[Interview] Scott Colby

Baeg Tobar is an epic fantasy world that is brought to life through comics, short fiction, novels and other forms of illustrated media.

Scott Colby is one of the project's editor-contributors.

In this interview, Colby talks about his writing:

When did you start writing?

I started writing way back in elementary school. I was very good at finishing my work long before everybody else, which meant I needed something to keep myself entertained. I couldn't draw worth a lick, but luckily I was alright with the English. It wasn't long before I was cranking out ten page novellas and reading them in front of the entire class.

Since then, I've just kept plugging along, trying to incorporate things I've liked to read into my work. When I saw an open call for writers at Baeg Tobar, I sent in a few samples. Luckily they liked me!

How would you describe your writing?

Fantasy with my own little twist.

I've always felt like the genre can handle a lot more than just the typical "go there, find that" quest mechanic, and I think Baeg Tobar is definitely built along those lines. It's really not as far removed from science fiction as people might think. Remove the details, and you're dealing with the same flexible theme: man against something far superior.

Who is your target audience?

I know it's not necessarily the best idea, but I'm not aiming for one audience in particular.

Lots of writers find a niche by aiming to please a certain set of people. I don't really feel the need to do that. You either like me or you don't, and I'm fine either way as long as you've got a legitimate reason for your opinion.

Which authors influenced you most?

Terry Brooks was probably number one. He began as a bit of a Tolkien impersonator, but he's grown above and beyond that.

I also like to think that I've pulled a lot from Frank Herbert, even though I know I can never touch his prose. He's made me like deep, multi-faceted characters who don't necessarily show the world their true faces.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I try very hard to keep my writing clear. If the reader doesn't understand what I'm talking about, I'm not doing my job, flowerly language be dipped.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

Getting started has always been my biggest hurdle, but transitioning between scenes is a close second. I think the two are very related.

I find the best way to deal with any writing problem is to walk away from it. Look at other things, do other things, and give your mind time away from what's frustrating you.

Lately I've also become a big fan of writing things out of order, of plugging along with what you know about one particular thread until you hit a roadblock. Then you work on another aspect of the plot for awhile until you finally come back to your initial problem. I find this works great.

Do you write everyday?

I've been trying to either write or edit 500 words a day. It doesn't always happen, but the days it doesn't are rare. If I become completely stuck on something, I leave it for another time and either write or edit something else or stop working completely.

Unless you're on a deadline, it's best to let these things come naturally.

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

This is more as an editor than as a writer...but I like to think I've gotten Baeg Tobar into a great place. I think we're entertaining, and I think we should be very attractive to fans and publishers alike. It's a huge, complicated, diverse world, and I think it's a lot of fun to see what a wide variety of writers can do with it - but it's also quite a challenge to keep all those writers on the same page, to make sure that everything they do jives and has a place.

If I have to pick one thing I'm especially proud of being involved with, it's Daniel Tyler Gooden's The Unmade Man. I've read it five or six times as an editor, and I haven't gotten tired of seeing it - which, for me, means it's something I really like.

[Interview] Jane Morris

Jane Morris is one of the founding members of 'amaBooks, an awarding-winning publishing house based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

In this interview, Morris talks about the state of publishing in Zimbabwe:

What motivated the formation of amaBooks?

’amaBooks was started in 2001.

We started publishing a year before that -- a book of poems by John Eppel, all proceeds of which went to the Bulawayo charity, Childline.

Childline was just starting in Bulawayo at that time and I, in my work as a social worker and trainer, was helping with the training of the first volunteers and the organisation was in need of funds.

John Eppel kindly stepped forward and donated a collection of his poems, which became Selected Poems: 1965-1995.

The book sold out very quickly, which was particularly heartening for a book of poetry.

We enjoyed the process of getting the book published and a group of five of us, who had been involved in this first publication, decided to start a publishing company and ’amaBooks was born.

I was excited at the prospect of being involved in a publishing venture as I’d always had in the back of my mind that it would be something I’d like to do.

Our launch pad was the publication of two short novels that had already been written by John Eppel. At that point we had little idea of what we were getting into.

Who was involved in the publishing house's formation and what role did they play in it?

The five people involved in the Childline book who initially formed ’amaBooks were involved in different capacities -- with sales, promotion, origination and distribution. However, two pulled out in the early days because of other commitments, leaving John Eppel, Brian Jones and myself.

John is a well-known writer across Southern Africa, having won both the Ingrid Jonker Award for poetry and the M-Net Prize for Fiction. Although no longer a director, John writes prolifically and maintains his interest in 'amaBooks and we continue to publish some of his works. At the moment we are working on a collection of poems and short stories written by John and Julius Chingono that will be titled Together.

So ’amaBooks is left with two owner-directors, myself and Brian Jones.

We’ve tended to learn the job of publishing as we’ve gone along and it’s been quite a steep learning curve.

Having studied literature at university, the task of editing falls largely to me, and Brian, who is a mathematician, tends to concentrate on origination, sales, marketing and distribution, though our roles are not rigid so we both do whatever needs to be done.

Which was the first set of books that you published? And, is it still in print?

As I mentioned earlier, we were very fortunate in having two books ready to publish, so we started with these two short satirical novels of John Eppel, The Curse of the Ripe Tomato and The Holy Innocents.

The main reason we chose to publish them as our first books was the quality of John's writing, which we believed would be a good beginning for ’amaBooks. Pleased by the success of the poetry collection, we felt that the Zimbabwe reading public would be receptive to more of John's work, which proved to be the case. These books are no longer in print.

In all, how many books has amaBooks published so far?

To date, we have published 23 books, the majority being fiction.

We have also published several books of poetry and a few titles focusing on local history and culture.

Our books have been well received but unfortunately we started out at a very difficult time, with the economic climate in Zimbabwe not being very favourable to the sale of books, particularly books that are not set books in schools.

We are members of the African Books Collective who distribute our books in the USA and Europe, where they continue to get good reviews.

Among the books you've published so far, are there titles that have been received better than others?

The four books in the Short Writings series -- Short Writings from Bulawayo I, II and III and Long Time Coming: Short Writings from Zimbabwe -- have continued to remain favourites.

Several commentators on Zimbabwean literature have remarked that short stories are ideally suited to the ever changing Zimbabwean scene as they offer snapshots of the situation at that time and have served as a form of truth telling.

In our case, the short story format also presented an opportunity for a variety of voices to be heard from the different communities that make up Zimbabwe, the stories invite the reader into the different realities of the writers.

We were keen to publish new writers, alongside more established writers and the Short Writings series allowed us to do this.

People, both within and outside Zimbabwe, have enjoyed the series and the latest in the collection, Long Time Coming, continues to receive good reviews. The New Internationalist magazine choose the book as one of their two best books of 2009, out of those they had reviewed.

The titles of John Eppel’s that we have brought out continue to be popular with the book buying public and there is a continuing interest in his work in academia.

Our last publication, the mystery/romance This September Sun by Bryony Rheam, was a bit of a departure from our usual publications but has sold very well.

Bryony now lives in Zambia so has launched the book there as well.

The novel has been particularly popular amongst women in Zimbabwe, perhaps because they identify with some of the main characters in the book, the narrator Ellie and her grandmother Evelyn.

The book covers the period just after the Second World War, up to recent times.

As publishers, what are the biggest challenges that you face?

The economic situation here over the last few years has made survival as a publisher very difficult -- buying a book, particularly one that is not a set school book, is always going to be a low priority for someone struggling to find enough money for food for their family.

When there was rampant inflation any payments received from the few bookshops that functioned were worthless by the time we received them.

The only way we have been able to survive has been through the support of donors, who have helped with printing costs and the purchase of equipment, when that has been necessary.

When we first started we were able to fund the printing of a book from the sales of the previous one but this became impossible with the economic decline.

With dollarization the situation has improved, though there is still little money around for people in Zimbabwe to buy books of creative writing.

Another challenge facing the publishing industry as a whole is that of the introduction of e-books and not knowing what the impact of that will be. Some of our books are available as e-books through the African Books Collective.

Are there any challenges around sales outside of Zimbabwe?

The challenges we face with sales outside of the country are mainly due to cost. Printing is not cheap in Zimbabwe, partly because low demand means we have to print small numbers of books, and distribution to other countries is expensive.

Getting books into large chains, such as Exclusive Books, is very difficult, so our titles are mostly sold in independent bookshops.

Our books are available internationally online through outlets such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the African Books Collective.

As publishers, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

Apart from simply surviving, not an easy task given the problems of the last few years, I would say the publication of new writers; we’ve published 102 writers so far.

Several of those we published first in the Short Writings from Bulawayo series have gone on to be published elsewhere and to have books of their own published. Chris Mlalazi and Bryony Rheam are the first ones to come to mind, but we are also looking forward to others pushing their way to the top; there are always one or two new exciting writers in each of the collections.

What do you enjoy most about publishing?

There are many things I enjoy about publishing.

There is a lot of variety with no two days being the same.

I enjoy the independence and the flexibility and doing something I love.

Working with writers and discovering new talent can be exciting. There is always that feeling of anticipation when opening up a new manuscript that it will be the ‘great Zimbabwean novel’. It’s very satisfying when you read a really good piece and have the pleasure of telling the writer you want to publish it.

Publishing has opened new doors and created new experiences for us -- book launches and working with young writers, it’s certainly very different from my previous work experience.

We’ve also been involved with other work connected with writing.

My involvement with the literary arts sector at the Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo has given me the opportunity to work with writers from outside Zimbabwe such as Owen Sheers and Veronique Tadjo.

A project has started in Bulawayo that we’re very excited about; where groups of young people have been given copies of our books to read and discuss -- we’re hoping that this will stimulate an interest in literature amongst those who wouldn’t have the chance otherwise.

Another opportunity has come through invitations by various organisations to talk about the work we do in publishing.

What are your plans for the future?

There are a few projects we’re working on, including a short story collection jointly with a UK publisher and the collection of short stories and poems by Julius Chingono and John Eppel.

Short term plans include attending the Cape Town and Jozi Book Fairs which will give us the opportunity of meeting publishers from outside Zimbabwe.

What are some of the things you have in common with other publishers in Zimbabwe who are doing work that is similar to what 'amaBooks is doing?

Weaver Press in Harare also publish creative writing but are more established than ourselves.

Weaver also publish more non-fiction -- history, politics, environment.

In general, what would you say are the biggest challenges that Zimbabwean publishers, as a group, are facing? And, what can or should be done about these challenges?

As with other businesses in Zimbabwe the biggest challenge has been the state of the economy. People want to read books but don’t have the money to buy them as they are considered a luxury.

Publishers that produce books that are on school syllabi have fared better, particularly of late, as there has been donor money to purchase school texts. Money is needed to stock both school and other libraries so that children and adults can read for pleasure.

Among the books you've published, are there any that have been nominated or awarded prizes, either locally, regionally or internationally?

Awards we've received include:

• the Zimbabwe Book Publishers Association Award's first prize for Literature in English which went to Short Writings from Bulawayo;
• the Best First Book prize which went to Erina by Wim Boswinkel;
• the Best Non-fiction prize which went to Zimbabwe's Cultural Heritage by Pathisa Nyathi, and
• the Best Fiction (Poetry and Drama) which went to Sonatas by Deon Marcus.

Marcus' Sonatas and Chris Mlalazi's Dancing with Life also received First Prizes in the Outstanding First Creative Published Book category of the Zimbabwe National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) while Echoes of Young Voices received a nomination in the Outstanding First Creative Published Book category.

Similarly, Short Writings from Bulawayo III; Long Time Coming: Short Writings from Zimbabwe and John Eppel's White Man Crawling received nominations in the NAMA Best Fiction category.

Chris Mlalazi's Dancing with Life also received Honourable Mention in Noma Award for Publishing in Africa while Long Time Coming: Short Writings from Zimbabwe was chosen by New Internationalist as one of their two Best Books of 2009.

Possibly related books:

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Related articles:

• Road Trip, By Owen Sheers, Granta Issue 111: Going Back, Summer 2010
• Bryony Rheam [Interview], Conversations with Writers, June 19, 2010
• Cape Town Book Fair and the Joburg Bed Launch, By Lauri Kubuitsile, Thoughts from Botswana, August 9, 2010

[Interview] Mike Stein

Mike Stein is a research professor in the Social Policy Research Unit at the University of York.

He has researched the problems and challenges faced by young people leaving care for 25 years and has published extensively in the field. He has also been consulted by government, local authorities and voluntary organisations on the development of leaving care services in the UK and internationally.

His books include What Works for Young People Leaving Care? (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004); Leaving Care: Throughcare and Aftercare in Scotland (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2005); Young People's Transitions from Care to Adulthood: International Research and Practice (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2008) and Quality Matters in Children's Services: Messages from Research (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2009).

How did you first become involved in researching the challenges faced by young people living in, and leaving care?

I was working as a lecturer in applied social studies at Leeds University in 1978 and was asked by two social workers if I would help them to run a group for young people in care, the Leeds Ad-Lib group. They wanted someone from ‘outside’ of social services and I agreed.

I had, in the late 60s and early 70s, worked in probation, and then a children’s and social services department.

At my first meeting of Ad-lib, the topic was ‘leaving care’ and one young person asked, "What is it like after you leave care, where do you live, who will help you?"

There was silence from everyone in the room.

I thought I will go away and read up on this, but I couldn’t find anything at all.

As a group, we invited young people who had recently left care to come and talk about their lives after care – which proved both helpful and disturbing. And, in view of the lack of literature, I decided to write a research proposal to the ESRC which led to the first English study, published as Leaving Care (Stein and Carey) in 1986.

Since that time I have had continual funding and excellent staff researching the experiences, services and outcomes of young people as they make their journey from care to adulthood. Most recently this has included our international work Young People’s Transitions from Care to Adulthood: International Research and Practice.

What are the challenges faced by those providing services for young people living in and leaving care today?

The main challenges facing those responsible for providing services are:

• First, providing all young people in care with the stability and continuity in their lives in order to enhance their well-being;
• Second, that young people have opportunities to maximize their potential - personally, socially, educationally - given their often very poor starting points on entry to care;
• Third, to ensure that they have more gradual and supported transitions from care to adulthood, more akin to the journey travelled by most young people – most of whom stay around the parental home until their mid 20s, and can still rely on their families for support (I have white hair to prove this!); finally, that young people, wherever they are living, have a more consistent high quality service – that they are not the victims of territorial injustices which may result in inequalities in life chances.

How do you think the media representation of social work and social care is affecting the profession?

Some of the ‘media representation’ is a gross ‘misrepresentation’. For example, the view of the state as an ‘awful parent’, reinforced by much of the press and recent television coverage, is a gross over-simplification which is not only wrong but also contributes to the circumstances in which vulnerable children may be put at greater risk by being left in their families. This simplistic view devalues and stigmatizes young people who live in care, as well as those who care for them. It may also make it more difficult to attract and recruit social workers to this very important work.

Research studies we have carried out during the last 25 years show that despite their very poor starting points, some care leavers will successfully ‘move on’ from care and achieve fulfilment in their personal lives and careers; a second group will ‘survive’ and do quite well, given assistance from skilled leaving-care workers: they may also move on successfully but it often takes longer. This leaves a third highly vulnerable group of young people who have a range of complex mental health needs and will require skilled assistance into, and during, adulthood.

Crude outcome statistics which are used to condemn the state in blanket fashion fail to recognise the progress made by young people, including major achievements, such as getting back into education after many years, furthering leisure interests and vocational skills, and, often for the first time, developing consistent, positive and trusting relationships with adults. But no outcome boxes to tick!

Can you tell me about your recent work, Quality Matters in children’s services: Messages from Research?

There has been a lot of attention paid to indicators and outcome measures in children’s services. But the quality of services has received far less priority – even though a body of research findings shows that the quality of care received by children and young people – the quality of relationships with their carers, and those that make those relationships happen - is strongly associated with their future well-being.

The Overview captures the learning from nine research studies focusing on very different topics. Each chapter includes: a discussion of the main findings; examples of promoting quality drawn from practice; the key implications for policy and practice; a summary of the integrated working issues arising from the research; and finally, questions for children’s services, identified at a strategic, operational and practice level.

The final chapter brings together those findings that either go across the nine studies, or have wider implications for the development of quality children’s services. This includes a discussion of the aims of children’s services, the quality of care and well-being, and social work practice and quality services. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how those working in children’s service can ‘make quality’ happen by: identifying and sustaining quality; collecting and modelling systematic data; carrying out quality assessments; developing integrated working; having coherent policies, procedures and processes; and, training and workforce issues.

What was the last book you read and what are you reading at the moment?

I often dip into books, especially about cricket, politics, beer and jazz – I play jazz piano, badly, drink real ale well, and the main side I support is my local Pudsey St. Lawrence cricket team!

I am currently reading two books, Towards the Light by A. C. Grayling which is about the struggles for liberty and rights. My son bought me this to assist with a social history I am writing, about the rights movement for young people in care.

I am also reading, Walking the Brittany Coast by Judy Smith, as I love walking, and am in year five of doing just that!

(c) Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2010

This article was first published in the Jessica Kingsley Publishers Social Work Newsletter in June 2009

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[Featured Author] Azam Gill

The Warrior Bard
By Alexander James

Azam Gill is a writer and a warrior. And his thrillers are based on first-hand experience of front line fighting, covert commando operations, under-cover intelligence work … and on a seemingly incongruous lifetime’s love-story with literature, study and teaching.

Now a French citizen, Gill was born in Pakistan, the son of a renowned jurist father and a talented playwright mother. He is fluent in several languages, but it is in English that he writes his novels. He was educated in English schools and colleges run by British and Americans and he gained his BA from Forman Christian College of the Punjab University in English literature and Political Science.

Accepted as a ‘gentleman cadet’ at the Pakistan Military Academy, he passed out among the top 10% of his graduation year and was commissioned to a light infantry battalion of the Punjab Regiment in Kashmir. He also won his paratrooper’s wings.

In Kashmir, one of the world’s flash-points, Gill and his troops lived in underground earthen bunkers, crossing snake- and rain-filled crawl trenches and minefields as part of daily routine. The Kashmir border is known for a war of attrition involving intensive patrolling, fire fights, artillery duels ... and a chilling casualty rate.

He served as Intelligence Officer, Company Commander and Regimental Adjutant and was also in charge of the crossing of spies through his sector.

It was all vital experience for the kind of novels I wanted to produce. I earned the right to become a thriller writer the hard way … I suppose you could say I wouldn’t ask my lead character do anything I couldn’t do myself.

Gill received a Master’s in English Language and Literature from the Punjab University and published a pamphlet, Jail Reforms, and a book, Army Reforms. Although Jail Reforms was on the syllabus of the Prisons Training Academy, both books were seized and burnt by the authorities.

He said:

I was angered by what I saw around me and the best weapon available to me was the pen. The trouble was, the enemy was more heavily armed.

One of his former instructors was the late President Zia ul Haq’s private secretary. He called Gill to Islamabad and warned him that he should immediately leave the country before his imminent arrest for angering the authorities by his writing.

Harassed, seeking protection and a new life, Gill decided to take the advice – he followed in the footsteps of beggars and princes who have served in the ranks of the tough French Foreign Légion.

After basic training, he was posted to the 1er Régiment Etranger de Cavalérie and became the first Légionnaire to gain a PhD, which he received from Grenoble University.

At the end of his Légion contract, which added a wealth of experience to his writer’s arsenal, Gill worked as a language teacher and became a lecturer at Grenoble University’s Polytechnic. He was then seconded to the French Navy, where he taught English.

He never laid down the pen during this busy period and wrote a monthly column on Geopolitics for The National Educator, a Californian monthly paper. His political articles were published in non-fiction book form under the title Winds of Change: Geopolitics and the World Order (IUniverse, 2001).

Gill explained:

I needed to express myself to a wider readership than I could reach with my more academic work, so I turned my hand to fiction … and it worked!

Rather than stating hard facts and opinions, I learned to make them apply to characters that came to life on the page.

Readers could relate to the people I created and hear what I had to say by following them through gripping stories of love and hate and triumph and disaster.

Fiction is a wonderful medium.

His first novel, Blood Money, was published by UK-based BeWrite Books and was closely followed by Flight to Pakistan, also by BeWrite Books.

He said:

I was motivated by the horror of Islamic terrorism and its covert funding in the west. All I needed was a hero and a gripping plot, so I created a character who was a battle-hardened Foreign Legionnaire and drew on a lifetime of experience to bring the scenes to life.

Some of the seemingly wildest people, places and situations in my books are 100 percent real. I’ve met them, I’ve been there and I’ve done it!

I wanted the book to be absolutely realistic, so I also put in a lot of extra research – and it turned up other facts much stranger than fiction.

I was working full time when I wrote the novels, but I set myself word-targets to meet and the pages seemed to fill themselves.

BeWrite Books saw potential in the first manuscript, Blood Money, and I worked closely with one of their editors, Neil Marr, for three or four months, pruning, rewriting and even adding passages until the book was ready to go.

My second BeWrite Books novel, Flight to Pakistan, came more easily because I’d by then had a grounding in fiction. Again, though, there was the guidance of another seasoned BB editor, Hugh McCracken, to see the work through to publication.

Much of the editing process involves curbing my enthusiasm for providing lavish detail. It’s the teacher in me.

The editing process itself is an experience no writer should miss. The BeWrite Books team is pretty spread out with its professional editors and admin and technical staff in France, Germany, Canada and the US, so everything was handled by email and telephone. It’s a tremendously streamlined and efficient way to work.

When I took my family to meet some of them at a get-together in the French Alps – it was between the two books – I found that they were just as passionate about my work as I am myself. Neil Marr was there, Cait Myers, the publisher, and Neil’s son, Alex, who handles the technical side of things. We talked books, politics, religion, French cheeses and what have you until the sun came up again.

Gill now has two other novels in the pipeline and has no plans to ever stop writing in spite of a heavy day job schedule and hobbies that include cooking, swimming and French Savate Boxing.

In his 40s, he lives in France with his wife and three young children.

He said:

We have a lively family life, but the children are wonderful – they know when I’m at work writing and leave me in peace.

Gill – informally, he prefers his French-sounding surname to his first name, Azam – is one of several new names in fiction to find the answer to the closed-door policy of major publishing houses in a handful of editorially driven independent small publishing houses whose main sales outlet is the Internet.

He said:

Even the small presses are swamped with submissions. But at least they’re open to as proposal from an author who isn’t exactly a household name. And the entire process is thoroughly professional.

This interview first appeared in Twisted Tongue Magazine

Possibly related books:

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Related articles:

• Haroon Moghul [Interview], Conversations with Writers, April 20, 2007
• Strangers in the Write, By Neil Marr, Writers Write, Dec-Jan 2001
  

[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:

,,

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] Danie Nel

South African commercial photographer and a writer, Danie Nel has some poems that have been featured in the poetry anthology, The Colors of Life (Watermark Press, 2003).

Currently he is working on Notsoreallifestory, a blog novel he describes as "a take on the alter ego interaction storyline, but with a different slant and angle on it."

In this interview, Danie Nel talks about his writing:

When did you start writing?

I realized I enjoy writing in primary school as part of our creative writing assignments and, having been an avid reader since I could read, I suppose that has always fuelled the fires of creativity for me.

I’ve been writing songs, and lyrics, since I was 18, and have penned a few poems. However, working as a professional photographer has put me in contact with writers, journalists and novelists, and their enthusiasm for their craft has rubbed off on me.

Only my poems have been published in a collection of works called The Colors of Life, and was included after I entered a competition.

As for my creative writing, I only recently really started writing again, and decided that the blog-model works for me, and I’d rather earn my money through advertising programs, and focus on writing what I want, how I want to, and when I want to, without publisher’s demands. I also use the comments section to get readers to interact with me, and rather have the end-user influence my writing, and not the money man!

How would you describe your writing?

Free, quirky, strong storyline, suspense and humour is a must. It would probably fall into the category of humorous drama.

Who is your target audience?

Anyone with a sense of irony, who loves reading easily and loves to chuckle at life. I’m like that.

Which authors influenced you most?

Stephen King’s humour and limitless imagination. Also, he has amazing flow.

Michael Cunningham is just poetic and has the most beautiful writing style.

Bryce Courtenay for sheer story. Koos A Kombuis for his humour, descriptive ability and flow. Bill Bryson, for knowing how to communicate the oddities that we all notice, just don’t seem to remember.

Have your personal experiences influenced your writing in any way?

Probably. We can only put out versions of information we ourselves have gathered and processed.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

That I will bore the reader with obvious plots, obvious humour and no surprises. I try and surprise myself.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

Time to write.

Do you write everyday?

I write weekly. I normally write late at night, after the family’s gone to bed. It ends when I fall asleep!

How many books have you written so far?

None.

I’m writing a story called Notsoreallifestory, in the blog format. It’s about a man who wakes up to a voice in his head one day. It’s a take on the alter ego interaction storyline, but with a different slant and angle on it.

Which aspects of the work do you find most difficult?

Dialogue.

Dialogue is a spontaneous process, and recreating proper and good dialogue is difficult.

I repeat the dialogue aloud to myself, and if it seems fake, or makes me cringe, I change it.

Which do you enjoy most?

Reading my story.

When writing flows, and I re-read my efforts, it’s amazing to see that I’ve opened up doors in my imagination that I haven’t noticed before. Or I realize I think differently about things than I thought I do.

What sets Notsoreallifestory apart from other things you've written?

I’ve never attempted a series blog before, and all my pieces have been short, concise and normally limited to a couple of pages.

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

My sense of irony is deeply embedded in how I communicate, also, I veer from cliché’s.

What will your next piece of writing be about?

Probably a musician. Not sure what he’s going to do yet. I just love music and would like to explore that possibility.

Possibly related books:

,,

Related articles:

• Blog Novels [Lists], Conversations with Writers, November 27,2008
• Ezekiel Es’kia Mphahlele [Obituary], by Shola Adenekan, The New Black Magazine, November 8-9, 2008
• Writer: Niq Mhlongo [Interview], by Laura Arenschield, a.magazine, May 8, 2008

[Interview] Andrew Taylor

Andrew Taylor has written and published eight poetry collections, among them, Turn For Home (The Brodie Press, 2003); Temporary Residence (erbacce Press, 2007) and The Sound of Light Aircraft (Knives, Forks and Spoons Press, 2010).

He has a PhD in Poetry and Poetics and is a founder member of the Edge Hill University Poetry and Poetics Research Group. In addition to that, Taylor also co-edits erbacce and erbacce-press.

In this interview, Andrew Taylor talks about his writing:

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

Poetry.

Some have describe it as innovative, some realist, some post-realist.

I think it’s for others to describe it though rather than me.

Who is your target audience?

Whoever is publishing the poems I guess.

I never have thought of a target audience really. I just hope that those who buy the books do so for the purposes of enjoying the poems and in supporting the small presses who kindly publish the work.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

That’s an interesting question.

I often think that the personal can distract from the writing process. However, that said, others often say that my greatest work to-date is the collection Poetry and Skin Cream which stemmed from a personal experience that I’d rather not go into as it involved someone’s death and was incredibly upsetting for me.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

I’m not sure that I have concerns as such.

Of course, there are personal concerns and concerns for the wider world, such as the environment and that stupid war in Afghanistan and Iraq. But seldom do these things get into the poetry.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I guess the challenges I face are the opportunities to write and to make the most of them mixed with my editorial roles at erbacce and erbacce-press, which takes a lot of time.

Do you write everyday?

I try.

My most recent project has been utilizing photographs so this has been a starting point.

I sometimes write into a notebook at home, then type the notes up at the office the following day. That’s quite productive! End points usually stem from when work calls …

How many books have you written so far?

Six, one has been published twice.

• Turn For Home, The Brodie Press, August 2003. Debut collection that appeared from a press that originated from Liverpool University. Poems in this collection came from a residency at Liverpool Architecture and Design Trust (LADT) that ran 2000-2003.
• Poetry & Skin Cream, erbacce Press, December 2004. This collection was written after the death of a friend and is extremely personal in content. A hard collection to read from my perspective!
• Cathedral Poems, Paula Brown Publishing, August 2005. Collection of fourteen poems written during a residency at Liverpool Cathedral. Contains a piece of poetics that appeared in my Doctoral thesis.
• Poetry & Skin Cream [2nd Edition] erbacce Press, October 2007 Republished as the original edition sold out.
• Temporary Residence, erbacce Press, October 2007 Written during a residency at Liverpool Art project called the Loft Space which was an artist led project.
• And the Weary Are at Rest, Sunnyoutside Press, June 2008. Collection submitted to one of my favourite presses. Extremely proud to have worked with David at Sunnyoutside. He’s a talented guy.
• Make Some Noise, Original Press, August 2009 A manuscript of poems written during Doctoral research in Woking, Surrey, that was rejected by one press as being too oblique. Sent it to Sam at Original Plus, who kindly understood what I was trying to do.
• The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper, Differentia Press, December 2009. A collection of recent work that Felino was kind enough to accept having published me in his Counterexample Poetics site.

Which authors influenced you most?

Firstly, the Liverpool Poets: Adrian Henri, Brian Patten and Roger McGough. I came to these after secondary education and studying the likes of Keats. They were a breath of fresh air. This ignited my interest in poetry.

During university I became aware of the work of Tom Raworth, Lee Harwood, Robert Sheppard (who became my PhD supervisor) and Scott Thurston. These writers showed me the more experimental side of things that occasionally sneaks into my work. The range I think is what influenced me most.

Also, I have to mention Bukowski who was there from early doors. Of course, Ginsberg and Kerouac, (in the case of Kerouac whose poetry is to many, unknown, is a delight).

Recently, I have returned to some of the masters – Wordsworth, Keats and Rimbaud. I always return to Henri though. He was one of the subjects in my PhD thesis and I can dip into the collected poems at any time and get something new every time. Brilliant and under-rated poet.

How did you chose a publisher for The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper?

I sent Felino Soriano the manuscript of recent work that I had gathered together to see if it worked as a complete text.

I felt that the collection worked and was keen for a publisher/editor I admire, to clarify. Thankfully, Felino did and he has been a fantastic editor to work with. There have been no disadvantages at all. Well, perhaps the fact that Felino lives so far away and I would like to meet him and buy him a drink!

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

Perhaps the most difficult aspect was the belief in oneself in that I gathered the collection together myself and then passed it on. So perhaps the confidence in one’s own ability was the most difficult thing. I dealt with it by sending it to Felino!

I think the aspect I enjoyed the most was the fact that this collection didn’t stem from a residency, was a collection fully formed and presented to a publisher pretty intact

What sets The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper apart from other things you've written?

I think it is different in that it was a more uncontained collection stemming from my own ideas of a collection.

Also, it is the first e-book that I have been involved in!

It is similar to the others in that it has poems about loss, love and cities in it.

What will your next book be about?

My next book is almost complete. I have yet to approach publishers. It is similar to The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper in the process of writing and the voice that I have tried to achieve. It is a collection of 36 or 37 poems inspired by photographs.

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

To be published. Full stop.

For other editors to print and publish the poems is a massive achievement I feel. I am humbled every time my work appears somewhere.

When did you start writing?

I was in a band in Liverpool in the 1980s and by default became the band’s lyricist. From then, whilst studying for my undergraduate degree, I started writing short stories, which in turn led to a Masters degree in writing. The difference though by now was that I started writing poetry.

Related articles:

• Interview with Andrew Taylor, By Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, Liverpool Art and Culture Blog, April 9, 2007
• Richard Wink [Interview], Conversations with Writers, April 19, 2010

[Interview] Annette Wellings

Annette Wellings is a Pilates instructor who suffers from major scoliosis.

She began exploring different ways of keeping her body flexible and healthy whilst working as a linguist and artist in Australia and subsequently, she retrained in rehabilitation Pilates.

Her book, Curves, Twists and Bends: A Practical Guide to Pilates for Scoliosis (Singing Dragon, 2009), looks at how scoliosis sufferers can benefit from the practice of Pilates.

How did you first find out about Pilates?

While working as a linguist and an artist in Australia and Fiji, I became increasingly aware of my body becoming more hunched and painful with scoliosis.

By the time I was about 35, my spine was rigid and my torso was becoming increasingly twisted.

I realised that I needed to do something and explore options, instead of passively sitting by and lamenting the ‘degeneration’ of the spine.

I began exploring different ways of keeping my body flexible and healthy, and I discovered Pilates.

How easy is Pilates to learn for the complete beginner?

The beauty of Pilates is its simplicity and versatility.

Essentially it is a gentle form of exercise that is constantly adjusted and moulded to suit the particular needs of the individual.

For the complete beginner, it is important to go to a good qualified teacher who understands your condition.

Pilates is a subtle process and, like many effective exercise programmes, it requires time and focus in developing a mind-body awareness. Rather than instant gratification or a quick-fix, it bears gradual profound benefits over time.

Your new book Curves, Twists and Bends looks at how scoliosis sufferers can benefit from the practice of Pilates. How can Pilates complement traditional rehabilitation medicine?

Whether individuals have opted for surgery or not, it is vital that people with scoliosis (particularly severe curvatures) keep the spine and body as healthy, supple and lengthened as possible.

Pilates provides gentle exercises that can help improve flexibility, posture and alignment, and lengthening.

Pilates can be particularly useful for scoliosis, by teaching how to move and engage separate muscle groups. This can help tease out asymmetrical patterns of muscle use, encouraging the strengthening of weak underdeveloped muscles, and breaking down the dominant bossy muscles which develop on one side of the torso.

While surgery focuses on straightening out the spinal curvature, it is important to highlight that Pilates exercises are not designed to restructure the spine. Their purpose is to encourage flexibility and length, and enable the body and spine to be as healthy and supple as possible. As such, Pilates is suited to all people with scoliosis. The basic exercise movements can then be modified and developed more precisely to suit the particular shape of an individual curvature.

Your co-author Alan Herdman suggests that the message of Pilates is ‘Quality not Quantity’. How often would a typical scoliosis sufferer need to practice Pilates to feel the benefit?

Alan is right. Pilates requires you to be mindful and put time and effort into any programme, particularly if you’ve got scoliosis.

To get full effect and benefits, two to three times a week is a great start.

Including it as part of your everyday lifestyle is ideal.

There is no quick fix for scoliosis, and it’s good to put in consistent time and focus over the long term, learning and listening to your body.

In the book you look at different strategies for living with scoliosis. As a sufferer yourself, what is the best advice you can give to other people living with this condition?

First, accept your scoliosis and recognise that it makes you unique. It is a symbol of your individuality.

Get information about your curvature, so that you understand and are aware of what your scoliosis involves (e.g. location, size and type of curve).

You should explore options available for treating your scoliosis and keeping your body strong, lengthened and flexible.

It’s important to make yourself a health care plan for life, including adequate rest, a healthy diet, and a gentle regular exercise routine to keep the body as supple and healthy as possible.

Think length. It’s wise to avoid movements and circumstances which jolt or compress the spine.

In short, let go and listen to your body. Accept, observe and explore your condition with curiosity.

(c) Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010

This article was first published in the Singing Dragon Newsletter in October 2009

Possibly related books:

,,

Related articles:

• Early diagnosis of scoliosis can prevent surgery later, By Chris Zdeb, Montreal Gazette, June 21, 2010
• Scoliosis, Curvature of the Spine, by Courtney Norris, The Pilates Edge, January 6, 2010
• The Pilates Bookshelf: Curves, Twists and Bends: A Practical Guide to Pilates for Scoliosis [Book Review], By Alexa Thorson, Pilates-pro.com, November 11, 2009

[Interview] Bryony Rheam

Bryony Rheam is a Zimbabwean writer.

Her short stories have been featured in anthologies that include Short Writings from Bulawayo I, II and III; Long Time Coming: Short Writings from Zimbabwe (‘amaBooks, 2008); Laughing Now (Weaver Press, 2007), and Women Writing Zimbabwe (Weaver Press, 2008).

Her first novel, This September Sun was released from 'amaBooks in 2009.

In this interview, Bryony Ream talks about her writing:

How would you describe your novel, This September Sun?

This September Sun is a mystery/romance novel. It may have a deeper meaning and could be read as having post-colonial undercurrents, but that was not the main reason why I wrote it.

It's about a young girl growing up in Zimbabwe who longs for a more exciting life elsewhere. She returns to Zimbabwe from the UK when her grandmother is murdered and is forced to face some hard truths about her family history.

The novel begins on the day Zimbabwe gets its Independence from Britain and it charts the changes, both good and bad in Zimbabwe over the next 25 or so years.

The main character, Ellie, struggles to find an identity for herself in a country where she feels increasingly sidelined. She never really feels she fits in in Britain either.

What would you say was the aim behind your writing the novel?

To tell a story.

Perhaps also to express something of myself. I'm very much like Ellie - I don't feel I fit in anywhere in particular.

Who is your target audience?

I suppose it would be Zimbabweans of my age group, but it seems to have appealed to a wide range of people of varying age groups and racial backgrounds.

I do feel my own age group and those younger than me don't really have a 'voice' which represents us. A lot of Zimbabwean writing has centred on the war, but if you were born within the last 35 years, the war doesn't have so much relevance.

For people of my generation, we tended to be brought up on stories of the war and I feel the older generation want to hang on to the bitterness and loss associated with it ... It holds you back from looking forward and living in a present which isn't weighed down with racial politics ... I think my generation would like to live 'normal' lives, not worrying about the legacy of the past.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

Many people think that This September Sun is a true story, but it isn't.

I do draw on personal experience, but can quite honestly say that no event is absolutely true in the novel and no character is a true copy of someone I have met in real life.

Which authors influenced you most?

I think Graham Greene and Virginia Woolf.

I love the way Greene writes a story that indirectly raises lots of philosophical questions. I like the stream of consciousness style of writing of Woolf's and how the smallest things have the greatest significance.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My main concern is to tell a good story, one that makes you think and one that you get so involved in, that the characters live on beyond the closed book. I don't want to get bogged down with delivering a specific message.

I really enjoy writing and feel such a sense of accomplishment when I have finished something.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

At the moment, I have a full-time job and two young children. There isn't much time for writing in my life!

I also feel that the western publishing world is suspicious of white fiction writers from Africa. It would be easier for me to write my memoirs!

I think that western publishers feel that white writers cannot possibly give an 'authentic' view of Africa. The West tends to see famine, wars and AIDS as 'Africa' and feel uncomfortable about publishing stories of middle class people who are not struggling to survive.

I think this is because the West still carries the 'white man's guilt'. They also have a certain idea of Africa and want that image to be fulfilled.

I actually find African readers and publishers far more sympathetic. I have been really pleased to receive so many positive comments about my writing from black readers.

When did you start writing?

Ever since I was a child I've been writing something.

I stilll have a little book of stories that I wrote when I was about 11 about a dog called Merlin. I always dreamed of being published and used to send stories off to various publishing houses which, of course, were turned down at that stage.

I started writing short stories in my early 20s. At the end of 2002, I saw 'amaBooks' advert looking for short stories for their first anthology, Short Writings from Bulawayo, and I sent off "The Queue", a story I had started writing a couple of years earlier.

"The Queue" is about an elderly white woman who cannot cope with the circumstances in which she is living. She has to deal with petrol queues, rapid inflation and just the general difficulty of living in Zimbabwe if you have little money. She thinks back on her life and tries to come to terms with her loneliness - her son lives in Australia and her husband is in a home as he has Alzheimer's. The story ends with the woman's death.

Do you write everyday?

I wish I did!

I write very erratically.

I lack discipline, I'm afraid!

What motivated you to start and keep working on This September Sun?

I was in London having a conversation with two friends. One of them happened to mention that at Independence, the British flag was burned at Brady Barracks. Thus, the first line was born!

After that I joined a writing group. It was great having a weekly deadline to meet. I am not very disciplined on my own though and after I left Singapore, which is where I had joined the writing group, I became lazy and wouldn't write as often.

It was only when my daughter was born that I began to write again - every time she went to sleep! I did a lot then and then I had a couple of weeks when I was by myself and I used to sit for hours and write. I was determined to finish it.

It took me about 10 years to write the novel.

The parts of the novel which are set in the 1940s and 50s were the hardest to write as I had to get all the historical details correct. I did a lot of research to get them right.

I actually enjoyed the research the most as I really loved hearing all the interesting stories people had to tell. I learnt a lot - like the fact that you could buy wonderful ice cream in Abyssinia during the Second World War!

The novel was published in Bulawayo at the end of 2009. I knew Jane and Brian of 'amaBooks as they had published my short stories previously.

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

My short stories deal more directly with the political situation in Zimbabwe, whereas the political situation is more in the background in my novel.

The novel is similar to the short stories in that it's about relationships between people and how we are all products of our environment.

How would you compare writing short stories to writing novels? Is the process the same?

It's completely different, although I still have to manage to write a short short story - I tend to write rather long ones!

It's easier to write the short stories because you can get to 'the point' more easily.

What will your next book be about?

It's going to be a murder, also set in Bulawayo, but this time it's a murder that will have to be investigated and the murderer discovered.

How many books have you written so far?

Just the one book, This September Sun, published by 'amaBooks in 2009.

I've also had short stories published in the following anthologies:

• Short Writings from Bulawayo ('amaBooks, 2003);
• Short Writings from Bulawayo II ('amaBooks, 2005);
• Short Writings from Bulawayo III ('amaBooks, 2006);
• Long Time Coming: Short Writings from Zimbabwe ('amaBooks, 2008);
• Laughing Now (Weaver Press, 2007), and
• Women Writing Zimbabwe (Weaver Press, 2008).

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

Having This September Sun published. It was a major achievement for me!

Possibly related books:

,,

Related articles:

• A Conversation With Alexander McCall Smith, by Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, The Atlantic, June 12, 2010
• In Conversation: Irene Sabatini, by Belinda Otas, Belindaotas.com, June 10, 2010
• Lawrence Hoba [Interview], Conversations with Writers, February 6, 2010