Q&A with Erin McDermott

"When did you first begin writing?"

  I began writing in 3rd grade while watching my brother's Little League games. I would just sit in a corner and write. The books I wrote were inspired by "Little House on the Prairie," by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would sit and write about my life in the houses I lived in, just as she wrote about her life in her diaries.

"When did you decide to first publish a book?"

  I always loved writing, but the idea of publishing a book seemed like an impossible dream. I never thought I'd finish a book, never mind actually publish something. It wasn't until I was working a job that I really didn't enjoy that I decided to set to my dreams and complete a book. Then my first book was born, Captive Rebel.

What inspired you to write Captive Rebel?

   Actually, I had a dream. It was a vivid dream and I needed to get it down on paper. In one night I wrote 10,000 words. Then, I didn't look at that story again. Not until after my job in New York City when I finally decided to begin pursuing my dreams.

What advice would you give to those who are trying to write a book?

   I once read somewhere that writing is like building a sand castle. The first draft is you filling a sandbox with, well, sand! It's messy, it's unstructured, but it's something to work with. Knowing the first draft is going to be sloppy is the only way to finish the book. Once you finish a book your goal seems more realistic and the edits will come on easy. The edits are you building the sand castle in that scenario, by the way.

Q&A with JC Alaimo, To Laugh Well

How did you select your narrator?

I had a specific sound in mind for this book, so I combed through a number of narrator samples before coming across Josh’s. It was perfect, so I reached out to him once I posted the book on ACX and asked him to audition.

Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?

I tried to give him as much background information as possible - where the characters were from, what kind of personality they revealed throughout the course of the book. If the book made reference to an accent, I wanted to be sure he knew it up front.

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?

I came up with the general arc for this book after writing a short story with Alex and Nick as characters years ago. But I didn’t start writing the novel until much later. I kept writing short stories and character sketches until I felt confident enough to revisit the idea of the book. By the time I felt ready for it, so much had been built-up that the story seemed to tell itself. It had enough of a life of its own that I never experienced burn-out. I committed to writing just a small bit every day, and the story itself drove the process.

Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?

There’s several parts where this seems true, and I think that’s really due to the excellence of Josh’s performance. The protagonist, Alex, generally resists emotion, positive or negative. As a result, moments of profound suffering are displayed in brief sentences. I think if you’re reading the book at a quick pace, you might miss these moments. But if you’re listening to Josh’s narration, I think you get the significance of these bits, because his voice delivers the weight of them.

Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?

This question has come up quite a bit, I think because it’s a work of realistic fiction. There were absolutely real life inspirations, but it’s not an autobiographical story. It’s an aggregate of the experiences I’ve had with college life. Whether those experiences were my own, those I’d witnessed, or born from imagination, I think, ends up being somewhat irrelevant. In the end, I tried to write it in the most authentic way I could, and my hope is that it hit on some bit of truth.

What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?

I think it’s important to write everyday, but it’s also important not to write a book for the sole purpose of publishing a book. My advice is write the small things, whether it’s a story or a moment or a character description, and give the book a go once it presents itself.

Guest Post: Kirsten Fullmer, The Hometown Series

I may live and work in a forty-foot trailer, referred to as an RV, but I don’t consider my home a recreational vehicle just because it’s self-contained, and has wheels. My home is spectacularly well thought out, cozy, and complete with everything we need. (washer/dryer, fireplace, even a dishwasher!) So what does my house have to do with my writing? Everything! When I conceptualized Smithville, the small-town setting for the Hometown Series, I didn’t realize that I was creating a hometown for myself.

My husband, Steve, and I, travel for his job with our little dog, Bingo. We usually live in one place for three to six months, then hitch back up and head to the next job. Even though Steve has a job waiting when we get there, the moves are sometimes stressful, but always interesting. I have to put aside my work, pack up all my do-dads, crafts projects, dishes, and plants. We maneuver our home through storms, narrow mountain roads, lost RV park reservations, and traffic. Steve has to start over with a new crew on a different site. Sometimes it seems that only Bingo truly enjoys all aspects of the journey. We do get to meet a lot of great traveling folks, as well as weekend campers, and we see loads of beautiful countryside. Sometimes we even manage to slip a stay on the beach into a move.

I do miss having my own yard and garden, friends nearby, and of course I wish my kids and grandkids were close enough to pop in for Sunday dinner. I miss knowing for sure which way is east. (Am I the only map loving person who is bothered that the GPS is upside down half the time?) To be honest, I even miss running into someone I know at Wal-Mart when I look a mess. But I love being with my husband, and I enjoy meeting new people and seeing new places, so it works out. I even wrote a stand alone novel based on my husband’s work and the lifestyle we lead!

I grew up in a small town, number six of eight children, and I’d describe myself as caring but opinionated, self-sufficient, and very attached to my husband. Maybe that’s because when we travel, we depend on each other. I’ve been writing full time for five years and I’m hooked. My stories take time and effort to mold and shape, but the characters are my companions, my traveling friends. If that means I’m wacko or quirky, all the better! I collect input for my books from my husband and grown kids. I discuss story lines with them, and ask them to read and reread my drafts, helping me create characters and situations that feel real, and that are entertaining. I couldn’t do it without them.

I had written three of the books in the Hometown Series before it occurred to me that, in Smithville, I had created a place for my heart to live. Smithville is filled with people going about their daily lives, dealing with their personal issues, irrational fears, and hard-won accomplishments. They can be silly, flustered, selfish and unaware, as well as resilient and clever, that’s what makes it feel real. It’s a place I’d like to call home.

In book one of the Hometown Series, Tara, who grew up in Smithville, is working to overcome childhood trauma. She learns to loosen up and overcome her control freak nature. (I may, or may not struggle with this, haha) Her loving grandmother, Winnie, is partly my own mother and bits of both of my grandmothers. In book two, Julia comes to Smithville expecting to hide away after a debilitating illness, but colorful characters like Becky and Bobby draw her out and build her confidence. This one was written from the heart after I spent a few rough years healing from my own illness. In book three Lizzie moves to Smithville to live out the dream of owning her own alpaca farm, as well as escape her overbearing mother. (I do love alpacas!) Through friendship, laughter, and Smithville craziness, Lizzie finds illumination where she least expects it. In book four (a Holiday romance) Gloria struggles to overcome her past reputation, one that small towns don’t easily forget, but her kindness hasn’t gone unnoticed. (If you’ve ever had everyone in town know your business, you understand!) And in book five, the one I’m currently writing, Katherine returns to Smithville, after years away, to open a vintage RV glamping park, and is forced to face her first love, as well as her lost naiveté. (I have no idea where the glamping idea came from!) Of course my leading ladies fall for an imperfectly delicious man along the way. I suppose that each of these women, their friendships, and their healing processes, are a part of me looking for resolution to my own upsets and disappointments, in a place surrounded by camaraderie and fun.

I hope you will join me in Smithville, and get to know and love the people there like I do. Bingo and I will be waiting for you in the fifth-wheel parked just outside of town.

Q&A with Snowball

Let's talk about the title of your book. I'll say quite provocative but when you turn the page, there is a story that deserves to be heard. There's no wrong answer to this question but curiosity. Why'd you name it that?

The title reflects two things.  For a number of years, I thought that was my name.  They were words that were often spoken by staff in regards to children in care.  They would precede much of what they had to say to myself and others, and were reflective of the complete contempt that they had for us.  There were no niceties involved in the way we were treated, and the use of expletives, alongside the casual violence, was used to drive their messages home.  Secondly, it is just a means of articulating the feeling that came from many of the encounters that I describe. In many ways it minimizes the impacts through humor, but there comes a time and place where maybe that approach is pertinent on a personal level.  I personally quite like the title. I think it is challenging in many ways, because it potentially offends, but also amuses. However, if the title offends and the contents don't, then maybe people need to be asking themselves why, because the title is the least of the issues when you delve into the content.

Your book deals with personal experiences with the childcare system. What compelled you to share your story?

The issue for me was one of addressing the sometime judgmental attitudes that pervade in society, in relation to care experienced children and adults.  We are still, in my opinion, viewed as some sort of nefarious sub-culture, that society should somehow, for its own safety, be extremely cautious of. We are not.  We are normal, educated, productive people. We are as much part of society as those brought up in traditional family settings, whatever that is, and we should not be expected to justify ourselves, or explain away our upbringings, in order to satisfy the curious or the intimidated.  We did not fail society. Society failed us. Society should be begging for our forgiveness, not the other way around.

We often hear about stories of abuse, neglect and alike. Who's to blame? What are your thoughts on a solution?

The question of who is to blame is not a complex one, but is perhaps best answered in reverse.  The people who are not to blame are the victims, and victim blaming is a sign of complicity in my opinion.  Perpetrators are to blame, negligent authorities are to blame, lack of oversight and scrutiny is to blame, complicity through either deed or silence is to blame, lack of care is to blame, there are many things that are to blame, but it is never the victims.  Society in the UK has always struggled valuing children in my opinion, and it has never valued a child in care. It still fails to value a child in care, in the same way it might value its own, the difference now is that it is much more aware of the corporate responsibility that it has, even if, as is the case in many private care homes, the driver is financial gain, rather than unconditional care of the child.

For those who didn't have a voice or felt no one would listen, what do you recommend for them to do to help themselves feel heard?

There is no generic answer to that one.  It is really a case of what works for them as an individual.  I made a formal complaint to the police in regards to historical abuses that were perpetrated against me, and they are currently under investigation.  I also wrote the book as a permanent record, and potential learning tool for others. For others there is counselling, and there are even initiatives across Facebook and Twitter that are specifically aimed at care leavers. Amanda Knowles MBE runs an annual event called Your Life, Your Story (YLYS)which is specifically designed for bringing care leavers together in a supportive environment, where they can share their experiences, whilst also using the creative medium of writing to explore shared experiences.  This is where my book was actually born, and it has been a very successful and rewarding event.

How long were you in the system? 

Effectively I was in the system for roughly 16 years.  I had been the victim of some substantial physical harm within the home environment as a baby, and committed to hospital for numerous surgeries, reconstructions and rehabilitation.  From there I went directly into care, and my journey began in earnest.

For those who have experienced abuse, is there a support system in place to help them deal with their experience?

I think that as with all areas of support these days, there is a severe lack of funding and initiative, but it is better than it was.  When I left the system there was absolutely nothing. You reached your 16th birthday, and they started to make plans for their abdication of responsibility.  There then quickly came a time when they effectively gave you breakfast, dropped you off at a bedsit, and that was you finished with as far as they were concerned.  There was no support structure, no help, no assimilation into a society that they had effectively excluded you from, you were just abandoned to either stand or fall, and they didn’t care which.

Your story is one to be told. What impression or takeaway would you like to leave upon readers?

If anything it is twofold.  Firstly, when we look at the statistics for such things as homelessness, unemployment, prison admissions, mental health suffering, drug addictions and many other 'ailments of society', there is a high correlation between sufferers in those areas and previous experience within the childcare system.  That tells me that we are getting something wrong in the childcare system, and society needs to take responsibility for that, and the solutions to it, rather than victim blaming as a means of abdicating responsibility for its own failings. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I want to ensure that society never switches off to the fact that this could be, and is going on under its noses right now.  I have been to conferences and heard first hand from sufferers. People need to step away from the 'that was then, and this is now, mentality. It is happening today, it's just a little bit harder to hide, that’s all. Predators need to be a little bit smarter, but they are still active, and our children are still suffering.

Thank you for sharing your story. 

My pleasure, and I hope you enjoy the book.

You can purchase this book on Amazon

Q&A with Jennifer Alsever, Venus Shining

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.

As an avid audiobook fan, I knew when I finished my trilogy that I wanted my books to be an audiobook. But finding the right voice was going to be key. I went into ACX, Audible’s back-end system for authors, and I listened to dozens of sample narrators until I found Moira Todd, an actress in Oregon. I wrote her an email and said, ‘You are Ember!’ She had a gorgeous voice, youthful with the perfect amount of snark and authenticity plus, I didn’t know it at the time, but she could sing. Working with Moira has been a dream, as she sent me samples along the way, and I ate the chapters up as we went.

Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?

No. While I was writing, I was conscious only of the voice on the page. I was fully engrossed in the logistics of the writing and pacing and ensuring readers could see what I saw in my mind’s eye.

How did you select your narrator?

I listened to Moira’s sample on ACX, the backend of Audible, and loved her voice. She had a youthful voice that exhibited the kind of intellect, angst, snark, strength and sweetness of my main character Ember. When I heard her audition, I emailed her saying “You are Ember!”

How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process?

Moira gave me periodic updates on her editing and chapters as she finished them. We collaborated, but really, Moira just nailed it with no revision requests on my part.

Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?

I didn’t give her insight into characters-- nothing more than what was on the page. I gave her some pronunciation tips when asked, places and names and some weird Egyptian words.

Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?

I drew on my experiences walking around the real-life town of Leadville and the scenery of the Colorado mountains where I live, plus took nuggets of scenery from my past visits to Utah, California and L.A. I also peppered in small bits and pieces of real stories from people gathered and heard over the years. To get into the teen head, I invited a group of seniors at a local high school for pizza when I was writing the book, and I listened to them talk. I got a lot of good perspective and a few nuggets of stories from them. They were so generous with their stories and time. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. The general plot, too, is taken from real-life theories from crazy websites about the Annunaki, energy vortexes and Egyptian mysticism. I did a lot of research and drew on interviews with people who had experienced what Ember did-- mainly a friend who lost her parents as a teen.

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?

When I get stuck, I give myself time and space to do something else. I hike, read, ski, watch smart TV shows or I write other things. I don’t feel like I honestly can get burned from writing. I was obsessed with my story and it just flowed out of my fingers. It’s my most favorite thing, outside of my family and friends.

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?

I am an audiobook listener for sure. As a slow reader, I love listening to a book while I get other things done, whether it’s chores around the house, a long drive or a hike. I am very picky about the narrator of the books I consume, and the voice can make it or break it for me. I’d listened to enough YA books that had similar voices or tones I liked, and I knew Moira would be perfect for my series. She had a voice I personally could enjoy hearing for hours.

Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?

Ember is a singer-song writer, and so that was a challenge for me to write lyrics to songs. Some of the lyrics had a loose tune in my head but not really. It was so fun to hear Moira take the lyrics, make a song and then sing it in the audio recording. She has a beautiful singing voice.

What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?

I say a story is a story, heard or read. People say they don’t have time to read. So if listening is an easier way to dive into a imaginary story without sitting in front a screen, then go for it.

In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?

Pros of a series: You have more time to develop a storyline and a character, and you can fall more deeply into that world. People can binge your books just like they can binge watch TV.

Pros of standalone: You’re done with one and can dig into another entirely new idea next.

Cons of a series: Some people hate series and so maybe they read one book and may grumble about having to read another two to find out all the answers. It’s harder to market the other books in the series because they’re a continuation of the story so you end up having to tout your first book over and over, when you really might be proud of the writing or the story in the second and third too.

Cons of standalone: Sometimes, it can be hard to get everything you want in the book and it feels rushed. As a reader and an author, you’re sad to leave those characters behind and close the book to move on to the next idea.

Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?

The genesis of my book came from a dream. I was running through a forest, but I wasn’t myself. I was someone else. I came to a gate, went inside and met three of my characters, Tre, Lilly and Zoe, and after spending time there, they whispered how I could never go home, despite the world spinning forward on the outside.

When I woke up, I told my son about the dream because it was so vivid and striking to me, and he told me to turn it into a novel. So I did.

Q&A with William Todd, Murder In Keswick

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.

I never used to even think about how a book would sound as an audiobook...until I finally had one done. Now, I do. The story is most important, whether read or heard. I a bad story is a bad story. But I am more cognizant now when I write with how a phrase might sound read aloud. I think my audiobooks now are much easier on the ear then my first ones because of that. And my narrator, Ben Werling, I’ve used on every story. He’s great and has a wide vocal range. He makes turning a book into audio so much easier on me. I think we’re a good team. I basically give him my manuscript with some simple directions as to accents, maybe weird words that might pop up, since I write typically late Victorian era material, and he does the rest. He does a chapter at a time and sends them to me to okay. We rarely have to redo anything. I am truly lucky because the process, at least for me, is very simple with Ben at the helm.

Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?

Because audiobooks are so prevalent and getting more and more popular by the day, I think you have to be conscious of it becoming an audiobook while writing, especially if you plan on using that format. And I think an author is selling himself short if he doesn’t at least consider putting his creations on audiobook. It is another channel to garner readers and followers...and revenue.

How did you select your narrator?

I put up three pages of my book for narrators to “audition”. I listen to each audition and pick the best one. But because Ben and I have such a good working relationship, ultimately, he gets my jobs. It is not only because he is such a good narrator. I write Sherlock Holmes and gothic horror. At least for the Holmes stories, I prefer having the same Holmes and Watson in each of my stories. Ben has been hands down the best Holmes and Watson I have found so why would I switch? I don’t think my readers would like that, and I know they would hear the difference.

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?

I am. Until I land on the best-sellers list or get a movie deal, I have a job to pay bills and raise my family. I drive 45 minutes one way. Sometimes, that hour and a half is the only time I have to myself, and the perfect way to spend that time is listening to audiobooks. There are just times in this hustle and bustle life where cracking open a paperback is not possible. But your ears are always available to listen.

Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?

I might have to say all of it, but there’s a reason. Well, okay I’ll narrow it down to the final scenes of the book during a storm. But the reason I say all of it is because Ben employs subtle sound effects in the background much like the old radio stories. There is one part of the story where there is a storm, and the thunder and lightning in the background of the narrations lends itself perfectly to the feel of the scene.

If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go? Answer. Oh absolutely. I would love to go back to say anytime between 1880 - 1915. The late Victorian era/ Gilded Age fascinates me. It was a time of extreme change, and those changes caused fear. I play off those fears in my horror stories, and Sherlock Holmes was the penultimate player in those times.

What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?

For both it is the same--just do it. It is very easy for life to get in the way of writing. And it’s also very easy to fall out of the habit of writing. Mowing, cleaning, doing things with family, work, prepare for holidays, just plain being lazy (guilty as charged), etc. You have to make the time. This just happened to me where I wrote nothing for over two weeks, and I have deadline to have a Holmes story written by the end of the year for a publication next year. I had been under the weather and busy with life on top of that. There were times where I could have written but didn’t. The good habit of writing almost daily had been broken. But for me, all it took was forcing myself to sit at the lap top and writing a few sentences. Those few sentences ended at ten pages. Same with reading. Even if you have to force yourself, do it. If you love to read and love to write, just the mere act will set you right again. At least it does for me.

What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?

Be picky in who you choose. The narrator is 50 percent of the audiobook, the other 50 percent being the story itself. I have heard many good stories butchered by bad narration.

What’s next for you?

I was approached by the editor of the MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes stories and asked if I would contribute a story to Volume XIII due out next summer, so I am honored to be one of the authors selected to add to that volume. It will be the first time that I am published with a traditional publisher but hopefully not my last.