[Interview] Jay Luke

Musician, graphic designer and local historian, Jay Luke is a graduate from Marywood University. He is also a project engineer with the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association.

His first book, When Coal Was Queen (Tribute Books, 2009), looks at the history of Olyphant, Pennsylvania.

In this interview, Jay Luke talks about his writing:

When did you start writing?

I began writing while in grade school. It was mainly lyrics. I would write these songs and kept at it as often as I could. I think, looking back, my earliest attempts are very laughable, but on the same token they were the springboard to better things. Without those early fearless attempts, I may not have had the courage to dive in later on in life. So I never gave up and kept refining my writing craft.

I think things really heated up for me during my high school years. I think it was where my creativity came into its own. With each song I'd write, I noticed they always told a story of some sort and that was when I decided maybe I can put together a real story that doesn't have to rhyme or fit into a musical score. So again I assembled parts little by little and eventually I got some short stories.

I put the writing on a shelf as my art career took off a bit and my band played continuous shows. My recent publication came about due to my activity in the town of Olyphant, PA. I'm a project engineer for The Olyphant Coal Miners Memorial Association. We set out to erect a bronze statue in town that would memorialize the countless men who'd sacrificed their lives in the anthracite abyss. When we accomplished that goal, the next step we planned was to put a little book out, as a "Thank you" to those who donated for the statue. Once I began writing, it quickly turned from a small project into a very tireless research project and it ended up as the greatest history lesson I'd ever had.

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

My writing, for the book I'm promoting now, is historical/documentary style. I took on the difficult task of delving in the origins of the town history of Olyphant. I learned relatively quickly that this was to be no easy task. Often during research I found dates from previous publications clashed with others, and spellings were inaccurate. It was sometimes a maddening experience, but it meant a lot to me to get this as accurate as possible. I didn't want others to have to go through as much trouble as I did in search of good information.

My target audience for this publication are people in the area of Northeastern PA. Not just Olyphant residents but even those of surrounding towns. I felt strongly that as more time passes, places and names of historical significance seem to disappear. That isn't as much of a problem for people of my generation and older, but younger kids today really have nothing to teach them what their town was like when their early ancestors first came here. We were fortunate enough to have had our grandparents tell us tales of the old days, and today it's a different story. So I was motivated to try to bridge the gap and help those who are curious of their area's origins learn where it all started.

Which authors influenced you most?

Being that this book is a history book, I really didn't have any authors that I could say were a direct influence. I kind of went from my heart on this one more than anything.

Had you asked me who influenced my upcoming novel, I would have said Dan Brown, Ian Caldwell, Dustin Thomason, and Elizabeth Kostova. (Hopefully I can speak more of that closer to publication time.)

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I think the most obvious answer here is that I grew up in this town and have been lucky enough to have spoken to countless people who had a great knowledge of the area.

Nothing beats first-hand accounts, and in a lot of ways, I look at the elders of the town to be like living national treasures. They know the real story, because writing about history is so hard since most of the writers weren't there. In my case, I've been lucky enough to have talked to those who were there and discussed the important events and facts about the subject matter.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My concerns were that when I finished this book no one would have to travel the difficult road I did in finding the information. I hoped it would be a great shortcut to accurate knowledge. I wanted this to be a great help to students and new residents of the area alike to find out more about the area.

My concerns as a writer were numerous. I wanted to make sure that the dates, spellings, and events were all accurately described. So many dates clashed and the biggest error I caught was that when researching the first woman ever to enlist in the U.S. Navy, Ms. Loretta Walsh of Olyphant, I found that her name has been misspelled on a historical marker in town for years. I found it to be a great injustice and hope that when I get some responses to the request it will be fixed. I mean, not everyone may read my book but every day people are walking by that marker and it is inaccurate.

So many things that have been previously published had data that didn't match up, so I really had to do my homework and live in libraries to trace things as far back to the sources as I could to get the final data.

Do you write everyday?

I try to write a little each day, most of the time if I'm too busy to do anything else. It'll be journal entries. They either begin in the morning or before I go to bed. I find writing before sleep can be better than a sleeping pill. Getting everything out before sleeping definitely helps get a better night's rest.

As for the right time to write, I have to say that it could be anytime. Inspiration hits everyone at different times, and in my case it'll take me by surprise and I have to hope I'm within quick reach of a pen and paper when it occurs.

How many books have you written so far?

As of this very moment, I have only one published work entitled When Coal was Queen, published by Tribute Books in August of this year (2009).

The book is about the origins of a town called Olyphant, PA. Interesting events that have occured through its history, famous residents and visitors, as well as its storied anthracite-rich past.

How did you choose a publisher for the book?

It was published through Tribute Books in Eynon, PA in August of 2009. The publisher was chosen because we wanted to keep this publication as local as we could, as that was a theme of ours, and also because I know the owner of Tribute Books very well. So it seemed the obvious choice to go with a reliable publisher rather than someone we had no connection with.

Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into When Coal was Queen?

I found the fact checking and editing to be the most difficult portion of the entire process. Right up until the hour it was sent to the publishers, I was still trying to go over everything with a fine tooth comb to make sure my information was accurate, and that was a good thing because that was when I noticed a name I had down was misspelled, not within my book, but on a historical marker for Loretta Walsh, the first woman in the U.S. Navy.

I was going over my information and looked at the plaque and thought something was out of place. It turns out the marker spelled her first name as "Lorretto." So it pays to really look over your subject matter thoroughly.

I enjoyed the researching and speaking to people about what they knew the most. Not only was it enjoyable to hear the stories, but the education it provided me was remarkable. Out of all my research, the oral discussions were the most informative. They gave the whole human element that can often be lacking in library research.

I also got to travel around town with my camera in very obscure locations which almost made it feel like an Indiana Jones style adventure.

What sets When Coal was Queen apart from other things you've written?

For one, I've usually only written fiction.

I have always had a serious interest in history but never imagined I'd one day write a book on it. I am the sort of person that will pass through a place and always wonder what it might've looked like 300 years ago. So this book is a stark contrast to my usual writing and songwriting.

It was a great departure but a very thrilling one.

What will your next book be about?

I might do a second edition to When Coal was Queen.

I am also underway with a novel I began some years ago. It is a thriller with a looming suspense throughout the book. It is about two childhood friends that grow up very differently and one goes on and accomplishes some truly miraculous feats. The greatest part will naturally be the climatic ending, which I hope you all get to read soon.

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

Aside from getting published, I would have to say it's been the warm reception I've been given. I had no idea this book would've struck such a nerve. Seeing people get very emotional when they come up to me is a feeling I cannot describe. People have such fond memories of the coal miners and it is a wonderful tribute to them to keep their memories alive, even if it is just by re-telling their stories.

On the opposite end, when younger kids come up to me and ask me for help or advice on Olyphant for their school projects that is the entire reason I started this process, and to see a goal continually get accomplished is one of life's greatest gifts.

I thank each and every person who has helped me along the way. This has been one of the best experiences of my life.

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[Interview] Maureen Myant

Educational psychologist and novelist, Maureen Myant was born in Glasgow where she currently lives and works.

Her first novel, The Search (Alma Books, 2009) has been translated into Spanish and Dutch.

In this interview, she talks about the challenges posed by juggling writing, studying and work:

When did you start writing?

My first attempt at writing a book was when I was about seven. I was in the garden and had just finished reading an Enid Blyton book (I think it was about fairies) and I thought 'I could do that.' So I ran inside, got some paper and a pencil and wrote about three pages. Then I was called inside for my dinner and when I went out again I found that the pages had disappeared - a wind had sprung up. I thought all I had to do was search my memory and what I'd written would come out again fully formed but of course it didn't.

After that early start, I didn't do much writing for years apart from some very bad poetry during my teens and some terrible attempts at short stories during my twenties and thirties.

I was 42 when I decided I really wanted to write. I also wanted to be published. I had spent much of my adult life studying and was about to embark on a professional doctorate when I had a 'lightbulb' moment and realised that if I was ever going to finish the book I'd started at seven I'd better get on with it. So I ditched the doctorate and started an evening class in creative writing. A writer called Janet Paisley was the tutor (Penguin have just published her novel, Warrior Daughter set in the bronze age and it's a terrific read) and she was inspirational.

A few more evening classes and I was confident enough to apply for the MLitt in Creative Writing at Glasgow University. I did this at the time when Alasdair Gray, James Kelman and Tom Leonard were the professors. It was a very exciting course. I have a strong belief that you can be taught creative writing. I think there has to be some sort of spark there to begin with but you can definitely improve what you have with good teaching. I can't remember who it was that said that writing is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, but that is something I do agree with.

It's been a long road to publication though. I have a drawer full of rejections from magazines and agents but I kept on trying and eventually my lovely agent, Diane Banks, signed me up. I think it's essential to have an agent who believes in you and your work and I would recommend this to any writer. Agents have so many contacts and can cut out so much of the waiting for publishers to get back to you.

How would you describe your writing?

I'd love to say that it's literary but I'm afraid it's not. Strong narratives which are well written and are psychologically true... that's what I aim for.

I think my target audience is me. By that I mean people who like reading, who want to be drawn into a story and live with and believe in the characters.

Which authors influenced you most?

That's a really difficult question. I have very eclectic tastes and sometimes I feel I'm very easily influenced by whatever I read.

I do like writing which is full of psychological suspense though and with this in mind I'd say that I've found certain novels of Ian McEwan's very influential, specifically Black Dogs and Enduring Love. In particular the opening chapter of Enduring Love was something I had in mind when I wrote the first chapter of The Search. The way it draws you in to the story, I loved that and I would hope that my first chapter also draws in the reader although the subject matter is of course very different.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I'm not sure that I use specific personal experiences much in my writing. The Search is not at all autobiographical and I think that's perhaps because I started writing properly when I was much older.

I think if I'd persevered with my early writing it would have been much more autobiographical. Having said that though, I do think that as someone brought up in the west, in the shadow of WW2 and the cold war, that this has influenced my writing in general ways.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I want to write as well as I can. I worry that I write too quickly sometimes and that I'll let something sloppy slip past my internal editor. I tend to rewrite a lot, going over passages again and again until I'm happy with them. And even then...

My biggest challenge is finding time to write. I have to be very disciplined. When I'm working on a big piece such as a novel, I tend to write in the evening from 7 til 9 and one day at the weekend.

Do you write everyday?

I think I write pretty much every day, whether it's to continue with a story or write a brief review of what I've been reading or (very recently) to add to my blog.

The best piece of advice I was given was when I was doing the MLitt in Creative Writing was to write something every day and if that meant keeping a journal then do so. I started keeping a journal then and I have to say it's a pretty self pitying piece of work! It catalogues all the rejections and setbacks and it can be rather depressing reading it. Since getting the contracts for The Search however, I haven't written much in my journal I'm pleased to say.

I always write in my living room, with my laptop on my knee. I have a bit of a time wasting habit in that I'll play a couple of games of solitaire before getting started. I kid myself on that it's helping to clear my mind. As I said earlier, I work from 7 til 9 in the evening (sometimes 10 if I have a deadline) so the clock stops me. It's rare that I work beyond that time -- I have to speak to my family sometime!

How many books have you written so far?

The Search is my first novel. It was published by Alma Books in September 2009.

The Search is based on what happened to the village of Lidice during WW2. Following the assassination of Heydrich, the Nazis destroyed the village after having executed all the males above the age of 15. The women were sent to Ravensbruck and some of the children who looked Aryan enough were sent to Germany mainly for adoption. It's unclear what happened to the majority of the children but it's thought that they were gassed at Chelmno. The Search follows two of the children, Jan and Lena, who were sent to Germany to an orphanage. Lena disappears and Jan finds out she's been sent to a farm in Germany. There's a subplot which concerns the ordinary German family Lena has been sent to and how the war affects them.

I started the novel when I was in the middle of a PhD in creative writing and wrote about 30,000 words before putting it aside to finish the thesis. When I got an agent on the strength of another novel, I showed her what I'd written of The Search and she encouraged me to finish it. I think in total, it took about nine months but spaced out over about two years because of the interruptions.

It was first published in Spain as La Cancion de Jan (Jan's song) in September 2008 by Grijalbo Press (Random House Mondadori), then in the Netherlands by Arena Press as Zoeken Naar Lena (Searching for Lena) in February 2009. It's now been published in the UK by Alma Books.

My experience hasn't been that I choose a publisher -- more that they chose me! Seriously, the choice of who to send the novel to was up to my agent. I did a lot of googling though and I did like the look of Alma. I thought their list looked really interesting and now that I've read some of the books they publish I'm really chuffed to be published by them. Having said that, I'm very happy will all three of my publishers. Big publishers like the Spanish one have the advantage of a large organisation behind them but I do like the personal touch of small publishers like Alma Books.

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

I wanted to ensure that I was as accurate as possible in writing about a time and place foreign to me. I had to read many factual books about WW2 and the Holocaust. That part was emotionally demanding. I'm not sure how I dealt with it -- I suppose I just saw it as something I had to do.

Another thing I found very upsetting was that sometimes when I googled something, a Holocaust denial site would come up. This happened again very recently when I was trying to find the name of a film I'd seen as a teenager about Lidice. Up popped this ghastly link to a site which claimed the whole story of Lidice had been made up. I was livid. I've been to the memorial site, I've seen the photographs, listened to the testimony of those affected, watched the film that the Nazis made at the time. And yet here were these idiots claiming it didn't happen.

Which aspects of the work did you enjoy most?

I love writing. I love finding out what's going to happen to the characters. But I also really enjoy rewriting. It's great going back over stuff you've written and tweaking it until you're happy with it.

In what way is The Search similar to other things you've written?

The novel I wrote for my PhD is also set partly during WW2 and the Holocaust. In addition, there are common themes of separation and loss in most of my work.

The novel I'm working on at the moment is about a British tour group visiting the USSR in the late 1970s and the cultural differences they encounter there. There's much more of me in this novel as some of it is based on my own experience of visiting the USSR in 1979. At the time, I knew I should be writing down my experiences because it was so different to anything I'd ever experienced before (though I was only 24 at the time and quite naive) but I didn't and I really regretted it when it came to writing this novel. However it's been good in one way because I have to rely much more on my imagination.

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

I started writing The Search while I was doing a PhD in Creative Writing. I look back on that time and can't quite believe how much I juggled: the critical aspect of the PhD (which was extremely demanding as my first degree is in psychology), a novel for the PhD, starting The Search and working full time as an educational psychologist.

I want to sleep for a week when I think about it!

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[Interview] Dylan J. Morgan

Dylan J. Morgan was born in New Zealand and raised in the United Kingdom. Currently, he lives and works in Norway.

His books include the novel, Hosts (Wild Child Publishing, 2009; DJM Entertainment, 2009) and the novella, October Rain (Sonar 4 Publications, 2010). His short stories have been featured in anthologies that include Gentlemen of Horror (Sonar 4 Publications, 2009) and Wolves of War (Living Dead Press, 2009) as well as the January 2010 in Issue 9 of Necrotic Tissue.

In this interview, Dylan J. Morgan talks about the importance of growing as a writer:

When did you start writing?

I remember writing some books when I was still in school, but on those occasions they were just pieces of paper folded in half, stapled together and the stories were written in pen and they weren’t very good. Storytelling has always fascinated me and I started reading full length novels at an early age.

I’ve been writing seriously now for 6 years. Reading books and discovering I had a talent with the written word gave me the encouragement to consider getting myself published. That was probably a little more than 6 years ago, while I was still writing clueless stories just to satisfy my own desire to write.

I thought getting published would be easy; just write the story and send it in but that’s not the case. It’s hard, crafting a story that the editor will like (because first and foremost if you can’t write a story good enough for an editor to like you’ll never get anybody to read it).

I started at the bottom and worked my way up; writing stories I thought were good enough that ultimately were not. Being afraid to send that story in is not going to get you published. Just write it, polish it, edit it, and get others to critique it, edit it again, polish it once more, and then send it in. That’s exactly what I did to achieve my current status as a published author.

How would you describe your writing?

My writing is dark. Predominantly horror.

I’ve written a published novel about prehistoric killer parasites and unpublished novels about the Wendigo and another about vampires and werewolves.

I’ve written a novella called October Rain which will be released early next year which has science fiction elements in it, but which is also a very dark, tragic story.

My stories are gruesome yet entertaining but do tend to steer clear of Hollywood endings.

Who is your target audience?

I guess it would be quite broad, my target audience, if indeed I have a target audience at all. I hope most people are like me and read all sorts of material. That said, I prefer horror -- but I will read crime and thriller novels, erotic, even romance if there was nothing else to read.

With any luck, people who are interested in reading new horror authors will stumble across my name if they haven’t already done so, like what they read and want to read more from me. As long as anyone who reads my work enjoys it and finds it entertaining -- then, that’s all I’m after.

Which authors influenced you most?

Certainly a lot of Stephen King’s early stuff was a huge influence to me, and virtually anything by Dean Koontz.

James Herbert has provided some influence but not as much as the other two.

At the start King wrote stories that entertained me, made me enjoy the story and get deeply involved with the plot and the characters. I think he influenced me the most in my decision to become a writer. Koontz on the other hand has inspired me a lot more since I’ve started writing seriously. The way he crafts a story, builds the plot and the suspense; it’s like a master class with each book written. Koontz definitely inspires me to improve my craft.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I try not to let any personal experiences of mine come through in my writing or indeed to influence which direction I’m going. Saying that, a couple of my stories have been written from life experiences: a business trip to Poland; a boat trip in Oslo Fjord, but these are simply scene-setting occurrences.

I never consciously inject anything of myself, or my life experiences, or those of anyone close to me, in any of the stories I’ve written so far. Fiction is fiction, even within my world and it has to be like that.

I’m a family man and as such I have to separate what I write with how I live my home life.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My main concerns would be, first and foremost, writing stories that weren’t entertaining. Regardless of the venue the work appears in, and regardless of how big a name I do or don’t become, my main aim when I submit stories is to have them accepted and to have readers be entertained by the stories. If I fail that then I’ve failed in my duty as a writer.

The best way that I deal with such issues is to have trustworthy proofreaders. I never send out any stories if they haven’t had a few good edits done by myself and then been read (and sometimes re-read) by my proofreaders. They often catch things that I miss. It’s a practice I recommend to any up-and-coming writer. Don’t think your story is good enough if you haven’t let others read it first.

The biggest challenge I face as a writer is bettering the work I’ve just completed. I don’t want to write x-amount of books that are the same. I don’t want my next project to be inferior to the one I’ve just wrapped up. It’s important to me to grow as a writer, to continuously improve my craft, and it’s not easy to do. Writing what I want, what excites me. If the story enthralls me then hopefully it’ll enthrall others too.

Do you write everyday?

Yes, I write everyday -- at least I try to! Sometimes life gets in the way but for the most part I write daily and I try to accomplish one thousand words in a session.

Basically each session starts with me reviewing and editing what I wrote the night before and this usually drags me back into the story enabling me to pick up where I left off and continue writing. Sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes I envisage scenes from later in the book and I write those instead. I can have multiple scenes being written from different chapters. It’s all a bit jumbled but it works for me.

As stated, my aim is to write 1,000 words a day but as long as I write constructive prose then that’s all I ask for. I write until the flow has gone: either by family disturbances that require my attention or because I’m just burned out. There’s no point forcing the words. Once they stop flowing, I stop writing.

How many books have you written so far?

So far I have written three full-length novels and two novellas, although not all are available.

Only one of my novels has seen publication, Hosts, a biological horror novel set in a Canadian ski resort called Snow Peak during the worst snowstorm in living memory.

In the novel, a family of frozen First Nation people has been discovered on a mountainside near town and the archeologists examining the body allow it to thaw out too much. Something resides in the corpse; a prehistoric parasite that comes back to life and infects the town with disastrous results.

Hosts has had very positive reviews so far. It is available as an e-book through the publisher, Wild Child Publishing. And, complete with new cover art, the novel has been re-issued in print format by myself which is something I’m very excited about. More details can be found on my website.

My second published work is a novella entitled October Rain. It will be available in both print and e-book format in January 2010 through Sonar 4 Publications.

October Rain is a tragic story about Steele, a bounty hunter for the Martian government during a time in the distant future when the sun is a red dying giant and Earth is scalded rock. Steele has been promised one more assignment before he can leave Mars to start a new life with his beloved family. But he discovers a horrific truth behind the government’s intentions, and a torturous twist of fate leaves him fighting not only for his own life but for the people he cares most about. It’s an exciting read.

Of my other written works, the two novels are in various slushpiles and the other novella resides with proofreaders.

How long did it take you to write October Rain?

The first draft probably took me about six weeks to write, but this book was written four years ago so it’s had multiple drafts, countless edits, and at least four different proofreaders go over it. If it isn’t tight now it never will be!

Sonar 4 Publications will be publishing the book. I selected this publisher because of one main reason: they publish a blend of horror and sci-fi. I’m not a sci-fi writer, but with the book being set on Mars in the future there are obvious science fiction elements.

Sonar4 publish straight-up horror, or straight-up Sci-Fi or a mixture of both. There are horrific elements in October Rain, although none blatant, but this publisher seemed the best fit for my work. So far this has presented me with nothing but advantages. I’ve been very pleased with how my relationship is going with this publisher and I’d thoroughly recommend anyone else checking their guidelines.

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

This is a hard question to answer. At times I struggle with my muse but generally I find writing an easy task, nothing is difficult when it comes to transferring the plot from my mind and onto the page. What is difficult for me is spending time away from my girlfriend and my kids while I’m writing.

I try to write at night, when the children are in bed and the house is quiet, but my ideas don’t always follow that pattern. Weekend mornings I use to sit down and edit and sometimes write, but always when I’m done I feel a tad guilty for spending time at the keyboard and not with those I care about the most. But then I try to make the most of the time I do spend with them.

What did you enjoy most?

The editing -- like I do with all my work.

I might be in the minority here but I seldom really enjoy the process of writing a novel/novella even though I find it relatively easy. For me, writing that last word is always a great occasion and is generally greeted with a sigh of relief and perhaps a celebratory beer.

Editing the story, watching it truly unfold into the final product is by far the part of the writing process that I enjoy the most.

What sets October Rain apart from other things you've written?

The one main difference with this book to any of the others I’ve written is that it is set in the future, in space, which is a destination I’ve never been before in my writing. I tend to keep things in the present (or the past, in some instances) and I’ve never gone outside the Earth’s atmosphere before. It’ll be interesting to see how this book is received.

In what way is it similar to the others?

It’s certainly my style of writing. I haven’t changed the formula from what I usually do when I write stories, so hopefully -- even though this is not strictly a horror story -- people will still be able to recognize it as being the work of Dylan J. Morgan.

What will your next book be about?

As of this moment, October Rain is my latest book and no others have been accepted. Of course, I hope this will change.

I have two novels at various publishing houses just waiting to be picked off the slushpile, so hopefully it won’t be too long before I have something else available for people to read. One of those is called Flesh and is about a Wendigo spirit terrorizing a Northern Wisconsin town.

The other novel, Bloodlines, is an epic novel which could easily be separated into a trilogy of novellas -- it tells the story of a centuries-old blood feud between vampires and werewolves who have crossed the bloodlines and created a monster race of hybrids. All three species are fighting for control of the supernatural world.

The novel I’m working on now is a bit secretive but I will say it involves angels, demons, and the end of the world.

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

Getting published is always a significant achievement for a writer and while this is right up there as one of my most significant, I feel that’s bettered by the simple fact that people have liked my work. Not everyone will, I know that, but to have feedback from readers saying they enjoyed the story makes all the hard work, effort, and time spent away from my family just that little bit easier to bear.

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[Interview: Part 2 of 2] Tonia Brown, Conversations with Writers, November 29, 2009