what I would do to make it better. If I get specific, I suppose for quality world-building J.R.R. Tolkien influenced me. For writing solid short stories, Ray Bradbury would be one of the authors whose work influenced me. As far as finding the magical in the every day, I think Neil Gaiman is a writer who influenced me. There are so many others I could mention. It's tough to choose just a few.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

This is an easy question! My fantasy novel, The Enchanted Dagger, was a quick write, found a New York agent with a good reputation immediately, and seemed on its way to traditional publishing. Alas, my agent suddenly left the business and none of the remaining agents at her agency wanted to touch her old projects, so the book became homeless. After multiple “close, but no” agent attempts, I placed the novel with an indie publisher. It didn't work out. I pulled the book, then placed it with its current indie publisher. But the rest of the books in the series remain difficult to write. Years have passed since I completed The Enchanted Dagger. Lately, I've gotten 2 more books in the series well on their way to completion. If I could go back in time, I suppose I'd find a different agent AND (this is the most important part) I'd complete multiple books in the series before submitting the first book, so they could be released closer together.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I think writing is both! A good writer needs to know and understand the craft of writing—its rules and tools. A good writer also has to elevate the basic techniques to art in order to add magic to the story they are telling. By magic, I don't mean pixie dust and unicorns (though those are wonderful things). I mean the magic which allows a reader to suspend their disbelief and live in the world a writer creates from their imagination.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

I live a busy life, so making the time to sit down and write is difficult. Once I've gotten myself in front of the computer, it's often challenging for me to focus. I think it's because so many stories are swirling in my head. I must sift through all the characters demanding to be written about, and select a protagonist and supporting cast. Then, I must stay focused on that narrative until it's completed. So focusing is the most difficult part for me.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

Much to my regret, the Covid virus has limited in-person contact with my writer friends. Still, I try to touch base with them via phone or online. My writer friends offer honest feedback and encouragement, listen to my groans when my work is rejected, and share their experiences so I know I'm not alone in the writing journey. Though writing is usually a solitary pursuit, it's nice to know there are others walking the same path, stumbling over the same stones, climbing the same mountains, and hopefully, finding the same publishing success along the way.

What does literary success look like to you?

Telling all the stories in my head, having them published, and finding readers who want to share the worlds I've created.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I'm working on two more story collections, one about fantasy horses and the other is science fiction. As mentioned earlier, I'm writing 2 more books in the world of my fantasy, coming-of-age novel, The Enchanted Dagger. I expect Beyond the Sheercliffs to see publication in 2022. I have a book on writing for anthologies due out in 2022 as well. Then, there are several non-fiction books based on soldiers' letters and diaries from World War II and the American Civil War I keep scribbling away at.

For more information, visit:

https://vonniewinslowcrist.com

https://vonniewinslowcrist.wordpress.com

https://twitter.com/VonnieWCrist

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/629828.Vonnie_Winslow_Crist

https://bakerartist.org/node/18106

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #3: Rie Sheridan Rose

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Rie Sheridan Rose!

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

My latest novel is Mutiny on the Moonbeam from Mocha Memoirs Press. It is the story of a runaway fleeing an abusive stepfather who winds up aboard a flying Elven pirate ship. There is adventure, romance, and derring-do involved—oh, and a really big spider.

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

I learned to read. Honestly, I wanted to be a writer as soon as I learned what letters were and how they fit together to make words. I have some things my mother saved that are written in crayon.

What inspires you to write?

All sorts of things. I got inspiration for a YA novel last week on vacation because there were children everywhere playing an interactive game, and it made me think “What if someone were drawn into the game for real?” Yes, it’s been done, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done again. It’s how you tell the story that matters.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Independence; self-sufficiency; learning from experiences; standing up to wrongs…

What would be your dream project?

My dream project (literally—the main character came to me in a dream) is a Space Opera/Sci Fi story set in a future world where power has been consolidated in the hands of a group called the Lords of Discipline and my band of revolutionaries is trying to thwart their injustices. It’s been written to an ending at least twice, but it is still not at the publishing stage yet. I’ve been working on it off and on since the early 80s.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

There are many. Anne Rice. CJ Cherryh. Anne Perry. Tanith Lee. Ray Bradbury. Lynn Flewelling. Those come to mind immediately.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Well, I’ve done this with my first novel—one that also took about thirty years to write—The Blood That Binds. I completely rewrote it after feedback from my writing partner incorporating more realistic tactics and logical action into The Luckless Prince. It was a major undertaking, and then it got another thorough edit before it was published by Zumaya Publications. It has since been re-released from Dragon Moon.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I would say it is an artistic science. I do believe that you can learn the basic requirements and hone them through practice, but you also have to have that creative spark of imagination or your writing will be lacking heart. Does that make sense?

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Finding time to work everything in. I have so many ideas, and only so much time that I am not editing, or cleaning house, or running errands, or…  It would be awesome to have no responsibilities except writing, but I think it would also become old fast.

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

Critiques to point out where something can be better. That is a big help. Also, posting about their accomplishments is a goad to get more done myself, and that always helps. Suggesting markets to try. Encouragement. We really are a big community. 

What does literary success look like to you?

Not going to Amazon and seeing all the books I am involved in ranked over 1 million would be a start. But seriously, I think that literary success is a very personal call. I will feel like a literary success if I ever get something accepted to Clarkesworld. But I also feel proud of my bibliography on Amazon. When I look at the body of work I have been a part of, I feel successful, even if not monetarily. Some money would be nice…

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

At the moment, I have nothing big in the works, but I would like to plug the book I am currently editing, because I think the series is outstanding. I am working on Blood Stew by Todd Sullivan for Mocha Memoirs, and it is the first novel-length book in the Windshine Chronicles (Book Three counting the novellas.) I think it is a fascinating world he’s created, and I think everyone should check it out. I didn’t edit the novellas, but I have read them, and I hope that this series continues for a long time.

For more information, visit:

https://riewriter.com/

Mocha Memoirs Press Focus #2: Todd Sullivan

This month I'm following up the previous series (eSpec Books) with a new one -- this time the amazing writers of Mocha Memoirs Press. Meet Todd Sullivan!

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

My latest novel, BLOOD STEW, is the third in The Windshine Chronicles, an ongoing fantasy series that takes place in an imagined version of South Korea called South Hanguk. ‘Hanguk’ is simply the Korean word for ‘Korea’. 

In BLOOD STEW, a young man with scoliosis, a malformed curvature of the spine, wants to go on a quest alongside mighty warriors and prove his worth to the people of his country by becoming a hero. 

The novel’s release date is October 1st, 2021. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

It was probably a combination of external and internal factors. I was born with a severe speech impediment and spoke very little throughout childhood. As a result, I lived in my head more than in the real world. 

Externally, my mother is a reader and had a closet full of books. The shelves in our home were filled with books that she’d brought me and my five brothers and sisters, and we often went to the library to get new books. 

And then, my father is a natural orator. Every night my family would sit down at the table for dinner, and my father would tell us about his day. Mostly they were funny stories, as people can be strange in their daily behavior, and my father would regale us with the tales of everyday people he encountered at his job as a stockbroker. 

These 3 factors probably created the writer in me—thoughtfulness from my speech impediment, a love of reading from my mother, and an ability to weave events into a compelling narrative from my father. 

What inspires you to write?

I think really I write because I’m good at it. At an early age, I got praise for my writing. I got praise for other things too, but writing was highlighted more than anything else, and so it became a lifelong pursuit. 

At 43 years old, I write mainly because it’s a habit. Plus, I’ve basically trained my mind to view the world as narrative. With people, I see characters; in conversations, I hear dialogue; with life, I see plots. I would suspect that the part of the brain that deals with communication and words is probably shaped a bit differently in me than others simply because I’ve been diligently using that portion of the brain over my lifetime. 

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Some of my usual themes are characters trying to achieve something greater than themselves, and fighting against the odds. My characters are usually more realistic, despite the fact that I write genre fiction. I don’t like to be dishonest with myself, and so I create characters and situations that reflect how life actually is, not how I want to paint the world to be.

This is probably why my writing is darker, and why there are often horror elements in it. I try to write about humans as they are, not as they present themselves to be through their public personas. 

What would be your dream project?

I’m not sure I have a dream project, as that implies something that I’m waiting to happen. I have goals, not dreams.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

There are too many to name, but Herman Hesse, Anne Rice, and Octavia Butler are big influences. Really, though, the writers from a summer writing camp I did in my late teens and early 20s had a massive impact on my construction of narratives. That was with the National Book Foundation between 1997-2002. We were instructed by many established authors, and they’re the ones that taught me that life is narrative.

The best lesson I learned from the NBF was that there is no such thing as writer’s block. Every moment of your life is fuel for writing. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Nothing, really. Taking what you learned from the past so that you can optimize your future is key. 

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Interesting question. I’m not sure how science is being defined here, but I’ll still say, ‘art’. 

Writing is an exploration and discovery of reality from a personal, subjective viewpoint. Whether or not a story “works” is decided upon by readers. The greater number of readers who agree that the writing is good, the better the writing is perceived to be.

Science, in my view, doesn’t work that way. The distance between the Earth and the Sun isn’t agreed upon. It’s measured, and someone from America and someone from China should get the same measurement. Whether or not you can breathe in space isn’t agreed upon. There’s a reason why humans can’t breathe in space, and the specifics of that reason are derived from science. 

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Lack of money derived from writing. 

Though narrative is everywhere, having time to pull it together and write it down are essential. And making more money from writing, which would allow that extreme luxury—time—would be helpful. 

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

I’ve always belonged to writer workshops. They’re all online now, though I’ve done writing camps and writing groups that fizzled out in a few months. 

People reading my writing and giving me feedback, and me reading other people’s writing and giving them feedback, is essential to optimizing wordcraft. 

What does literary success look like to you?

That’s changed over time as I’ve learned more about the industry of publishing. At this period in my life, literary success is book sales and reader reviews. There’s a bit too much politics involved with the publishing industry to define literary success any other way.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I’m working on a web series and a play series with some creative folks in Taiwan. I’m also hoping to get a web series and play series started here in South Korea, where I currently live. 

For more information, visit: 

I have a YouTube Channel where I interview publishing writers. Please support by subscribing:  https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCcSYSQpTpiyJknWjg2AkC8A

Also, check out Books 1 & 2 from The Windshine Chronicles, published by Mocha Memoirs Press: http://mybook.to/WindshineChronicles

And those who are into vampire fiction, check out my extreme horror book series, published my Nightmare Press: http://mybook.to/VampireSeries