Stephanie O' Brien Interview

First off, tell us a little bit about you, Stephanie... 

I’m a genre-hopping fan and creator of fiction, who spends more time with my head in fictional worlds than is entirely good for my schedule and navigational skills. (Oh, I was supposed to turn left there? Shoot, I was busy writing a novel in my head.) My favorites tend to be sci-fi stories, but I also love fantasy, and if something is really good, genre is no object.

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

I’ve written in multiple genres. “My Fugitive” and “Voice of a Silent Fugitive” are wartime psychological suspense novels, starring a mute, wounded warrior and a young civilian girl who are trying to keep each other alive in enemy territory. “Heroic Lies” is a superhero sci-fi novel which takes the classic hero-villain-reporter trio and puts a dark new spin on it, and “Catigrl Roommate” is a comedy novel.

When did you start writing? 

About as early as I knew how. I finished my first full-length novel when I was 12, and wrote a short book and a few half-finished projects before then.

Why do you write? 
Because I enjoy it. I like creating and exploring worlds and characters, and evoking emotions, that reflect and yet differ from the ones we encounter in everyday life.

What would be your choice for a superpower? 

The ability to magically create any object I wanted, with no negative side effects to myself or the universe. This would pretty much enable me to replicate any other superpower.

Who is your favorite author? 

That’s a tough one, but I’m going to say Karen Hancock.

What are you reading now? 

 “The Wizard’s First Rule”.

Who is your favorite character to write? 

I think so far Zorei from “Heroic Lies” has been my favorite. He’s one of those rare gems who practically writes himself, but I enjoyed writing Alexandra, too. They play off each other so well.

Do you have a writing process? 

 First, I write a quick outline. As much of each scene as pops into my head at the time. This lets me see an outline of the whole story, and rearrange parts of it if need be to ensure that it flows well and that all the events are in order. Then I go through the whole book and flesh it out. If a new scene pops into my head, or I get a burst of inspiration to write a scene later in the book, I write it down and then go back to where I left off.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? 

For one thing, don’t wait to write “candy bar scenes” until you get to that part of the book. If you’ve got a scene that you’re REALLY looking forward to writing, and it’s vivid and wonderful in your mind, write it down NOW. There have been several times when I’ve had an amazing scene write itself in my head, but I waited for months to actually type it out, and by the time it did, the sparkle was gone. It was three times as hard to write, and the result was half as good.

Another piece of advice is, don’t be afraid to make your characters really unusual or unique. Give them quirks, even if the characters and quirks are minor. How many times have you seen a minor character become an internet sensation, just because people loved the one little oddity that they displayed?

A third is to remember that bestselling authors are just that: best SELLING authors, not best WRITING authors. I really hated this piece of advice when I got it, but it’s true: if you don’t sell many books, it isn’t necessarily because you’re a bad writer; it’s because you aren’t marketing and selling your book effectively. So if you plan to self-publish, or even if you want to catch a publisher’s attention, you need to learn how to get people interested.

What inspired you to pursue writing? 

As noted earlier, I enjoy it. Despite my above advice, I’ll admit that I probably don’t spend nearly enough time marketing my books, because most of my marketing efforts are focused on my other business. And yet, I keep writing, because I like it.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing? 
“Farscape” is my current favorite. “Puella Magi Madoka Magica”, “Firefly”, “Serenity”, and “Star Trek” are also high on my list.

What are your current projects? 

I’m currently working on a comedy novel for cat lovers, called “Catgirl Roommate”. It’s about a poor college student who accepted an offer of free rent in exchange for taking care of his “special needs” roommate. Unfortunately for him, his new roommate is a catgirl. She’s the size of a human, but with all the bad habits of a cat, so I’m sure the cat owners reading this can imagine the crap he has to put up with.

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

Would it be cliche and obvious of me to say “check out my books”? Haha. (PS. Go check out her books here! ~ GFV) Just as importantly, for all the fans and writers who are reading this: have fun with it, fearlessly. If you have a story to write, go and write it, just the way you want to – not the way that you think will sell best, or the way you think other people want you to write it. And if you have a story or franchise you totally adore, geek out about it. Get into communities of people who share your passion, and be honest about your obsession. After all, fiction helps us to connect with each other, and with parts of ourselves that don’t have enough room to stretch their legs in day-to-day life, so why not love it?

Quick Fire:
Cats or dogs? Cats, even if their bad behaviour inspired me to write a book.
Coffee or tea? Tea.
Favorite food? Chocolate.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate, of course. :)
What are 3 things you never leave home without? My purse, the clothes on my back, and my cell phone.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop.
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Masashi Kishimoto, Wayne Pygram, and Mary Morrissey.

TV or Movies? TV. I like how it has more time to develop the characters, world and plot.

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.

Jeff Roberts Interview

I've recently had the pleasure of meeting Jeffrey Roberts, writer of science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. Author of THE HEALER. Jeff, thanks for stopping by and sharing with the readers of the blog over here and best of luck moving forward. So, let's discover some info about Jeff....

First off, tell us a little bit about you

I was born in New York City on 2/24/1949. I attended Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, AZ, where I received degrees in writing and American history. I’m an advocate of disclosing the truth about UFO’s; I’m an airplane freak, and I’ve lived in Tucson, AZ for 4 years, having moved from my hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

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

 I write science fiction, horror, fantasy, and comedy/fantasy.

When did you start writing? 

I started writing in college.

Why do you write? 

To create worlds that never were – but might; characters that never existed – but could; and strange situations in this life- and others that can only be imagined.

What would be your choice for a superpower? 

I think perhaps either invisibility, or the power of teleportation.

Who is your favorite author? 

 I have no 1 favorite author, but several come to mind: Ray Bradbury, James Thurber, Thornton Wilder, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury – and I kind of like me, at the risk of sounding conceited!


What are you reading now? 

Nothing right now. Too busy writing and promoting.

Who is your favorite character to write? 

The underdog, the iconoclast that saves the day and gains new found respect.

Do you have a writing process? 

 I write in long hand first, on black & white composition books, where I edit ceaselessly until it looks like I’ve hemorrhaged all over it. Then I transfer the final version to my computer, on WORD 2007.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? 

Buy all the books you can about the craft of writing, study them—then toss them in the garbage! Because if you follow them to the letter, your book will end up bloodless, like a dry textbook. And it will read like everyone else that did the exact same thing! Do you think Hemingway or Steinbeck followed all the rules? Hardly. They had their “Own voice”. Develop your own voice, your own style! March to the beat of a different drummer, and you’ll be remembered for it!

What inspired you to pursue writing? 

Hard to say. My Dad was a writer for radio after the war. Perhaps creativity is genetic. I reasoned that since I didn’t have the math skills to be an astronautical engineer with NASA, I would use the one mental gift I did have, a creative mind- to write stories that challenge the imagination.

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

Sleepy Hollow, Grimm, Constantine, Supernatural, Scorpion, and Ghost Adventures, to name a few. Plus the History and Travel channel.

What are your current projects? 

My next book, a fantasy entitled IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, should be out in about a month, and I’m working on a horror novel, THE HORROR ON THE HMS COTTINGLY.

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

Please buy THE HEALER, by Jeffrey G. Roberts! It is a 5-star science fiction novel whose plot has never been done before!


Quick Fire: Cats or dogs? Cats, but I adore puppies, and all animals.
Coffee or tea? Coffee, but I enjoy tea also.
Favorite food? Anything that doesn’t eat me first! But out of many things, probably steak and pizza.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Definitely chocolate.
What are 3 things you never leave home without? My clothes, my wallet, and my phone.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop, a HP 2000.
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Nikola Tesla, Capt. Glenn Edwards, for whom Edwards A.F.B. was named after, and scientist Dr. Thomas Townshend Brown, who experimented with electrostatic propulsion in the 50’s.
TV or Movies? TV.

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.

Pamela Winn Interview

Hello all! It's been a while and I am back with another delightful interview from a fellow author. Meet Pamela Winn...

First off, tell us a little bit about you...I am a mother of 7, grandmother of 18. I have 19 books indie published. The 20th should be done this month for the NaNoWrite November. I am all about books, avid reader, reviewer and writer.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?Tough question for me. I write preschool to novels. The children's books are fun, rhyming books that will hopefully give children the love of reading. The novels are supernatural, sci-fi, mystery, paranormal and a bit of spiritual, along with a lot of conspiracy.

When did you start writing? I always wrote poems and short stories, but the actual novel writing began two years ago and I haven't been able to stop.

Why do you write? Mostly to get sleep! At night I lay awake while the words and pictures float through my mind. Putting them on paper seems to help. I love to have my writing take readers to another place for the time it takes them to read the book. There is nothing better than taking a break and going on an adventure. When readers say I hated for the book to end I am on cloud nine.

What would be your choice for a superpower?I would love to read minds, but that may not be a great power because I may not like what I hear. I think I better go with flying. How awesome would it be to travel to places I have only read about and this would also be a great way to add new locations to the novels I write.

Who is your favorite author? Definitely Stephen King and Dean Koontz, but I also love John Steinbeck, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. I find a great new author almost every day, if I find a good story then I am happy.

What are you reading now? I am asked this a lot, because I read about three books a day, when I am asked I am finished reading the book. I have been reading a lot of John Dizon, John Tucker and Angie Blake. But I have found so many new authors I love that I couldn't begin to mention them all. I get lost in a book and feel that is partly due to my vivid imagination.

Who is your favorite character to write? I love all my characters and hopefully my readers do too, I have been told that readers do feel they know my characters. I do have fun writing as the bad guy (or woman) though. I think I get to let out my evil side that way. When writing I tend to be my own characters for awhile, that is if they let me. They do have ideas of their own.

Do you have a writing process? Mostly I write down the characters and what they look like to me, ages, height and weight are a big part but also character traits and a little background on each one. From there those characters seem to decide where the story goes.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? If you love writing do it. If you are looking to get rich and famous, I'd think twice. Unless you have a great publisher and a promoter with inside information you aren't going to be rich. You might make enough to buy the coffee or whatever you use to finish the novels. Writing has to be a passion, not be about the money.

What inspired you to pursue writing?When my husband had health problems we were told to move to a different place. He was told to get his affairs in order. Through the process of downsizing I almost had to throw out my writings of poems and short stories. That's when I decided I should put everything into book form and I became an indie author.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I love anything with a touch of the supernatural and am a big fan of old sci-fi and horror movies. I am watching Haven and Ressurection right now.

What are your current projects?Right now I am writing a novel for the November Nano Writing, the book is about a new type of serial killer. "The New Moon Killer" It is a pyschological suspense horror thriller.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?Thanks, Thanks, Thanks. I have been so lucky to receive awesome reviews and great feedback from readers. It is a reader's imagination that actually finishes a book. No two people come away from a novel with the same pictures in their head. I have been so touched by what my readers tell me and can never thank them enough.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs?
I love both. Dogs are so loyal and love unconditionally, but I have to admire a cat's attitude. Their Independence and do what they want attitude is to be envied.
Coffee or tea?
Definitely coffee, day or night I have one by my side.
Favorite food?
Chocolate, does that count? actual food would be biscuits and gravy.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream?
I'll take vanilla, but just throw in a banana, some toppings and lots of whip cream.
What are 3 things you never leave home without?
My notebook, my pen and my imagination.
Laptop or desktop?
Desktop.
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with?
Edgar Cayce, Stephen King and Nostradamus
TV or Movies?
I love movies but never seem to be able to sit down that long, old TV shows like All in the Family or Barney Miller are great.

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.

Heidi C. Vlach interview

I recently ran into Heidi Vlach on twitter, she writes fantasy, and she agreed to an interview! The answers are a bit different and well thought out, so stick around and give it a look-see!

First, tell us a little bit about you
I'm a chef training graduate from Ontario, Canada, currently working as a waitress. I love cooking meals from scratch and trying new foods. Fantasy media has been a part of my life since I was a child— not just through books, but through video games, too. I'd say that video games and the Internet keep me awake all night, but I'm a night owl anyway!

Tell us about your books. My Stories of Aligare are set in a magical world where 3 non-human races live cooperatively. The korvi, aemets and ferrin (who are dragons, insects and weasels, respectively) help each other survive the "demon" forces of illness and bad luck. Other than that commonality, each book is a stand-alone story with a different flavour. Remedy is a medical drama, Ravel is a romantic friendship, and Render is a mystery — actually, one reader called it a "leisurely suspense" story and I like the ring of that.

What genre do you consider your books? High fantasy. The characters all have magic as an innate part of their bodies: they can breathe fire, make plants grow, generate electricity for self-defense, and more. This magic is a vital part of the Aligare world and all life within it. Some say that a world with no humans is automatically science fiction because it's not set on Earth — which is an interesting talking point, to be sure. But the Stories of Aligare are about the kind of ideas that embody fantasy: legends, magic and finding one's fate.

If the Aligare world is not Earth, why does it use familiar Earth life such as wolves, horses and oak trees?

Well, it's a way of picking my battles. The reader already needs to familiarize themselves with the korvi, aemet and ferrin races, their magic and their cultures. Every character has a worldview to learn — which is a lot to ask of the reader as it is. So I used a lot of Earth plants and animals, and some familiar mythological ideas like wyverns and basilisks, so that the reader can use their own knowledge base. I don't need to stop the story to exposit what an onion is, or how dangerous wolves are, because you already know.

When did you start writing? I've enjoyed creative writing for as long as I can remember, and I started writing fanfiction about video games and TV shows when I was a teenager. Then, bored in high school history class one day, I started writing down ideas for my own video game. That was an idle daydream — but then I realized that if I made this thing a novel instead, I wouldn't need programmers or companies. I could compose it all myself. That was when I started developing an early version of the Aligare world.

Why do you write? Mostly to explore concepts. If I want to see something done, I figure should do it myself. In particular, I want to see more human-free fantasy novels that aren't "talking animals on a quest" scenarios aimed at children. Science fiction accepts aliens as interesting people who can make us think, and I think fantasy can do it just as well. I hope my writing can prove that.

What would be your choice for a superpower? Telekinesis. Moving objects with my mind could have many different applications! I'd be fun at parties AND possibly useful in saving the world.

Who is your favorite author? Hmm, probably Naomi Novik. I'm not usually interested in historical fiction, but her alternate Earth does a great job of using sentient dragons to question human culture and rewrite our history. Novik's books are the only ones where I hear about a new release and think, "Ooh, definitely buying that."

What are you reading now? The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Reading it very slowly, mind you. But I'm loving the poetic prose and the unicorn's view of the world. I might need to name it my favourite book when I'm done.

Who is your favorite character to write? Syril of Reyardine, a travelling merchant of the dragon-like korvi race. "Ask for the name, whatever you need!" He's a minor character who shows up in every Aligare tale, because he's always flying to different villages to make deals. Syril is fun to write because he's so chatty and energetic. Readers usually either love him or hate him — but I, the author, love him even when I want him to shut up.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Accepting criticism is an important part of becoming a skilled writer, but don't blindly follow crit from everyone you meet. Some people bash your work to feed their own egos, or praise your work just because they don't want to hurt your feelings. Or they'll tell you to "write something more marketable" because your weird concept scares them. Always question your critiquers' motivations and personal tastes. Look for the people who criticize because they're trying to help your work be a better version of itself: those are the valuable folks.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I watch a lot of Futurama, American Dad and Mythbusters — I have my roommate to thank for that, we both enjoy those shows and watch them together. And I love food-and-travel shows, or cooking competitions like Chopped or Iron Chef.

What are your current projects? I'm working on short stories for a dragon-themed collection. The concept of a dragon can be spun so many ways, it's going to be great creative exercise for me.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers? Thanks for reading this Q and A! Writing is meaningless unless someone reads it, that's what I always say.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Cats. They suit me better.
Coffee or tea? Coffee with lots of milk and a bit of sugar.
Favorite food? I love just about all food.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Both, please! (See above response.)
What are 3 things you never leave home without? Lip balm, a hoodie (because I get cold easily), and my iPhone.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop, so I can go sit somewhere else on a whim.
Who are 3 famous people you would like to hang out with? Alton Brown, Mike Rowe and Lady Gaga.
TV or Movies? Depends on the story being told. I don't have strong feelings for the formats themselves.

Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

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

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

photo from http://www.sxc.hu/

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2013 unless otherwise noted.

Madeline Dyer Interview

I have been remiss in keeping up with my interviews and postings as my wife has had another Seizure (she has been diagnosed with epilepsy since last August) and I have been taking care of her this past week. However, I have received budding interest in authors wanting to be interviewed and the well-versed author, Madeline Dyer, was kind enough to volunteer to be interviewed. The following is the result of the Q&A! Enjoy!


First off, tell us a little bit about youHi! My name's Madeline and I love to write fantasy and science fiction. I live on a farm in Devon, England where I co-run a miniature Shetland Pony stud. Currently, I'm studying for a degree in English Literature so I haven't got as much time to write as I'd like, but I'm still managing to fit some in!

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?I mainly write fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories for a young adult and adult market, however, I also write nonfiction animal-care books too. All my fictional work is traditionally-published, but I self-publish my nonfiction.

When did you start writing? Now, this is a tricky question because I can't really remember a time when I wasn't writing! When I was in primary school (aged nine or ten) I remember we had to each write a short story, and I loved doing this. We wrote our stories by hand, then had to type them up (which I was very excited about, as we weren't often allowed into the IT suite). When I was typing my story up, I took about three times as long as the other people in my class—my teacher got a little annoyed about this—as I kept finding parts that needed changing, or I wanted to add in new parts. Now, I realise this was the process of me editing it and revising the content, something which our teacher didn't ask us to do.

I suppose it was from this sort of age that I started actually writing (as in writing stories that I tried to finish), though with my dad being a writer, I've been exposed to the world of storytelling and literature ever since I was born.

Why do you write? I write because I love writing. Quite simple really! For me, writing has this amazing power; just by putting a handful of words together you can create incredible characters, powerful emotions and fantastic new worlds where anything can happen. I suppose that writing, for me, is a form of escapism.

What would be your choice for a superpower?I love this question! I think I'd like to be able to write stuff down, just by thinking about it. Just imagine it, I could save so much time! Although, I would also like to be able to teleport to places too... That would be cool.

Who is your favorite author? My favourite (yes, I use the UK spelling!) author at the moment probably has to be Richelle Mead, author of the Vampire Academy series, Dark Swan novels and Bloodlines novels. I love the depth that her books have, how realistic her characters are, and how intricate and beautifully-developed the plots are.

What are you reading now? I've actually just finished reading The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, (which I absolutely loved and highly recommend), so am in the transitory period from one book to another. Next on my to-read pile of books is L.A Weatherly's Angel Fever.

Who is your favorite character to write? My favourite character to write is Jade from my Spirit Of Fire series. These books are written in the first person narrative from Jade's point of view, so I can really get stuck in her head. She's quite confident, but is flawed and struggles with her identity at times. Having said that she's my favourite character, I also love her twin-brother Jack. He's more aggressive than Jade, and very protective of her and their other sister, but he has some pretty witty dialogue which I love writing!

Do you have a writing process? Yes! I'm a planner. I have to plan what I'm going to write before I write it, yet I can't do too much planning, else I lose inspiration, Typically, I make notes on the plot's arc and the characters (because characters are hugely important for me, as they drive the plot) and then go straight into writing the first draft, attempting to write the scenes in a chronological order. Often, as I'm writing, I discover more about my characters and their lives, which can then be further developed in additional drafts.

My first drafts tend to be pretty messy, so the second and third drafts are for cleaning them up and adding in the 'logical' parts. Then I go onto editing and revising, looking for the continuity errors. At this point, I also start writing a rough synopsis. Then it's the final edits and changes.

Typically, a book of mine has six drafts (this was certainly the case for Spirit Of Fire and Untamed).

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? 
Just to write. And write because you want to write, not because you're told to write. Write because you love writing too, not because you want to make money (though if you sell a book, it is a nice bonus!).

What inspired you to pursue writing?I've just always loved reading and writing. As a child/teenager, I read some incredible books (The Railway Children, Winnie-the-Pooh, Five Children and It, Harry Potter, Vampire Academy, Clan of The Cave Bear, Twilight, The Hunger Games, Divergent, Slated...) and I just wanted to write my own stories!

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I love fantasy and science fiction TV and movies! Recently, I saw The Host (adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's novel of the same name) and loved it, finding it really inspirational. I also regularly watch science fiction and fantasy TV series, such as Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Doctor Who and Merlin (when it was on!).

What are your current projects?I'm currently working on the second Spirit Of Fire book, Blood Of The Phoenix. At 67,000 words, I'm just over halfway through and am loving it! I've also recently finished the editing process of Untamed, which is now being queried to agents/publishers, and having written the first drafts of the next two books in the Untamed series, I'm also outlining the fourth and final novel. And I have another project that's just beginning to form in my mind too (a YA paranormal thriller) which I'm very excited about.

Nonfiction wise, I'm working on the fifth Mad On Animals book.

And, as always, I've got several short stories on the go.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?I'm not sure how many people are aware of this, but a lot of my short stories are published online as well as in eBook and paperback format in anthologies. On the fiction page of my website, I have a section for short stories at the bottom of the page where I list all my short stories, and provide links to these stories to the publishers' sites, where you can read them for free!

If you've read any of my work, I'd love to hear from you! I can be contacted directly through the contact page on my website (MadelineDyer.co.uk) or through Twitter: @MadelineDyerUK


Quick Fire:
Cats or dogs? Cats!
Coffee or tea? Tea (so long as it's peppermint!)
Favorite food? Pizza!
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Vanilla—no contest!
What are 3 things you never leave home without? My phone, my iPod and a notebook (or sometimes my laptop, if I'm taking a bigger bag).
Laptop or desktop? Laptop.
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Richelle Mead, Rick Yancey and L.A Weatherly.
TV or Movies? TV.

Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

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

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

photo from http://www.sxc.hu/

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2013 unless otherwise noted.

C.G.Ayling Interview

I wanted to thank fellow writer C.G.Ayling for stopping by here to do this interview with me. C.G. is in the midst of an epic series named Malmaxa. I hope you all enjoy the interview!

Q. First off, tell us a little bit about you.

I’m a young soul, trapped in an aging body and I have no desire for fame, or fortune.  C.G.Ayling is my pseudonym, borrowed from my Godfather, an honorable man very deserving of fame.  Sadly, fortune would serve him poorly, as he passed away in 1990.  While who I am physically really doesn’t matter, I reflect who I am spiritually, and philosophically, in my tweets, which you can find by following @CGAyling on Twitter.

Q. Tell us about your books.

My principle work is a series bearing the name Malmaxa.  The first two books, “Beltamar’s War” and “The Pilgrimage”, are already available.  Beltamar’s War introduces readers to an apparently brutal, primitive world ruled by six divine, immutable laws.  In Malmaxa, no other laws are permitted, this has many ramifications the most obvious being that no government is possible.  The first of the six laws states, “None Shall Speak for the Gods.”  As with many elements within the series, this law seems contradictory, but is not – its purpose is to prevent the formation of organized religion, not belief itself.  Like any functional, developed culture, Malmaxa is an extremely complicated world.  My writing style gradually reveals it, and by the end of the first book readers are only beginning to grasp where this tale leads.  That makes it sound like it’s a slow moving, rambling tale – it isn’t, a lot happens, with literally everything resulting in cause and effect.  Expect to be confused, but anticipate rewards as you decipher clues revealing the true nature of Malmaxa.  If you don’t enjoy complex, epic tales that raise more questions than they answer, Malmaxa is not for you.

Q. When did you start writing?

With passion?  In 1976.  With purpose? In 2006.

Q. Why do you write?

For release.  As I age, I become more and more disillusioned with the state of the world.  The world is not improving, it is becoming more controlling with each passing year.  Every year we have less real freedom, and are bound into increasingly restrictive little cubicles from which escape is virtually impossible.  The mass-media actively tells us what to think.  Instead of serving us, our governments enslave us to corporations for whom there are no rules, since laws are purchased by corporations.  Malmaxa offers me release from this unjust world, and lets me reveal my view of perfection to anyone who cares to read it. If that turns out to be no one, I’m still content as Malmaxa has let me cast out some of the demons that trouble me.

Q. What would be your choice for a superpower?

Invisibility!  Actually, in Malmaxa one of the six classes of Seizen (in my series, Seizen is the collective name for humanity) holds this power.  Think how much you could accomplish, if no one knew you were there.  Kind of like being anonymous, which I am, so in a way I already possess my superpower of choice!

Q. Who is your favorite author?

Omar Khayyám.

Q. What are you reading now?

At the moment I’m listening to an audio series from “The Great Courses”, titled “Memory and the Human Lifespan”, as presented by Professor Steve Joordens of the University of Toronto Scarborough.

Q. Who is your favorite character to write?

In Malmaxa, my favorite used to be the villain.  Placing oneself in the mind of an utterly selfish person is rather liberating. It’s also extremely challenging – I really want readers to identify with him and realize that he is human, with human desires, fears, goals and misunderstandings.  You’ll notice I never named the villain – that’s because I have no desire for who the villain is, to be immediately obvious.  My new favorite character is Eden.  Eden is a six cycle old child (a cycle might loosely be considered a year, but is actually significantly longer) by the end of the second novel, Eden’s character is developing and maturing far faster than that of a young child should.  This is because of her exposure to elements normally reserved for adults, much like young children of our time.  Eden is a crucial character in the tale, although she is not the protagonist – there, a hint, without any spoiler.

Q. Do you have a writing process?

I do. I use hidden text to outline a section, before filling it out.  I don’t intentionally write in sequence, though a lot of it ends up this way.  I spend a great deal of time back tracking and cleaning up story threads, of which there are many.  While driving, which I do an extraordinary amount, I record thoughts onto a voice recorder.  Then, when time permits, I incorporate these thoughts into my hidden text, and later flesh them out.  I do a significant amount of research as I write, and I pay extraordinary attention to the little details – to me, the tiny things matter more than the biggest, for truth is easier to ascertain with sharper focus.  I never tell anyone where the plot is going, not even my wife or youngest daughter, Julia.  They often ask me for hints and clues, but I’m nothing if not hard hearted and point them back to what they’ve already read – it’s all there, hidden in obscure details and metaphor.

Q. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Anticipate heartache – though it won’t reduce the pain of rejection, it will reduce the shock.  Thought that sounds overly dramatic, I present it with the best intentions.  Having poured your heart into our writing, our natural tendency is to assume everyone will love it as much as we do.  If you go the traditional publishing route, you’ll face rejection – usually in the form of complete silence from agents and publishers who exempt themselves from courtesy in their submission guidelines.  If you self-publish, the indifference and assumed rejection of silence is still there, though more insidious.  If you’re expecting it, it won’t shock you quite as much – if you’re anticipating instant fame and accolade… well it might shock you enough that you stop writing, that would be a loss for us all.

Q. What inspired you to pursue writing?

The desire to bring honor to my Godfather, or at least to his memory.

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

I don’t watch TV willingly, and I can’t recall the last time I went to a movie.  Occasionally I’ll watch shows or movies on Netflix.  I recently watched the first four seasons of “Sons of Anarchy” – I enjoyed the first two seasons, an intriguing premise about just who the “bad guys” really are.  The third and fourth season crossed far beyond the line of believability, I won’t be following that series any further.  One of my favorite movies is “Apocalypse Now”, another close contender is “To Live and Die in LA”.

 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

H.L.Stephens Interview

A few weeks ago, i had the distinct pleasure of meeting a fine person and author named Heather Stephens, who goes by the pen name  H.L. Stephens. From the moment I interacted with her, I knew she was not only a serious writer, but was a kind person and someone who cares deeply about her writing. Her interview is very heartfelt and real and I for one appreciate the sincerity. Do yourself a favor and pick up her work!

First off, tell us a little bit about you

-        My name is Helen. It is a family name, and every day I thank the good Lord above that I was not born a boy; otherwise, my name might have been Cleon (another good old family name). In a Star Trek generation, you do the math on how many fights I would have had defending my honor. ‘Stephens’ is a tribute to my father. He has always been one of my biggest fans and biggest supporters. I am proudly owned by a 10 pound Pomeranian name Peanut Pumpkin Pie. She is the light of my life, and I would challenge any parent to have more pictures of their two legged kids than I do of my four legged one. I grew up in Charleston, SC but have lived in the Appalachian mountains for the last 16 years or so. My greatest hope is that long after I am gone if ebay or something like it still exists, some person will find one of my books for a really great deal. They will sit down in their favorite chair, open the well worn pages of their moderately priced treasure to begin to read the words that first poured forth from my heart, and they will rediscover why they love to read.

Tell us about your books

-        The Chronicles of Mister Marmee novels are the firsthand accounts of the many investigations and exploits of the feline adventurer and consulting detective, Mister Marmee and his best friend and colleague, the famous dachshund detective Sir Happy Heart. The world is introduced to them in the first novel The Case of Jack the Nipper which was released in eBook form June of 2012. In this first full-length novel, a series of brutal attacks and a connected murder set the city of London on edge. Sir Happy Heart and Mister Marmee find themselves unavoidably embroiled in the case as the details of each victim are brought to their very doorstep by Inspector Hyrum Farley himself, in his efforts to stop the perpetrator of the crimes before he strikes again. With clues that lead from the bleakest slums, to the darkened doorway of illegal dog fighting, to the country estate of one of the most powerful and influential families of Victorian times, these extraordinary detectives must prevail before the Nipper takes his next victim. It's a race against the clock for these two fearless detectives, and time is running out!

The second novel in the Chronicles of Mister Marmee is nearing completion of the first draft. I hope to have The Case of the Wayward Fae ready for release by the end of this year.

When did you start writing?

-        I started writing when I was a little girl. We still have the diary I started when I was like 4 and 5 years old. It is amazing the deep and pertinent things you write in your diary at that age. Heavy stuff. For some reason, I drew a lot of bugs. I have no idea why.

Why do you write?

-        I write because the voices in my head won’t be quiet unless I do. They are inconsiderate little buggers that wake me at all hours of the day and night if I try and ignore them.

What would be your choice for a superpower?

-        I would love the ability to walk through walls because sometimes I really don’t feels like messing with the doors.

Who is your favorite author?

-        This is a hard one to nail down because my tastes vary and my appreciations for various authors exist because of the gifts they bring to the table for the types of things they wrote about. Every time I try to pick one author as a ‘favorite’, I remember another author who gave me equal pleasure at a different time for a different reason. I begin to feel cheap and tawdry, like I have had some illicit affair, but for argument’s sake, I will name a few of the classics that have been among my favorites for many years: Sir Walter Scott, Jane Austin, Trollope, James Fennimore Cooper, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

What are you reading now?

-        I am currently reading a few books at the same time, as much for pleasure as for research. The Land Beyond the Forest by Emily Gerard is the book that inspired Bram Stoker to write his most famous work. Written in the late 1800’s, it is Emily’s experiences while living in Transylvania. I am also reading Catnip by Valerie Tate. It has been a fun read so far. It came up as a “you might also like…” on my book’s page (The Case of Jack the Nipper) so I was curious. My third and (so far) final source of reading pleasure at the moment is Victorian Murderess: A True History of Thirteen Respectable French and English Women Accused of Unspeakable Crimes by Mary S Hartman. Because of the Era of my current series (The Chronicles of Mister Marmee)

Who is your favorite character to write?

-        I would have to say it is a tossup between Mister Marmee and Sir Happy Heart. They are both such charming and fallible souls. I cannot help but love them both. Their relationship with each other is beautiful, and I find myself intrigued to find out how it will unfold through each new adventure. They are such complex characters; I cannot in truth choose one over the other because they both have at their heart the same source inspiration – my own real life Sir Happy Heart. He was incidentally a black and tan miniature dachshund who passed away on February 19, 2013.

Do you have a writing process?

-        I suppose in some way I do, but in the classic sense, I don’t have a set structure. With each story, I generally start at the beginning and I write until I reach the end. I don’t always know what the ending will be. It often feels as though the story writes itself, and I am often excited to find out what is gong to happen next. I will at times have a general direction in mind, but more often than not when I sit down at the computer and construct the story, it takes its own flow. Sometimes, entire segments will come to me completely out of order from the rest of the story, and I will write those as they come. Then I just work on the rest of the story until it ‘catches up’. I have never written an outline for a story or anything like that. I carry journals around with me and write ideas, thoughts, snippets, names, whatever I don’t want to forget. If I don’t use it in my current project, I save it for another one. I guess you could call it my disorganized organizational method.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

-        Don’t give up and keep writing. It is a hard road sometimes, and there are days where it will feel impossible. The key is to keep doing what you love, no matter what anybody tells you. If you can’t beat them, out write them. The more you write, the better you get at your craft. At some point, they are going to get tired of seeing you name come across their desk. Don’t be a turd; just be tenacious. Give them a reason to respect your commit, not hate your guts. Remember, the only way that a dream can die is for you to lay it down and walk away.

What inspired you to pursue writing?

-        I really sucked at MMA, so I thought I would get into something where I wouldn’t get beat up all the time. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I actually became a writer for a number of reasons. First, I couldn’t help myself. It is in my blood, and I could no sooner stop writing than I could voluntarily stop breathing. I think about writing when I am doing other things, so you might say I have it pretty bad. Second, my mom is a writer. She has been a contributing author in over a dozen Chicken Soup For the Soul books and has been a great encouragement to me to take my love of the craft to the next level. 

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

-        My tastes vary widely so I can’t give a comprehensive list of all my favorites but I can give a few. Firefly – one of the best series ever to be cancelled in the first season. Tera Nova – second best series ever to be cancelled in the first season (okay so I have a thing for hard luck cases where TV shows are concerned). Law and Order – I think it is the clink/clink between scenes that gets me ever time. Transformers (all of the movies) – okay I loved the cartoon as a kid, geeked out over the movies as an adult. Sue me. Any movie with Sam Elliott because he just has that ‘you’re gunna get your butt kicked slow and easy like’ kind of way about him. Most Disney and Dreamworks animation. I am a huge kid at heart. I still cry at the same Disney movies that made me cry when I was a little girl. Call it the soft nuggety side of me.

 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Tiffany Heiser Interview

Continuing my rounds of author interviews, I received a reply or interest from author of paranormal romance: Tiffany Heiser. The following is the interview as she shares information with the readers of Eye on Ashenclaw!

First off, tell us a little bit about you

I was raised in Granbury Texas, a small town near Fort Worth. I’m an only child, raised by two wonderful parents. Married now to my wonderful husband, Brian, we recently gave birth to the greatest joy of our lives, our son Parker. Life, I wouldn’t say is easy haha, but definitely fulfilled and perfect!

Tell us about your books

I published the first book of my With Love series, Bonded With Love, in November of 2011. It is the first of three paranormal romance novels. A vampire love story and my absolutely favorite type of romance novel; it follows the main character, Rena, throughout her adventure of meeting a vampire and the discovery of her true destiny.

I have also written a short story, a prequel, to the With Love series titled Broken Bond. Also Book 2, Struggled With Love, is due to come out in the next few months. 

When did you start writing?

I started writing poetry as a teen and realized then how much I enjoyed it. As I got older my vivid imagination kicked in even stronger and that was when the stories started forming.

Why do you write?

It started off as a way to express my emotions, and now it is the only way to get my mind in order haha! I have too many story lines and thoughts running through my mind on a daily basis, and the only way to get them to go away is to write them down.

What would be your choice for a superpower?

Right now, with learning to be a mommy plus write, I want to be able to multiply myself J That way I can write, take puppy out, cook dinner, and feed baby all at once haha!

Who is your favorite author?

I have a few faves, but my main two are Melissa Marr and Stephenie Meyer.

What are you reading now?

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I’m definitely excited to see how good the movie is!

Who is your favorite character to write?

My favorite character as of right now to write would be my main character Rena, her personality is sarcastic and fun. Plus watching her grow from the beginning of book one to the end was exciting, and as I finish book 2 her growth is still continuing and very much inspiring.

Do you have a writing process?

I tend to write out all ideas of where I want the novel to go. I have an old school process of handwriting the first draft, so that when I go back to type it all up the editing process seems easier to me. It’s as if I’m reading it all with fresh eyes and I can catch the changes that need to be made.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Write. Write everything, write it all down, and don’t quit writing.

What inspired you to pursue writing?

I actually had a dream about the With Love series, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I had brought it up to friends and my husband, and everyone told me the same…write it down. So I did and that was about two years ago, and here I am still writing J

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

Right now I’m in love with Pitch Perfect, such a funny movie.

But TV shows, I love Vampire Diaries, Arrow, Supernatural, and Pretty Little Liars. 

 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Heather Jensen Interview

I discovered Heather Jensen on twitter recently and she was kind enough to share her writing and life experiences with us here at Eye on Ashenclaw. Heather is a speculative fiction author that writes about vampires and musicians! Check out the interview below:

First off, tell us a little bit about you

I live in Southern Utah with my husband and my son.  When I'm not writing or fulfilling my usual mom and wife duties, I love going to concerts, playing Halo on the Xbox with my husband, and playing guitar in a band with some friends. We call ourselves Kicking Pigeons. 

Tell us about your books

The Blood And Guitars series is really based on my desire to fuse two of my favorite things together into one: vampires and music. I began writing the first book back in high school, which was way before Twilight came out and the vampire books flooded bookshelves. Although that's showing my age a little, I think the fresh perspective I had gives a unique edge to my vampires and the series.

You can get the first book, Blood And Guitars, at Amazon in paperback or for Kindle here:

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-And-Guitars-ebook/dp/B00529IDZS/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

The second book in the series, Immortals And Melodies, is available for Kindle here:

http://www.amazon.com/Immortals-Melodies-Blood-Guitars-ebook/dp/B0086GMMAQ/ref=pd_sim_kstore_9

I'm planning to release the third and final book in the series, Fangs And Fame, this year.

When did you start writing?

I've been writing stories for as long as I can remember, but I wrote my first fantasy novel, The Rift, while I was in high school.

Why do you write?

It's cheaper than therapy.  ;)

What would be your choice for a superpower?

This is such a great question. I've always wished I had the ability to project the things I've dreamt about in my sleep onto a TV screen or something the next day so I could show other people. I have some really crazy, fascinating dreams and I can never explain them right. Being able to project something from your mind onto a screen so you could share it with others visually.

Who is your favorite author?

I can never pick just one, but I especially love Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. She was published at thirteen, and her books inspired me to start writing when I was younger.

What are you reading now?

I'm just starting Vaempires: Zombie Rising by Thomas Winship. I loved the first two books in the Vaempires series.

Who is your favorite character to write?

The Blood And Guitars series is written in dual points of view from Trey and Aurora. I love writing them both for different reasons. Aurora is fun to write because she's an unusually powerful  vampire for someone her age, but she has this sensitive creative side to her that allows her to make beautiful art and to connect on a deep level with Trey. Trey is fun to write because he knows exactly who he is at any given moment, and in any situation. Even though he's a famous musician with hordes of fans, he's about as level-headed as anyone can be. It's always interesting to throw him into strange situation and see how he'll come out of it. Also, his relationships with his band mates are fun to explore.

Do you have a writing process?

I really only require my computer and my playlist. I do my best writing when I have the perfect soundtrack playing in the background. Oh, and in the morning, I'll usually have a cup of hot chocolate at my desk with me. I'm a plotter, but my writing often steers me in directions I couldn't have foreseen.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Write, write, write. It's the only way you can get to know who you are as an author, and what your voice is. Also, write what you're passionate about.  You don't have to be an expert at something to write about it. Do your homework. Sometimes research can be a fun part of the process. Also, be grateful for any constructive criticism you get and always strive to grow.

What inspired you to pursue writing?

I've always been a writer, even if I didn't realize that's what I was. My husband has always been a huge source of inspiration and support for me. He makes it easy to believe I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.

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

I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead. I also really enjoy Psych, Castle, and Bones. I love almost anything Joss Whedon does, but especially Firefly. Also, since I'm outnumbered by the boys in my house, there's always room for another super hero movie.

When not rocking out or playing video games, Heather Jensen can be found here:

Author Website www.heatherjensen.info 

Facebook www.facebook.com/BloodAndGuitars

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/theedgeofwords

 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.