Leah Reise Interview

First off, tell us a little bit about you

I’m a bit of a dreamer, and I consider myself mostly introverted. I enjoy spending most of my time alone. I love traveling the world alone. And I guess you could call me an observer of people. I’m a student of the human condition. Since I was a young girl, I enjoyed learning what makes people tick. Everything I learn about people, I apply in my writing of course. When it comes to education, I have my BA in Spanish, and then completed undergraduate credits for a Master’s of Science in Anthropology. Unfortunately, I never made the cut, but continued taking classes in the human condition and writing on the side. As for my career path, I’ve always worked in public health, mostly as a bilingual public health aide. The last 14 years, I’ve worked at a hospital as a Spanish English interpreter, and also as an insurance verifier, and registration clerk in Emergency Room and Admitting. This year, I also began scheduling in radiology and surgery. On my free time I write novels and write as a journalist for City To Country Magazine.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?

My debut novel, which I self-published in July of 2016, is called The Beauty in Darkness: A Vampire Story. I am currently working on writing the sequel. It’s a fantasy trilogy set in San Francisco today. It’s a different kind a vampire story than people are used to, and carries a philosophical and scientific theme. The story is about love and loss and self discovery, which I hope inspires people to find happiness and joy amidst a dark chaotic world. I’ve also started writing a sci-fi novel called The Man Who Changed The Universe. It’s about a Blackfoot Indian man in Montana who finds when he sleeps he travels to parallel universes and wakes up in one of his many doppelgänger selves. That novel is on hold for the moment while I write the sequel to my Debut.

When did you start writing? 

I remember writing was something I loved as a child. Anything that took me somewhere else. Fantasy stories. Poems. Especially journaling through my hardships. For long time, I think writing was the only thing I excelled in. But it wasn’t until August of 2000 that I wrote my first article. It was about social justice, something I was passionate about. I brought it to the Sonoma County Peace Press, on a whim. The editor read the article right in front of me, and it brought tears to her eyes. That’s when I realized my writing could affect people. It was something I could use for a good cause, to bring awareness to the world.

Why do you write?

I write about anything I’m passionate about. Fiction and nonfiction. For City To Country Magazine, I write about positive and uplifting subjects to give people a little break from all the negativity in the world.

What would be your choice for a superpower?

Perhaps it would be flying and the ability to breathe in space and under water.

Who is your favorite author?

J.k. Rolling 

What are you reading now?

I have a weakness for vampire stories. At the moment, I’m reading Awake at Dawn by C. C. Hunter, and The Vampire Girl trilogy by Karpov Kindrade, a husband and wife author team who happen to be locals in my county. I’m also reading a few others on and off, like A Universe From Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss. I love science and also anything relating to the human condition.

Who is your favorite character to write?

My favorite character in my debut is Pierre, the protagonist’s vampire maker. He is my favorite character to write because he’s the rawest character. He’s a man who lives with real terrors and because of them he hasn’t been the most honest with his immortal progeny. Like many people today, he has trouble facing his own inner darkness, and with that a tragedy from the past that forever haunts him in immorality. Because of this, even though he’s over 300 years old, he still has a long way to go when it comes to self discovery.

Do you have a writing process?

My writing process is probably the most unconventional. I don’t write out a full outline like most authors find most helpful. When I begin writing a novel most of the story is spinning around in my head from beginning to end. I do write down notes whenever an idea comes to mind, but my notes are usually scattered and unorganized. Most authors have to go back and re-structure their novels after they’re done with their “final draft” anyway. I always felt the best way to write is to just write whatever you can and whenever you’re in the most passionate mindset that’s best conductive for writing. I’m not always in this writing mode, so sometimes I just have to start writing. That often gets my thoughts flowing. .

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Just write. Don’t fear rejection or it will inhibit your work. Write for you. Tell the story of your dreams. Tell a story for the world. No matter what you write, there will always be both people who love and hate it. But completing a book is a great accomplishment on its own. Be proud of that, even if only a few people like it. As long as your write from the heart and have a story to tell, there will always be people interested.

What inspired you to pursue writing?

What inspired me to pursue writing was helping people find joy and happiness and sometimes dark and chaotic world. I love that creative writing has the power to bring hope to people. It has the power to give people a break from the negativities in the world and bring them into a place of dreams and fantasies. I found you can also do this with nonfiction while writing inspiring true stories.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?

I have to say I love Harry Potter. I also love vampire movies, and fantasy movies and shows. Charmed and Buffy The Vampire Slayer are my two favorite TV shows. I also love science documentaries as science plays a big part in my writing.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?

If you love vampire stories and also have a passion for science and philosophy, check out my debut, The Beauty in Darkness: A Vampire Story. It’s definitely a different kind a vampire story. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter under Leah Reise, and my book page under The Beauty in Darkness: A Vampire Story.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Cats
Coffee or tea? Both
Favorite food? Thai, Vietnamese, and Sushi!
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate
What are 3 things you never leave home without? Phone, wallet, and beef jerky lol
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with?
Stephen Hawking, The Dali Lama, and Carl Sagan
TV or Movies? Harry Potter!

Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE to borrow any of my books for FREE!

Best-selling author of Wake the Dead! On Amazon Kindle here!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Donna Cook Interview

I recently had the pleasure  of meeting the well-spoken Epic Fantasy Author, Donna Cook, and she agreed to an interview here with the readers of Eye on Ashenclaw. The following is the result of that interview...

First off, tell us a little bit about you.I grew up in the cradle of the Arizona desert but relocated to Boise about 3 years ago. It was an unplanned move that ended up being exactly what I needed. I’m married to a fellow creative, artist Kevin McCain, who keeps me going when I want to quit. I have three sons and three step-daughters and a strict no-pet policy because we’re doing good just to keep up with all the people who live here. I’m a freelance book editor specializing in fiction and, of course, an author. I love to dance. I love to travel. I don’t love to cook but I do love to eat.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?
Gift of the Phoenix is an epic fantasy adventure. Readers and reviewers often draw comparisons to Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Two very different stories, obviously, and mine has its own unique feel as well. What they have in common, though, is that big, fun, adventurous, magical feel. Who doesn’t like that? :)

When did you start writing? According to my mother, before I even knew how. My pre-writing scribbles are long gone, but the desire to write has never left me.

Why do you write? I can’t help myself. It’s playtime for grown-ups. I absolutely love inventing new worlds, new characters, new stories. Whenever I hear people talk about retiring, I think, “I’ll never retire.” I hope to spend the rest of my life playing with stories.

What would be your choice for a superpower?Either flying or invisibility. Or decisiveness.

Who is your favorite author? Several. Kate DiCamillo. Patrick Rothfuss. John Steinbeck. Rainbow Rowell. How much time do you have?

What are you reading now? I just finished re-reading These is My Words by Nancy Turner. One of my favorite books. It’s on the short list of books I’ll actually re-read.

Who is your favorite character to write? Ooooh, that’s a tough one. (I do not do well with favorites lists.) I love so many of my characters. Even the bad ones are fun to write. I’d say the character that lingers with me the most, though, is Nashua. She’s a side character in Gift of the Phoenix. I ended up writing a novella about her and plan to write more. Her stories are a pure labor of love. I don’t think they’ll have the broad appeal Gift of the Phoenix has, but I’m so drawn to her. It may be no one will read her stories, but I feel compelled to write them anyway.

Do you have a writing process? Yes. I brainstorm plot, subplot, characters, and world building in a spiral notebook. Some ideas make it to the first draft, some don’t. I don’t sweat it. The notebook stage is all about pure exploration. By the time I start a draft, I have a pretty good idea what’s going to happen, but there are always surprises along the way. I focus on big picture corrections in the second draft (plot, pacing, etc), then polish up the language in the final draft. I bring my editor in after the first draft.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? I think aspiring authors sometimes read the answers to this kind of question looking for the magic bullet. Some new trick they haven’t heard of yet. There really isn’t a trick. Learning to write is like any other advanced skill. You must practice. You must learn the tools of your trade. So it comes down to three things: read a lot, study the craft of writing, and write a lot. For years. If you do that, there will be no stopping you.

What inspired you to pursue writing?It’s just always been a part of me. I could no more answer the question, “What got you interested in breathing?” For whatever reason, writing has always been in my blood.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?Any movie about writing or writers inspires me. Finding Neverland, Miss Potter, Little Women, even something like Julie and Julia. Anything dealing with the creative drive.

What are your current projects? The Lost Branch is the follow up to Gift of the Phoenix. I finished the second draft and my editor gave it a green light for the final draft, which means all the story elements are solid. It’s time to look at the language. I’m currently letting that book rest before I dive into the final. I want to re-read it with fresh eyes to see if there are any opportunities I’m missing. Meanwhile, I’ve started the rough draft of a completely new story, The Crossroads. I may or may not get the entire draft done before going back to The Lost Branch. I’ve also been letting the second Nashua story rest, but have been itching to pull it back out. My Muse is fickle and secretive. I literally have no idea which of these projects I’ll be working on two weeks from now.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?Thank you! One of my favorite things is meeting readers. I adore them. I’m grateful to them. Without them my stories would feel so lonesome. Thank you, thank you for reading.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Dogs
Coffee or tea? Tea
Favorite food? Mexican
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate
What are 3 things you never leave home without? Keys, phone, notebook and pen.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Kate DiCamillo, Rainbow Rowell, Maya Angelou.
TV or Movies? Movies

Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE & my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

Best-selling author of Wake the Dead! On Amazon Kindle here!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Y.A. Fantasy Taking Over?

Is it me or are most of the popular fantasy novels (and any other genre for that matter) catering to the Young Adult market? Harry Potter and Twilight are two huge examples of what I am talking about. Those two franchises are unbelievably successful and I chalk it up to gearing the novels towards teenagers. That age group seems to be a good decision for two reasons: Time and expendable cash….

I don’t know about you, but when I was a teen, I had to worry about making enough money for my comic book addiction, gas for my car and even car insurance. I did not have to decide whether or not to buy the book I wanted to read or make the mortgage payment! Most teens seem to have an abundance of time and possibly, some spending cash—so why not market books to them. Some of the most popular books and movies that I have mentioned are geared for them. And yet, many adults are watching now, too. So, as I can see it, the steps are to write the first novel or two specifically for that target audience and then move to a darker and possibly more adult-minded ending…is that about right? I really don’t know as I have not read any of these series, but I have seen some of the movies.

I personally like my vampires less sparkly and more evil (30 Days of Night comes to mind) and my wizards need to be…well, older, I guess. (See Elminster and Gandolph) I will say that both J. K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer are innovators, incredible business people and they have both impacted the worlds of fantasy like no one since the great
J. R. R. Tolkien. They have succeeded in opening up a whole new generation to the genre, so kudos for that. And any artist that gets people reading is OK in my book! (pun intended)


Are Y.A. titles such as Twilight and Harry Potter taking over the fantasy genre? Are Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance and Middle Earth a thing of the past? As always, I am looking forward to your opinions!

 
See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

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