Author Interview: Simon Rose

Simon Rose is an author of science fiction and fantasy novels for young adults and is based in Calgary, Alberta, Western Canada. Also Simon is an instructor for The National Writing for Children Center and presents seminars on topics like character development, story structure, editing and revision.

Simon, thank you so much for participating in this email interview. I thoroughly enjoyed The Heretic's Tomb and I liked the way you got Annie into the past and out of the walled up room at the abbey. What was your source of inspiration for The Heretic's Tomb?

I'm pleased you enjoyed the book. It was inspired by my own love of history and I have always enjoyed time travel stories. Many novels have medieval settings, but to me some historical periods, such as the era of the Black Death or the mystery of the Princes in the Tower depicted in The Sorcerer's Letterbox, for example, are the most fascinating and the most suitable settings for a good adventure story.

What are your writing habits? Do you work on an outline before starting the actual story?

Yes I do. I always work extensively on an outline, determining all the twists and turns of the plot, before beginning the actual novel. This outline is usually at least one paragraph for every chapter and can be up to 5000 words.

What goes on inside the mind of the fantasy writer?

All kinds of things - ancient mysteries, the unexplained, the paranormal, science fiction themes, time travel ideas, parallel universes, alternate realities, weird and wonderful characters and a whole lot of 'what if' scenarios.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are trying to break into the fantasy genre?

Try to be as original as possible and not copy something else, even if it has been popular. Write about what interests you in this particular genre rather than jumping on any bandwagon.

Who is Simon Rose? Describe an ordinary day in your life.

I'm not sure there is an ordinary day. If I'm not traveling or at a local school or library, I do spend much of the day working on the current book project, as well as on marketing, correspondence and so on, but also have children to take care of, pets to feed, household chores to do and so on.

What type of books did you read as a child?

I became immersed in science fiction as a boy and read a lot of science fiction novels and collections of short stories, as well C S Lewis, Tolkien and other fantasy writers. At high school, I studied a great deal of history and have retained my interest in the subject up to the present day. I also read a tremendous number of comic books as a child. Pure escapism perhaps, but comic books were great for the imagination. On TV, the original Star Trek series springs readily to mind, along with many other influences.

How do you set about promoting your novel? How many hours a week do you spend on book promotion?

I do some form of promotion every day, whether for the books or for myself, usually online though the website, blog or via e mail correspondence regarding author visits, summer camps, writing services, festivals and other events.

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?

There are lots on resources on line and elsewhere with regards to publishers, but a good thing to do is to research which houses are publishing the same type of material that you are writing. If you are writing fantasy for ten year olds, see who is doing that and then check their website to see if they are accepting submissions, Similarly, if you are writing teen fiction, see who is doing that and again be sure to check out their submission policies. There are also publishers who only deal with non fiction, prefer to specialize in regional issues, those who only do picture books or who do picture books, but don't accept stories about animals and so on. It can be a long process, but is well worth it.

What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you? Any special strategies you'd like to share?

All authors have to be prepared to do as much as they can to promote their own work. Get a website or blog or both, even before your first book is published, forge a good relationship with your local bookstores in order to secure book signing events, look into ways to talk about your work at festivals, other events and especially at schools and libraries. You may produce the greatest book ever written. However, no one else is going to see it if your book doesn't become known to potential readers.

Visit Simon Rose's web site at http://www.simon-rose.com/ and surf on over to his blog to see where he is traveling to. Simon is available for presentations, workshops, Author-in-residence programs in Canada and the United States. Simon's upcoming book due in Spring of 2009 is Doomsday Mask.

Thank you for this interview Simon.

Carma

Author Interview - Shayn Cutino

Shayn Cutino, of Anja Wellness, is a hypnotherapist, author and speaker and works in a therapeutic capacity with clients of all ages. She is a widely requested speaker for schools, community groups and hospitals. Continuing her education, Shayn became certified through CIHAS as a clinical hypnotherapist and graduated with honors from the Global College of Natural Medicine, where she received her certification as a Holistic Health Practitioner.

Shayn is a contributing co-author of “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health”, a new book created by founder and owner David Riklan of Self Improvement Online, Inc. This book is a compilation of 101 leading experts with proven strategies and reliable tried-and-true ways to become a healthier person.

How did the name Anja for your business come about?

Anja is a Sanskrit word meaning all knowing and intuitive. Since I am a clinical hypnotherapist, I utilize my intuition a lot when dealing with my clients. The name resonated with me and the best part was that it started with A, which for marketing purposes, puts me on the top of the food chain.

What are your writing habits? Do you work on an outline before starting the actual story?

My writing habits are random. I do make an outline but it is generally very rough. I always ask myself the basic who, what, when, where, why and how questions when writing. My frustration lies in believing that I have completed a project and then, when I go back to it, it appears incomplete.

How do you set to the task of promoting your articles and presentations?

I utilize my web site as well as local publications to promote myself. I also send out a monthly ezine to my entire database announcing upcoming events.

Your current CD series was created to help people unblock what stands in their way in life. Do you find one more popular than the other?

Yes, I have so many requests for the deep relaxation and stress reduction CD’s. Our world moves so quickly now that most of us are under the impression that we never have enough time. Taking time to slow down your breathing and relax the body is key to staying healthy as well as grounded in this fast paced society.

What do teenagers want to learn from you the most?

I have done numerous presentations at the local high schools and most teenagers are just fascinated with hypnosis in general. When I give a presentation I include a sample of hypnosis and the majority of them love the experience and are very receptive to it. When it comes to my teen age clientele, most of those kids are seeking confidence for athletic abilities, overcoming test anxieties and fear and phobia reduction.

Tell us about your new book. What inspired you to write it?

I am so excited about my new book, which I anticipate having done by July 2008. Without giving away the store, I feel that there is such a huge need for this type of book. I believe the topic is one that each of us struggles with at some point and time in our lives and I feel that this book will literally help thousands of people. I was inspired to write this book because of my own life experiences and then when I opened my practice, I began to notice a pattern with my clients. We all have a common thread and this is what I discuss in my upcoming book. I believe that this is something I was destined to deliver to the world and I am really excited about the project.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

Wow, that is an understatement! Do I suffer from writers block…..absolutely! What generally helps me is to walk away from the project and just let it sit. Then I meditate and reflect on what it is I want to achieve and I ask for answers as well as guidance in helping me to move forward. This works very well for me.

As a therapist you are always helping others move forward with their lives. What is your biggest challenge you have faced?

Detachment. Like I mentioned earlier, I use my intuitive abilities a lot in session and my feelings are very strong. When faced with a client who comes in and literally dumps on my doorstep, I need to let them vent, help them and then let it go. I believe that all therapists have this struggle because we are dealing with peoples emotions and having them re-live experiences, good as well as bad and sad.

What type of books did you read as a child?

My favorite reads were Little Women and Nancy Drew books.

What is the most important success lesson you have learned?

Success comes from perseverance. You simply can never give up. You must remain diligent and passionate about what you do.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your works?

Thank you for asking. Yes I do. My website is www.anjawellness.com and my blog can be found on my web site.

Thank you Shayn for taking the time to answer these questions today.
To find out more about Shayn go to her website at www.anjawellness.com and discover what all she has to offer and download her Speaker one-sheet..

To add to the mix, Shayn is a professional speaker and is available to provide an array of workshops and presentation topics for your group or school.

Write it down,
Carma

Suzanne Lieurance: Children's Author, Coach & Radio Show Host

It gives me great pleasure to interview Suzanne Lieurance of The Working Writer's Coach. Suzanne is a multi-talented and multi-faceted writer. In addition she is an extremely motivating writing coach. Through her weekly teleseminars, students are inspired to be the best they can be. Take a class from Suzanne Lieurance and you too will feel the charge of energy careening over cyber space.

Q: I ran across your Working Writers Coach Blog back in March 2007 and I kept being drawn back to it. Actually I think it was when I subscribed to the Morning Nudge that kept me going everyday and still does. Tell us how The Morning Nudge came about.

A: As a writing coach, I like to encourage my clients to get a little writing done every single day. When I first started coaching, I was sending out a weekly newsletter, but I suddenly thought how much more helpful it would be to my clients and other writers by sending them something every week day. That’s how the Morning Nudge came about.

I have a friend who calls it “The Morning Shove” because some days I just want writers to stop making excuses for not creating the writing life of their dreams. The only way to become a writer is to write! And the purpose of The Morning Nudge is to remind readers of that every day.

Q: What are your writing habits? Do you work on an outline before starting the actual story?

A: I write something every single day. When I’m working on a book length manuscript I work from an outline whether the book is nonfiction or fiction. However, even with an outline I find that many surprises pop up as I’m writing. And that's part of what makes the writing process so much fun.

Q: Is one genre easier to write than another? Why or why not?

A: For me, fiction is more difficult to write than nonfiction because I have to really, really focus on the world I’m creating when I’m writing fiction. I have to sort of enter this world, and it takes me a while at the keyboard before I’m able to do that fully. But once I’m there in my fictional world, I don’t want to come back to the real world, so I try to write for hours at a time.

When I’m working on nonfiction, I’m able to do that in short bits of time here and there. So it’s easier for me to get a lot of nonfiction writing done in a short amount of time.

Q: You always have a project or two in the works. The Locket just came out so tell us a bit about your other soon to be published stories. What was your inspiration for these stories?

A: Right now I’m working on another historical novel for Enslow. I’m also working on a nonfiction book with two other coaches, and I’m reworking several picture book manuscripts. I also write my own materials for my coaching programs, including materials for the Working Writer’s Summer Bootcamp that starts June 2, 2008.

What inspires me the most - for anything I write - is people who do incredible things. I want to write things that show everyone how we can ALL do incredible things if we follow our passions and believe in ourselves.

Q: Which element of historical fiction writing comes more naturally for you—plot, characterization, description, dialogue? Which one gives you the hardest time?

A: Characterization comes easiest for me. I have to “feel” what the character is going through in order to write about this person. But I can generally do that.

Description is sometimes difficult with historical fiction because every detail about the time and place must be accurate even though the actual events are not all true.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring children’s writers who are trying to break into the field?

A: First, take a course or workshop to learn the basics about writing for children. Next, join or start a critique group for children’s writers and be sure there are at least a few published children’s authors in the group. Third, read, read, read all the children’s books you can. Finally, write, write, write!

Q: Who is Suzanne Lieurance, the lady? Describe an ordinary day in your life.

A: I think the essence of who I am involves teaching, coaching, and motivating others every single day. This may sound strange, but I don’t think I have ordinary days. To me, every single day is special because every day I wake up and get to do what I love to do most - write, coach, and help others in some small way.

But the best part is, I get to do all this no matter where I am, so I can work from home in my pjs if I want - and I often do want to write in my pjs. I think pjs are totally underrated.

Q: Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

A: I don’t have trouble being creative. What I have trouble with sometimes is staying focused on ONLY the project at hand. My mind can get to racing a mile a minute if I don’t control it. So, I meditate and write in my journal every morning in order to get focused before I work on the day’s writing project.

Talking with other writers and other coaches unleashes my creativity.

Q: What type of books did you read as a child? Did you like to do book reports on them?

A: I always loved books about animals when I was a child. My favorite book was called The Magic Pin and it was about a little girl who found a pin that was shaped like a horseshoe. Whenever she put this pin on her shirt or dress she could talk to animals. I just thought that having a pin like that would be the coolest thing since animals were everything to me when I was a kid - dogs, especially.

Q: How do you set about promoting your books? How many hours a week do you spend on book promotion?

A: I promote my books in a variety of ways. Mostly through school visits and speaking at writers’ conferences and other events, plus through my websites and blogs. However, I probably spend more time every week promoting my coaching than I do promoting my books. Nowadays, I seem to be a coach who also writes, even though I started out as a writer who also coaches.

Q: What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you?

A: Speaking at conferences and making author visits to schools seems to work best for me as a means to promote my books. But I also like networking with other children’s authors, illustrators, and editors to help get the word out about all sorts of books for children, not just mine.

To find out more about my books for children, visit my author website at http://www.suzannelieurance.com and to find out more about my coaching visit http://www.workingwriterscoach.com and sign up for a free subscription to The Morning Nudge at either site. Also, be sure to listen to my talk show about children's books, LIVE on blogtalkradio every weekday afternoon at 2:00 central time - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids

Thank you Suzanne.

Carma