#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 7: Have you ever seen a TV show or movie so close to one of your ideas you wished you'd written it?
Not quite, however, I was completing Zero Magenta when the TV show Humans appeared on UK Channel 4. It used all the tired old tropes of robots somehow becoming self-aware. The story was so bad, I was screaming at the screen in frustration.
I don't want to sound conceited, but I feel I could have done a better job, and did with Zero Magenta ð§.
#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 6: Are you self-published or trad-published? How's it going?
I'm self-published through KDP and it's going ok. I've sold 44 books, mostly eBooks, more if you include Kindle Unlimited. Not bad. I didn't know if I could sell one ð. I haven't advertised yet - that's coming next year.
I like being in control, but it can be time consuming. Cover design can be costly if you're not artistic, like me ð€.
People in the UK, US, Germany and Australia have now read my books. ð±
#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 5: What are your writing project goals?
Unfortunately my brain keeps churning out book ideas faster than I can write them. Here's the current plan:
ðž Publish Vega Rising, part 2 of the Nifaran Chronicles. Start advertising.
ðž Publish my WIP, Proxi
ðž Return to the Nifaran Chronicles for 2 sequels.
ðž Either a sci-fi or the first part of a new fantasy series.
ðžA possible semi-sequel to my first novel, Zero Magenta.
I have other ideas developing, so who knows ð€·ââïž
#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 4: How do you write the time? In text or numbers? Both? Why?
It depends how much the time features in a novel. It features heavily in Zero Magenta so I wrote the time in numbers - in fact I also used numbers for price and codes etc.
In other novels I tend to write all numbers in text.
I must admit, long numbers look terrible in text.
E.g. five million, three thousand, six hundred and forty-five ð€®
#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 3: Should a writer have a face shot on their book cover or within their book?
I tend to think author face shots are a bit cheesy, something you might find in the eighties. A bit "murder she wrote".
Having said that, I have one on the back of my first book ð±. In my defence, I used a KDP template which had a face shot space. It doesn't have me looking studious before a book shelf ð. Just me, gurning at the camera ð€£.
https://files.mastodonapp.uk/media_attachments/files/111/169/768/730/792/539/original/9e30045df84f9654.png
#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 2: How often do you write in a typical week? How do you find the time?
I typically write at the weekends and a small amount late evenings.
I have great trouble finding time between my day job, the gym and spending time with my wife. I'm never going to be a prolific writer ð.
#WritersCoffeeClub Oct 1: Intro: Shameless self-promotion. What's your WIP? What's it about?
WIP is a hard #scifi called Proxi.
4 billion aliens, forced to leave their planet, have travelled to Earth in search of sanctuary. They come in peace.
Humans, especially those in the west, love refugees and definitely don't carry guns. So, everything works out fine ð€.
5 years later, we follow teenager Will, living in a community outside the ruins of Chicago.
One day, he meets an Alien in the woods.
#WritersCoffeeClub Sept 30: What dumb things do people say when you tell them you're a [self published] writer?
ðž Can I buy your books in Waterstones? ð€
ðž How many pages in your book? ð€Šââïž
ðž I don't read books. Is it available on Audible? ð€Šââïž
ðž Fantasy? You should write YA. ð€¬
ðž I was surprised by your book. It was good ð±
ðž Are you famous? ð
ðž Can you give me your book for Christmas? ð€Šââïž
ðž I'm a frustrated writer...
#WritersCoffeeClub Sept 28: Do you practice "kill your darlings" in your work?
If Tolkien killed his darlings LOTR would be a pamphlet ð.
No I don't.
This doesn't mean all my stories are over stuffed, it depends on the book.
My first novel, Zero Magenta, had a fairly focused narrative, however, my fantasy saga, The Nifaran Chronicles, has many side characters and side plots.
As general writing advice I believe "kill your darlings" is wrong ð§.
There, I said it ð.
#WritersCoffeeClub Sept 14: Have you ever written about an ex-partner and changed their name in your story?
No! ð
I haven't based a full character on any real person... yet ð€. However, I have used some aspects in my characters.
The character of Brad in Zero Magenta is semi-autobiographical. The moment when Jennifer Hale (a name familiar to Mass Effect fans) rejects him, is based on something which happened to me.
I've also used aspects of my wife and other friends and family.
#WritersCoffeeClub Sept 13: Do you derive joy from writing? In what way?
For me, writing is like stop motion animation: a tedious, lengthy process to take a dream to artistic reality.
I love creating stories and sharing them with the world. If only I could cut out the writing part ð€.
#WordWeavers Sept 7: Why did your villain become a villain?
From the Nifaran Chronicles.
Corvus had an evil streak from birth, a genetic predisposition derived from a cross-species union.
This gift could be used to bend the easily led into committing atrocities in holy wars.
Sound familiar? ð€
#WritersCoffeeClub Sept 7: Share an image of a favourite book cover design. Not your own.
I love the cover for Into The Fire by Elizabeth Moon. It's a bit old school, but I love that it evokes the sense of an epic adventure. I think it looks more like a fantasy than sci-fi, which is why I used it as inspiration for my first fantasy, Stone & Sceptre.
Most fantasy novels have symbolic covers at the moment, but they don't stand out for me. I love an image you can get lost in. ð
https://files.mastodonapp.uk/media_attachments/files/111/022/435/811/761/694/original/35044af700007ba0.jpg
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