An actual website

So I didn't update the blog yesterday with an interview... because I posted it to my website.  Like, with a domain name and everything.  Feel free to check it out heathercmyers.com  It has my writings, a quick bio page, and tons of interviews.  I just posted an interview with popular self-published author, Krista Lakes and have sent interview questions (after they agreed!) to Erin Bowman (author of Taken), Marissa Meyer (author of The Lunar Chronicles), and more.

I wanted a website that looked professional and organized, as well as unique to my taste.  Thanks to the insistence of my boyfriend, we came up with heathercmyers.com  That picture is actually mine I took while I was in Hawaii.

Please check it out, tell me what you think.  If you're interested in being interviewed, feel free to fill out the form and send it to me.

I sincerely hope you enjoy it because it's something I'm really proud of.

Aspiring Writers Series Interview #2: Padmini Muraletharen

I hope everyone had an amazing weekend!  I've gotten a tremendous amount of responses for Awaken - either 4 or 5 star reviews.  You can purchase your copy for $2.99 here (Amazon) or here (B&N).  Also, if you're still looking for that perfect beach read, Four Sides of a Triangle  for $1.99 here (Amazon) or here (B&N).  Already read it?  Tell your friends!

On a personal level, I've got some major life changes coming up.  I can't share anything with you yet, but once I can, I will.  It's pretty huge.  But has absolutely nothing to do with writing.  So there you go.

Next up on our Aspiring Writers Series is Padmini Muraletharen.  Check back here tomorrow for our third interview.  Again, if you're a writer and want a unique way to promote your work, email me at heather.myers@ymail.com with the subject INTERVIEW and I'd be happy to interview you for this series!

Please tell us a little about yourself (if you can provide a picture, feel free to do so).

My name is Padmini. I’m turning 18 soon and I’m going to be a senior. I’m a total Florida child,
never even seen snow. I’ve been writing since I was about 14 years old. I love learning anything new. I’m not sure what I want to study in college. I was sure I wanted to study medicine since I was little, and now in the last year of high school, I’m not so sure anymore. So many things interest me and want to do a lot of different things. My list of dreams and careers I wish I could have is crazy. I love talking a lot and I do debate. I like to think I'm the typical Sagittarius. I like deep thinking, I love learning and understanding, storytelling thrills me, I love adventure, and I'm brutally honest.

What type of books do you like to read? What type if books do you like to write?

My favorite type of book to read and write is romance. It can be from any genre but there has to be some kind of romance. Anything I write will always have romance and that’s what I look for to read too. I won’t ever read horror books or anything sad. I love cliché plots as long as the author makes it very distinct and interesting with a stand out style of writing. I read fantasy and suspense too. I’m pretty picky with what I read. The writing itself has to be great and I have to fall in love with the characters mainly.

What are your top 3 books? What are your top 3 authors?

No matter what books I love –and I can love them a lot- but Harry Potter will always be at the top. I just absolutely love everything about it. I grew up with it, and that’ll always be the favorite in the background. J.K. Rowling is my favorite author. It blows my mind that she wrote this huge intricate series with its own universe and all the planning she put into it that’s not even mentioned in the books. It was pretty amazing that she kept track of all of that and tied everything up so perfectly in the end. I don’t think I’ve ever been so attached to a set of characters since Harry Potter. My other favorite author is L.J. Smith who wrote the Night World series and The Vampire Diaries series. Night World is one of my favorites because it’s also so extensive and has a lot of awesome well developed characters. Then there are a lot of different authors and books I love on Wattpad.

What inspires you to write?

Reading epic kind of stories like the Harry Potter series really inspires me. It’s always astounded me that authors can create such well thought out elaborate and detailed worlds for their characters. I’ve wished since I was little that someday, I can write something of that caliber too. The main thing that inspires me is characters kind of forming in my head. The things they would do or say, their personalities and attitudes, and their stories. Once a character, an idea for a story, or even a few words pop up in my head, I have to write them down and develop them. That usually inspires the rest.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?

I wasn’t sure what a pantser was, but based on what I looked up, I would be more of a pantser. I come up with a few things and run on that. I’m a bit of a planner too, even though I don’t plan a lot. I think of different plot lines and I really plan characters, their pasts, and possible scenes, but I don’t make outlines or anything.

What time of day do you write?

I usually write really late at night after everyone has gone to bed. I stay up pretty late, and I always feel most creative after midnight. It’s easier to think when I’m alone and it’s pretty relaxing to just sit down and write after a long day. If I’m doing something during the day that makes me think of a good scene or just a few words, I’ll write them down.

What tool do you normally write with? (A pen, computer, phone, etc.)

Most of my writing is done on my computer because it’s more convenient. I have Dropbox on my computers and tablet, so I can continue writing anywhere. I also have a few documents meant for just small bits and pieces of writing that don’t necessarily belong to any story yet. So if I feel inspired and just have to write, I can add to those wherever I am, even if it’s just one sentence at a time. Sometimes I’ll write a memo on my phone or scribble something on scratch paper that I’ll add in when I can. Then, when I’m writing, I can go back and stick the little excerpts in where they fit.

Have you ever dealt with writer's block? If so, how did you combat it?

I’ve had a lot of writer’s block in the past. I come up with characters and concepts to base stories off of. I can write descriptively, so I don’t have a problem with writing scenes as much as I do with filling the blanks in a plot. I don’t write linearly. I know the idea of the story, characters and what they go through as people, and where they end up. So, I can write the beginning, the end, and lots of scenes throughout that develop the story and characters. Sometimes, I don’t even know the whole plot or exactly what happens to the characters in between. To handle it, I usually just wait until something comes to me or I may throw around ideas with my best friends to come up with something.

 Please tell us a little bit about your work.

I write a few stories at the same time. I write adventure and fantasy books that always have romance. I’m mainly working on two books write now. Hopefully, they’ll both be part of two different series. One is about this girl Holly who’s training to be a CIA agent and Ash who’s this CIA legend that has to train her. The other one is about Hallie, who works for this huge company. She and her young boss Alex have a love hate relationship. She finds out some huge news about him and that kind of changes everything. That one turns into a fantasy romance and they go on this quest to kind of save the world.

 Where did you get your idea for this story?

The story about the spy, I started writing when I was 13 or 14. I’ve always loved the whole spy, assassin, con artist theme and so it just came out. The other one, I wrote about two years ago as an assignment. I’m a big procrastinator so I started writing about the first idea that I came up with the day before it was due. After, I kept working on it and I just wanted to turn the short story to a series where I could continue it in a fantasy setting.

What challenges have you faced with writing this story?

The biggest challenge was coming up with the plot. No plot or adventure for the characters seemed big enough or just right. I’m a big perfectionist so I wasn’t satisfied with a lot of parts. I write scenes and dialogue that I have to work around. I had a lot of trouble writing the middle and connecting the scenes.

Who is your favorite character to write?

The guys are always my favorite to write. Ash, the CIA agent and Alex, the horrible boss are my favorite. Both are guys that start out as jerks and then you get to find out that they’re really good people. They’re the kind of guys that are a little damaged and have all these layers, and when they actually do something nice, it’s really fun to write.

What type of romantic relationship do you like to read? (Hate/love, best friend, forbidden, etc.) is it the same type you like to write? Why or why not?

I love any romantic relationship where the guy and girl have a lot of really witty banter and don’t get along in the beginning. Love hate relationships are the best because the reader can see the characters fall for each other. Heroes or anti-heroes that change into a nice guy in the end are the best kinds. The longer the hero and heroine take to get together, the better the story because tension and excitement build up.  I love the forbidden romance stories too.

What draws you to a book (to read)?

A plot that sounds really interesting and a description that’s intriguing gets my attention. When I first start reading, the way it’s written and if it’s well told draws me in. The author has to have a great style of writing. Very well written, life like characters also draw me to books. Characters that are very witty and clever.

What characteristics do you look for in your ideal heroine? Your ideal hero? Are they the same characteristics you employ when you write your heroine and your hero? Why or why not?

I like heroines that are very witty and clever. Ones that can stand up to other characters and are strong and brave but a little clumsy and unsure at the same time. The hero should be cool and indifferent at first, interesting, brave, daring, and protective. He can be very rude, confident, and rough around the edges but has to be caring, thoughtful, and deep at heart. I try to make most of my characters fit these qualities because it’s always fun to unravel these conflicting contradicting traits in a character.

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading a bunch of different books on Wattpad right now. The one I look forward to reading most is the Death is my BFF series by katrocks247 which is about this girl Faith and the grim reaper, and Saving Elliot by northbynorth.

Finally, what are the ingredients to your favorite book? (A dose of action, a splash of romance, etc.)

Definitely romance, adventure, lots of action, banter, really ingenious diction, and charming attractive characters.

 

 

Aspiring Writers Series Interview #1: Ksenia Anske

Happy August everybody!  If you weren't already aware, I want to turn this month into the month of Aspiring Writers.  Basically, I want to interview a whole group of people who are still writing, have stuff on Fictionpress/Fanfiction.net, who have self-published, or have published something.  If you're a writer, I want to email you.  Please email me at heather.myers@ymail.com with the subject line Interview, and I'd be happy to conduct one with you.

Today, our first interviewee is Ksenia Anske.  You'll find out all about her, her writing style, how she accumulated over 63,000 followers on twitter, and advice she has about the self-publishing industry.  Interested?  I thought so!  Let's jump right in!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm both, I think, though leaning towards pantser now. I have plotted SIREN SUICIDES, my first novel, extensively, but then had to abandon most of the structure while writing it, because the story changed. With ROSEHEAD, my second novel, I didn't plan anything at all, having only one clear image in my head and writing on the whim. I think I will do this style of writing from now on, it gives me more creative freedom.

What inspires you to write?

I have lived through so many both horrible and amazing things in my life, that I can spend the rest of my life in my room, writing. I've had a turbulent and often violent childhood in Soviet Union. My father physically and sexually abused me, so I ran away from home at sixteen, got pregnant at seventeen, became a mother at eighteen, married, divorced, married again, divorced again. I witnessed a murder, had lost a family member to brutal murder, have been chased, escaped, and ultimately left country to come to US fifteen years ago, and learned English here. My first attempt to write down my stories manifested itself in the form of a diary, I was fifteen years old. Since then, I've been trying to find a medium that felt like it fit me like an old worn leather glove. I did poems, short stories, screenplays, flash fiction, even tried a memoir, and finally ended up loving the novel format. It just felt like home. My novels are based on my life experiences, they inspire me to write.

How do you get in the mindset to write?

I adhere to a very rigid schedule, you can read more about it here: http://www.kseniaanske.com/blog/2012/12/19/let-your-novel-thrive-in-schedule-numbers-and-routine.html Basically, I have a routine that I follow, and as long as I follow it, I'm in the mood for writing when I sit down in my room, close the door, shut down all browser windows except my Pandora radio, turn off my phone, and start writing. I don't let myself out until I have either written for four hours, or have written at least 2,000 words. This way, it takes me about six to eight weeks to complete a novel draft.

What do you like to write?

Fantasy. I loved fantasy every since I learned how to read. Fantasy was in such short supply in my childhood, that I escaped into my head, creating fantastical worlds, and fed them by reading books that mad magical elements, like fairy tales, for example. Fantasy is an amazing genre, you can write about any truth, but you shroud it in fiction and in made-up bizarre plots that let you get away with things that normally would be too hard for people to read.

What made you choose the self-publishing route? 

I have had several agents approach me, and has two small publishers interested in my first novel, after I contacted them, but it took the agents to get back to me several months, and I have learned that the publishing process will take up to two years. I have already about 300 beta readers, and many of them are eager to get their hands on the finished published paper copy, so I have decided to bypass traditional route and publish myself. It's faster, I have complete control over the book cover, interior design, formatting, and other little things that make a book beautiful. Plus, I decided to spend my time writing more books instead of spending it on writing query letters and researching agents, publishing houses and the like.

What advice do you have for readers who want to take that route? Any do's and don'ts?

Do's - do it, do it all yourself, every step of the way. In today's market even if you are traditionally published, you still have to do a lot of heavy lifting yourself, marketing in particular. Because you will be doing it yourself, take your time how to learn it properly, from editing to formatting to picking the right font to designing covers to... you get the idea. Seek professional help, if you can afford it, if not, take your time to learn it. Don'ts - don't assume that once you've written a couple drafts, they are ready to be published. It takes a lot of time and effort to produce a book that is readable. Don't publish your book until it's ready. Especially take great care with your first book. People will be judging you by it, and if you burn a reader once, a reader will hardly ever pick up another book written by you.

You've sold an amazing amount of books for being self-published. When you first started off, how did you advertise your work? Any tips on advertising/promoting your book?

I haven't sold much yet, actually, only my little book of tweets, BLUE SPARROW, as SIREN SUICIDES, my first novel, will be published in the next couple of weeks. I have started building a community or writers and readers mostly on Twitter, tweeting about my writing process, my successes, and my failures as a first time novelist. I have now a little over 63,000 followers, and it's a result of daily work for a year. Tips? Be yourself. Don't shove your book under people's noses, rather, share what is happening in your writerly life, it will get other people to relate and want to find out more.

Was success overnight or did it come gradually?

There is no such thing as an overnight success. It might seem so to the public, but usually there are years and years of hard work behind that hardly anyone saw, except family and friends of the writer. I have been carrying my first novel story idea for five years in my head, starting on it, abandoning it, starting again, until on third try I wrote it all the way. Without these years it wouldn't have had enough time to gestate and to form, although on the outside I wasn't working on it, it was mostly cooking in the background in my mind. In this way, when it's published, it will be the result of five years of work as opposed to only one year that I have been actually writing it.

Tell us about your latest project and how you came up with the idea for it?

ROSEHEAD is my second novel. I have finished first draft several weeks ago and am starting second draft next week. The story has been inspired by one of my phone calls back to Russia, to talk to my mom. You see, because I came out of the family where horrible violence was an every day occurrence, on the background of poverty and neglect, I tried to shield myself from it my entire life. I only call my mother occasionally, when I know I'm able to digest her stories and still function (usually I break down for a whole day). This time it was a story of her father pouring boiling water on her when she came to visit. He is not right in his head anymore, but still, the story shocked me. I woke up one morning from a dream of a man luring women into his house, scalding them with hot water on purpose, and then killing them and burying them in his garden. ROSEHEAD grew out of this. It's a story about a twelve year old girl, Lilith Bloom, who with the help of her talking pet whippet Panther discovers what exactly her grandfather is feeding to his rose garden.

When will it be available for purchase?

ROSEHEAD? You can pre-order it here now: http://www.kseniaanske.com/books/rosehead, but I think I will publish it closer to October of this year.

Where can we find other works of yours available for purchase?

All of my books are available on my website:  http://www.kseniaanske.com/books/, but you can also buy them on Amazon as they become available: http://www.amazon.com/Ksenia-Anske/e/B00D3CSVTO.

 

BIO: Ksenia was born in Moscow, Russia, and came to US in 1998 not knowing English, having studied architecture and not dreaming that one day she'd be writing. SIREN SUICIDES, an urban fantasy set in Seattle, is her 1st novel. She lives in Seattle with her boyfriend and their combined 3 kids in a house on top of the hill that they like to call The Loony Bin.

Website: http://www.kseniaanske.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kseniaanske

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksenia.anske

Google+: https://plus.google.com/109572538028745590669/posts

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kseniaanske

Instagram: http://instagram.com/kseniaanske/