BRoP Author Interview with Darke Conteur Part III

Members who frequent Agent Query Connect (AQC as we call it.) will bump into Darke there, they even have a virtual oven over there just so she can bake everyone cookies!  We've rubbed shoulders a time or two.  So I was happy when fellow BRoP member E.M. Neume asked if Darke would like to do an author interview on our blog ring.  Of course Darke said yes.

So click here for Part I of her interview at Em's Realms of a Fantastical Mind.

Here is Part II on sandra Ulbrich Almazan's Blog

Darke and I will be chatting here for Part III

Part IV will be out tomorrow on Terri's blog.'
and Teresa will conclude with Part V on Thursday.

So Darke, pull up a chair and get comfortable.  Please tell us all about your creative process.

First off, where do you get your story ideas?

Some of them started off as fan fics. Sort of what I would do if I were in charge.

Do you have a specific writing style? 

Honestly, I have no idea. I tend to write tight third person. Is that a style?

How do you deal with writer’s block? 

Dishes or a hot shower. I've come up with some wonderful ideas scrubbing away at pots and pans.

Are you a “plotter” or a “pantser” (do you plan/outline the story ahead of time or write “by the seat of your pants”)?

Oh I plot. Plot, plot, plot. I don't write a scene unless I know how it's going to go.

Do you use critique partners or beta readers? Why or why not?

I did, but I have a content editor now. I loved my beta's but I've put myself on a tight schedule and sometimes that doesn't work well when I'm waiting for someone to return chapters to me.

How much time do you spend on research? 

It depends on the subject. I'm still researching things on Druidism as it's so rare to find good information.

What type of research do you do? 

Mostly online. I love the internet.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging to write?  

Action scenes. What I see in my head and what I type out are generally two different things or confusing as heck when I read it over.

For more information about Darke and her work here are some helpful links:

Website:

Facebook:

Facebook Author Page:

Twitter:

Goodreads:

LinkedIn:

Blog:

Is your book in print, ebook or both?

Right now, both are only available as ebooks, but I am planning on doing print versions in the future.

The Watchtower

His first day of work wasn't what Martin Cunningham expected. A sultry boss, a classy receptionist, the drama-queen foreigner, and a painfully shy techie who prefers hiding to human interaction, was the oddest group of characters he'd ever met. When an assassination attempt is made against his new boss, Martin comes face to face with the stuff of nightmares.

Now he and his new co-workers must race to prevent another attack, but where do they start? There's very little to go on, and the only solid piece of evidence escaped through the u-bend in the toilet. By the end of the day, Martin becomes one of the privileged few who really understands what lies in the shadows, and what it means to work in THE WATCHTOWER. 

Under the Cover of Wicca

Victims of ritual sacrifices are showing up in one graveyard, and sixteen-year-old sensitive Janet Weiss is the only witness the police have.

With Janet's safety in question, Jezryall enlists the help of Rowan, a Wiccan Priestess and old friend. When followers of dark magic kidnap Janet in a brazen daylight attack, Jezryall and her team make a stand against the continuing threat.

The balance between good and evil is being methodically destroyed, and Janet's unintentional witnessing of the latest ritual may not be by accident. Jezryall and her staff must rescue the teen and stop the culprits before the balance of power is tilted more in favour of evil.

Failure is not an option, or Janet's soul won't be the only one condemned to Hell. 

Thanks for stopping in Darke.  I hope everyone else enjoyed your visit as much as I have.  On behalf of myself and the other members or our Blog Ring of Power, thank you for your interview.

Interview with Published Author Calista Taylor

Today I have an interview with Calista Taylor an agented author. I say “agented author” as if it is a badge of pride. It is. (I am looking for an agent myself.) She has published two e-books. She is a Moderator at AQC, has her own blog and is a contributor to The Write Angle Blog. Yes a very busy lady and she was gracious enough to agree to an interview. So on the other side of my virtual mike is Calista:

Why did you choose to write steampunk?

I've always read stories that take place during the Victorian time period, so steampunk was a great fit. It let me explore writing in a time period I really enjoyed, but also allowed me the ability to be more creative and build my own world.

What are some of the challenges of writing steampunk?

I think the research can offer some challenges, depending on how historically accurate you decide to keep your story, but that's actually one of the advantages of writing steampunk versus a traditional historical-- it's your world to tweak and make your own.

How much research is required for your genre?

Since I've always read books that were placed in that general time period, a lot of it came naturally. As for the rest, there are so many incredible websites out there. But again, because you're creating your own world, it's really up to you how close you want to stick to being historically accurate.

You have three books in the works, two are e-books Viridis which is a free book, just download. The next book in the series is now available Death on a Sparrow's Wing. (This one is not a free book.) Fox Chapel Publishing will be releasing Everyday Steampunk craft book in the Spring of 2012. Three different methods of publishing. What are the pros and cons of each of your approaches?

I think the two ebooks need to be looked at as one approach to publishing. I released the first book for free, knowing many wouldn't take a risk on an unknown author. The hope was with no risk, they'd download the book if it sounded interesting. Then if they liked the first, they'd be willing to pay for the second. So far, this seems to be working pretty well. As for the third book, I think trying to self publish something that has so many pictures, would be a formatting nightmare for the novice. The con is the royalty rate is that of a traditional publishing deal, versus the much higher percentage that accompanies epublishing.

Do you have more stories in mind in the Viridis series? Any hints or spoilers you want to share?

Definitely!! As long as my characters are happy to keep chatting and getting into trouble, then I'm happy to write their story. As for hints and spoilers, I think we'll see more of the secondary characters as they tell their story.

Did your query letter work to get your agent?

I did indeed query my agent with my fiction novel. Unfortunately, that relationship dissolved when the agency changed the genres it was representing. As for my non-fiction agent, he approached me to take on the steampunk craft project after seeing the blog I posted on wearing the leather corset I made to a steampunk event.

Did you have beta readers for your steampunk books? Where did you meet your beta readers?
I've had several beta readers, in addition to critique partners. I've met most of them via Agent Query Connect.

For your self published works, how did you do the editing and proofing?

For Viridis, my agent went through multiple edits and proofing with me, in addition to my critique partners and betas going through the manuscript.

What do you have to say about the negative critiques Viridis has on Amazon?

I'll admit, some of the negative reviews have been frustrating. There are a couple reviews that commented on editing errors, when the truth of the matter is that I believe most of what they're referring to are stylistic choices, such as fragments, or clipped sentences, designed to stress a certain scene or emotion, or in some cases due to the style of language that I've tried to convey as being of that time period. I try to look at it objectively though-- I know my book isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, so I try my best to focus on the positive. It can be hard though.


How much time do you set aside for writing and research?

I tend to write every day for several hours. If I have free time, I write or edit.

How do you balance your life?

I find it's hard to get that balance right. I do have two young kids and a crazy dog, so they make sure I take time away from my lap top.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Just keep writing. It really is as simple as that.

What do you think the key to your success is?

I think I'm passionate about my writing, my characters and my stories, and I hope that comes across in my writing.


And there you have it. Calista has a website, a blog, and is a contributing writer for The Write Angle.

Calista Taylor is an agented author of steampunk/gaslight romance and non-fiction, with a steampunk romance series currently available, and a steampunk clothing craft book due out in May 2012.

She lives in New England with her husband, her two girls, an ancient cat and a crazy dog.

When not running things over with a sewing machine or lacing herself into a corset, Calista can be found tapping away on her laptop, tormenting her characters, and riddling the streets of Victorian London with dead bodies and heaving bosoms.

She's also a creative cook who can't follow recipes, a versatile crafter, and a happy geek.

Calista Taylor