[Interview_4] Alice Lenkiewicz

Alice Lenkiewicz is an artist and a writer. She lives in Liverpool in the United Kingdom.

Her books include the novella, Maxine (bluechrome Publishing, 2005) and the collection of poems, Men Hate Blondes (original plus, 2009).

She also publishes and edits Neon Highway, a poetry magazine that supports emerging and established poets.

In this interview, Alice Lenkiewicz talks about her concerns as a writer:

Do you write everyday?

I go through phases of writing and then not writing.

At the moment I am trying to write a little each day. I like to research.

My session usually begins with brainstorming, so I jot ideas down quite quickly. I have an idea about what I would like to write and then I set about deciding which technique I will use. What kind of format will suit the work I am writing? This usually develops after working with free verse for a while and then once I get the feel of what I am going to do I decide how structured I am going to be. It could develop in many ways.

I have just started writing a book of poems about my father and my memories of him, combining personal memories of my own and that of others. so it is kind of a memoir and poems combined.

At present there are just fleeting thoughts. You are welcome to look at my blog.

As I start to write, after a while I will begin to research certain poetry techniques and look at ways of editing my work to make it more significant. I usually continue on until I feel the piece is finished. I usually don’t plan how I will end until I have a lot more work. It’s quite a long process and takes me a while before I am satisfied with the final result.

How many books have you written so far?

I’ve had poems published in magazines and two books published.

My first book, Maxine, is a postmodern novella about a woman who slips in and out of the present and the past. Her encounters with artists and poets helps her to assess her own life and her failing marriage. The book is illustrated by myself.

My first collection of poems, Men Hate Blondes was published recently by Sam Smith from Original Plus. The book is a collection of prose and poems that revolve around memories and influences from my past.

I’ve written and illustrated a book of short fairytales, Shadows and Furore which I am now in the process of editing. I will be seeking a publisher for these stories.

I have also written and illustrated a children’s story called The Moon Angel.

I am currently developing and writing a series of poems based on a short story, "Journey of the Bride", a story exhibition that I will be exhibiting in September here in Liverpool. I will also be organising a poetry reading for the event. You can find the ongoing poems on the blog above and the images on YouTube.

I have written two complete plays: St Catherine, a play about the life of St Catherine of Alexandria and, Wrappers, a play about a middleclass couple who end up losing all their money and then are living on a council estate.

How long did it take you to write Men Hate Blondes?

It took me about a year to write Men Hate Blondes and another two years to finally get round to publishing.

The book was published in 2009 by Sam Smith from Original Plus.

Why I chose Sam Smith was based around what I had explored in terms of publishers of poetry. I had a list of publishers that I had written to in the past and who said they would look at my work at some point and this was what happened with Sam. I finally sent him my work and he said he liked it and would publish it.

It’s not easy to choose a publisher for poetry. I would possibly have looked further afield but I think if you have someone who is bothered to take time to read and discuss your entire collection then that should never be undermined. It is not easy to turn this kind of offer down especially if you are not paying a penny.

The disadvantages are that many small presses are not doing well on the financial front and mass distribution is not on the cards, more likely books are printed when ordered to avoid publishers being lumbered with a large bill due to lack of large sales. For instance, my first novella, Maxine, is now out of print due to financial problems of the publisher. This can be very time consuming and also it is not what you need but you have to accept that these things happen.

Another disadvantage is that you sometimes don’t get a commission on each book you sell. The publisher sells directly from them and gets the buying price from the customer. So, basically to get any profit off it yourself you would need to buy your books at a discount price from the publisher and then sell them as signed copies to customers for the standard price in order to receive your commission. I just have no time to do this although you do have to remember that there is very little money involved with poetry publishing anyway.

The advantages are that you are working with familiar territory, one poet to another poet/publisher and also someone you may have heard read in the past and someone who has read your work and knows of you, someone who you trust. This helps with communication and makes the ride a lot less stressful.

Another advantage is that when you read the contract you may want to consider how easily you can pull out. If this is a simple process that also takes a big burden away.

Just remember, if you are not paying any money then you are not being ripped off. Don’t ever mistake small press publishing for vanity publishing. It is not the same thing in any way at all and you should never pay to have your work published. If they want you to pay to be published then they basically don’t appreciate your work.

Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into Men Hate Blondes?

You have to take care and make sure you edit well although some poets see editing as destroying their work. It is all what you are trying to achieve. You have to remember that once it is in print, it is difficult to go back and correct those mistakes, so, a lot of thought and consideration should go into your final piece.

The main thing, I feel, is to find the incentive to let go of your work and seek a publisher. I personally can’t see the point in keeping your poetry hidden away but some do disagree.

Which aspects of the work did you enjoy most?

Sound and imagery are very important for me in my work as well as overall composition, so, I spent much time working on my sound combinations in certain poems. If I was to perform these how would they sound?

I read my poems out loud to get an idea on how they come across and if this is not the way I want it then it has to change. Sometimes a poem will be more visual so it is important that it looks right on the page. It is such fun to combine a variety of sounds together.

Here is an example of a sound poem from Men Hate Blondes. This is a poem that is designed to be read out loud. It is called "Blacestonia" and is a chant where I play and experiment as well as create my own language..

Blacestonia

A Chant For the Abused Woman
(Text in bold to be read by two people at the same time)

Glances reserved sequined wings span centuries
Orion’s tilted belt
Soft grey light Infirm of purpose
Swift lute

Demalian interdem
Kalera demeto kachina ingletterra
Glamus Autocumulus

Mask of cloud and chaser
Droplets descending
Oration gathered to city levellers
Spiritualised desire acts

Demalian interdem
Kalera demeto kachina ingletterra
Glamus Autocumulus
An earth ressurrection

Does it come from the centre
State of shock

Shooting live subjects in pictures
They intersect in chaos
Lest our old robes turned wild
To those who appear the born

Demalian interdem
Kalera demeto kachina ingletterra
Glamus Autocumulus
Children of darkness

She weeps, she bleeds and each new day
A gash is added to her wounds
For this wild rage and furious cruelty

Demalian interdem
Kalera demeto kachina ingletterra
Glamus Autocumulus
You lack the season of all natures sleep

Plercution whatever the subject
Tidal sister
An indecisive flutter
When moon began to flow
I dream half a dream
Ragling nightling cloudling

Demalian interdem
Kalera demeto kachina ingletterra
Glamus Autocumulus
Saveel blacestonia

Absorbing shapes of rain and shine
Between here and the blue folder

Sometimes I like to write very simple poems based around incidents that have hidden meanings as in this poem about a vampire.

maybe it’s true

a child wanted to know
why it kept him away so
we tied some together
hung it over the door…
but nothing happened.

i saw nothing but she did
she said it was him so i clutched
her to me tightly and we both
stared out the window
at the invisible bat.

What sets Men Hate Blondes apart from other things you've written?

It is a visionary and diverse collection of works that I feel probably sums up my best writing to date, not discounting St Catherine, which I enjoyed writing.

Men Hate Blondes is a poetry collection while Maxine is a novella and a story with a plot. I am pleased with Maxine as it was my final MA Creative Writing thesis that I managed to get published as a book in its own right. I put two years of hard work into that book, much study and learning. If I could edit it again, I would probably make a few more changes but overall I am proud of that book.

The only similarities between the two books are that each book contains my illustrations and artwork.

This next book is quite straight forward and could possibly develop into a children’s book.

I am writing a short book of poems, ‘Journey of the Bride’ based on a woman who runs away on her wedding day, travels abroad and has an adventure. She bumps into a fairy prince who takes her to his kingdom of peace and beauty. She eventually returns home and reunites with her jilted bridegroom and they do get married only she wakes up to discover it was all just a dream. The story developed from a series of twenty drawings. The drawings have now been accepted to be exhibited in Liverpool in September so I am now thinking of writing poems to go with the drawings and organising a poetry reading about journeys for the private view.

After that I will work on the poems about my father that I feel I need to complete.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

At the end of the day I am happy about Neon Highway and offering poets a chance for publication.

I am happy that I have had my work published, that I curate events and that I have produced my first full poetry collection. This was always an ambition of mine and it has now been achieved. I just keep going.

The mystery of it all keeps me inspired.

This article is based on an email interview with Alice Lenkiewicz which took place in January 2010

Related books:

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Related articles:

• Alice Lenkiewicz [Interview_3], Conversations with Writers, August 25, 2011
• Costa Café, Bold St (14th and 24th July 2008) [Poetry Readings], Reviewed by William Park, Catalyst Reviews, August 19, 2008
• Maxine by Alice Lenkiewicz [Book Review], By Ian Jackson, artinliverpool.com, October 23, 2005

[Interview_2] Alice Lenkiewicz

Alice Lenkiewicz is the author of Men Hate Blondes (origional plus, 2009), a poetry collection; and, Maxine (Bluechrome Publishing, 2005), a novella.

In addition to being a writer and a poet, she is also an artist and a poetry and art magazine editor.

In an earlier interview, she spoke about the series of events that led to her setting up Neon Highway, the magazine she edits with Jane Marsh.

Below, Alice Lenkiewicz talks about some of the ways in which she approaches her work as a writer:

How would you describe your writing?

I have found that what I read and how I write are different things. When creating a process of writing poetry and fiction I am quite interested in the ‘cut up’ method and using various techniques that are considered postmodern, such as playing and challenging the traditional idea of linear text, creating a variety of discourses, mixing different genres, taking note of the voice and the author and how this will affect the overall viewpoint. I enjoy challenging the idea of singular identity with inter-textual references.

Postmodern theory opened up a new ways of seeing the world and provided me with interesting ways of experimenting with language and plot. I experimented with this in my novella, Maxine, the idea of multiplicity and ‘self’. Identity and place were important parts of this book, drawing attention to the idea of metafiction.

I also experimented with the idea of fact and fiction, prescriptive versus descriptive language, the authoritative voice and the subversive voice, the idea that nothing is finite, the displacement of self, identity and place, the various ways of interpreting time.

Maxine was my final MA thesis and was written in context with the Writing Studies course I was on, that focused on theorists such as Foucault and Roland Barthes.

I am also interested in Surrealism, reinterpreting the dream and the subversive nature of fairytales and the sublime.

When it comes to poetry I am quite diverse. Sometimes I write in traditional forms and sometimes I will go outside the norms playing and experimenting with the language yet again in multiple ways. .

I read a variety of works, both traditional and alternative. I enjoy the Victorian novel and poetry such as Keats and Donne, Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath. I also enjoy reading works by Gertrude Stein, Albert Camus, Kafka and Carlos Williams as well as more contemporary poets such as A.C. Evans, and poets from my own magazine, Neon Highway.

I have come to appreciate language as a tool for understanding and enquiry. Language can be about sound and exploring the visual. It does not always have to make immediate sense. It’s a complex subject. But I think a variety of techniques are necessary to explore in order for writers to gain the most out of understanding their own writing process and also to find out what it is they actually enjoy.

Who is your target audience? And, what motivated you to start writing for this audience?

I am very open with the idea of my audience. I enjoy variety and I don’t celebrate the idea of being instructive or factual in my approach. I find that once you label yourself a certain kind of writer with a certain technique then people find it harder to approach your work. For instance, at one point I was known for being an ‘experimental poet’ which can get in the way of people’s thought processes and there have been times when people have said they didn’t understand what I had written when in fact it had been a traditional sonnet following traditional rhythm and metre, so it can lead to some surprisingly awkward and confusing situations.

I don’t mind people saying they don’t understand something but it needs to be for the right reasons. Also, I like to think that people can make their own minds up and therefore I feel it is up to the audience how they interpret and read my work.

On a more general level, my work could be seen as more feminist or for those who enjoy reading poetry or illustrated works, as I tend to illustrate and provide artwork and write about women’s submission and empowerment as part of my theme. But, again, it is up to the reader how they would interpret this.

Possibly related books:

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Possibly related articles:

• Alice Lenkiewicz [Interview_1], Conversations with Writers, January 21, 2010.
• Winner of the first ever Liverpool Lennon Poetry competition is announced, by Lyndsay Young, Liverpool Echo, November 8, 2010
• Feminism, not dead again, by Marianne Cooper, Gender News, January 24, 2011

[Interview_2] Lori Titus

In an earlier interview, Lori Titus talked, among other things, about her collection of short stories, Green Water Lullaby (Sonar4 Publications, 2010) and about the factors that drew her to paranormal/horror literature.

Her latest offering, Lazarus is a novella set in the Old West which combines steam punk, magic, zombies and ghosts.

She had this to say about the novella:

How would you describe the new book?

Lazarus is a story set in the Old West, in a town in California.

A young widow named Luella Pemby comes to town, armed with a device that can detect the presence of zombies. Lazarus is known as a site of “natural reanimation”, where infrequent Risings of the dead occur.

Luella seeks out the local sheriff, Benjamin Drake and the mayor of the town, Jasper Cole. She offers her help, and both men are wary of her at first.

Luella comes to find that not only are the Risings occurring more frequently, but that there is more going on in the town of Lazarus than she thought. There are ghosts, family rivalries between warlocks, and a mystery surrounding the death of a young woman.

How long did it take you to write the book?

This book is fairly short (it’s a novella, actually). The first draft took about six weeks.

I found myself writing every day, usually writing at night or early morning and then doing revisions in the afternoon.

Lazarus will be published on October 31, 2010, and will be available in both print and e-book through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

How did you chose a publisher for the book?

I actually intended Lazarus to be a short story. I was planning to submit it to Sonar4 Publications as part of an upcoming steam punk anthology. Once I started getting into this story, it became clear that I was going to far exceed the word count.

A friend of mine recommended the Library of the Living Dead. I contacted the publisher, and sent him a synopsis of the plot. He expressed interest, and I sent him the manuscript.

Since this particular publisher specializes in zombie fiction, I felt that they were a good choice to start with. But because this story incorporates unusual elements, I wasn’t sure if it would be something that they would like .

Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into the book?

The most difficult part of writing this book was the lack of sleep that came with it! I couldn’t seem to get the words down fast enough. I sat up writing, re-writing, and reading it for several entire nights in a row. When I did fall asleep I had dreams about the story, and soon found myself awake again and back in front of my monitor. I slipped into the odd habit of sleeping in the day and then writing at night.

I really loved this story. I loved the characters and breathing life into them.

Luella was the driving force, and her words flew across the page.

I enjoyed the male voices in the story, Jasper and Benjamin. The town came to life easily, including an engaging cast of supporting characters that popped up all by themselves.

What sets the book apart from other things you've written?

Lazarus is a Western, and my stories are usually set in the present.

The combination of elements is very different. There is a hint of steam punk, magic, zombies, and even some ghosts.

This story is similar to my first book, Green Water Lullaby, in the way it combines the paranormal with an element of romance.

Related articles:

• Lori Titus [Interview_1], Conversations with Writers, December 13, 2009
• Can 'The Walking Dead' Revive the Zombie Genre?, By Jared Keller, The Atlantic, August 30, 2010
• Interview with Bob Fingerman, Reading with Tequila, September 9, 2010

[Interview] Eric S. Brown

North Carolina resident, Eric S. Brown writes horror short stories and novels.

His work has been featured in a number of anthologies, among them, Dead Worlds I, II, III, and V; The Blackest Death I and II; The Undead I and II; Dead History (Permuted Press, 2007) as well as Zombology I and II.

His books include Space Stations and Graveyards (Double Dragon, 2003); Madmen’s Dreams (Permuted Press, 2005); Zombies: Inhuman (Naked Snake Books, 2007) and Tandem of Terror (Library of Horror, 2010).

Brown is also part of the collaborative zombie novel effort from Pill Hill Press, Undead, Kansas and contributes an ongoing column on the world of comic books for Abandoned Towers magazine.

In this interview, Eric S. Brown talks about his writing:

When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was just a little kid. Even when I was tiny, I loved horror. The first thing I remember doing is a rewrite of Halloween 3 because I couldn't live with the fact that it had no Mike Myers.

I decided I want to be a writer in second grade but didn't start trying to get published until I was 26. I started out like most folks I would think. I bought a copy of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market guide and went about sending out tales.

How would you describe your writing?

My writing is pretty much the love of a fan of horror, science fiction and comic books trying to give back to those genres and write the stuff folks want to see.

I am known for zombies and have written a lot in that genre from Season of Rot (Permuted Press, nominated for a Dead Letter Award) to War of the Worlds Plus Blood Guts and Zombies (picked up by Simon and Schuster and set for a new release later this year).

But I write a lot of other stuff too ... from things like Bigfoot War (which plays off my own childhood fears of Bigfoot) to How the West Went to Hell (which is a demon-plague end-of-the-world story set in the Old West).

My target audience is anyone who loves horror, zombies and such and is looking for a fun and good read.

Like I said, I think of myself as a fan more than a writer and am just trying to write the things I think fans want to see that I know I do.

Which authors influenced you most?

Jon Maberry (Doomwar from Marvel Comics) is a hero of mine and has helped me a lot. David Dunwoody (Empire) is a dear friend as well.

I would say my influences though are H. P. Lovecraft, George Romero, and David Drake.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My main concern is that my work is entertaining and fun to read.

I don't try to be all literary and highbrow. I just want my readers to enjoy a good story and hopefully be scared by it.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I did a book called World War of the Dead (Coscom Entertainment) that is a Christian zombie novel because I myself am a Christian and Bigfoot War is literally the Bigfoot movie I also wanted to see as a fan.

As a writer, what are the biggest challenges that you face?

I tend to take on too many projects.

I had eight books published last year, will have nine this year, and already have a new one (The Brethren of the Dead) from Sonar 4 Publications due out in 2011.

In addition to this, I do numerous tales for anthologies and such as well as juggle columns, a four-year-old son, and real world life.

I am still learning to juggle everything as I go.

How many books have you written so far?

I will not be listing anything written by my pen names but Eric S. Brown has written the books that include:

• Space Stations and Graveyards (Double Dragon, 2003)
• Dying Days (Silver Lake, 2003)
• Portals of Terror (Publish America, 2004)
• Madmen's Dreams (Permuted Press, 2005)
• Cobble (Mundania, 2005)
• The Queen (Naked Snake Books, 2005)
• The Wave (Naked Snake Books, 2006)
• Waking Nightmares (Silver Lake, 2006)
• Zombies: Inhuman (Naked Snake Books, 2007)
• Zombies: Inhuman - the expanded edition (Black River, 2009)
• Unabridged, Unabashed, and Undead: The Best of Eric S. Brown (Library of the Living Dead, 2009)
• War of the Worlds Plus Blood Guts and Zombies (Coscom Entertainment, 2009)
• Season of Rot (Permuted Press, 2009)
• Barren Earth (Library of the Living Dead, 2009)
• World War of the Dead (Coscom, 2009)
• Tandem of Terror (Library of Horror, 2010)
• How the West Went to Hell (Pill Hill Press, 2010)
• Bigfoot War (Coscom, 2010), and

I also edited the anthology The Wolves of War for Library of Horror Press in 2009.

My pending titles include:

• Kinberra Down (Pill Hill Press),
• Undead Down Under (Pill Hill Press),
• Anti-Heroes (Library of the Living Dead Press's SF imprint),
• War of the Worlds Plus Blood Guts and Zombies- the mass market edition (Simon and Schuster),
• The Weaponer (Coscom),
• The Human Experiment (Sonar 4 Publications), and
• Brethren of the Dead (Sonar 4 Publications).

And in the very beginning of my career I had eight small press chapbooks published including titles Zombies: The War Stories, Flashes of Death, Blood Rain, Still Dead, etc.

Do you write everyday?

I do write everyday. I have so many deadlines I have to. It's all pretty much random. I always do at least 1,000 words a day.

How long did you choose a publisher for Bigfoot War?

My last book to be released was Bigfoot War. I already had a multi-book deal in place with Coscom and they agreed to let me bring my vision of Sasquatch terror to print.

The book I am currently working on is The Brethren of the Dead for Sonar 4 Publications and is a direct sequel to my tale, "The Queen" which was reprinted in Season of Rot.

Which aspects of this work do you enjoy most?

I love being a writer because it's been a lifelong dream of mine. It's awesome to make up tales of the end of the world and get paid for it.

What will your next book be about?

My next book that I am writing, The Brethren of the Dead, is a mix of pirates and zombies on the waves of the ocean dueling it out in a post apocalyptic world.

This world was established in my novella "The Queen" from Season of Rot and is a fan favorite among my work. I am excited about revisiting this world and playing up the pirate element that fits so naturally into it.

Sonar 4 Publications is also releasing my superhero novel, The Human Experiment which is the origin story of my character Agent Death who is also featured in the book Anti-Heroes both due out later this year.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Just being a writer.

Possibly related books:

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Related articles:

• Author gives fangs to a rich vein of prose, By Michelle Griffin, Sydney Morning Herald, June 26, 2010
• Interview with Eric S. Brown on Bigfoot War, By M. S. Gardner, Living Dead Corner, June 9, 2010
• M. A. Walters [Interview], Conversations with Writers, June 10, 2010

[Interview] Kathleen G. Collins

Kathleen G. Collins' work has been featured in magazines that include Today's Health and Wellness magazine.

Her work includes Depression: Cancer Of The Soul (Storyhouse, 1999) a short memoir about her experience of bipolar disorder, and Suspended (Sonar 4 Publications, 2009), a novella about three people who become the unwitting test-subjects for a new drug.

In this interview, Kathleen G. Collins talks about her concerns as a writer:

When did you start writing?

My first published sci-fi thriller, Suspended, released July of this year is actually the end result of many years of “journaling”. I have struggled my entire adult life with bipolar disorder and one of the many ways that my doctors and therapists have taught me to cope with the mood swings and frustrations of the medication's side effects was to write in a journal daily. As time went on, I discovered that I really enjoyed writing.

In 1999, I finished a short memoir about my experiences with bipolar, Depression: Cancer of the Soul, and after it was published, I thought, "Hey, why not go a little further and let my imagination run amok? I’ve heard that you write what you know about, and I know about medications and the side effects that can rear their ugly heads." The story of Suspended blossomed from there.

I let the anger at my situation and the paranoia tell the story of Beth, Bobby and Jack -- the three main characters in the story who get caught up in a conspiracy where they become the unwitting test-subjects of a new medication. It was not only cathartic, but fun too.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

My bipolar moods are definitely in control of my writing. I tend to cycle very quickly from depression to mania, anywhere from hours and days to weeks and it’s when I’m manic that I’m more creative and have the energy to write. Therefore, I try to take advantage of those times when I’m manic to start a new project or work on one that I’ve already started.

I have many influences that benefit me when I write.

I love sci-fi authors like [Stephen] King and [Dean] Koontz.

The idea of being able to immerse yourself into any kind of reality you wish to create is incredibly appealing to me. It's a great escape, if even only for a few hours.

Music has a huge impact on me both creatively and emotionally, as well. However, my mood picks the music, not the other way around. So, if I’m, say, frustrated or angry, I’ll listen to loud hard rock music, not something soft to try to calm me down.

I am also a big fan of art. I love to sketch, paint, design, photograph and, well, anything creative. My all time favorite artist is Salvador Dali. My mother lives in St. Petersburg, Florida where the Dali Museum is located and she always sends me Dali paraphernalia every year for Christmas. I always look so forward to it. My favorite piece is "Lincoln in Dalivision" of which I have a beautifully framed print given to me before he died. I treasure it. My husband thinks Dali is weird and awful. That’s okay, I love my husband anyway!

What were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into Suspended?

I’ve been writing off and on since college, but nothing of great substance until my memoir in 1999. I do think it’s important, though, to be as honest as you can in anything you write and I think I’ve been pretty consistent in that aspect.

The most difficult part of getting Suspended completed and published was finding the publisher. As a novella, it is too long to be a short story and too short to be a novel. Thankfully, Shells at Sonar 4 Publications recognized it's potential and took it on.

I haven’t agonized at all over anything I’ve written. Even some of the difficult facets of my memoir such as mental illness, hospitalization and suicide. They were simply too important not to be included. In Suspended, there are some graphic scenes, but they were actually some of my favorite parts to write. I know that sounds kind of strange, but that’s my odd mind at work!

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I think my biggest challenge as a writer is inspiration. I am still very new at writing substantial pieces so it does take some time for me to get motivated to write, but once I get started though and an idea pops into my head, my fingers just start typing away and it’s sometimes hard to stop… especially when I’m really manic!

I am unable to work because of my medical status and, of course, the nasty medication side effects -- that does give me more time to write, but my writing so far has not been very lucrative. But, you know, I’m perfectly okay with that. I didn’t start writing to make money. I do it to make myself feel better and if I can make someone else feel a little better too, then, that’s a huge bonus.

What kind of support networks do you have?

I’ve pretty much been on my own in this whole writing thing. As a matter of fact, when Suspended was finally published, very few of my friends even knew I was writing a book.

When my memoir was published in '99 that gave me the confidence to go on to something bigger, like Suspended. But again, I charged ahead… alone.

I would love to be able to mentor someone but I don’t think I’d be very good at it. It’s somewhat difficult for me to verbalize ideas. I’m much better at sitting quietly alone with my thoughts and a computer and the time to think before writing something down.

How would you describe your association with Sonar 4 Publications?

I see online publishing, like my publisher Sonar 4 Publications, as nothing but a good deal for everyone. It gets writers like me out there with my stories and it’s an affordable way for people to buy books, not to mention the fact that it’s eco-friendly. It’s truly a win, win and I hope more people realize that.

I've always thought that it's so important that a writer have fun and if they really want to get published, not to give up and stick with the reputable publishers. It took a good couple of years to find a good publisher for Suspended, so, I hope budding writers hang in there and keep trying.

Do you write everyday?

I don't write everyday and I’m not currently working on anything but I do have an idea for another sci-fi fiction novel. It will be based on actual facts like Suspended is but will be a completely different premise.

I really enjoy doing research and learning about different subjects then putting my own strange spin on them.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

My most significant achievement is definitely my novella, Suspended. I am so proud of it because I think it’s not only an interesting and unique premise but that it’s intelligent reading as well.

That's not to say I haven't had failures. Everyone does. I can think of two right now that were actually rather embarrassing. Back in 1985, I think it was, I wanted to do something different for my family for Christmas. So I decided to do a piece of art for each member. One for my Mom and Dad and one for each of my three sisters. I would use a different medium for each. Now, my parent’s was done in colored chalk and was a lovely sea shell scene. It turned out beautiful and it’s still to this day hanging proudly in their foyer. My sister Kim’s piece was an incredibly intricate and colorful Alice in Wonderland scene done in ink. I really loved hers too. Well, Christmas was creeping up fast and it was at this point in my life that I came to realize that I don’t do so well creatively under pressure and deadlines. Let’s just say the last two pieces were trashed and I made a dash for the mall.

Possibly related books:

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[Interview]Tabitha Suzuma, author of 'A Note of Madness', Conversations with Writers, April 30, 2007

[Interview: Part 1 of 2] Tonia Brown

Speculative fiction author, Tonia Brown writes fantasy, science fiction and horror stories.

Her books include Epiphany (Sugar and Spice Press, 2009) and White Elephant (Sugar and Spice Press, 2009).

Her work has also been featured in anthologies that include Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes; Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head (Coscom Entertainment, 2009) and Tooth Decay: Vampires and Zombies stories (Sonar4 Publications, 2009).

In this interview, Tonia Brown talks about her writing:

Do you write everyday?

I try to write at least an hour a day, with Saturdays as a break, although I usually end up in front of the laptop editing some piece.

Depending on where I am in a story, I might work just an hour or so, or go for days writing hours at a time. I tend to get obsessive near the end of a tale, and all other aspects of my life suffer because of it. I like to call writing my second job. My poor husband has spent many a weekend completely ignored because of the second job.

How many books have you written so far?

Four full-length books, two of which are published, and three novellas all of which have been accepted for publication.

My first novel to be published was Epiphany and came out May 2009 with Sugar and Spice Press. The tale is full of sex, intrigue, violence, vampires, shape shifters, and nymphs. It’s a torrid tale of a woman named Chloe Bright who learns on her twenty-ninth birthday that she is part fairy with the remarkable power of the Epiphany. Anyone she sleeps with and brings to orgasm is granted a live changing flash of insight, but this comes at the cost of their interest in her. Can Chloe handle her new found talent while it wreaks havoc on her real world life, all while saving her only source of income?

My second book out is White Elephant and will be out late 2009 with Sugar and Spice Press. It’s the story of a teenage girl that can talk to house cats, and hates herself for it. Her world is turned on its ear when she finds a young man hiding in her broom closet and fate conspires to toss the two of them together. There’s murder, mayhem and a whole lot of teenage angst and flirting.

I have also penned two other books and am seeking representation for each of them.

My first novella was Flirting with Death and will be available with Phaze late 2009. Five years after the death of her husband, Anna is still in mourning. Her friend Trish takes her out on the town, where Anna meets and has a one night stand with a dashing man named Todd. It turns out to be the best night of her life, but he is long gone by the next day. Two weeks later, she sees Todd again and events lead her to suspect he is responsible for a woman’s death. When he comes to her to explain himself, Anna learns the truth is much worse than anything she could have possibly imagined.

Clockworks and Corsets was my next novella, accepted for publication with Lyrical Press. There is no publishing date set yet. This one is an erotic steam punk adventure that takes place aboard the airship The Merry Widow. Rose Maddigan and her girls sail the skies in search of adventure and pay, both of which are few and far between for the all female crew. A well paying opportunity takes them into the thick of an island jungle in search of abandoned treasure. What, or rather, who they find, forever alters the course of the Widow and the hearts of her crew.

My third published novella is The Blooming and is due out with Sonar4 Publications March 2010. This one is a bit different because it combines my love of erotica with my love of horror: When a documentary film crew is hired by an award winning botanist to film the wild life of a remote tropical island, they end up with more than just footage of trees and samples of bugs. The doctor is in hot pursuit of a rare and powerful flower, while the rest of the crew is overwhelmed with sudden desire and find themselves in hot pursuit of each other. But things take a turn for the deadly when they learn the flower they are seeking is not only a powerful aphrodisiac, it also causes a unique infection that changes its victims hunger for flesh from sexual, to literal.

How do you balance running for your life from flesh eating zombies, with the overwhelming need to screw the brains out of anything still alive?

How long did it take you to write The Blooming?

My latest project, The Blooming is an erotic zombie novella. It took an amazingly short three weeks to pen. I really don’t feel like I wrote it, so much as it wrote me.

How did you choose a publisher for the book?

I had worked with Sonar4 in the past with some short stories, and am proud to be part of their expanding family of authors. The owner, Shells Walter, asked me to write the novella, and I have enjoyed working with her on the project.

With The Blooming, the hardest challenge was working the sex into the story on a believable level, while staying away from the dreaded idea of necrophilia.

When Shells first suggested an erotic zombie story, I worried that she wanted the zombies to be the ones having the sex. I wasn’t sure I could pull that one off. But after a few emails, and assurances that she wasn’t looking for zombie love, we worked out a great plot line that really married the sex to the death and violence, without making it seem like the folks involved are just stopping in mid flee for a little poorly timed nookie.

I really enjoyed writing about the sudden and terrible acts of violence. I have no idea why I liked it so much. Maybe it’s the inner psycho coming out in me. All I know is the sexuality tied into the gruesome nature of some of the character’s deaths really got my creative juices flowing!

What sets The Blooming apart from other things you've written

The mix of eroticism and horror.

I usually limit my horror works to short stories, because maintaining a level of darkness required for me to pen a terrible tale for that length of time would drain me dry. So this is the longest horror piece I’ve done, and I do believe I shall do another novella length piece in the future.

The Blooming is similar to other things I have written in that the main couple carries that aching need to be made whole by one another person. I tend to write about that a lot.

What will your next book be on?

Not sure, but I’m thinking I might explore some overlooked mythology or fairy tale. I love the idea of re-working tales to modern times. With loads of either gruesome deaths or sexy sex, or both!

Possibly related books:

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Related articles:

• Interview with Tonia Brown, Static Movement, Accessed November 28, 2009
• [Interview] Brick Marlin, Conversations with Writers, November 27, 2009

[Interview] Christian Saunders

Welsh author, Christian Saunders has been published in several magazines and anthologies.

His first book, Into the Dragon's Lair: A Supernatural History of Wales was published in 2003. Since returning to the horror fiction fold, he has had a story run in Screams of Terror e-zine and another featured in the anthology, Return of the Raven.

His novella, Apartment 14F: An Oriental Ghost Story is available through Damnation Books.

In this interview, Christian Saunders talks about his writing:

When did you start writing?

I started writing back in 1997. Actually I always wrote, for as long as I can remember, but it was around then that I began to try and get my stuff published.

I remember telling my careers adviser in school that I wanted to be a writer and he just laughed at me, said I wasn't bright enough and tried to persuade me to join the army instead (I am from a strictly working class area, and the school I attended didn't exactly encourage creativity!). In a perverse way, I took great inspiration from that, and set about proving him wrong.

My first few short stories were published in the small press, which was at its peak in the late 90's. However, the small press didn't pay, and as I worked in a factory at the time, I needed a second source of income so I moved over to mainstream journalism for a few years where I was a real media whore. I wrote anything, for anyone who would pay me.

My non-fiction has appeared in Fortean Times, Enigma, Bizarre, Record Collector, Big Cheese, Maxim, Nuts, Urban Ink, Chat... Its Fate, and many others.

I also had a book published in 2003 called Into the Dragon's Lair: A Supernatural History of Wales.

As for how do I do it, the best advice I can give is: identify your market, then submit, submit, submit. Never doubt yourself and never be discouraged by the haters. Over the years I've had literally hundreds of rejection letters, and each one makes me stronger.

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

In recent years I have arrived at a stage in my life where I am not so motivated by money so I have been able to return to my first love -- horror fiction (though I am still a regular contributor to the Vital Football website where I write about the ups and downs of Cardiff City FC).

This year I've had several short stories published in different places and my novella, Apartment 14F: An Oriental Ghost Story was published on paperback and PDF by Damnation Books on September 1st.

Who is your target audience?

As a freelance writer my target audience changes and is dictated by the readership of the publication I am working for at the time. A smart writer will tailor his writing to suit the market.

When I write fiction I have no specific audience in mind, I write what I want and then try and find a suitable market when I finish. I believe it's the only way to stay true to yourself.

Which authors influenced you most?

I suppose my biggest single influence has been Stephen King. He is a master of the art of mystery and suspense. He doesn't get the respect he deserves in literary circles, but he is one of the all-time greats. I read my first King book when I was barely in my teens, I think it was Christine, and it totally captivated me.

Also, Dean Koontz is a great, prolific writer. With King it's about the story and characterization whereas with Koontz it's more about the words and language he uses.

I also like Joe Hill (Stephen King's son), Conrad Williams, Paul Kane and the late Richard Laymon.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

Personal experience influences every writer, whether they are aware of it or not.

When I was in my mid 20's I left the small town in south Wales where I grew up and moved to Southampton to study journalism, living the city life was a huge culture shock at the time. After 5 years there I moved to China to teach English -- first in Beijing then Tianjin, and now Changsha (south China). This will be my third year there. China is a constant source of great material -- food, travel, culture, history, its all so different to the western model. I find it fascinating, this is why my new book is based in China.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My main concerns are not being original. I'd hate to ever be boring, and not give someone satisfaction for the time and money they invest in me. It's a great responsibility.

Also, I'd hate to write something that was factually inaccurate. I've been pulled up once or twice in my career for making stupid mistakes, and it's always embarrassing.

The biggest challenges I face are the same ones that every other writer faces I think... struggling to fit everything in -- finding time to research and write, then identify markets, pitch ideas, and if you are lucky enough to have a substantial piece of work accepted anywhere, then you have all your own promo to do.

There is no real way to deal with it, it's just something that comes with the territory. It's also sometimes hard to come up with any good ideas, we all suffer from the dreaded writers block at some point.

Do you write everyday?

Yes I try to write every day, though I don't always write anything useful.

My day starts with reading my emails, then replying to any that require a response. I am constantly pitching various projects to editors and agents so my inbox is always overflowing. I try to have several different projects on the go at any given time because that way if you hit the wall with one you can just move on to something else. There are also other things I do -- I do various pieces of ghostwriting for different clients, maintain a MySpace page (come and say hello!) and keep a professional log (which should really be an online blog, but I haven't got around to that yet) where I write ideas for stories, any developments, and keep a record of what I've submitted and where.

Anything I do has to be structured around my teaching job.

How many books have you written so far?

Into the Dragon's Lair: A Supernatural History of Wales (published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2003). Four years in the making this is a compendium of various stories I found about wales, mostly with a supernatural slant.

I've written other books but none were picked up by publishers. At the moment I am looking for an agent to represent a Young Adult novel I finished this year, which is a kind of adventure mystery story, and I might do an anthology of some of my short stories at some point in the future.

What is Apartment 14F about?

Apartment 14F: An Oriental Ghost Story was published by Damnation Books on September 1, 2009. It's about a guy that leaves London to take up a teaching position in Beijing. When he moves into his new apartment he learns of the mysterious disappearance of his predecessor, and then things start going bump in the night. Yes, some of it is based on personal experience, though I made up all the ghostly stuff. Thankfully!

How did you find a publisher for the book?

I saw an ad the publisher had placed in a trade magazine, they were a new company and looking for authors to submit work. I had this story that I didn't know what to do with because it was an awkward length -- 10,000 words, so I submitted it and they liked it but told me to re-write it in novella form. So I went away, re-wrote parts of it, added about 5,000 words, and submitted it again.

What advantages or disadvantages has this presented?

At the moment the publisher is doing some very cool promotions. You can get free PDF's just by joining their yahoo group (just search yahoo groups for Damnation Books) and on release day, the first person to buy a copy of mine or another writer's book can get it for just 5 cents. After that the price will increase by 5 cents with every order until it reaches its full price (which is $4.50 for the PDF and $7.50 for the paperback). Its a superb marketing strategy.

Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did you find most difficult?

I found the editing process tough to deal with. I didn't agree with all the editorial decisions that were made, but I had to conform or else they wouldn't have published the book.

We'll have to wait and see who was right!

What did you enjoy most about the work that went into the novella?

I have always been fascinated by different cultures and I enjoyed using various characters in the book to illustrate the contrast between east and west. It's a far more complex and subtle way of doing it than just sitting there writing a travelogue.

What sets Apartment 14F apart from other things you've written?

It's the most substantial piece of fiction I have ever had published, and I am quite excited by it!

A lot of my work seems to have a recurring theme, whereby someone is searching for answers. Even a lot of my non-fiction work evolved around the great mysteries of the world. I've always had a restless spirit, and been haunted by this feeling that I'm supposed to be looking for something, though I don't know what it is iIm supposed to be looking for. Maybe a lot of people think this way, or maybe I'm the only one, I don't know. I've never really addressed it to be honest. A lot of my work, consciously or otherwise, reflects this.

What will your next book be about?

I'd love to write a zombie story! Just for the fun of it. I'm not sure how I'll do it, or whether it will be a short story, a novella or a full-blown novel -- there is only so much you can do with zombies, but it's a very popular sub-genre within the horror sphere.

I'd also like to write an apocalyptic End of the World-type opus, which might even be a trilogy of books, but I think I'll keep that for when I'm old!

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Probably my first book, Into the Dragon's Lair, for a variety of reasons.

It proved a lot of people wrong because not many people believed in me at first, so that was my big "F**k you".

Also, it got me a lot of recognition within the industry and opened all kinds of doors for me. Editors immediately took me more seriously and I won a place at uni purely on the strength of the book as I was a hopeless student at school and left without a single qualification to my name.

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[Interview] Jeani Rector, author of 'Around A Dark Corner', Conversations with Writers, August 15, 2009

[Interview: Part 5 of 5] John Miller, author of '2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah'

Speculative fiction author John Miller has talked about how he started writing and the people and experiences that have influenced him. He also discussed some of his concerns as a writer and shed some light on the circumstances surrounding the publication of his novella, 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah (Sonar4 Publications, 2009).

In the final part of this interview, John Miller talks about his achievements as a writer:

Which were the most difficult aspects of the work that you put into 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah?

The most difficult aspect of this book was tying in the main bad guy (the evil Mayan priest) with the worldwide calamities. Why did he need Cal’s psychic employees? For what ends did he need them? And what type of spirit did he employ in his evil and priestly powers?

For me the answers came after a couple days of writer’s block. It wasn’t a creativity problem; it was a problem with the plot—making it as realistic and viable as possible for the readers as well as myself. If I didn’t believe in it, then I knew the reader wouldn’t, either. And I had to create motivation with the evil Mayan priest, and give him the power to destroy the world in a believable manner. To do this, I had to create a new type of spirit called Dark Alux. An Alux is similar to a nature spirit known to Mayans; a Dark Alux is something I created. This made the transitions between scenes easier, brought motivation to the evil priest and a sense of realism. The destruction of the world was already going to happen; the evil priest figured out a way to make time slip, like seismic plates in the earth’s crust, and bring what awaited the world in 2012 to manifest in 2010.

So the most difficult aspect was the evil Mayan priest’s abilities to do this in a manner allowing readers to suspend their belief, and nail the priest’s motivation down: why would he wish to do this? I couldn’t figure it out on my own, and it took some false starts and rewriting until inspiration’s wow! moment came. And it was such a relief when it came, because I knew that I knew that it was right. After I wrote it into the story, I felt a sense of satisfaction and I knew the reader would feel it, too.

Which aspects did you enjoy most?

Two parts:

1. the relationship between the two main characters, Calvin Thomas and Linda Orteganaldo, as they work side-by-side and grow, not only as characters, but into each other; and
2. the ending in which both Calvin and Linda, at the conclusion of the story, climb hand-in-hand up an ancient pyramid in Mexico, and the secret carved in stone waiting for them at the top. The ending is triumphant, echoing the resiliency of humankind as well as supporting the mysticism behind the Mayan calendar.

What sets 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah apart from other things you've written?

This is the largest thing I’ve written that has been published. I have written other novellas, and there is a lot of potential in those works, but this is the longest published work I’ve written.

Apart from that, 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah touched on so many more emotions and affects the reader more powerfully than the other stories I’ve published in various anthologies and publications. The main character loses his friend and employee of longstanding, Psychic Gladys St.Clare, and the angst of that, coupled with the terror of worldwide calamities and being chased by blue zombies, creates a creepy sense of dread and grief. But the way it ends, on such a triumphant high-note, gives readers something I’ve never done in any other story: a dark fantasy of terror and epic proportions ends (hopefully) delivering a smile to the dear reader.

In what way is the novella similar to other things you've written?

It’s similar in that it takes dark fantasy threads and runs with them, pulling the reader along a (hopefully) fantastic ride and leaving them breathless.

It starts fast like all my stories, and it ends decisively with all questions answered. There is no ambiguity in 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah. The reader isn’t left to figure things out on their own. While I enjoy reading books like that, because of the complicated mythos of the Mayan People, I grab the reader by the hand and shout, “Go!” Then we jump in together for a crazy ride.

What will your next book be about?

I have two novellas I’m working on.

One is about the factions of the Frankenstein Family and the monstrosities they create. The other is about an environmental group in Alaska that becomes a pack of werewolves. Both center on human relationships and depth of character, detailing the evolutionary process of change as the characters muddle through fast-hitting plots.

I haven’t decided upon titles.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

Liquid Imagination is my baby. I love it. Editor Kevin Wallis and Poetry Editor Chrissy Davis have really helped me shape it into something special, in my opinion. And it led my buddy and friend, Karl Rademacher, to start up Silver Blade. This led to my work as General Manager of 2M Magazine. These are significant accomplishments, I will admit. And watching young writers bud and grow, and knowing I have something to do with directing them, is tremendously satisfying. I love helping new writers.

Apart from that, I must say I am most proud of 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah. I tried to convey the growth and depth of Calvin Thomas as he frantically tries to save the world, to show his growing relationship with Linda Orteganaldo at his side, but it is the ending I am most proud. I feel when I ask the reader to walk with me into the darkest night, I should at least have the courtesy to lead them into the light at the journey’s end. I believe I have done this with 2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah.

Related resources:

Author’s page, Edit Red Writing Community
Author’s page, Sonar4 Publication

Interviews

• [Interview: Part 1 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, August 31, 2009
• [Interview: Part 2 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 2, 2009
• [Interview: Part 3 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 4, 2009
• [Interview: Part 4 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 7, 2009

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[Interview: Part 3 of 5] John Miller, author of '2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah'

Speculative fiction author, John Miller spoke about how he started writing and identified some of the people and experiences that have influenced his writing.

In this part of the interview, he talks about his concerns as a writer:

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My major concern is realism. In order for the speculative fiction that I write to be successful, I must do it in such a manner that the reader will suspend disbelief.

While writing about epics that change the world, it becomes more difficult to be realistic because we’re talking about changing not just the character’s world… we’re talking about changing the reader’s world. But if I can write it in such a way that the reader suspends his belief and accepts my explanations of natural disasters, calamity or scenarios, then my story may influence the reader more than another writer’s story. Because my story is about the world the reader actually lives in; it affects the reader’s life.

My short stories influence only characters or locations, but my longer works affect large areas, cultures and/or the world at large. To me, suspending disbelief about what goes on inside a haunted house is easier than suspending belief about what happens to the entire world the reader lives in. The challenge is exhilarating!

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

Balancing the time spent writing and publishing the short stories of other writers. But I love being busy, and stress is something I seek out, vying to put more on my plate to test myself and promote the fiction of others through publication.

Balancing my own publishing endeavors with my writing is tricky. Many times my writing falls to the wayside as my time must be spent working on 2M Magazine put out by Dark Myth Productions. My own online publication Liquid Imagination pulls at me, as does promoting Liquid Imagination’s sister publication Silver Blade. Time management is the biggest challenge I have, but I think I do a good job.

To deal with this I have to create a daily agenda and a weekly agenda. Like goals, these “agendas” allow me to concentrate solely on the task at hand. When completed, I follow up on those “agendas” if that is what is needed and move on to the next project.

Writing is a world of its own in which writers and publishers are sucked into it, and sometimes there isn’t much time left for anything else. Writers tend to group together as do editors and publishers. Personally, I find myself associating with all three groups. This increases the challenge of time-management, but it is a necessary evil.

Do you write everyday?

I cannot help writing something each and every single day of my life. Short stories, novellas, novels and flashes. Sometimes I think my blood flows from my heart and transforms into the font of the written page; my heart bleeds into each story. If no one ever read anything of mine again, of course I would write. But I’m at the point in my life in which I have things I want the world to read. I’ve heard others tell me (insist, really) that I need to publish certain stories and tales.

I start each session before my computer and begin writing. It doesn’t matter what it is. Then, after two or three paragraphs (perhaps two or three pages), I pause and take a break. I stand on the front porch or take a walk, letting the story roil in the back of my mind without consciously going over the plot or idea or characters. Inspiration comes unexpectedly, but it flows rather quickly, and soon I am back at the computer, fingers typing furiously. Inspiration is wonderful! I don’t wish to type endless descriptions of a room or ten pages concerning the description of a house or street; I wish to convey what I felt when inspiration struck. I know what it feels like when the muse speaks to my heart, and that is the only idea I wish to convey with clarity upon returning to write at my desk. I will not fill the reader with what I believe to be powerful prose, nor will I use intellectual ideas or philosophies to entice the reader; I write only that which inspiration whispered to me. This is the what is most exciting to the readers, and this is what will satisfy them completely throughout the work.

Readers are not stupid. They recognize the wow moments a writer experiences while writing the story. If a writer is struggling for a hundred pages, the reader struggles, too. When the writer captures what I call the wow moment with clarity, the reader experiences the wow moment in detail. Personally, I believe inspiration should guide the beginning and ending of each chapter. Whatever the writer feels is what the reader will experience. It is a transference of emotions from one person to another, and if the writer isn’t experiencing high emotion in his wow moment… then I feel sorry for the reader.

I end my writing each day with satisfaction. I must conclude something of note and substance; I have to feel I have conveyed with clarity that day’s “wow” moment, and if I haven’t then I will not sleep well. When I have that feeling of satisfaction that I have conveyed with the utmost of my writing ability the “wow” moments, the ideas and subterfuges of the story, then it’s time for bed. This may be at two or three o’clock in the morning, but I’ve learned to not even attempt sleep until this sense of satisfaction and accomplishment is felt. Otherwise the story will keep looping in my mind, and I’ll dream it all night long in fitful sleep.

Related resources:

Author’s page, Edit Red Writing Community
Author’s page, Sonar4 Publication

Interviews

• [Interview: Part 1 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, August 31, 2009
• [Interview: Part 2 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 2, 2009
• [Interview: Part 3 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 4, 2009
• [Interview: Part 4 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 7, 2009
• [Interview: Part 5 of 5] John Miller, author of ‘2012: Kin Bin Tin Nah’, Conversations with Writers, September 10, 2009

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