Song of the day: “Man down” by Rihanna. Following “Men in this town” by Shakira, which was haunting me since I woke up this morning. Hah.
I am totally drawing blanks at the moment, so don’t blame me if I mess this up. I have faint memories of all that happened in the past three or four days, but to organize them would take way too much time. I’m just going to write them down as they come and leave you to guess as to which happened when.
Easiest memory of all is of course today, which was not only wet with rain and hail, but also freaky cold for as far as I’m concerned. I’m thinking low thirties, and I am not a happy camper. Seriously, my feet are all tingly because they felt frostbitten most of the day. Grrr. I am sitting in front of the stove now, though (about one foot away, hah) so I am gradually defrosting.
Another thing I’m most unhappy about at the moment is that for the past three days in a row, we have been forced to get out of the house every single afternoon. Seriously, it is enough o drive me bonkers. And if it were over now it would be fine, but nope, the fun goes on. Monday we’ve got to bring the car to the MOT, the next day I’ve got to head to the doctor’s to pick up my new insoles (please let them be done, my feet have been effing killing me for days now…seriously, I’m considering just chopping them off and getting it over with. It’s like walking on glass with bare feet for crying out loud!) And after that it is the day of days, the most splendid event of the month. Grocery shopping day. I am psyched, I assure you. *snort*
Okay, what else? There was the burning of six reed mats, which used to lie rotting in the yard. I finally had enough of them, got the big barrel down from storage and lit the whole lot up. It took a while, but finally the mats were gone, leaving nothing behind but half a barrel of charred remains that will serve as excellent fertilizer. Yay. The dogs loved this little venture seeing as it was cold out. They were all snoozing in a three feet radius, regardless of the rocky ground under them. I would have taken a picture but I didn’t get my phone back until this afternoon. Hah.
There were two kickboxing workouts. One went splendidly, the other only so-so. The wind was gone, though, so that made both rather pleasurable in my estimation. Nothing like standing on the terrace overlooking the valley (working out) while the sun comes up and crawls over the hills and valleys with fingers of gold.
Since four days past there were three mornings spent in the yard. We had to water (hopefully it will rain enough to fill the half-full basin again) the terraces on all occasions, in particular the newly sowed fields and the smaller seedlings.
I chased, hunted and killed bugs. The little buggers are extremely good at hiding, but I’m onto them *ponderous laugh* and will persevere.
Harvested a nice batch of broccoli, and yesterday two big bushels of kale which I bundled up with celery and fresh herbs to bring on over to the vet with a couple of pumpkins. She was most appreciative, also because we were there to pay for the latest operation (Amos had a hysterectomy, and there was still Amri to pay for, too). Her assistant was out, however. A family emergency.
One of the trips was heading to tow drop of mom’s computer at the computer repair shop, another was to pick it up…along with the one for little sister, both of them fixed, thankfully.
Since we were in town anyway, we went past the garage as well. The other day we detected a disturbing sound in the Land Rover engine, so we had the mechanic check. He couldn’t find anything, and that was reassuring at least. Best case scenario we heard something that isn’t different at all, just something we never noticed before. Hah.
The jackhammer! I worked with the jackhammer the other day…why did I…oh right. Now I remember. I had to take the ramp out of grandpa’s doorway. It was solid concrete and he asked me to do it so he could start mixing concrete for his new floor.
A long afternoon was spent up in the old horse paddock. There cousin Ed, Dani and I puzzled with tiles for several hours, coming up with a proper pattern for grandpa’s kitchen. At the same time grandpa and big brother were pouring concrete in the same kitchen, removing the knotted old concrete floor and making it smooth for tiling.
It took a while, and five different patterns to come up with a proper solution, but when we did we figured out a pattern and coloring that worked to everyone’s satisfaction. An apricot and white checker pattern in the dining area and a big L of soft yellow tiles in front of the kitchen counter and from the door. Gawd, for a while I thought we were never going to agree…in particular not with grandpa who can be really picky about such things.
Cousin Ed and I unloaded thirty bags of cement from the car, storing them behind my cabin for easy use. And at another time we unloaded groceries (several boxes of fruit juice, so we won’t have to get them on Tuesday) which were the result of a fruitless trip towards a different town than usual because we had to check if a certain sale was there. It wasn’t, darn it.
Oh yes, the argument with big brother. Seriously, I was this close to doing him some serious damage. He was going through a car scene and suddenly decided that this would be a good scene to take out, so we could put back the attack scene that we took out a couple of weeks ago. I was like, “WHAT?” You can’t take this one out, it’s vital, while the attack scene was a mistake I realized I’d made after I wrote it. Also, there was a certain point during the edit where big brother got all huffy and asked “Why did you do this that way?”
I ground my teeth and slowly turned my head to look at him. “What always makes you think that I do anything for any reason. This is a first edit. I wrote this in one session without conscious thought, just following the story as it developed. There’s no thought process involved, thank you very much.”
At which point he abated and gave up being huffy in favor of thinking along while we tried to find a solution to the sentence structure he found offensive, for some reason. Grrrr.
Seriously, though. I might complain a lot, but I do know that the edits are vital. With every edit we do, the story gets a little better. It is just a question of getting through the process without committing homicide. Hah.
I distinctly remember hauling stuff, which includes rubble, and several slabs of heavy marble, which will be part of my future outside kitchen, thank you very much. One was almost too big for carrying, but what the heck. The storage area is sure starting to look much better. All the messy plastic stuff is gone (had several garbage runs over the past couple of days), the tiles are all gathered in one corner on pallets and tables and the wood is neatly piled. Heck, some day we might actually look respectable up there. Hah.
Sally is having some health problems. She fears cancer, but the doctors can’t find anything so it is all just a matter of getting stressed out about the what ifs. I understand the reason, but I also know that stress is not going to help her. Ah well, none of my business, right?
There were several hours spent in the kitchen, making paneer and ghee (the latter took ages, but was well worth it). Since I was standing in the kitchen anyway for one, I figured I might as well make the other too. And since this was taking a long time anyway, I made dog food as well, figuring our little darlings needed a treat for a change. Afterwards I fled into the yard, thank you very much.
I did take an hour or so last night to get fully up to date with personal messages. I’d been postponing forever and ever, meaning that I was a handful of letters behind, which I went through ASAP before continuing on to the daily edit. Was nice to get that done at last…along with getting up to date on old friendships.
Grandpa is really happy with his new pocket watch. The other day I came up to his bungalow he asked, eyes shiny, “Do you know what time it is? I do!” and proceeded show how well it had dried and saying how much he liked it. Very gratifying, that.
Tenant is a little sleepy the past few days. Winter tends to do that to her, really. She’ll doze in her chair a lot, won’t want to go out to get a breath of fresh air, which makes it worse, of course. Ah well. Those are her choices to make, naturally.
And that is about the limit of my memories of the past couple of days. I’ve got an edit to do, a bed to visit, because let’s face it, the time is just past ten and it’s already luring me. Hah. Gotta go.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Interviewing C.S. Marks
So the time is here, the complete shift of our usual routine here on the blog.
No talk about daily stuff; whining about edits, discussions about grammar and whether or not a scene fits in the plot or not, (big brother and I got into a heated one again the other day. Seriously it was bad, I wanted to conk him on the head with a blunt instrument again…okay, I won’t spill the beans now, but save it for later) but a fun interview with Christine S. Marks, who recently signed on with Sea Lion Books and will have her book “Elfhunter” coming out sometime this spring. Yay.
I’ll be doing a review at that time, thank you very much, and will be looking forward to see what changes have been made.
I hear you wonder, who the heck is Chris Marks? (although, if you’ve been following for a bit you will have at some point read the way-too-long review I did for her) No worries, the questions down here are going to satisfy at least a bit of your curiosity. And who knows, you might be so wowed that you’ll end up buying the book. Hah.
Right. Is that enough yapping from me, or shall I set the scene a little? Hmmm...
Let’s pretend I actually traveled to the States for this little chat, okay. (a girl can dream, right?) I met with Marks…Chris at a nice little pub where a cozy fire burned high in an old hearth. There’s a faint scent of peat in the air, and my Whiskey is golden while her ale…or shall we say mead? (she has a thing with honey...but you'll have to read the book to figure out what it is, hah) is warm.
There’s snow outside, there are a couple of dogs under the table that we occupy, and there’s a burr of other patrons enjoying a quiet evening out. Polished wood galore, and my chair is just a tad wobbly. Let's just say it added to the atmosphere. Hah.
Pen poised, recorder taping, and a secret camera set in the corner…this is what I got for my efforts...
(Aren’t the ears fun?)
We share a toast (gotta lull them with a false sense of safety *chortle*) and then I hit her with the first question...no, no, no actual hitting. Jeez! Have a little faith. *sigh*
Well anyway, plied with liquor, the atmosphere relaxed we got started. Just to be nice, I decided to go with an easy question: “Christine S. Marks: Renaissance woman, educator, writer, competitive horse rider and so on and on. This is how your bio describes you. Deep down, if you had to describe yourself in a single sentence, what would you say? Don’t think about it, just say the first thing that pops up. Who is Chris in one sentence?”
CHRIS: You know that guy, Voldemort? I’m who he runs from.
ME: “Alterra: The world that is”, in your biography you state that the Elfhunter trilogy is dedicated to your father, whose roots in literature clearly left a strong imprint on you. Can you tell us something about how the idea of Elfhunter came into existence?
CHRIS: Welll...it started as a short story involving four protagonists and a really cool villain. The really cool villain forced me to continue until I had told the entire story to his satisfaction (three volumes later). Trust me...I had to do it! Seriously, though, a guy like Gorgon gets into your head and you just have to keep going. Alterra is merely a setting for his story. Elfhunter is much more about characters than it is about world-building.
ME: One cannot help being reminded of Lord of the Rings while reading about Alterra, the world you have created. Do you mind the comparison?
CHRIS: Not at all. I’ve never denied the profound influence Tolkien had on my perception of fantasy. Readers will notice both Middle Earth and Alterra are earth-like, pre-industrialized worlds, and that Alterra is populated with some of the beloved fantasy ‘tropes‘ (elves, trolls, and so on) that Tolkien established. However, the story and characters are quite different. There are many unique aspects of Alterra with respect to magic, cosmology, and ecology (after all--Alterra was imagined by a biologist), but it’s the story and the characters who carry it out that are most important.
ME: Have you always wanted to be a writer, or is it something that just happened over the years?
CHRIS: Honestly, I’ve always loved reading and have appreciated the gifts a good storyteller can provide. I also have always enjoyed writing, but I never really imagined myself as a ‘writer’ until recently. My Dad was the writer; I was the scientist. I have written quite a lot of stuff over the years (mostly fantasy and some nonfiction, but also romance...I even tried my hand at erotica once on a dare). I’ve never had anything published until Elfhunter.
ME: Through the years, who has been your staunchest supporter?
CHRIS: Without a doubt, my husband, Jeff. He deserves a great deal of credit, as I’m probably not the easiest person to live with (especially when I’m really stuck into writing). He’s been there through every nail-biting moment, every bad review, and every major edit. Second place might have to go to Wally, the corgi, whose support has been unwavering for the past decade.
ME: Your characters are very detailed and specifically defined. Are any of them based on people in real life?
CHRIS: Some are, yes. I will say no more, lest my friends start trying to ‘find themselves’ and worry about whether I based Gorgon on them. ;-)
ME: Gaelen Taldin: Your main character is a temperamental, loyal and quite outspoken little spitfire. Any similarities between her and yourself?
CHRIS: At the college where I teach, I am known for being outspoken, independent, and non-political. I have always gone my own way as a pragmatic non-conformist who isn’t afraid to dream and be creative. Those are all Gaelen-like characteristics. I also know when I’m right, dangit! There’s a lot of me in Fima, the Dwarf, as well. I tend to express my world view through those two characters. I will say, though, that Gaelen sings better than I do. Physically, I’m a lot more like Fima (except for the beard, though at my age I won’t always be able to rule that out, either).
ME: Who is your favorite author?
CHRIS: I love Tolkien. For me, his writing is the essence of what high fantasy should be. I have always enjoyed Stephen King, too. The Stand and The Talisman are brilliant. On the gentler side, I love James Herriot and Richard Adams.
ME: Your passion for fantasy is apparent in your work. Any other genres that you might try your hand at in the future?
CHRIS: I have always wanted to write a light-hearted collection of essays dealing with graduate school, endurance riding, and college teaching . I have lived through some hilarious experiences--and some are quite unusual, such as riding the Australian National Championship hundred-mile race. One of these days, maybe.
ME: As a formerly self-published author, you’ve been at the helm (basically) on your own for years. How does it feel to have a full-fledged publishing house backing you up now? Are you enjoying the process?
CHRIS: Oh, my, yes! It’s wonderful to be a part of a team of professionals. I have a top-notch agent ‘watching my back’, an illustrator to die for, a savvy marketing team, and a creative publisher who’s committed to our mutual success. What’s not to like? And, have I mentioned that I love my new editor? She’s one of the best around, she is unbelievably perceptive, and I know we can take Elfhunter to a whole new level. The learning opportunity alone is invaluable to me as a writer.
I will say that I have not regretted my choice to self-publish, and that being ‘at the helm’ was not a bad place to be. I had no one to blame (or credit) for my failure or success. That said, I could only go so far with the project on my own--now there are doors opening that were closed before.
ME: So much has been changing in the publishing world. How do you, one of the success stories of self-publishing, think it’s going to go? Self-publishing: A fad, or here to stay?
CHRIS: Here to stay, but in a state of flux right now. Self-publishing is a more viable choice than it has ever been before, and I believe it will gain even more respect as a legitimate publishing path in the future. However, those authors who are unwilling to make the investment in the quality of their work will soon fall by the wayside. Quality ‘indies’ will be able to vie with the traditionally-published--some are doing so already--and those authors will draw the attention of not only the readers, but the industry as a whole. That’s a major shift, imo.
ME: How did your transfer to Sea Lion Publishing come about?
CHRIS: This is such a cool question, because it illustrates the idea that ‘you just never know’ what chain of events will lead to something wonderful. The short version: Two bloggers happened to be blogging (as bloggers are wont to do) about Elfhunter at the same time. One of the execs at SLB (their marketing chief, actually) happens to follow those blogs. Because he saw the same book on both of them (fortunately, both bloggers were very positive about the book) he checked into it. He went to Amazon, read the reviews from readers, and read the sample. The rest, as they say, is history. I owe my good fortune to those two bloggers, whoever they may be. You just never know.
ME: You’ve always been an avid, albeit modest and tasteful promoter of your work. Is that going to change now, or will you be as passionate about it as ever?
CHRIS: I am passionate about everything I care for. I intend to remain modest and tasteful (thanks for that), but I stand ready for SLB whenever and wherever they need me.
ME: You’re a busy woman. You teach, write, do book tours, have horses, dogs, cats and a significant other: How do you find time for it all?
CHRIS: I can blame several of my grey hairs on this. Thankfully, both my husband and employer are understanding and supportive. I write at all hours--late nights, early mornings--whenever I can (it’s 3 a.m. here at the moment). I have simply resolved to make time for everything that’s important to me, as I’m not willing to give anything up. I’ll retire from the College one of these days, and that will free up some time, hopefully for writing! :-)
ME: Two choices: spending a day out on your favorite horse, riding across sunny, long stretching meadows. Or a day a day inside behind your computer, finally writing down that scene that has been bugging you for ages. What would you do?
CHRIS: Probably get up extra early so I could do BOTH. Riding relaxes me and prepares me for writing. I used to try to get a morning ride in before an exhaustive day of final exams, too. My grades were much better for it.
ME: Your writing process, what’s it like? One big exhausting marathon right until the end. A steady clip that will get you to the end in due time. Or none of the above.
CHRIS: I write according to the time I have available. When I’m ‘on it’, I write for long hours and work really hard. Sometimes my schedule will not permit me to write for several days, but I’ve been known to basically den up in my ‘writer cave’ for several days afterward. The end of Ravenshade was written in two days and nights of almost solid writing--I could not get the story down on paper fast enough! When I’m working on a deadline, I try to write steadily as time permits. Now I’m going through a major structural edit, and I have to work steadily or I won’t meet my deadline.
ME: What about your surroundings. Do you need absolute silence to concentrate on the world your are describing, or do you prefer a more chaotic atmosphere?
CHRIS: Don’t like chaos. I have a pair of noise-canceling headphones for those noisy days at home. I play the same five cds as background...the music automatically gets me into ‘writing mode’.
ME: You’ve had a heck of a week, not a moment to spare. All your obligations are taken care of, those you love are content, and you have one blissful hour of free time to do with what you will. What do you do?
CHRIS: Since I only have an hour, I will probably cosy up on the couch, having built a fire in the fireplace, and cuddle a dog or two.
ME: Any advice for the writers out there with “the dream”? Some words of divine wisdom?
CHRIS: I don’t have any divine wisdom, but if I had to dispense advice to aspiring authors it would be this:
--Write because you love it.
--Work hard at your craft, and strive always to become a better writer.
--Set realistic goals.
--Realize that publishing a quality work takes investment, both in the quality of the writing and in the presentation and promotion of the work.
--Be prepared to enlist the aid of cover artists/designers and editors to help you make your book as professional as it can be.
--Try not to compare yourself with other authors. Learn from them, but understand that your work is unique, your experience will be different, and ‘your mileage may vary’.
--Keep writing because you love it!
ME: A last one about Alterra: What’s next?
CHRIS: A new, exciting Alterran series is in the works! The first book has been written, the second is in process. It takes the characters in a whole new direction, exploring the world of Alterra as never before. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m really anxious to get on with the writing.
I’ve recently finished a novella that is going in the back of the new Elfhunter--a special treat for my readers.
Naturally, I am looking forward to the comic book and graphic novel series with eager anticipation. We should see the first stirrings in 2012.
(I snuck in a few extra, in case I needed to rearrange stuff…but then of course, Chris gave fun answers so I can’t leave them out, grrr. I had wanted to do "20 questions", darn it!)
ME: For your first publication you created the cover art yourself, and did a fine job of it. What do you think of the cover art done by Ms Hoover?
CHRIS: Well, thanks for that. Ms Hoover is a real pro, she has read the book (and loves it), and she quite obviously ‘gets’ the character. I could not ask for a better cover artist! I will admit that I am a bit wistful to see my interior illustrations go, though. I know the new ones will be on a whole new level, consistent with the upcoming graphic novel adaptations, and so I understand why I must bid farewell to the ‘old’.
ME: Rumors are you’re an expert filk performer. How did that come about?
CHRIS: Ha! I taught myself the guitar when I was eight. I have always loved writing silly songs, I have a decent voice, I love to sing...those are the characteristics of a filker, even though I didn’t know it at the time.
ME: For those who don’t know what a filk is, would you explain?
CHRIS: ‘Filk’ is a musical genre that often includes parody/humorous songs, but also serious ones, with a fantasy/scifi theme. Filkers are most often found at conventions, ‘holed up’ in a room together, playing and singing until sunrise. They will then drag their guitars back to their rooms and not emerge until noon. It’s tough to work an author table and filk all night, but sleep is for the weak and sickly. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.
That’s it. That’s all she wrote. I turn off the recorder, tuck away pen and paper, and slip the camera back into my purse. It was a wonderfully casual chat, I assured her, and as we exit the pub to head for our respective cars we give a cheery wave of goodbye.
*sigh*
Dontcha just love fantasy. Hah.
I am definitely looking forward to the new publication (I’ll keep you informed about that one) and was much appreciative of this opportunity to interview C.S. Marks, with what I hoped were at least some “genius” questions.
As or the normal routine of the blog…don’t worry, I’ll go all out and bring you all up to date next time ‘round. *snort*
No talk about daily stuff; whining about edits, discussions about grammar and whether or not a scene fits in the plot or not, (big brother and I got into a heated one again the other day. Seriously it was bad, I wanted to conk him on the head with a blunt instrument again…okay, I won’t spill the beans now, but save it for later) but a fun interview with Christine S. Marks, who recently signed on with Sea Lion Books and will have her book “Elfhunter” coming out sometime this spring. Yay.
I’ll be doing a review at that time, thank you very much, and will be looking forward to see what changes have been made.
I hear you wonder, who the heck is Chris Marks? (although, if you’ve been following for a bit you will have at some point read the way-too-long review I did for her) No worries, the questions down here are going to satisfy at least a bit of your curiosity. And who knows, you might be so wowed that you’ll end up buying the book. Hah.
Right. Is that enough yapping from me, or shall I set the scene a little? Hmmm...
Let’s pretend I actually traveled to the States for this little chat, okay. (a girl can dream, right?) I met with Marks…Chris at a nice little pub where a cozy fire burned high in an old hearth. There’s a faint scent of peat in the air, and my Whiskey is golden while her ale…or shall we say mead? (she has a thing with honey...but you'll have to read the book to figure out what it is, hah) is warm.
There’s snow outside, there are a couple of dogs under the table that we occupy, and there’s a burr of other patrons enjoying a quiet evening out. Polished wood galore, and my chair is just a tad wobbly. Let's just say it added to the atmosphere. Hah.
Pen poised, recorder taping, and a secret camera set in the corner…this is what I got for my efforts...
(Aren’t the ears fun?)
We share a toast (gotta lull them with a false sense of safety *chortle*) and then I hit her with the first question...no, no, no actual hitting. Jeez! Have a little faith. *sigh*
Well anyway, plied with liquor, the atmosphere relaxed we got started. Just to be nice, I decided to go with an easy question: “Christine S. Marks: Renaissance woman, educator, writer, competitive horse rider and so on and on. This is how your bio describes you. Deep down, if you had to describe yourself in a single sentence, what would you say? Don’t think about it, just say the first thing that pops up. Who is Chris in one sentence?”
CHRIS: You know that guy, Voldemort? I’m who he runs from.
ME: “Alterra: The world that is”, in your biography you state that the Elfhunter trilogy is dedicated to your father, whose roots in literature clearly left a strong imprint on you. Can you tell us something about how the idea of Elfhunter came into existence?
CHRIS: Welll...it started as a short story involving four protagonists and a really cool villain. The really cool villain forced me to continue until I had told the entire story to his satisfaction (three volumes later). Trust me...I had to do it! Seriously, though, a guy like Gorgon gets into your head and you just have to keep going. Alterra is merely a setting for his story. Elfhunter is much more about characters than it is about world-building.
ME: One cannot help being reminded of Lord of the Rings while reading about Alterra, the world you have created. Do you mind the comparison?
CHRIS: Not at all. I’ve never denied the profound influence Tolkien had on my perception of fantasy. Readers will notice both Middle Earth and Alterra are earth-like, pre-industrialized worlds, and that Alterra is populated with some of the beloved fantasy ‘tropes‘ (elves, trolls, and so on) that Tolkien established. However, the story and characters are quite different. There are many unique aspects of Alterra with respect to magic, cosmology, and ecology (after all--Alterra was imagined by a biologist), but it’s the story and the characters who carry it out that are most important.
ME: Have you always wanted to be a writer, or is it something that just happened over the years?
CHRIS: Honestly, I’ve always loved reading and have appreciated the gifts a good storyteller can provide. I also have always enjoyed writing, but I never really imagined myself as a ‘writer’ until recently. My Dad was the writer; I was the scientist. I have written quite a lot of stuff over the years (mostly fantasy and some nonfiction, but also romance...I even tried my hand at erotica once on a dare). I’ve never had anything published until Elfhunter.
ME: Through the years, who has been your staunchest supporter?
CHRIS: Without a doubt, my husband, Jeff. He deserves a great deal of credit, as I’m probably not the easiest person to live with (especially when I’m really stuck into writing). He’s been there through every nail-biting moment, every bad review, and every major edit. Second place might have to go to Wally, the corgi, whose support has been unwavering for the past decade.
ME: Your characters are very detailed and specifically defined. Are any of them based on people in real life?
CHRIS: Some are, yes. I will say no more, lest my friends start trying to ‘find themselves’ and worry about whether I based Gorgon on them. ;-)
ME: Gaelen Taldin: Your main character is a temperamental, loyal and quite outspoken little spitfire. Any similarities between her and yourself?
CHRIS: At the college where I teach, I am known for being outspoken, independent, and non-political. I have always gone my own way as a pragmatic non-conformist who isn’t afraid to dream and be creative. Those are all Gaelen-like characteristics. I also know when I’m right, dangit! There’s a lot of me in Fima, the Dwarf, as well. I tend to express my world view through those two characters. I will say, though, that Gaelen sings better than I do. Physically, I’m a lot more like Fima (except for the beard, though at my age I won’t always be able to rule that out, either).
ME: Who is your favorite author?
CHRIS: I love Tolkien. For me, his writing is the essence of what high fantasy should be. I have always enjoyed Stephen King, too. The Stand and The Talisman are brilliant. On the gentler side, I love James Herriot and Richard Adams.
ME: Your passion for fantasy is apparent in your work. Any other genres that you might try your hand at in the future?
CHRIS: I have always wanted to write a light-hearted collection of essays dealing with graduate school, endurance riding, and college teaching . I have lived through some hilarious experiences--and some are quite unusual, such as riding the Australian National Championship hundred-mile race. One of these days, maybe.
ME: As a formerly self-published author, you’ve been at the helm (basically) on your own for years. How does it feel to have a full-fledged publishing house backing you up now? Are you enjoying the process?
CHRIS: Oh, my, yes! It’s wonderful to be a part of a team of professionals. I have a top-notch agent ‘watching my back’, an illustrator to die for, a savvy marketing team, and a creative publisher who’s committed to our mutual success. What’s not to like? And, have I mentioned that I love my new editor? She’s one of the best around, she is unbelievably perceptive, and I know we can take Elfhunter to a whole new level. The learning opportunity alone is invaluable to me as a writer.
I will say that I have not regretted my choice to self-publish, and that being ‘at the helm’ was not a bad place to be. I had no one to blame (or credit) for my failure or success. That said, I could only go so far with the project on my own--now there are doors opening that were closed before.
ME: So much has been changing in the publishing world. How do you, one of the success stories of self-publishing, think it’s going to go? Self-publishing: A fad, or here to stay?
CHRIS: Here to stay, but in a state of flux right now. Self-publishing is a more viable choice than it has ever been before, and I believe it will gain even more respect as a legitimate publishing path in the future. However, those authors who are unwilling to make the investment in the quality of their work will soon fall by the wayside. Quality ‘indies’ will be able to vie with the traditionally-published--some are doing so already--and those authors will draw the attention of not only the readers, but the industry as a whole. That’s a major shift, imo.
ME: How did your transfer to Sea Lion Publishing come about?
CHRIS: This is such a cool question, because it illustrates the idea that ‘you just never know’ what chain of events will lead to something wonderful. The short version: Two bloggers happened to be blogging (as bloggers are wont to do) about Elfhunter at the same time. One of the execs at SLB (their marketing chief, actually) happens to follow those blogs. Because he saw the same book on both of them (fortunately, both bloggers were very positive about the book) he checked into it. He went to Amazon, read the reviews from readers, and read the sample. The rest, as they say, is history. I owe my good fortune to those two bloggers, whoever they may be. You just never know.
ME: You’ve always been an avid, albeit modest and tasteful promoter of your work. Is that going to change now, or will you be as passionate about it as ever?
CHRIS: I am passionate about everything I care for. I intend to remain modest and tasteful (thanks for that), but I stand ready for SLB whenever and wherever they need me.
ME: You’re a busy woman. You teach, write, do book tours, have horses, dogs, cats and a significant other: How do you find time for it all?
CHRIS: I can blame several of my grey hairs on this. Thankfully, both my husband and employer are understanding and supportive. I write at all hours--late nights, early mornings--whenever I can (it’s 3 a.m. here at the moment). I have simply resolved to make time for everything that’s important to me, as I’m not willing to give anything up. I’ll retire from the College one of these days, and that will free up some time, hopefully for writing! :-)
ME: Two choices: spending a day out on your favorite horse, riding across sunny, long stretching meadows. Or a day a day inside behind your computer, finally writing down that scene that has been bugging you for ages. What would you do?
CHRIS: Probably get up extra early so I could do BOTH. Riding relaxes me and prepares me for writing. I used to try to get a morning ride in before an exhaustive day of final exams, too. My grades were much better for it.
ME: Your writing process, what’s it like? One big exhausting marathon right until the end. A steady clip that will get you to the end in due time. Or none of the above.
CHRIS: I write according to the time I have available. When I’m ‘on it’, I write for long hours and work really hard. Sometimes my schedule will not permit me to write for several days, but I’ve been known to basically den up in my ‘writer cave’ for several days afterward. The end of Ravenshade was written in two days and nights of almost solid writing--I could not get the story down on paper fast enough! When I’m working on a deadline, I try to write steadily as time permits. Now I’m going through a major structural edit, and I have to work steadily or I won’t meet my deadline.
ME: What about your surroundings. Do you need absolute silence to concentrate on the world your are describing, or do you prefer a more chaotic atmosphere?
CHRIS: Don’t like chaos. I have a pair of noise-canceling headphones for those noisy days at home. I play the same five cds as background...the music automatically gets me into ‘writing mode’.
ME: You’ve had a heck of a week, not a moment to spare. All your obligations are taken care of, those you love are content, and you have one blissful hour of free time to do with what you will. What do you do?
CHRIS: Since I only have an hour, I will probably cosy up on the couch, having built a fire in the fireplace, and cuddle a dog or two.
ME: Any advice for the writers out there with “the dream”? Some words of divine wisdom?
CHRIS: I don’t have any divine wisdom, but if I had to dispense advice to aspiring authors it would be this:
--Write because you love it.
--Work hard at your craft, and strive always to become a better writer.
--Set realistic goals.
--Realize that publishing a quality work takes investment, both in the quality of the writing and in the presentation and promotion of the work.
--Be prepared to enlist the aid of cover artists/designers and editors to help you make your book as professional as it can be.
--Try not to compare yourself with other authors. Learn from them, but understand that your work is unique, your experience will be different, and ‘your mileage may vary’.
--Keep writing because you love it!
ME: A last one about Alterra: What’s next?
CHRIS: A new, exciting Alterran series is in the works! The first book has been written, the second is in process. It takes the characters in a whole new direction, exploring the world of Alterra as never before. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m really anxious to get on with the writing.
I’ve recently finished a novella that is going in the back of the new Elfhunter--a special treat for my readers.
Naturally, I am looking forward to the comic book and graphic novel series with eager anticipation. We should see the first stirrings in 2012.
(I snuck in a few extra, in case I needed to rearrange stuff…but then of course, Chris gave fun answers so I can’t leave them out, grrr. I had wanted to do "20 questions", darn it!)
ME: For your first publication you created the cover art yourself, and did a fine job of it. What do you think of the cover art done by Ms Hoover?
CHRIS: Well, thanks for that. Ms Hoover is a real pro, she has read the book (and loves it), and she quite obviously ‘gets’ the character. I could not ask for a better cover artist! I will admit that I am a bit wistful to see my interior illustrations go, though. I know the new ones will be on a whole new level, consistent with the upcoming graphic novel adaptations, and so I understand why I must bid farewell to the ‘old’.
ME: Rumors are you’re an expert filk performer. How did that come about?
CHRIS: Ha! I taught myself the guitar when I was eight. I have always loved writing silly songs, I have a decent voice, I love to sing...those are the characteristics of a filker, even though I didn’t know it at the time.
ME: For those who don’t know what a filk is, would you explain?
CHRIS: ‘Filk’ is a musical genre that often includes parody/humorous songs, but also serious ones, with a fantasy/scifi theme. Filkers are most often found at conventions, ‘holed up’ in a room together, playing and singing until sunrise. They will then drag their guitars back to their rooms and not emerge until noon. It’s tough to work an author table and filk all night, but sleep is for the weak and sickly. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.
That’s it. That’s all she wrote. I turn off the recorder, tuck away pen and paper, and slip the camera back into my purse. It was a wonderfully casual chat, I assured her, and as we exit the pub to head for our respective cars we give a cheery wave of goodbye.
*sigh*
Dontcha just love fantasy. Hah.
I am definitely looking forward to the new publication (I’ll keep you informed about that one) and was much appreciative of this opportunity to interview C.S. Marks, with what I hoped were at least some “genius” questions.
As or the normal routine of the blog…don’t worry, I’ll go all out and bring you all up to date next time ‘round. *snort*
Monday, January 23, 2012
A gift for grandpa
Song of the day: “So far so good” by Bryan Adams. Such a good song.
I had a couple of beautiful dreams in the past couple of days, but I will save them for a later date (jotted them down and everything) because at the moment I am running way behind and really should get down to editing rather than be here, wallowing in pretty dreams in far away places. *sigh* It was beautiful, if somewhat weird. But what am I saying, my dreams are always a little weird. Hah.
So yeah, I’m still reading Jack Vance, and having a blast. Has anyone ever noticed that like in those old comic books (Tin Tin and the likes) women only play a transient role and are at times not even there. I wonder if this is the example of the world having been a man’s world. I’ve gotta admit that with me being a overall female-heroine reader, it is refreshing to read.
While making my way through Vance’s “Adventure planet” omnibus, I have noticed that the character changed drastically between book one and the last two. Where Adam Reith was arrogant (to the point of being annoying) somewhat shallow and brash, he became considerably more sensitive (this time to the point of being startling) later in the series. Suddenly he’s experiencing debilitating fears and such, while the in the first story he faced trouble head-on. He still does the head-on thing, but has to overcome a whole bunch of fears in the meantime. I’m not complaining, mind you, just wondering what changed during the writing process to change the main character in such a fashion. Considering books are often shaped by events in the author’s life, I’ve gotta say I’m curious as to Vance’s life at that time. Hah
But enough of that. On to the day and that which occurred. Not a bloody lot, now that I think about it. Yesterday for instance involved yard work where I fixed one more fence, harvested some broccoli, wild onions, and a few late tomatoes. Being out there anyway there was sowing to be done. Grandpa finished two more fields (turning the earth) so I sowed alfa alfa seeds as well prior to going through the herb offerings in search for some proper ingredients for a coughing syrup. Mom and the younger sibs have a cough, so we’re going fast through my supply.
Took the selection up and stripped the branches off before putting it on a low fire with honey and sugar cane syrup for several hours.
Since grandpa was still down in the yard I took the opportunity to give his future pocket watch one last sanding and varnish. Had to do it secretly to boot, because it would have been a pity if he caught on at this point. Up until then he only knew that I was making something I’d dreamed about.
That done, and with the watch back to my room just second before grandpa came up, I joined him up at the storage where spent half an hour or so sorting through messes. Grandpa had been asking for several days if I could help him carry the mesh pergola structure towards the storage behind the camper. Since big brother was messing with his computer again, I figured I might as well see to that. So I sent grandpa off with the roof sections, looked at the remaining stack of eight or nine panels and then decided to just give it a shot. It wasn’t all that heavy, so I carried it through the gate and towards where grandpa was holding open one of the smaller ones. He looked at me funny, and asked if I’d taken them all with a half laugh. I don’t know why he asks that in that tone, but he had to laugh for some unfathomable reason.
Ah well, no matter. Together we carried away a granite plate for my future outside kitchen, and some crates with pool tiles, and then suddenly the storage started looking a whole lot neater.
I can hardly wait to see how it will look once we’ve got it all cleared out. Yay!
There was cooking and chatting with tenant who helped making supper, and then it was sitting down at last to the day’s computer work. I did finish rewriting the prologue, and I think that it worked out well enough. With a little luck it’ll add some extra layers to the plot. The edit went fine, and I was in bed around 1:30 in the morning, which wasn’t bad, all things considered.
Took the boarding dogs for their last walk this morning. Their owner came to pick them up late in the afternoon today. They’ll be coming back next month, when their owner has to leave the country for her job again. All things considered it didn’t go all that bad, so I don’t mind dog-sitting them. Hah.
This morning (after the usual chores) it was time to head to the raised seedbed and transplant the small lettuce seedlings. Did a total of sixty, I think, which are now in small pots where they will stay for a week or two before we started putting them outside in the hopes that we’ll get some lettuce this spring.
That done stuff had to be watered and cabbages checked for bugs (found only a few down in the yard, but more than fifteen caterpillars in one cabbage up in grandpa’s little yard) and debated the removal of several bushes so that we’ll have more sunlight, and less water stealing in the lowest level of the yard.
We’re going to have to clean Njanna’s ears again, the poor fellow’s ears are just pussing up again, so a good cleaning is the only solution. He sure won’t like it, that’s a fact.
Today was my doctor’s appointment, by the way. Arrived on time for a change (and thus had to wait ten minutes) and then was immediately directed to “the chair”. Well, I put a stop to that one. Hah. I immediately grabbed my insoles and held them up for him to see…startled him too. With a half laugh he stepped back and looked at the dratted things in horror. In crappy English (about as bad as my Spanish) he said, “you wear these a lot?” and I said, “Yes”. (Both him and the friggin’ doctor told me to wear them as often as possible, so that’s what I do. I wear them every single effing day, thank you very much.) I thought wearing them was the whole point of the darn things.
But anyway, he’s going to set me up with a couple of new ones, which are slightly softer (crossing my fingers for that one) and suitable for running. Yay.
Strangely enough, as if always the case when visiting a doctor of any kind, the problem for which I have sought advice/help, is worse than usual. Hah. Weird how that works, eh. At the moment you would think that my foot hasn’t seen that insole in a week for crying out loud. It’s burning like mad even though I have removed the dratted things less than a couple of hours earlier than usual. Bonkers!
Ah well, no matter. Next week I’ll have the new padded ones, and that will be all she wrote. Until then I’ll just have to cowboy up and grit my teeth, or something.
It was the so-called cute doctor again, by the way. He lost a little weight, was wearing Clark Kent glasses and I kept thinking if only the nice girl with the reasonably good English was here again. Hah. Not that it matters one way or other. He was “nice” in all the ways that matter. Strangely enough he reminded me of a somewhat nerdish Clive Owen…how’s that for a weird comparison.
What else…well, since we were in the village anyway, we drove on to a town fifteen miles further along the road to do a few groceries that will tide us over until the end of the week when the big grocery shopping day will be upon us once more. Aaaargh. Oh, no. Wait. I wasn’t going to do that anymore. No more negativity to make it into an unpleasant day. It’s not that bad, and who knows, I might actually enjoy myself. Yay.
Once we got home it was time to prepare supper, which consisted of yesterday’s leftovers and a mix of pumpkin, cauliflower, onion, leek and paneer from the freezer. It all was splendid, but for some reason my stomach was in knots, making dinner a bad thing for me today. Only at half my portion and then had to set it aside lest I risk losing it all the to the porcelain bowl. Hah.
My dogs were ecstatic when I got home, and Knight II was frustrated, rutting on the bed, striking at me with his paws like some five-month-old pup, making me lose balance and slam against the wall full force. Idiot. He can be about as elegant as a rabid elephant at times.
In regards to Amri. It is hard getting used to him not being here anymore. When I call my dogs in I’ve already made the mistake of calling him five times so far, and I do miss him whenever I do a headcount or automatically check out the spots where he used to enjoy lying. Strange how you miss the daily “input” of another living being, eh?
Okay, let’s talk about something else before I start bawling, or something.
Ooh. Grandpa’s gift. I almost forgot. I gave it to him last night. Hah. He had just returned from his walk with his dogs and I was leaning out the spy hole in the gate and asked for his hand. Not knowing what I wanted with it, he raised it and gazed at the small wooden item I put in it.
“Look at that,” I said.
He did. Smiling and looking it over, saying, “That looks really good, Sam. Is that what you dreamed about? It’s beautiful”
Me: “Uh-huh. Worked out really well too.”
He started giving it back to me, and I shook my head. “No. No. It’s for you?”
Grandpa: “For me?” He gazed at the wooden pocket watch, gave a choked laugh and turned away abruptly with watery eyes.
Me: “Yep. You said you didn’t want us to buy you a real one, so…there you go. A pocket watch.” While I was explaining about how I’d managed to get the hinge from an old wristwatch box, he walked off, still holding my gift in his hand.
I had to grin, muttered, “Well, that went well,” and went inside to cook supper. I gotta admit that it was a very satisfying response to the gift, eh?
(I'll post a picture when I've got my phone back.)
Well, this is going to be it. I’ve got an edit to do, an interview to tweak, another interview to write (am going to interview and indie writer soon) and then, maybe if I’m lucky, I get to see a movie tonight, or otherwise be in bed on time. Yay.
I had a couple of beautiful dreams in the past couple of days, but I will save them for a later date (jotted them down and everything) because at the moment I am running way behind and really should get down to editing rather than be here, wallowing in pretty dreams in far away places. *sigh* It was beautiful, if somewhat weird. But what am I saying, my dreams are always a little weird. Hah.
So yeah, I’m still reading Jack Vance, and having a blast. Has anyone ever noticed that like in those old comic books (Tin Tin and the likes) women only play a transient role and are at times not even there. I wonder if this is the example of the world having been a man’s world. I’ve gotta admit that with me being a overall female-heroine reader, it is refreshing to read.
While making my way through Vance’s “Adventure planet” omnibus, I have noticed that the character changed drastically between book one and the last two. Where Adam Reith was arrogant (to the point of being annoying) somewhat shallow and brash, he became considerably more sensitive (this time to the point of being startling) later in the series. Suddenly he’s experiencing debilitating fears and such, while the in the first story he faced trouble head-on. He still does the head-on thing, but has to overcome a whole bunch of fears in the meantime. I’m not complaining, mind you, just wondering what changed during the writing process to change the main character in such a fashion. Considering books are often shaped by events in the author’s life, I’ve gotta say I’m curious as to Vance’s life at that time. Hah
But enough of that. On to the day and that which occurred. Not a bloody lot, now that I think about it. Yesterday for instance involved yard work where I fixed one more fence, harvested some broccoli, wild onions, and a few late tomatoes. Being out there anyway there was sowing to be done. Grandpa finished two more fields (turning the earth) so I sowed alfa alfa seeds as well prior to going through the herb offerings in search for some proper ingredients for a coughing syrup. Mom and the younger sibs have a cough, so we’re going fast through my supply.
Took the selection up and stripped the branches off before putting it on a low fire with honey and sugar cane syrup for several hours.
Since grandpa was still down in the yard I took the opportunity to give his future pocket watch one last sanding and varnish. Had to do it secretly to boot, because it would have been a pity if he caught on at this point. Up until then he only knew that I was making something I’d dreamed about.
That done, and with the watch back to my room just second before grandpa came up, I joined him up at the storage where spent half an hour or so sorting through messes. Grandpa had been asking for several days if I could help him carry the mesh pergola structure towards the storage behind the camper. Since big brother was messing with his computer again, I figured I might as well see to that. So I sent grandpa off with the roof sections, looked at the remaining stack of eight or nine panels and then decided to just give it a shot. It wasn’t all that heavy, so I carried it through the gate and towards where grandpa was holding open one of the smaller ones. He looked at me funny, and asked if I’d taken them all with a half laugh. I don’t know why he asks that in that tone, but he had to laugh for some unfathomable reason.
Ah well, no matter. Together we carried away a granite plate for my future outside kitchen, and some crates with pool tiles, and then suddenly the storage started looking a whole lot neater.
I can hardly wait to see how it will look once we’ve got it all cleared out. Yay!
There was cooking and chatting with tenant who helped making supper, and then it was sitting down at last to the day’s computer work. I did finish rewriting the prologue, and I think that it worked out well enough. With a little luck it’ll add some extra layers to the plot. The edit went fine, and I was in bed around 1:30 in the morning, which wasn’t bad, all things considered.
Took the boarding dogs for their last walk this morning. Their owner came to pick them up late in the afternoon today. They’ll be coming back next month, when their owner has to leave the country for her job again. All things considered it didn’t go all that bad, so I don’t mind dog-sitting them. Hah.
This morning (after the usual chores) it was time to head to the raised seedbed and transplant the small lettuce seedlings. Did a total of sixty, I think, which are now in small pots where they will stay for a week or two before we started putting them outside in the hopes that we’ll get some lettuce this spring.
That done stuff had to be watered and cabbages checked for bugs (found only a few down in the yard, but more than fifteen caterpillars in one cabbage up in grandpa’s little yard) and debated the removal of several bushes so that we’ll have more sunlight, and less water stealing in the lowest level of the yard.
We’re going to have to clean Njanna’s ears again, the poor fellow’s ears are just pussing up again, so a good cleaning is the only solution. He sure won’t like it, that’s a fact.
Today was my doctor’s appointment, by the way. Arrived on time for a change (and thus had to wait ten minutes) and then was immediately directed to “the chair”. Well, I put a stop to that one. Hah. I immediately grabbed my insoles and held them up for him to see…startled him too. With a half laugh he stepped back and looked at the dratted things in horror. In crappy English (about as bad as my Spanish) he said, “you wear these a lot?” and I said, “Yes”. (Both him and the friggin’ doctor told me to wear them as often as possible, so that’s what I do. I wear them every single effing day, thank you very much.) I thought wearing them was the whole point of the darn things.
But anyway, he’s going to set me up with a couple of new ones, which are slightly softer (crossing my fingers for that one) and suitable for running. Yay.
Strangely enough, as if always the case when visiting a doctor of any kind, the problem for which I have sought advice/help, is worse than usual. Hah. Weird how that works, eh. At the moment you would think that my foot hasn’t seen that insole in a week for crying out loud. It’s burning like mad even though I have removed the dratted things less than a couple of hours earlier than usual. Bonkers!
Ah well, no matter. Next week I’ll have the new padded ones, and that will be all she wrote. Until then I’ll just have to cowboy up and grit my teeth, or something.
It was the so-called cute doctor again, by the way. He lost a little weight, was wearing Clark Kent glasses and I kept thinking if only the nice girl with the reasonably good English was here again. Hah. Not that it matters one way or other. He was “nice” in all the ways that matter. Strangely enough he reminded me of a somewhat nerdish Clive Owen…how’s that for a weird comparison.
What else…well, since we were in the village anyway, we drove on to a town fifteen miles further along the road to do a few groceries that will tide us over until the end of the week when the big grocery shopping day will be upon us once more. Aaaargh. Oh, no. Wait. I wasn’t going to do that anymore. No more negativity to make it into an unpleasant day. It’s not that bad, and who knows, I might actually enjoy myself. Yay.
Once we got home it was time to prepare supper, which consisted of yesterday’s leftovers and a mix of pumpkin, cauliflower, onion, leek and paneer from the freezer. It all was splendid, but for some reason my stomach was in knots, making dinner a bad thing for me today. Only at half my portion and then had to set it aside lest I risk losing it all the to the porcelain bowl. Hah.
My dogs were ecstatic when I got home, and Knight II was frustrated, rutting on the bed, striking at me with his paws like some five-month-old pup, making me lose balance and slam against the wall full force. Idiot. He can be about as elegant as a rabid elephant at times.
In regards to Amri. It is hard getting used to him not being here anymore. When I call my dogs in I’ve already made the mistake of calling him five times so far, and I do miss him whenever I do a headcount or automatically check out the spots where he used to enjoy lying. Strange how you miss the daily “input” of another living being, eh?
Okay, let’s talk about something else before I start bawling, or something.
Ooh. Grandpa’s gift. I almost forgot. I gave it to him last night. Hah. He had just returned from his walk with his dogs and I was leaning out the spy hole in the gate and asked for his hand. Not knowing what I wanted with it, he raised it and gazed at the small wooden item I put in it.
“Look at that,” I said.
He did. Smiling and looking it over, saying, “That looks really good, Sam. Is that what you dreamed about? It’s beautiful”
Me: “Uh-huh. Worked out really well too.”
He started giving it back to me, and I shook my head. “No. No. It’s for you?”
Grandpa: “For me?” He gazed at the wooden pocket watch, gave a choked laugh and turned away abruptly with watery eyes.
Me: “Yep. You said you didn’t want us to buy you a real one, so…there you go. A pocket watch.” While I was explaining about how I’d managed to get the hinge from an old wristwatch box, he walked off, still holding my gift in his hand.
I had to grin, muttered, “Well, that went well,” and went inside to cook supper. I gotta admit that it was a very satisfying response to the gift, eh?
(I'll post a picture when I've got my phone back.)
Well, this is going to be it. I’ve got an edit to do, an interview to tweak, another interview to write (am going to interview and indie writer soon) and then, maybe if I’m lucky, I get to see a movie tonight, or otherwise be in bed on time. Yay.
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