Science Fiction always seems to fall into two camps: an action/love story with scant (and sometimes questionable) sci-fi details thrown in or a jumble of so many technical specs that you forgot the two main characters are locked in a death battle 200 miles above the planet's surface. Thankfully Vera Brook, a scientist-turned-writer does not succumb to these faults. Her older YA novels Sand Runner and Cage Runner are fast-paced action stories with just the right amount of scientific detail for the story to flow and make sense. When did you first realize you were a storyteller? Good question. I’ve been a bookworm ever since I was a kid. If you love reading, chances are at some point you will reach for a pen and start writing. I’ve kept journals with story ideas ever since middle school. So that itch to make up stories was always there. I was also an English major in undergrad and took some creative writing classes where we wrote and critiqued each other’s stories. But I didn’t try to write a novel until years later, after I switched my career path to science. I guess it’s a sign that I’ve always been a storyteller at heart. What do you love about the writing process? Writing is an amazing activity. You start with nothing but a blank page and your imagination & life experience, and you can create whole new worlds. I love that creative freedom, and the feeling that there are no limits to what I can imagine and write about. I also love the surprises that come in the process of writing fiction. For me, writing is half careful, deliberate construction, and half a discovery process. The initial idea for a story or a novel can come from anywhere, and that’s always a thrill. (My advice: Write all the story ideas down. You may think you will remember them, but you won’t.) But after the initial idea, it can take me a good while to figure out the logic of the story and to fill in the details, and the final draft can be completely different from that original spark of inspiration. I also love creating—or discovering—my characters. They feel very real to me. Sometimes they even refuse to do what I want them to do, and I have to listen to them and change the story accordingly, or it won’t work. It’s a very strange experience, being bossed around by imaginary people you created, but I’m sure many writers can relate to that. Finally, I continue to be amazed by how mysterious the writing process is. Where do our ideas really come from? How do we put them together to weave a story? How do we switch from the free creative writer that puts the words down on the page, to the logical, critical editor who beats them into shape and fits them into a careful story structure? Language itself is a fascinating phenomenon and very closely tied to our humanity. I’m trained in neuroscience, and neuroscience tries to understand how everything we do works at the level of brain processes, down to neurons firing and neurotransmitters crossing the synapse. I don’t think we can explain anything as complex as creative writing, or language in general, at the neuronal level yet. Some clues may actually come from computer science and the development of AI that assists writers in either writing or editing their work. So I look forward to the breakthroughs that will come in the near future. I love writing—but it’s also the hardest and most frustrating activity I’ve ever done. So I wouldn’t mind an AI assistant who would help me get all the stories in my head down on paper faster and with less of a struggle. What is the hardest part of being a writer? All of it! The same things that make writing amazing also make it incredibly difficult. You are free to create whole new worlds, and write any story you want—but all of it takes a great deal of work, frustration, and trial and error. There is also no guarantee that your book will resonate with readers, or even be discovered by the readers who might enjoy it. So every book you write is a huge leap of faith, and you don’t know what’s going to happen at the end. All you can do is write the best book you can, keep improving your craft with every book after that, and not let silence or negative reviews discourage you form writing. I’m an indie writer—meaning, independently published—so discoverability is also a huge challenge. Indie authors are their own publishers. In addition to writing the book, I also format it for print and ebook, create my own covers, distribute the book on different platforms, and market it. (Although I do work with a professional, paid editor, to make sure my books are written to professional standards.) I actually enjoy all these publishing tasks, and I’m really glad I had to learn them. But marketing my books is difficult, because I have a very small budget to work with, and not much time to spare. (I have a full-time job which pays my bills, and I would rather spend my free time on writing than on marketing.) Still, this is a very exciting time to be an independently published author, and the difference between indie writers and traditionally published writers blurs a little more every day! For instance, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has opened its doors to indie writers becoming members, and I’m sure other professional writing organizations are doing the same. And more and more indie writers can make a living on their books, often by developing strong online platforms and turning their books into multiple streams of income, which is great to see and very encouraging. The indie writing community is also very open & supportive, and that makes a huge difference because writing can be pretty lonely otherwise. It’s not a zero-sum game at all. We are all rooting for one another, and celebrating one another’s successes. More writers means more great books to read, and what’s not to love about that? Where do you find your inspiration? A story idea can come from anywhere—a dream, a scientific article I read, an experience I had as a kid, an overheard conversation, and, of course, other books. Also, giving yourself a break from writing to “recharge” helps. Whenever I get stuck in my writing, I go for a walk and just let my mind roam. It’s like you give your conscious mind a rest, but your unconscious brain keeps working on the problem, and I often have a solution by the time I come back from the walk. A lot of my writing is also inspired by my neuroscience training, and my interest in science and technology in general. I write science fiction, so there is usually some science and technology as the background for the story. For instance, in the Sand Runner series, one such technology is bionic prosthetics, or the new generation of prosthetic limbs that are directly linked to and controlled by the person’s nervous system. Such prosthetic limbs already exist and people use them every day, and they will get better and better, and make a huge difference to thousands of people. But it’s amazing to think about how much knowledge about the human nervous system went into designing such prostheses. So both the science and the applications are fascinating and a great source of story ideas. What are you working on right now? I’m usually juggling several projects. It’s probably not the fastest way to finish anything. But I find that it helps, because if I get stuck on one project, for whatever reason, I can switch to another and work on that. Right now my main project is book 3 in the Sand Runner series. It’s challenging because the story and the cast have gotten bigger and more complicated, and I have to be careful not to write myself into a corner. But I love these characters, both the “old” ones from book 1, like Kai, Emily, and Neen, and the newer ones, who appear only in book 2 or book 3. So it’s always a thrill to enter this world and to add another chapter to their story. I hope to finish, edit, and publish book 3 by the end of this summer. But I’m not a very fast writer, so we’ll see. I’m also working on some short stories, some tied into the Sand Runner series, others standalones. And I have, let’s see, four other series in development. Two of them are YA science fiction. The other two are middle grade (MG), and start more in the vein of magical realism but will “grow up” to be science fiction as the characters get older. To keep up with the Vera's latest adventures, check out her website, or follow her on Twitter or Pintrest.
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As a writer, the part of the creative process I like least (after publicity) is proofreading. I realize going through multiple layers of editing is necessary, but the nuclear reactor of energy that drives me to write for eight hours a day for four weeks straight does not take kindly to the constant pruning and polishing required when revising a text. To me it seems being asked to drive an exotic sports car (a Lamborghini, if you’ve got a spare one in your garage) for a week, with two days spent setting speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats and the remaining five puttering around town to get groceries or go to Target. The first part is fun, but the latter seems like a waste of time and energy. In writing, however, the best part comes not in the initial creation, but in the refinement. I was very fortunate for Running to have an editor who is good at her job and wanted my work to be the best it could be. It didn’t hurt that she has a great sense of humor to boot. This time around I also secured a proofreader who has an eye for detail and caught things that were missed in previous rounds of editing. They all were small mistakes, but they added up to the work being less than what it could be. In the process, I have learned to love the end result of editing, so I am willing to work through the monotony of it. Besides, it’s worth it to avoid the really tragic (and possibly wildly inappropriate) mistakes that can occur when you’re not careful. Kristin Hannah is one of those writers whose words touch your soul. Whether she’s describing World War II France in the New York Times bestselling book, The Nightingale, or you are on a journey to wilds of Alaska in the 70s and 80s in The Great Alone, which was just released, her characters and their struggles are real and relatable. And with nearly two dozen books to her name, two of which are being made into movies, Kristin has made a solid career of giving readers an insight into powerful characters filled with grit and determination as they deal with life when everything falls apart. When did you first realize you were a storyteller? My family would tell you that it was obvious from the beginning. All you had to do was ask me what a movie was about, and I would spend the next hour giving a scene by scene description and then another hour explaining how it could have been changed to make a better movie. They stopped asking my opinion pretty early on. 😊 But I didn't know I was a storyteller until after I graduated from law school. A few years after I started practicing, I got pregnant with my son and had a difficult pregnancy. I was on bedrest for more than five months. This was an era of no internet and no good daytime television. Needless to say, I was bored to insanity. After I'd read everything in the house, I decided I could write a book. Just like that. So I did. Obviously, that book didn't sell, and it took years for me to learn how to write, but it planted the seeds in me and those seeds took deep root. I knew almost from the first word that I wanted to be a writer and I just never gave up. What do you love about the writing process? Honestly, I am one of those weird birds that love everything about the process. I love researching, outlining, writing, and revising. Of those, I love revisions the best. I love taking a book apart and putting it back together in a new way. It's the lawyer in me. I see things very analytically, and my greatest gift as a writer is my fearlessness. I will try anything and everything to make a book better. What is the hardest part of being a writer? No question. Choosing an idea. That is the part of the process I hate. Followed closely by choosing a title. Where do you find your inspiration? I find inspiration constantly, everywhere. In movies, in television, in the newspaper, in conversations with friends. What I'm looking for, constantly, is a question that energizes and captivates me, one I'm willing to spend two years or three years answering. In The Great Alone, it was "could I survive in Alaska off the grid?" (The answer is maybe, but not for long, and not happily...probably just until the library ran out). What are you working on right now? I have just finished the primary research for my next American-set novel. It features another tough, ordinary woman trying to survive extraordinary circumstances---but that's all I can say so far. I haven't started actually writing, and that changes everything. To keep up with Hannah’s latest projects, or to catch her on her national book tour that started Feb. 6, make sure visit her website. I received a complimentary copy of The Escape Artist from Grand Central Publishing in an exchange for an honest review of its merits. One of the nice thing about your favorite authors is that when you pick up a copy of their latest work you pretty much know what you are getting. Sue Grafton gave us detective stories, John Grisham (with a couple notable exceptions) spins a good legal tale, Kristin Hannah is going to dig deep into your soul and make you yell or cry, or both. Nicolas Sparks will tell you of uncommon love and the characters in a Joel Green novel are nigh unto bursting with angst. And Brad Meltzer is the name you look for when you want a really good mystery about hidden secrets but you don't want to say up for days questioning all of human history. If that’s what you want, you knock on Dan Brown’s door. Meltzer has become the go-to guy for a fun, fast-paced thriller that most often includes people searching for obscure clues about an ancient mystery. But in the acknowledgements of The Escape Artist, Meltzer tells you something profound happened to him when he was touring with the USO six years ago make him “realize the difference between being alive and actually living.” While this sounds like fortune-cookie wisdom, it is much more than that for this best-selling author. Meltzer is a changed man and it shows in his writing. Don’t get me wrong. He’s not waxing poetic about the banality of the human condition or anything. There is definitely the thrill and mystery that is coded into the DNA of any Brad Meltzer title. But that’s not all that’s there. In The Escape Artist, the mystery in this tale takes a backseat to character development. Nola and Zig are deeply wounded people and we spend a lot of time in their skin watching new bumps and bruises being added atop the old scars that may be faded but still are tender to the touch. Some of the scratches are on the surface, but others cut much deeper. And while Meltzer respected the source material for his earlier stories, there is a reverence here for the heart-wrenching pain and heart-warming honor that comes with caring for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. So, by the time the actual mystery is fully fleshed out deep in the third act, you’re not really bothered by the fact because you’ve been drawn into the story of these two people who’ve been drawn together by fate more than once. In this work, Meltzer’s storytelling prowess is transformed into something altogether new. He is deeper and more introspective than he has been before. I’m not sure if his next tale will take us back to familiar territory of long-forgotten secrets and stashes of hidden wealth, but I, for one, am hopeful that Meltzer is speaking of himself when his protagonist realizes that “[s]ometimes you need to bury your old life—and make a new one.” Joseph Bentz is living a writer's dream life. He's a full-time English professor, novelist and non-fiction writer. In his spare time, he teaches at writers conferences around the country and co-leads a "support group" of sorts for fellow creatives trying to deal with all the challenges and joys that come with sharing their work with the world. When did you first realize you were a storyteller? I know I was writing stories at least as far back as fifth grade because I have found a few of those stories in a box in my garage. I may have started writing stories even earlier. By the time I was in high school, I knew I wanted to write a novel, and I started working on one at a more serious level in college. I still had years of work ahead because my first novel, Song of Fire, wasn’t published until I was 34 years old. What do you love about the writing process? The magic of writing is that a story or idea that at one point exists only in my own head can be placed into the heads of other people, many of whom I will never know. The events and people in my novels become “real” to me, and I love the fact that readers can know those people and that story too. I know those readers won’t see the story exactly the way I do, but I like that too, the idea that there many versions of the story flowing through other people’s brains. My novel A Son Comes Home is sometimes taught in literature courses where I am asked to speak, and I love to hear the impressions of readers to see how their ideas are similar and different from my own understanding of what I have written. With nonfiction, part of what I love about the writing process is that writing is a way of figuring things out or thinking through things. My books on Christian living issues, such as When God Takes Too Long or Nothing is Wasted, start out as questions I have in my own life. Writing a book about them gives me the chance to dig deeper into those issues and try to make sense of them for myself and others. What is the hardest part of being a writer? The hardest part keeps changing. At certain points in my writing career, discipline has been the hardest part. I had the desire to write, but I had trouble sticking to it hour after hour, day after day, until a project was finished. Self-doubt and insecurity have also been big enemies. Another hard part is trying to translate the ideas that seem so beautiful in my head to actual words on the page that will be meaningful to other people. It’s often hard to find the words to fit the idea. Where do you find your inspiration? Coffee. Lots of it. Music has also been a big inspiration, especially for my early novels. I don’t like to listen to music during my writing time, but listening to music before and after writing can unleash a flood of ideas. The ideas can’t be tied to the music itself in any logical way, but music somehow stimulates the creative flow. Other writers are also a big inspiration. Whenever I read something, I often have to stop and take notes on ideas that have been sparked for one of my own projects. What are you working on right now? I am working on a book about passages from the Bible that have changed the world. Even if you have never opened a Bible, you would still know what the “prodigal son” refers to or what a “good Samaritan” is. I want to examine why some of these passages have been so influential and also look at some ways they have been misunderstood. This book will focus on portions of the New Testament, and my next book will be about the Old Testament. I have a deadline of March 15, and the book should come out later this year. It will be published by Beacon Hill Press, which has changed its name to The Foundry Publishing. They have published several of my books. To keep up with Joseph and his latest projects, check out his website and his blog, Life of the Mind and Soul. Whenever I tell people I'm an indie novelist, they often seem amazed I can write and publish a book-length manuscript. One lesson I have learned over the years is that the hardest part of wordsmithing a book is not the 50,000—60,000 or so words on the inside, but the 5—6 words on the cover. Book titles are so challenging because you have so little space to get so much right (or wrong as the case may be). You want action, suspense and mystery, all in a handful of syllables. If I execute a poorly crafted sentence or section of a novel I can recover. The same often is not true for a title. Teasing your story without giving it all away seems to be the key to a great title. Sadistic Businessman Seduces College Co-ed sounds like a Dateline Mystery, Fifty Shades of Gray, on the other hand, is a bit more enticing (BTW, I'm crediting Wikipedia with the plot summary of this film, as I'm more inclined to spend an evening with Earl Grey than Christian Gray). The same holds true for Psycho Dinosaurs Run Wild, as opposed to Jurassic Park. I wish I had a great story behind how my first novel was christened. Its first title was "A Matter of Integrity", which was way too on the nose. "Above the Fold" was better, but the inside-the-newsroom jargon didn't weather much better. My then-agent suggested I take some key phrases and put them together. So I made a list, started joining nouns and verbs together. And thus was born Chasing Deception. Other book titles came a bit more naturally. The second book in the Jim Mitchell series, Undue Pressure, is applicable to anyone placed in a morally murky situation and expected to do the right thing. And Running wraps up the Mitchell series by talking about what the protagonist is running toward and running from and whether he can stop and just rest. The easiest and best title for one of my works was for my non-fiction parenting guide — High School Declassified: An Insider's Guide to Helping Your Student Succeed. It was catchy and had all the buzzwords. Unfortunately, it sold practically zero copies, which just goes to show there are many factors beyond title and content that can impact sales. Now if I could create a computer program that could "read" a manuscript and suggest the perfect title based upon content and recent market trends, I could probably make a lot more money than my indie writing career ever will. Then again, what fun would that be. One of the most anticipated movies of the year came out December 14th and the internet has been abuzz about its merits and detractors ever since the end credits finished rolling. While people went out to see the film in droves and it hit box office gold overnight, critics, professional and armchair alike, have been taking potshots at the latest film in the Star Wars universe. And while I can take the professional critiques, some of these fans need to cool their jets just a bit and put things in perspective. As I offer some thoughts, the obvious warning about spoilers should be taken into account. Like Yoda chastises Luke Skywalker about obsessing over the ancient Jedi texts, I think some fans forget this is a movie set to engage audiences and tell a story along the way. Part of the problem with The Last Jedi is that it is a middle film and, like a middle child, it may not get the love afforded to the firstborn and the youngest of the clan. Sure, some could criticize the middle of the film (which I thought did a fine job), but the movie succeeded in pulling me in, surprising me with some scenes (like the silence during the destruction of the Star Destroyer and, of course, the fight between Kylo Ren and Uncle Luke), and making me laugh when I didn’t expect to do so in an action film. Since most of the critics haven't written anything lengthier than a blogpost since college, I would like to look at this front a writer’s perspective. I have written reasonably good indie novels, but fairly bad scripts to date. My first attempt at a screenplay had more holes than Alderaan after Darth Vader and Co. paid a visit (too soon?) and my second one wasn't much better. I am learning from my mistakes on script idea #3. So I understand to some small degree the challenge before Rian Johnson – to write a script that would appeal to people who saw the first trilogy in the theaters (like myself) and those whose only experience with Star Wars prior to The Force Awakens was on a TV or computer screen. In addition, you need to honor the last generation (Luke and Leia), hand the baton off to the next generation (Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose and Kylo Ren), pay homage to the previous films (anyone catch the double sun and echo back to Tatooine?), stun us with a few plot twists, and provoke a belly laugh or two to change up the pace a bit. Oh yeah, he had to direct the movie as well. Thankfully Johnson decided to write a good action movie with humor and homages back to earlier elements in a story that began back during the Carter administration. Considering the task he was given, I for one, think he did a very good job. So, sit back, relax and watch the movie as it was meant to be enjoyed: with child-like wonder and an adult sense of reflection and circumspection. And to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi (and now Vice Admiral Holdo): “May the Force be with you. Always.” Whether in response to a classroom assignment or in the form of a few lines of verse for a special someone, many of us experiment with poetry at one point or another. But, let’s be honest, we rarely get past goofy haiku or lines with either questionable rhyme or meter (or both). That’s not the case with Tania Runyan. She’s honest-to-goodness, coffee-drinking, wine-sipping, sarcastic, fiddling queen whose verse has won her awards and invitations to present her work around the country. Her latest volume, What Will Soon Take Place, is a provocative collection of pieces reflecting on the themes she sees in the Book of Revelation. When did you first realize you were a storyteller? Believe it or not, it started on a specific day in second grade, when my babysitter (who was actually just a few years older than I) decided to mix things up a bit. She had two posters on her wall, one of a koala and one of some other animal that was cool in the 70s. “Let’s write stories about the animals,” she said, and immediately I was hooked. Inspired by Three’s Company (yes, my parents let me watch it in second grade), I created animal roommates with all manner of goofy interpersonal conflicts. That day, I said I was going to be writer when I grew up. I kept writing and never stopped. What do you love about the writing process? I never cease to be amazed by the mystery of it all — how one minute you sit down, and a minute or two (or an hour or week or year) later, a story, character, image, or metaphor that didn’t exist before takes shape. And it’s hard to imagine life before those words came to be. Yes, it’s sort of like having children in that way, except the creative process is even more mysterious than that of human reproduction. What part of the creative process is intellect, and what part is imagination, imitation, or Spirit? I love that I don’t know. What is the hardest part of being a writer? There are so many projects I want to work on and so little time to write them all! Where do you find your inspiration? Everywhere, and I mean that truly. However, my poetry tends to draw on a lot of biblical themes and imagery from modern suburban life. What are you working on right now? A memoir about growing up in California. A “how-to” book on form poems. Down the road, a book on open adoption co-written with my son’s birth mother. And about a dozen others in the back of my mind! Find out more about Tania's love for verse, and helping high schoolers compose solid college entrance essays, at her website. Since I previously wrote about why I like to set my work in slightly fictionalized locales, I'd like to take on the problem with using exclusively using real places and products in my writing. Sure my characters love all things Apple (I am writing this post on a MacBook Air with my iPhone within reach, so they come by it naturally), and they drive real cars (whether your character drives a new BMW sports coupe or a 10-year-old Honda Accord tells you something about him or her), but I tend to avoid real places and things when I can for three reasons. First, I think using real places tends to make me lazy. I can describe the iconic red-and-white interior of In-N-Out and detail their precision-crafted menu, but I'd rather introduce you to Glenn's Burgers, with an owner might be modeled after a friend of mine and whose menu is from another place I used to love when I didn't care as much about calories or carbs as I do now. Second, if I feature real places too much it feels likes I am doing an advertisement for them. In my most recent novel, Disneyland was part of the storyline, but I found myself trimming down much of the section that described which rides people rode and in what order. I'm a novelist, not a tour guide. Third, bad stuff tends to happen in my books and I'd rather not make our local landmark doughnut shop, for example, the scene of a grisly triple homicide. They've got these amazing strawberry doughnuts and there's no way I'm giving up my access to those on the rare occasions I frequent the old haunt . It's just not worth the risk. As creatives, people often think we express ourselves through just one form of art. Sure we often have a medium through which we channel our best efforts, but usually we’re are not the one-trick ponies who can be categorized into just fiction writing or poetry, or music, for example. In the case of Hannah Thomas, she is skilled at all three. The craft she is working on with the most determined focus at the moment is her writing. When she reads from her work, particularly from a draft of her fantasy novel, you are transported to the knee of the master storyteller who is weaving a tale that captures the heart as well as the imagination. I can’t wait to hear the whole story. When did you first realize you were a storyteller? At the age of one, I sat in my highchair at Christmastime, playing with my great-grandmother’s nativity set, moving the figures around and babbling to myself—so the official family line is that I’ve been telling stories since before I could technically talk, and I haven’t stopped since. My primary form of play as a kid was sitting in my room with my “characters”—which is what I called the various animals in my plastic menagerie—telling myself stories with them. In third or fourth grade, I gave a friend a collection of my own short stories for a birthday present. In the seventh or eighth grade, having recently exhausted all of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia books (again) I decided to write one of my own. I think that project made it up to twenty-three (typed) pages, which sadly I no longer have. What do you love about the writing process? When it’s going well, writing sometimes feels more like discovering something than like creating it. It’s as if these characters and their story already exist, and I’m uncovering it bit by bit. I’ll write something down that doesn’t make immediate sense—and then find out later why that detail was important. I love this. It feels like finding out that (in a good way) magic is real. What is the hardest part of being a writer? The Tyranny of the Urgent. My stories do not pay the bills at this point, so it’s easy to set them aside in favor of the things that do. Also, when I’m under a lot of stress, it can feel like a Herculean effort just to sit down and open the right file. I pour myself out when I write, and it’s easy to feel like a failure after enough days when the jar is empty. Where do you find your inspiration? I have encountered two kinds of inspiration, as it were. One kind comes in quick flashes when I’m not expecting it. The project I’m focusing on now started my sophomore year of college. I had just had an argument with my roommate about film adaptations of books we love. I got fed up and left, and walked down the street railing at God—out loud (because I am auditory). I realized that some people I knew were walking down the street close enough behind me to hear, minimally, that I was talking to myself, and, being in no mood to explain, I turned a corner, ran, and hid behind a tree until they passed by (because I am a mature, thoughtful adult). As I leaned against that tree getting sap all over my back, a picture and a short sentence flashed into my head. I ran back to my apartment, banged out a page of dialogue depicting that scene, and then read it to my roommate. We both got super excited; the argument was over, and I’ve been working on this project ever since. The other kind of inspiration I’ve experienced comes from the work itself—and from the people who make it possible for the work to get done. I cannot count how many times I’ve gotten stuck and asked someone—my dad; my mom; a good friend—for input. Usually, they’ll ask a few questions and we’ll bat ideas back and forth for a while, and when the conversation is over, I will know not only how to move past the thing I was stuck on, but I’ll have other exciting ideas that make me eager to get back to work. This is the kind of inspiration that makes the hard slog of finishing projects possible. What are you working on right now? My first novel. This is the project that started with a fight with my roommate. I’ll say it falls under “swords-and-horses fantasy;” its working title is The Ruler’s Mark. I’m hoping to have the second draft finished by the end of this year. The first draft, incidentally, was complete (meaning that it told the whole story) at 291 pages. The current one is over 400 pages and as I said, it’s not done yet. Turns out there’s a lot I knew about this story that I hadn’t managed to get on paper—and a lot more I didn’t know that the characters have been good enough to explain to me during the writing of this draft. And I am confident there will be at least one more draft after this. I also blog occasionally, and, if new story ideas knock on my door, I try to find somewhere safe for them to rest while they wait for me to be ready for them. There is one other project that I’ve written 40-some-odd pages of because I couldn’t help myself, but I’m not sure yet whether it will ever leave the house. It’s swords-and-horses fantasy too, but not in the same world. I have absolutely fallen in love with two or three of its characters—but I know almost nothing about its plot. You can find out more about Hannah's passion and her mission on her website, By The Lion Arts. |
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