"I’ll be honest and admit that there is something rather lovely about a good whisky!" If I could, I would love to spend an afternoon with Ernest Hemingway. My uncle introduced me to his work at a young age, Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises was incredible and the first novel he gave me, I’d never read anything quite like it. Hemingway had a wonderful ability to describe human nature, how complicated we are as beings, and how destructive we can be to one another. I also fell in love with his descriptions of each new landscape and location. "Hemingway had a wonderful ability to describe human nature, how complicated we are as beings,
We have discussed our mutual interest (i.e. obsession) with all things related to vikings on several occasions, but I’d like to know where it all started for you. Were you always drawn to viking history and the Norse myths? Was there a particular author, book, or event that first sparked your interest? Growing up I was very lucky to have a wonderful grandfather who shared many authors, books and ideas with me from a young age. He encouraged me to read as often as possible and to try many different subjects. He had a love for history and genealogy, Norse myths and sagas were a deep interest he passed on to me, on both sides of my family there are links to the Viking past of Ireland, Scotland and the Scottish islands. I remember sitting as a child and looking at the bookcases filled with leather bound books and the smell that comes with old worn pages, my grandfather introduced me to Tolkien and The Hobbit, to the tales of Erik the Red, and the Saga of the Volsungs, for that I’ll always be grateful. "I remember sitting as a child and looking at the bookcases filled with leather bound books
Children of Midgard, as told through Liv’s eyes, offers a unique female perspective of the Viking Age world which is so often presented through male-dominated narratives. Recent archeological discoveries have also stoked increased interest in women of the Viking Age and continue to broaden our perspective of the diverse roles they played in that society. What sources would you recommend for readers who want to learn more about women in the Viking Age? We are currently experiencing a very exciting period regarding the discovery of archaeological evidence, conversation, and theories of women in the Viking age. With Liv, I wanted her to remain a strong individual while observing the fact that she had to make decisions based on the fact she was a woman caring for a child on her own in the Viking era. From reading the sagas and poems of the Norse I knew women were strong characters, they were driven and capable, but I knew I needed to delve a little deeper than that. I read the Gragas, which is an amazing document, if a little heavy at times! I also read a number of books by well known names including Judith Jesch, Johanna Katrin Fridriksdottir, Carolyne Larrington, Hilda Ellis Davidson, Jesse Byock, Anders Winroth, Gwen Jones, and possibly a few more! I have a book addiction! "From reading the sagas and poems of the Norse I knew women were strong characters, In our last conversation you mentioned that you had been digging into the research archives to learn how children were raised in the Viking Age. Have you come across any major differences between how children were raised then and how they are raised today? Would you adopt any Viking approaches to child-rearing over today’s culturally accepted wisdom? I don't have children myself, so I certainly would not claim to have experience of, or know, what the best method for bringing one up in this day and age might be. That being said I have the joy of children and teenagers within our extended family, and what I have noticed is their curiosity, appreciation for honesty, and wonderful imaginations. I think children are extremely adaptive and in many ways develop strategies and mechanisms to deal with situations that can surprise adults. In some ways I think that applies to children in the Viking era, their childhoods were not what we would consider very long, particularly easy going, or free from labour. From the sagas we have glimpses of situations young girls and boys found themselves in, that violence played a part in their lives which is significant given the world in which they lived, and again the Gragas (medieval Icelandic lawbook) is a marvellous tool giving us an insight into how the law regarded them. "From the sagas we have glimpses of situations young girls and boys found themselves in,
"I quickly started to realise that even though there might be great distances and cultural differences present in various myths and legends, there were also similar ideas, characters and messages." If I could suggest any materials for readers and listeners to try it would be the works of Joseph Campbell, Hilda Ellis Davidson, and perhaps podcasts that look at philosophy as well as history, myth and legend, it might give them the sense of discovery it gave me. My goal with the podcast is to share and encourage the tradition of storytelling, to fire an interest or curiosity in our past and provide glimpses into the world in which our ancestors lived. "My goal with the podcast is to share and encourage the tradition of storytelling, What can you tell us about your next big project and where can we find more information about your writing and your podcast? Currently I am editing my next manuscript which is due for release this summer, it's an exciting project that I’ve been developing over the past few years. The art of storytelling is such an important part of my life, and I wanted to create that intimate feeling of being within a circle by the campfire, the magic of hearing tales that perhaps no-one else had ever heard before, and I think this new book is what I had imagined. The podcast is going from strength to strength, my listeners are wonderfully supportive, I’ve really enjoyed discussing so many ideas and stories we all have to share. I’ve been very fortunate to have friends, both new and old, on the show and the community that I’m so very lucky to be a part of is wonderfully talented, encouraging and enthusiastic. Gosh, so in short, a new book and lots more podcasts! Siobhan Clark's The Children Of Midgard is available in Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and on Amazon.
She also has a limited number of signed copies! Follow her on Twitter at Siobhán Clark (@siobhancoda) and at the Myth Legend & Lore Podcast (@LoreMyth) Find the Myth Legend Lore Podcast on iTunes or Podbean
1 Comment
I recently had the pleasure of being featured as a guest on the Myths, Legends, and Lore Podcast hosted by my good friend Siobhan Clark (also the author of Children of Midgard). Listen in on our conversation about the Norse myths, their influence on our work, and habits that cultivate creativity. The episode also features an original musical arrangement of The Song of the Nidavel from The Gatewatch! Find more amazing podcasts by Siobhan by following The Myth Legend & Lore Podcast on Twitter.
"I can’t stomach olives, that’s the one food I cannot grit my teeth and power through, What does a typical day of writing look like for you? Do you have any rituals or habits that help to keep you focussed or make your session more productive? It really depends a lot on the project(s) I’m working on, but more often than not I find my writing to be sporadic. While I do push myself to work every day, the amount of work I get done varies depending on my mood, if I’m rested, or headspace. I am careful not to end up in situations where I am forcing myself to write or feeling pressured to because I believe all of that greatly hinders my creativity. When I do sit down to write though, I will usually listen to some music to get me in the right headspace, never any songs with lyrics or singing, usually background music from video games or orchestral pieces. What first drew you to writing and what keeps you writing after years of going at it? Do you have specific goals in mind, like publication, or do you write for other reasons? My first introduction to writing was a high school teacher I had. He really encouraged me to try creative writing and was a supporter in my beginning days. Since graduating, the thing that inspires me is other people’s work, funnily enough, I think especially the work I dislike. When I read, see, or even play a piece of work that doesn’t make me feel anything, my head fills with ways I would have written it differently. I’ve never been the kind of person to have long term goals in mind, and the same rings true for writing. Whether it be a novel, poetry, or a quick short story, my primary concern is to create things I like and am ultimately proud of, but that being said, publishing is also a major goal with Injectable Ashes specifically. "When I read, see, or even play a piece of work that doesn’t make me feel anything,
You have lived with mobility challenges for most of your life. Do you feel like this influences your writing in the perspectives of your characters or do you not view this as an influencing factor? I have lived with a nervous system disability for most of my life, so it’s hard to say it doesn’t dictate at least some of my writing. I can say there are absolutely elements that have been addressing my disability metaphorically; in fact, you might be able to break down the entire storyline into one giant allegory. And as much as I preach about separating the author from their characters, eventually, details are naturally going to overlap. "I can say there are absolutely elements that have been addressing my disability metaphorically; What was it like to write the sequel to Injectable Ashes? Was it easier or harder? Did anything you thought was going to happen shift dramatically or did it play out as you planned? It was considerably more stressful working on the sequel. Every creative decision I made required weeks of deliberation and planning. I became a perfectionist because of how much I love Injectable Ashes, not wanting to only match the quality I expect from myself, but to outdo myself. That was something that really weighed me down and made things considerably more difficult to conceptualize. But as for when it came time to put pen to paper and actually write, I was able to find my rhythm quite quickly and pick up right where I left off. Initially, I thought I had a pretty firm idea in how the story would turn out in the sequel, but what I ended up with was something entirely different, and a lot of those difference were changes I didn’t think of until I got to writing those parts. "I became a perfectionist because of how much I love Injectable Ashes, What is your next big project? Will you write a third book in the series or do you have something else planned? I’m taking a break for a while from the novel, but I already have ideas cooking in the back of my mind for a third installment, so that will likely be the next major project I’ll be looking to conquer, until then though I’ll continue writing, working on music, poetry, short stories, or whatever else catches my interest. To keep up with Brendan and his upcoming projects follow him on Twitter.
"My weapon of choice would have to be the double-headed ox-horn axe, a fierce-looking weapon." What does a typical day of writing look like for you? Do you have any rituals or habits that help you become more productive? My rituals are nothing special. I make sure I have my coffee and cigars on hand, and sometimes, I like having whiskey in my coffee. My typical day starts out early (4:30 am/5:00 am), and I shut down my computer at 7:30pm to clear my head before going to bed at 9:00pm. Right now at this moment, I am doing rereads and rewrites of my storyline for Thorgil’s third book (The Vultures of Khurasan). Right now, the story stands at 159,000 words with 21 chapters, and 12 illustrated inserts by Pablo Marcos. If you could travel back in time to converse and drink a horn-full of mead with any viking in history who would it be and why? It would have to be Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway (850-932). Harald is responsible for unifying Norway into one kingdom. He was as we say in the military; a warrior’s warrior, a true badass. "I make sure I have my coffee and cigars on hand, and sometimes, I like having whiskey in my coffee."
In reviews of your books Thorgil Bloodaxe has been compared to such iconic fantasy characters as Conan the Barbarian. However, in a wider social context, characters such as Conan have come under fire recently for portraying masculinity in a certain light. What do you hope to contribute to the wider conversation about masculinity and ‘being a man’ through Thorgil’s epic exploits? I write to write. I do not worry about all the social norms of today. It seems as if every day, one group or another finds a reason to be upset over something. My main character Thorgil Bloodaxe is all man, a military man who is not politically correct. If you are upset about something he may have done or said, he does not care. I served in the Marine Corps from 1980-1990. In the military, we are all brothers. We have a certain way of talking and joking around. Civilians who never served will never understand a military man. When I write about Thorgil, I rely on my time as a Marine. "When I write about Thorgil, I rely on my time as a Marine." There are many incredible pieces of art featuring your character Thorgil Bloodaxe on the Facebook fan page. Do you have any advice for writers who want to get art made for their novel? Over the years, I have commission many talented artists/illustrators to render Thorgil Bloodaxe in their artistic fashion. In 2012, I commissioned Bart W. Sears to give Thorgil his classic look. Bart owned his own company called Ominous Press, and has worked for Marvel Comics, and DC. Bart is well known for his articles in Wizard Magazine called Brutes and Babes. From 2012-2014, I commissioned a young talented artist named Savy Lim. Savy liked the character of Thorgil Bloodaxe. He asked for my permission to illustrate the larger-than-life warrior. I liked what he submitted to me and I commissioned him for my second Thorgil book (Shadow of Death). Savy Lim illustrated and colored the 2nd book’s front cover, and illustrated the book’s inserts. Savy’s rendition of Thorgil Bloodaxe is used as a reference for all illustrators that I commission. I tell them I am not looking for a new look for my main character. From 2014-2017, I was blessed to be able to commission a legendary illustrator who has over 50 years of artistic talent under his belt. Pablo Marcos took an interest in Thorgil Bloodaxe. Pablo way back in the 70s, worked for Marvel Comics on such titles as The Savage Sword of Conan (the black and white magazine), Red Sonja, and the Zombie. I always enjoyed his illustrations in the Conan magazines. I commissioned him to illustrate the 3rd book’s artwork (The Vultures of Khurasan). Oscar Gonzalez who worked with Pablo at the Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., colored the ink illustration. For the 3rd book, I have 12 illustrations from Pablo. They will be placed at the end of several chapters in the book to fire up the imagination of the reader. Advice for any writers who would like to commission an artist:
Savy Lim illustrated and colored the 2nd book’s front cover, and illustrated the book’s inserts. Savy’s rendition of Thorgil Bloodaxe is used as a reference for all illustrators that I commission. I tell them I am not looking for a new look for my main character. "You will get what you pay for. Be professional when dealing with the artists. Show them the respect." You’ve published two books in the Thorgil Bloodaxe series which are available on Amazon, Enter the White Queen and The Shadow of Death. Is there a third book in the works or are you working on a different project? Yes, there is a 3rd book. It is titled Thorgil Bloodaxe: the Vultures of Khurasan. It will be released in late 2019, featuring the amazing artwork from Pablo Marcos. Right now, the story stands at 159,000 plus words with 21 chapters. Formatted into a 6x9 book, it will be around 400 pages. Allow me to share the back cover blurb: In a savage world ruled by the sword, with armies cutting red swaths across the lands, only one man heroically stands above them all. He is the mercenary leader Thorgil Bloodaxe. His name is well known and respected from the far eastern lands to the western lands. They say that Thorgil has fought in so many conflicts and battles over the span of his lifetime that he cannot name them all. Therefore, when the Caliph of Baghdad called upon him and his warriors to aid him with the conflict in his troubled land, the mercenary leader did not hesitate to accept. One more battle added to the long list did not matter to him. With his warriors, they join the Caliph's high-commander to trek to the hostile mountains of Khurasan, where they must confront a rebel leader and his fanatic followers known as the Vultures, putting an end to their terror spree against the Abbasid Caliphate. Find out more from Ralph E. Laitres on the Thorgil Bloodaxe fan Facebook Page.
What does a productive day of writing look like for you? Do you have any habits or rituals that help you stay focussed or be more productive? I’m currently working on ritualizing 1,000 words a day minimum. I’ve been all over the place, ranging from zero to 8,000 in a single day. A good day is when I’m in a state of flow, when the words seem to come of their own accord. That only comes if I’ve been regularly writing for a few weeks. Habits right now are hard to form, because I have three toddlers. But I do have a special writing station, I have noise cancelling headphones and my favorite 16th century choral music station on Pandora, and sometimes, that works. "I do have a special writing station, I have noise cancelling headphones What is the greatest obstacle between you and your writing? Myself. Having a self-defeating mindset that feeds on internal negativity. Sometimes I can’t write. Then I hate myself. But recently I’ve gotten pretty good at just forcing myself to work through it. Still have some bad days, though. Your work is inspired by the Russian Folktales; I can relate as my work is based off the Norse Myths. Where does the writing process start for you: with an original idea or with the folktale? Good question! The folktale is the frame for me, the backbone. I don’t study it or read it; it’s inside me already, I grew up with them. So within that world that I know, I then start to think about original ideas inspired by the tropes of the fairy tales. If I’m stuck, then I’ll read a folktale I haven’t read before, and often I’ll get weird tangential ideas for mythical creatures or obstacles or conflict that way. It’s fun. "The folktale is the frame for me, the backbone. I don’t study it or read it; it’s inside me already, I grew up with them."
But there’s something about them that engages very intrinsic parts of human beings, no matter what the culture. Tolkien talks about this, modern neurobiology confirms it with interesting studies on brain scans. Basically, there’s something about fairy tales that can tell a deep truth in a way that goes straight to the heart, sometimes even bypassing the brain. It’s some like incantation or music, which is more experiential than rational. "there’s something about fairy tales that can tell a deep truth in a way that goes straight to the heart, What is next for you creatively? Do you have another project on the go? I’m taking a very long time editing book 4 of my series, which is a novella, but has taken longer than almost any other book I’ve written. It’s got a lot of emotional stuff in it, which I need to get right. And I’ve been battling… what do they call it? crippling self-doubt? Something like that. I’m also working on a screenplay with another writer, a historical fantasy set in the early days of medieval Russia, when the Russians were basically Vikings. It’s been fun. Where can we find more about you and your work? I blog about Russian folk history and culture, and I write book reviews on my website, where you can find all my books as well. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, where I share images that inspire my writing. Read more from Nicholas and find his Raven Son series on his website.
To become a novelist has been a dream of mine since I was in single digits. I couldn’t tell you exactly why, but I have always romanticized the idea of being able to walk out on my porch with my laptop to write while I smell the ocean breeze. I do think my numerous experiences help to enrich my character development. "I do think my numerous experiences help to enrich my character development" How do you manage your writing schedule and where do you write? Are you highly structured or are you more flexible with when and where you fit your writing time in? Do you write at home or some other place? I almost always write at home, and if I am writing draft one of a novel, I must be at my desk with a quiet environment or with my sound canceling headphones on. The time of day isn’t as important, only that I am uninterrupted in this process. I tend to get very into the scene and very into the mood of the character, so even answering a quick question, like, “Mom, where is the extra tissue?” can take me half an hour to recover from. Now, I am a lot less rigid with short stories. I can set up in a coffee shop or anywhere around the house and dump those out. Horror as a genre can be quite polarizing but has always drawn a steady readership. What do you think draws people to Horror fiction and what important things can Horror fiction offer readers who don’t usually read the genre? I think people are drawn to Horror for different reasons: the adrenaline, for the relief after the scare, for the tropes or monsters themselves. I have always liked to challenge myself, and my first scary movie terrified me, so it became a challenge from that point forward for me to be able to watch scary movies without covering my eyes. For those who don’t typically read the genre, I think many would be surprised to find out how much real life resides amongst the terror; I think, too, that many would be surprised at their ability to stare the monster in the face. "For those who don’t typically read the genre, I think many would be surprised
"I often come up with an idea after I have heard a certain song One of my favorite things about my primary source of inspiration, the Norse Myths, is the monsters: trolls, giants, dragons, sea serpents, wights, etc. What is your all-time favorite monster and why? My favorite monster? That’s hard, it’s a battle between dragons and werewolves, but I feel like I would have to say dragons. I watched Dragon Heart with my father when I was very young, and I have loved them since. Smaug in The Hobbit was just gorgeous, and when Hagrid had his baby dragon, I really wanted my own. Why? Because they are just the coolest! I want to be a dragon so I can live a long time and sleep on a pile of gold. One of the things that so many new authors get wrong is writing scary scenes; often they are more farcical than fearsome. Do you have advice for writers from any genre that want to add suspense through scary scenes in their novel? It’s hard to remember, in writing, that a scene should not be approached like it would in a movie, that you aren’t just going for a jump scare, and that the reader can’t “see” the dim light or the thunderstorm going outside, so you have to make them feel it. Get into the reader’s mind, make sure they sense the tension building allllllll the way until you reach that climatic moment where the jump actually happens so that their nerves are already on end and their stomach in knots. That’s when you release the big bad scare and really hit them hard. "the reader can’t “see” the dim light or the thunderstorm going outside, so you have to make them feel it" You currently have two titles available on Amazon: Brenna’s Wing and Blood Drops. Do you have any advice for writers considering self-publication through Amazon? Phew. That’s an open-ended question that could be discussed for hours. It isn’t easy. There are a lot of i’s that have to be dotted and t’s that have to be crossed. Pay attention to detail; have several beta readers read your work; design your cover, let it sit, work on it more, get feedback, then work on it more; comb your manuscript over and over for spelling and punctuation; figure out a formatting method that works for you (With Brenna’s Wing, I used Microsoft Word only and that was a headache and a half. With Blood Drops, I used Scrivener, which made it a lot easier [after I figured out how to use it].); don’t formally announce your book until you have the pre-order available - the internet moves fast and so do attention spans - you want people to be able to buy it right then and there when you make your big announcement; but do offer a pre-order option, if you can get a good handful of pre-orders before your book drops, it helps start you higher in the rankings. That’s all I have for now. Anyone with any specific guidance questions are welcomed to reach out to me. "if you can get a good handful of pre-orders before your book drops, Find Blood Drops, W.B. Welch's chilling collection of short horror stories, on Amazon.
"When I got a little older I discovered the Drizzt Do’Urden series (R.A. Salvatore) and was blown away. What year would I go back to for a single day? 2016. I don’t remember the exact day, but Chris Cornell (lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave), my favorite musician ever, performed a solo show near my apartment. I missed it because “I had work.” He died a year later, two days before I was going to see Soundgarden headline my favorite rock festival. My brother said the show I missed was the performance of a lifetime. I still haven’t gotten over it. You’re asking me a question about beer? Best interview ever. I have celiac disease, so I’m not supposed to drink most beer because the barley it’s brewed from contains gluten. I don’t get sick from beer (like I would with solid food), but it’s still not good for me. I drink gluten-free beer as much as I can, so Two Brothers Prairie Path is my default, but if I can find it, I’ll buy and hoard gallons of Omission IPA. It’s phenomenal. If I’m drinking outdoors, at a concert, etc, I’ll go with Miller Lite, because I have no self esteem. Whatever you do, though, stay away from Beer 30 Ice. Yes, that’s a real beer. It makes Hams and Natty Ice look like craft beer. That shit (can I curse?) is the devil. Unless you’re in college, in that case, it costs about $11 for a 30-rack, and it’ll leave you with some hilarious stories the morning after. Enjoy. What does a typical writing day look like for you? When and where do you do most of your writing? I’m a personal trainer, which means 12-13 hour days are the norm. I write a lot on my phone, whether it’s on the train, on my lunch break, etc. The 300-word sessions add up, and sometimes that’s all I can do for the day. Also, I find fewer grammatical errors when I write on my phone, and sometimes my prose is noticeably better. I think the slower pace helps me think, and because of the narrow screen view, I can zoom in on a single sentence and really dive into the mechanics of it. Try it, I swear I’m not crazy. On the weekends, I like to wake up around 8 or 9, crank up Spotify (rock, grunge, & metal), and pound out a good few hours. If I’ve got nothing planned, I’ll write and edit all day. My process is really chaotic and I’ve learned to accept that. Last month, I wrote for maybe 20 hours total. Last weekend, I wrote for over 20 hours.
"My training definitely serves as a compliment to the writing. I think there are many lessons from powerlifting that could benefit writers, or anyone, really. I could probably write a whole article about this concept alone, but I’ll keep it brief. Powerlifting is all about relentless improvement and absolute accountability. The human body doesn’t lie. You lift the weight or you don’t. There’s no subjectivity. No gray area. Success or failure. You’re the product of all your effort, nothing more, nothing less. It’s all discipline, humility, and mastery. I think anyone can benefit from applying those principles. As a fantasy writer myself, I know the genre often gets a bad rap in the writing world for not being ‘literary’ enough. What draws you to write fantasy and what is your response to that attitude? If generalizing an entire genre makes those people feel superior, good for them. I can find a bunch of “literary fiction” that’s nonsensical drivel, but that doesn’t make the whole genre worthless. I get it, there’s plenty of bad, shallow fantasy out there. Just like there’s bad, shallow sci-fi, mysteries, thrillers, romance, westerns, drama, suspense, horror, etc. But there’s also really great fantasy that explores complex themes like religion, politics, social status, race, friendship, love and relationships, death and the afterlife, the human condition, and much more. You just have to find it. And even if it’s “not literary,” who cares? Obviously, the fans don’t, and they’re the target audience, so they’re the ones who matter to the writer. There’s not some objective marker of merit, literary or otherwise. I love writing fantasy for three main reasons: 1. Sword fights. I’m not too proud to admit that I love the primal savagery of two people with conflicting goals settling their differences with steel in their hands. I wrestled, boxed, and trained in MMA for a while, and I enjoy exploring the motivations, applications, and consequences of physical violence. IN FICTION. Don’t fight people in real life, that’s just being a jerk. 2. Worldbuilding. I love the idea of designing a world from the ground up. Creating environments, geography, kingdoms, societies, customs, religions, rituals, and of course, the people who bring the world to life. With that, there’s plenty of potential to explore all those things that the literary snobs claim fantasy lacks. Oh, and did I mention MAGIC? Yeah, magic is great. I can’t wait to introduce it later in my series. 3. This is sort of a combination of the previous two, but when you can design any type of people/society/culture/kingdom you want, your potential for conflict is limitless. And because of the nature of medieval/fantasy worlds, often quite harsh and brutal, the way that conflict gets resolved is often very compelling. Today, if someone catches their friend stealing from them, it’ll result in a fight, or police involvement at worst. In a medieval world, the thief would be lucky to leave with their life, let alone their limbs intact. High stakes, I guess you could say. In my novel The Gatewatch the characters are inspired by the idealistic Viking ethos of boldness, cunning, and courage. In Sundering, the first book of your Shattered Fates Series, the main character Rylar is an unapologetic stoic. Was there a particular historical warrior code that helped to inspire this character? Rylar commands The Vanguard, which is a small but elite standing army. The Vanguard were aesthetically modeled off Spartan/hoplite warriors (heavily armored, spear, sword & shield, formation warfare). However, their functionality is based off modern special forces; their training is rigorous and brutal, they can function efficiently in small groups, and they have a strict hierarchy and can deploy extraordinarily quickly compared to other armies of that time period. Rylar, being their commander, is the epitome of what it means to be Vanguard. Unquestioning and uncompromising, he’s the consummate soldier, which ultimately proves an asset and a weakness. Having suffered much during his early life, and with only The Vanguard to cling to, he learned to bury everything so he could keep pushing forward. For him, to voice weaknesses, fears, and failings is to make them real. I think Rylar’s personal code evolved out of necessity rather than him consciously embracing any particular philosophy. "The Vanguard were aesthetically modeled off Spartan/hoplite warriors... their functionality is based off modern special forces; their training is rigorous and brutal, they can function efficiently in small groups, and they have a strict hierarchy and can deploy extraordinarily quickly compared to other armies of that time period." Dakstaan, one of the other characters in Sundering, speaks with a distinct dialect. How did you create the rules for his particular pattern of speech and do you have any advice for writers who want to use dialects? Dakstaan is from Rastaad, a northern country based on Scandinavia. There’s an archipelago called the Faroe Islands off the coast of Denmark where their dialect sounds Irish, despite being Scandinavian. Dakstaan’s accent is based off this, although not all people from his homeland speak as bizarrely as him. In addition to being foreign, he’s uneducated, and so his dialect is formed from both a heavy accent and the common speech of the peasants. He frequently leaves off the “g” on “ing” words, slurs words together (tell him = tell’im), and says “me” instead of “my” like the uneducated commoners. Other characters from the same country have their speech written normally, and it’s only mentioned in narration that they have an accent, which in their case, mirrors a Swedish or Norwegian accent (think Ragnar in Vikings). If you’re creating accents, establish the geography, general ideas of the language, and rules beforehand. For example, Dakstaan frequently uses Rastaadian sentence mechanics. Proper/common: I’ll see you later. Dakstaan: I’ll be seein’ ye. An anachronistic phrase, but you get the idea. He frequently puts things into present tense instead of a more digestible manner of speaking because that’s how his native tongue works, just like my mother (born in Colombia), says “control remote” instead of “remote control.” Once you have your general rules and ideas, create a directory of exact phrases and words and how you’ve written them, and use that as your reference point any time you write a scene with that character. Then double, triple, and quadruple check your dialogue with them. It’s so easy to forget the dialect and type a word correctly, and then miss it during editing because it’s invisible to us since the word is actually correct. Once you have your general rules and ideas, create a directory of exact phrases and words and how you’ve written them, and use that as your reference point any time you write a scene with that character.
You are currently in the throes of querying agents and publishers for your novel Sundering. Do you have any advice for writers who are in the midst of querying for their first novel? This is a tough one, because I haven’t gotten an agent yet, so I’m still in the midst of learning just like everyone else. Here’s a few basics, in no particular order. 1. For your pitch, cut to the core of your story. Character, desire, obstacle/conflict, stakes. Lay that out as cleanly as possible. 2. Do your research. Check the submission guidelines. Follow directions. We aren’t special. 3. Get someone to proofread your query. 4. Don’t take rejections personally. Writing is a business. Don’t publicly vent about your 58’th rejection on twitter. Agents are on twitter. Catch my drift? 5. Spend a lot of time on Queryshark. "Writing is a business. Don’t publicly vent about your 58’th rejection on twitter. Agents are on twitter. Catch my drift?" Find more short stories, book excerpts, blog posts, and book reviews at www.calplogan.com.
"authors are asked to describe their typical writing day in detail from start to finish" After I sent Rob the final draft I had a chance to read through the days of countless other authors. It was intriguing to find such a spectrum of approaches and experiences; hardly any were similar. From college delinquents to stay-at-home Dads to depressed poets to caffeine-fueled super-Moms, each writer had a distinctly different story to tell. Thanks again to Rob for curating this collaborative effort within the writing community and best wishes to each writer who so generously shared their story on My (Small Press) Writing Day. Find out about my writing day, and so many others, here.
Joshua talks writing, myths, and living a creative life with the good folks at Tree District Books. Listen in on the conversation here.
What does a productive day of writing look like to you? Are there any changes you made that helped you become more productive? I deal with a lot with side effects after going through chemotherapy a few years ago. I wake up every morning feeling hungover. By the time I’m well enough to write it’s afternoon. I don’t have the luxury to believe in writer’s block. Steven Pressfield’s books War of Art and Turing Pro both helped me get past any of that. I keep trying to be healthier too. I think people underestimate the power of nutrition and exercise. Everything is interrelated in our body and mind. You’d be surprised how many successful writers have dogs they walk daily. I can’t have a dog where I live, but I make sure to get out and get the blood flowing through my body. I think a lot of young writers start out sharp, but then slowly lose their edge due to physical negligence. The healthier I am, the stronger my mind is. Do you have any tips for writers trying to promote a finished or nearly finished work? I think a lot of people make the mistake of trying to promote themselves directly. Build your social media network and your blog followers, but not in a way that’s sales focused. Find people that reciprocate and are supportive and support them back. I’ve never asked anyone directly – even family – to buy my work or retweet any of my posts (other than recent giveaways). Instead, I share what’s interesting and read and like other people’s posts. It’s not all about me. I also go to other author’s readings and signings without expecting anything in return. Networking this way got me a book deal. I was able to put followers, post hits, readers, likes, etc. in the book proposal I gave my publisher to show that people were interested in my work and that I could promote a published book if given the opportunity. Today, you need to market your own writing. It’s not easy. If you don’t have the means to do it you’re in trouble. Publishers know this and want to see that you’re ready. Good writing isn’t enough. You’re a salesperson. Public speaking is a must. I believe Twitter is misunderstood and underutilized by Canadian writers. It takes a while to build a presence, but it’s a powerful tool. That being said, I dedicate a small portion of my day to social media and then sign off. I’ve got writing to do. It’s rare for me to share a #nowwriting post. How can I be writing if I’m on Twitter or Instagram? A final thing is that I value anyone who reads my work. I try to sign books with a sentence or two saying thank you. I’m nothing without readers and other people who helped me along the way. If you write like I do, you know you’re always going to keep writing. You’ll never stop. It’s not an easy road. I remember when I first posted online I would get one or two readers for some posts and I was happy. Now, I think about posts that have gotten thousands and try to remember that they’re the same people, coming in ones and twos, there are just more of them. Gratitude is everything. "If you write like I do, you know you’re always going to keep writing. You’ll never stop. It’s not an easy road."
One reviewer’s editor made her review less favourable by adding sections to what she had written. He compared me to an author from the eighties who described himself as a “wizard exorcist.” This editor insinuated my book was no different than his for real. He did this using another author’s name, not his own. He had never even read my book. There isn’t a single similarity between my work and this other guy’s books, which included spells and such. The editor then only allowed her to publish the review online but not in their print version, which is widely circulated. I’m a veteran. I’ve won awards for my writing. I’ve been recognized multiple times in my previous career for various criminal arrests and large dollar recoveries. I might be a lot of things, but I’m not a wizard or an exorcist. For strategic reasons, I had to accept the review and say nothing, even to her, though clearly I was able to figure out what happened as I was confused. The industry is rife with nepotism. There are a lot of politics. "The industry is rife with nepotism. There are a lot of politics." Readers really liked The Haunting of Vancouver Island though, which is why it has done so well. Even academics who gave it a chance have contacted me to say they liked my approach to the subject. It’s being carried in museums all over the island. To me, this is a huge win. The Haunting of Vancouver Island is also being sold in a lot of First Nations galleries. I’m honoured by that. Most ghost books are really just white settler stories or sensationalized scary non-white ghosts. Some authors even call Indigenous content “myth” when it’s in the same collection as white stories. Many people approach this subject with old fashioned thinking. How can a title claim to be about a geographical area but really just be about the white settler ghosts? Yet, some of the First Nations ghost stories I’ve been told are my favourite. There is more of an acceptance of the spirit world in First Nations culture. If I die tomorrow, I’ll be most proud to have written something that honours all Vancouver Island residents. "If I die tomorrow, I’ll be most proud to have written something that honours all Vancouver Island residents." One more negative thing is that since The Haunting of Vancouver Island has been published I’ve had a lot of content stolen – other authors and online writers telling stories from my book without attributing them. News stations around Halloween too. This doesn’t happen with any other nonfiction subject I know of, like cooking books, journalism, or photography. After being published, I joined the Writer’s Union of Canada. I think appropriation of writers’ works needs to be shut down. The problem with ghost stories is that writers present the stories as fact – nonfiction – yet because the stories are not being treated as folklore or in a cultural context they’re actually being stolen and repackaged, either from a kid on the street, a community, or another author. It’s theft. When the story is embellished – made scarier for profit or ghost tours – it’s a type of folklore fraud that is only now starting to be called out all over the world. Some authors have been rewriting history for their own gain, when they claim someone was murdered somewhere when it never happened, or have made unfounded accusations of sexuality or abuse committed by an actual deceased person (amazing what psychics conveniently come up with). It bleeds into historic records sometimes. There are several examples I found on Vancouver Island. Plus, the slandered dead often have living family members. Like I said, the subject is not well respected. A lot of authors try hard then have their work stolen and repackaged. Other use psychics to say whatever they want. As soon as a psychic is involved, it’s not folklore or nonfiction even. It’s religion. That distinction needs to be made clearer when the book is packaged by the publisher. You draw a lot from local lore and history in your work. Do you have any advice for other history hunters in terms of where to dig up good stories? Talk to people and be respectful. The most valuable stories are first-hand accounts. Learn how to research too. There are a lot of gems out there. One of my favourite accounts in The Haunting of Vancouver Island came from a published academic paper. It’s a more contemporary First Nations story about a cannibal spirit who shapeshifts between a giant snake and a beautiful woman. The source is clearly stated in the book. Both the author of the paper and the Elder the paper was citing. I volunteered at the Nanaimo museum while I was still sick but before I returned to university. This is where I learned a lot about researching history. For years, I was an investigator of property crimes as I’ve mentioned already. There are similarities between putting together a criminal case and piecing together history. People who are good at either one learn to love the chase. There’s actually a rush when you piece some of these stories together. "Talk to people and be respectful. The most valuable stories are first-hand accounts." Could you offer any tips on what goes into making a story scary? And is there anything that people get wrong about trying to be scary? For nonfiction, building trust by being as honest as possible makes those uncanny accounts more terrifying, especially when you begin to realize that people from every culture in history have claimed to have had these experiences. Due to social norms, there’s an inaccurate but widespread belief that promotes the idea that science disputes that people have these experiences. It does not. When we realize the phenomena of seeing ghosts is real, then we can decide if these are spirits of the dead or if there is another explanation, maybe something more academically digestible. To me, honest accounts are what separates children’s stories from unsettling stay-awake-all-night reads. For fiction, pacing is important. You should give someone’s imagination a lot to work with, using as few words as possible when describing the entity or creature involved. The least scary stories to me are those where the being is over described. The reader should be offered a glance and then be forced to turn away. Part of what they’ve been shown will linger: It might be the reflective surface of its head, the pitch darkness of its eyes, or the way it twitches when it walks. These moments are critical. The rest of the story is just circling these few sentences so craft these scene carefully. Whenever a creature or ghost starts to have dialogue in a story I’m finished. Think about the scariest vampire or werewolf stories. The less human they are the better. They should not be logical. We’re talking about scares here. I know there’s a market for supernatural romance, but that won’t keep you up at night. "The least scary stories to me are those where the being is over described. What is next for you creatively? Do you have another project on the go? I’m working on several projects. I’ve been collecting more folklore, but I don’t want this to be my next published book as I already feel like I’ve been pigeonholed a bit as someone who just writes about ghosts. I’ve also been labeled a nonfiction writer. I self published a book a few years ago called Way of the Wraith,which is a prequel to many stories I’ve written that are set in a fictional world of ghosts and mythical beings. The sequel, Shadow Empire, is mostly finished. This world is a lot of fun for me to write. Basically, the afterlife is worse than anyone imagines. It’s a brutal place where ghosts are consumed as food or enslaved. Warriors who have fallen in battle have been recruited as soldiers for the Kingdom of Heaven for thousands of years. The society is a caste system of the haves and the have-nots, it’s psychotically violent, male-dominated, and white supremacist. The protagonists are the outlaw spirits. Many of them are just as bad as the agents of the Kingdom of Heaven, but there are also those who are damaged but good, who would like to see a wide-spread resistance. Multiple spirits play both sides. Most of the old gods are dead or became a part of the Kingdom centuries ago. You might appreciate that Odin still exists on his own due to a war treaty. Many suspect him of aiding outlaws. The main nonfiction piece I’m working on is a memoir about my tour to Afghanistan, return with cancer, and how hard it has been to reintegrate into society. The side effects of chemo have been brutal to deal with, but that’s how I ended up going back to school for writing. I feel like I have to share my experiences because a lot of people have preconceived ideas about Afghanistan based on Hollywood or whatever. I also think my story might be interesting for anyone who has gone through hard times. I never gave up even though many people gave up on me. A lot of good came out of my challenges in the end, but I’ve been in some dark places. It’s probably why my writing’s so dark. "A lot of good came out of my challenges in the end, but I’ve been in some dark places. Where can we find more about you and your work? My site livinglibraryblog.com is a hub for my writing and social media channels. There’s a lot of free content available for anyone interested in dark folklore as well as updates about upcoming projects. Find Shanon’s book The Haunting of Vancouver Island here.
|
AuthorJoshua Gillingham is an author, editor, and game designer from Vancouver Island, Canada. Archives
April 2022
Categories
All
|