Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 8th question is “Do you have beta readers to provide you feedback before you finalize your manuscript?”

I have given the story to friends and family, largely for different reasons. Some are really good with grammar and technical stuff, while others are better at story and character. Luckily, I also have fantasy fans to help me with genre-specific stuff as well.

Yeah, family and friends look over it and help edit mistakes and typos. They also provide feedback on the story itself.

Yes, which was the most nerve-racking part of the entire process.

I use four beta readers who have been good friends and helpful. One is a stickler for grammar and word choice. The others are ones who I use to check on logic and continuity. I have been guilty of making leaps of clarity and they catch me at this. I have an editor for the final work. However, if the story isn’t up to snuff after everyone going through it that many times, so be it. The publisher won’t be interested and it’s in their slush file.

I do, but I’m always open to having more!

I have friends from my Navy career who help me with editing and feedback on my manuscript. They could be considered my beta testers.

No

I do now, but initially I didn’t know anything about them, so I just did my best, said a prayer, and crossed my fingers.

I had plenty of beta-readers for the first two books. They were extremely helpful.

A talent agent went through my work–and a publicist.

Yes, I would love to get more input from beta readers.

Yes

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Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 8th question is “How do you deal with constructive criticism/reviews? ”

I’m always looking for feedback on how I can improve. It’s not always easy, but I encourage people to be totally honest when they talk to me, or review. That said, there are occasions where I feel the story doesn’t need a particular change, but I would much rather hear suggestions and ideas then have someone be less then honest.

I try to see where they’re coming from and what I can take from the criticism to improve not just the story itself, but my writing as a whole, and all future stories.

I just try to remember that they’re trying to help and I will be grateful once I’m finished.

I think of criticism as a stepping stone. I usually cannot go back and change things, but I can avoid that pitfall the next time I write a book. I don’t get depressed. None of my books are perfect.

I think it’s something to listen to criticism, especially if it might help make my story better, or in the case of a series, help the reader in the subsequent books, but it’s important to tell your story the way you know it needs to be told, too. At the end of the day, if I’m proud of what I’ve created, then that’s what matters most. People can be mean just for the heck of it.

I know I’m not a perfect writer and I’ve made mistakes in my manuscript and on my earlier published works. I don’t take it personally, I take it to heart and use it to make myself a better author.

Keep improving my writing skills

I realize they help me to become better at what I do. I know I have plenty of room for improvement so I welcome constructive criticism and advice.

They prick the ego, for sure. No one likes to hear the faults in their story. But no story is perfect. Even masters have gone back to revise books they’d published. So, the trick is to take it for what it is, and to learn from it.

I’ll listen to anybody who isn’t just trying to trash me.

I definitely try to learn from it.

I respond to all of them with courtesy and professionalism. You have to take the good with bad and apply comments that work to help develop your craft.

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Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 7th question is “What is the most memorable feedback you’ve had so far from your readers?”

One of my beta readers said that he visualized Danny Trejo when he read a certain character. Writing a role that can be played by Machete is pretty damn cool!

With one of my books, Run, it got a five star review and deeply touched the reader as something that seemed so real and that was so engaging. All positive reviews stick with me, but that one sticks out the most.

When my friend read it, she got really angry with me near the end when the climax happened, which I obviously can’t talk about.

The best feedback I’ve gotten was from a publicist. She read Talismans and suggested I needed to move my crisis to the front of the story. I was puzzled, because, for me, losing ones memory and coming face to face with a dragon, that was the overarching crisis in the story, and that takes place in the first three pages. No, she corrected me. That crisis is completely cerebral. You need the crisis to be tangible and dramatic. Stealing the runestones and finding a thief needs to be far earlier in the story. I managed to get it into the second chapter, rewrote it completely and was able to get it published because of it.

All my feedback is memorable! The good, the bad, the meh, all of it!

They love my characters, which means a lot to me. I based the family in my story around my own family. Their appreciation for these characters gives me a heartfelt appreciation for how I perceive my own wife and children.

”Great Job!”

“I love your book,” or “I love the way you write.”

One reader said they were ‘in love’ with The Purple Morrow. That was nice 🙂

They like my hook: A rock singer faces the world of magic with the help of three stripper/hunters.

When a reader told me they wanted to hurt my villain — that’s when I knew I made him successfully hateful, lol.

That my picture book series, The Kamyla Chung Series, was very helpful to a teacher during her lessons. I write the books with teachers, parents and counselors in mind. It was nice to hear that my books were making a positive impact in classrooms.

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Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 6th question is “What kind of inventions do you write that could feasibly be science fact?”

I’m primarily a fantasy write, so I don’t have any inventions like that.

Some that are mostly just improvements of current technology, like a weapon making use of sound or electricity. Or a laser gun of sorts, or even gloves/gauntlets that can project things like fire and electricity. Those don’t seem to farfetched.

I’m a fantasy author, so most of my world is based around magic. There aren’t many scientific inventions featured in my novel.

I am hoping that someday I will invent a way to pay employees based on the calories they burn (mental and physical labor). That way, on a day when I come home exhausted, working as a middle school teacher, after making a million decisions on the fly, I’ll get a paycheck worthy of all the work. Also, maybe then they’ll believe teaching is a career on the par with being a doctor and a lawyer. By the way, no one can use my idea. I have already written it into my sci-fi manuscript called Dual.

Premonition doesn’t have any inventions, since the world is based in magic.

I created a weapon called a Gunstar which fired rounds created through alchemy. It’s not 100% science fact but since a lot of alchemy is based on our own science today, it’s feasible.

The possibility of another earth existing alongside ours

Thought control and mind enslavement.

Probably none. That wasn’t something I thought about.

I’m a firm believer in psychics and tarot card readers–that maybe?

I’ve seen a lot about proving the multiverse theory to be true and how particles could move between dimensions, something explored in my trilogy.

In Chris Kringle’s Cops The First Mission, I added a weapon called a Bitter Ball. It sucks the jolly (their life essence) out of people. I could see a twisted politician searching for a weapon like this.

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Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 5th question is “What goes into building a world?”

I primarily write urban and contemporary fantasy, which has fantasy taking place in the modern world. That means the surface world is the one we know, and my job is to create the world beneath it. So I have to decide how big this hidden world is. In some cases, it’s a whole realm, which means I have to think about where it’s located, how it’s hidden, and what kind of people populate it. In other cases, it’s more like hidden pieces of another world, buried in the fabric of modern society. In that case, it means figuring out how the world coexists in secret with our world, and just who the people that keep it secret are. It all depends on what kind of story you want to tell.

A lot of naming, some unsaid world history and rules of the setting, making characters that act according to their personality and not the plot, and a decision on the types of cultures that’ll be meshed together and explored in said world.

What I do is I plan a world that I would want to live in because I know that my readers would want to live there too.

I love the work of Karen Azinger, who wrote about how a world has architecture, religion, government and many other facets, just like our world. Mentioning those things within your writing makes it seem more real, even if that architecture is floating from the bottom of a cloud and the government is run by rodents. Making a deliberate effort to sprinkle those pieces into the adventure creates a world for me.

Everything that might exist within our own! Government, religion, culture, language, fashion, etc. But like I said for the second question, I try and only include what’s necessary to understand the plot and/or character(s).

You have to mix it up, from terrain to names of towns and cities. The first world I designed was the island of Avalon, so it was a little easy to reuse some traditional names from the British Isles for it, but I also created some of my own names in there. you have to match the personality of the creatures with the names and the terrain. Goblins like dark, dank places, as do Dwarves, but you need to add in grand architecture to show the difference in the races. The one good thing with world building in a fantasy world is that the sky’s the limit. If you want a floating island, you can have a floating island, as long as you can explain why it floats.

Words on paper and its translations

A lot of imagination.

Lots! You have to think about languages and their evolution across time and cultures, about people groups and their interwoven histories, about how they dress and speak and what makes them different from the other peoples populating the world… It’s a lot of intricate planning and development, but it’s worth it.

Creating imagery that really puts you there. In my book, you truly feel like you’re in the dark underbelly of Atlanta.

I feel setting the scenery is important, so the reader can sense your surroundings with you.

Imagination, organization and flexibility.

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Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 4th question is “How do you develop weapons with magic?”

I try to find weapons that really fit the kind of magic I’m using. For example, I’ve used magic based on elements (water, fire, etc.) so I try to think what kind of weapon would fit them. A trident works great for water, but not so much with wind. I also have to think of how the weapon can be used. I’ve used a hammer to control the earth because it’s easy to imagine it breaking the ground apart. Currently, my stories are based more on mythology, so there are examples for me to use and build on.

I gauge the power level of the world, how it’s operating and what kind of magic is being used. Then I give certain weapons different properties based on the type of magic available, and scale the power to that. I also think about what would make sense in that world as far as weapon development.

Every weapon from my novel is forged from the blood of people with magical abilities.

Talismans can be weapons. They focus power more than go into battle. For example, Vamilion, the main protagonist in Ley Lines, uses his ax and pick to split the earth open. A canyon suddenly opening up in front of them tends to stop invading armies. In my subsequent books – written but not yet published – there’s a sword that can read the secret names of demons, a bracer that will block invasions and a staff that can move its wielder to another dimension. My magic weapons are usually only defensive, at least in the Wise Ones series.

The magic in my first book, Premonition, gives everyone special and unique abilities so that the weapons themselves are imbued with spells, rather than the weapon having its own magic.

Magic is a tool, like science is in our world. Keeping that in mind helped me develop magical weapons. I didn’t want a magic sword for the the sake of a magic sword, it had to have a purpose and a power behind it. As for spells, I wanted to create magic with a language based in our world. For that purpose, I used Latin for my spell-casting, but Dwarves (being from Scandinavia) use Old Norse for their spells. I tried to connect the myth with the language as appropriate.

Visualizing the possibility

I tend to write characters who think magically, so their actions and motives create the magic in their interactions with others who they seek to control.

There aren’t many magical weapons in the books, but the ones that exist are inspired by the traits of the character using them as well as how the weapon influences those characters. They are, essentially, extensions of the character.

My stripper/hunters use throwing knives, spellbursts, and silver stars.

I just think about what weapons would be most used in the time periods. In medieval fairy tales, it was swords, for example. In modern times, we have guns.

When my characters have a need for one I try to come up with something that’s effective and follows the rules of the world.

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Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 3rd question is “How do you get your ideas?”

Some of my ideas come from thing I read or watch, and others come from interactions with people. There’s a lot in the world to inspire you if you pay attention and learn how to make it your own.

Mostly from what I would like to see. Like “It would be cool if…” Other than that, it’s usually a mix of the media I consume and my personal musings.

Whenever I have writer’s block, I go onto Pinterest and look up key words from my novel, which then beings up images related to it. I usually just scroll through those images for a while until I’m ready to get back to writing.

Most of my ideas are rooted in the worlds of others and the world around me. I live in a gorgeous part of the world. The waterfalls that play a prominent part of my first book Talismans, and in the third book, Life Giver, that is about to come out, are directly from walks behind the falls that is up the road from me. I love certain characters in David Brin’s work, Anne McCaffrey, Patricia McKillip and others. I take one aspect of that character and try to build someone new, but with that person’s character flaws or traits. Also, as I said above, I go on a journey with my character, knowing what new aspect I want them to change, and wait for the inspiration to strike once I arrive.

Oh, my. Everywhere and anything! (I think.) I’m not one who believes writing is some-sort of mystical and mysterious thing that only comes when the Muses bless you. Often times, I write stories that ask a question that I personally want to explore the answer to–if there even is an answer.

When I was first deployed, I was missing my new wife and newborn baby girl tremendously. With late night D&D sessions off duty, it led to a recurring dream about being lost on an island with my wife and daughter. As my family grew, the dream expanded, but it always happened when I was deployed. On my last deployment, I decided to write down my dream and it developed into my novel, Forever Avalon. The funny thing is, after I finished my novel, I stopped having the dream.

Sci-Fi movies, magazines and personal deep thinking

Some of my ideas come from my imagination, while others come from my dreams. Many come from me seeing the world in a way that is unusual and sort of strange. I think outside the box, and I write outside the box. I use my own style, and I am not afraid to break rules I have read that are supposed to guide writers in a particular direction. I like to make up my own rules as I go, and my characters seem to be that way, as well.

Most of my stories are character driven, so figuring out who they are and what they want was important. Developing the characters–knowing what drives them–helps determine how to get the most out of them as well as what has to happen in the story.

Most of it comes from my background in the Atlanta adult entertainment/nightclub scene.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as something that happened to me in the last week.

By listening to music, observing what’s around me and looking at fantasy photographs.

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Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

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So, the 1st question is “How do you create such a complex, fantasy world within your story?”

Well, I’ve generally stayed away from the heavy fantasy of Tolkien and the like, mainly because I’m not quite as interested in the epic sword and sorcery type fantasy. I prefer to write about magic and fantasy happening in the ‘real’ world. It’s a lot of fun imagining how fantasy could turn the modern world upside down! But at the same time, it’s also a great base that gives you an existing world and lets you create a completely opposite world as well.

I start with the concept of the story and build the world around it. Then I mix what is ‘realistic’ in a world like that (different countries, animals, etc.) with what’s interesting and cool.

My world isn’t all that complex. The only thing that’s unusual is the people and animals.

The first time I made a fantasy world, I drew a map and then made up stories about how this place started and then became ruins, when this mountain erupted, what kind of dragons would live here. Then I shifted it to focus on the characters. I took the weakest, most pathetic, little mousy girl and wondered what would turn her into an enchantress queen. What experiences would be required to force her out of her mundane existence and launch her into those changes. That thought process led to the Heart Stones, magic judgement talismans, that activate her innate gifts, monitor her motivations and open her to new experiences in magic. Next, the need to travel on the Hero’s Journey, means she is going to encounter a variety of magical creatures, people and experiences. These pop up like dandelions as I arrive to each one. I don’t actually plan that part, other than knowing she must meet new challenges. Because of this, the fantasy world is revealed to me just as much as it is to my character.

This is a tough question, so much planning goes into creating a fantasy world. I think it depends on the story, as far as how much detail I include. I think a mistake writers often make is including unnecessary details about the world that have nothing to do with the plot or have no effect on the character(s). Sometimes, the cliche phrase, “Less is more,” rings true. When something affects the plot or a character in the story, then I make sure to expand upon it. I often start with the little things, then build my way up to more complex topics–or the other way around! World-building is an ongoing process and I don’t have all the details until, usually, after the first, or even the second, draft. When I’m stuck, I ask myself, “What’s necessary for the reader to understand the plot or this character(s)?”

I played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons in my youth and early in my Navy career. Being able to create elaborate worlds, characters, and dungeons helped me in the creative process of world-building. I get my inspiration from books, movies, and anime. it feeds the creative juices in me and helps me develop my stories.

The power of esoteric assertions

I create my fantasy worlds within our actual earth world. I use flawed characters who do very stupid and unpredictable things with and to other extremely flawed characters. I like fantasy mixed with horror. My first novel, Twelve Steps Past Hell, is a good example. It is a great mix of horror and scifi. With a few plot twists to keep the reader interested it comes to an unforgettable ending that is surprising and pleasing to the reader.

I wrote about what I loved and what interested me. I like culture and languages, so it was fun to develop people groups inspired by these interests. I also wanted to develop a world that ‘felt real’–relatable and familiar–but that had elements of fantasy and the supernatural in it.

My storyline in Whiskey, Blood, and Magic centers around clubs, strip bars, and the gothic sex fantasy mansion in the mountains. It’s what the book called for.

Sometimes, I take elements from everything I see and hear, whether in the news or real life or other stories, I’ve read.

I don’t have a strict process. The story comes to me in pieces or glimmers and I write them down. I do try to keep outlines and detailed notes on the characters and places within the world. This can get challenging sometimes.

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Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the April Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series! The support from Fantasy/Sci-fi authors was amazing as we have 12 authors participating in this group author interview.

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

We are now a registered book publisher too! Sign up for our newsletter and CLAIM your FREE book trailer today!

So, the 1st question is “What made you become a writer?”

I was always a heavy reader growing up; I’ve read everything from fantasy to sci-fi to horror, and beyond. It all made me want to create stories and worlds of my own.

I began writing as a hobby, just to have fun/be creative. It went from small to large and so on and just kept growing to the point that I basically had a book written. From then on, I looked into it seriously and realized I love creating worlds and characters.

Ever since I was little, I was always in love with the idea of reading and storytelling and since kindergarten, I’ve known that I’ve wanted to write a story of my own.

I grew up in a family of artists, and writing just seemed to go right along with the drawing, painting, carving, sculpting and photography that everyone else did. It had the added advantage of not being in direct competition with siblings. It also featured the wonderful aspect of being ‘not observable’. People couldn’t just walk by and say, “I like it”, or “that’s dreadful”. They actually have to engage the story before they can make a judgement. Plus, grandma had this absolutely delightful manual typwriter that made fun clicking sounds.

I’ve always been entranced with stories from a young age and couldn’t resist writing my own. It started with poetry, then branched out to short stories, novellas, then novels. It wasn’t until I went to university that I seriously considered pursuing writing, and I had many wonderful people who encouraged me to do so, too, which was helpful, since writing can often be such a solitary endeavor.

I joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school as a Navy Journalist. In that role, I had the opportunity to write a variety of things from news articles to feature stories about the people ad places I experienced in my Navy career. That led me to writing on my own and developing my writing style as an author.

The need to create impact in the lives of people

I enjoy the creative process, as well as the rewards of being appreciated as a writer.

I just always loved reading and writing. I liked the idea of making up my own worlds and characters and sharing them with readers. Writing also allowed me to think more deeply about things and explore complex ideas.

I start trying to create comic books in the sixth grade and realized the writing is what I really enjoyed.

I still felt like writing after completing my Ph.D. dissertation but wanted to do something completely different.

Since I was a small child, I’ve enjoyed telling stories. I also love playing around with words and word combinations. Putting the two together is challenging and fun.

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Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion