Author interview --Michelle Gregory

This is my first author interview. I first got to know Michelle Gregory through the blogosphere and she was kind enough to follow me way back when. I was lucky enough to win a copy of her book from her website.  Her book Eldala is a wonderful read. You can read my review here. On with my questions.

1. How long have you been writing?
-- I wrote stories when I was in junior high and high school (that was back in the late 70’s and early 80’s). When I attended college and had to come up with essays and answers for essay tests, I lost my love of writing. I didn’t find it again until I did some research about homeschool writing programs for my kids. One of them recommended modeling writing so that the kids would write. That was back in 2005, and it led me to National Novel Writing Month, which led me to writing Eldala, which opened the floodgates of my brain and now I can’t seem to stop the flood of stories in my head.

2. What inspired you to write Eldala?

-- I wanted to write a story about a man who starts his life one way and finds out he has to save the world. I thought it would be a story my boys would like to read, and I put in elements of stories that I like to read. It turned into a romance by accident.

3. You developed a language as well as another world for this book. Was it hard to come up with a new language? Any pointers for coming up with a language or other worldly names?

-- Honestly, the way I came up with a new language was to say some nonsense words out loud and write them down. I figured out exactly what they meant in a 2nd or 3rd draft. I added to them as I needed new phrases. Now having to come up with a different language in the sequel, I’m doing the same thing, but trying to make it sound different from the previous language.

My advice would be just be as creative as possible, but don’t be so “out there” that people can’t figure out how to pronounce the language.

As far as names for people, I use baby name lists. I never intended for all the men in my book (save one or two) to have names ending in N, nor for the ladies to all have names ending in A. It just kind of happened. Names for places came from my kids and from looking at a world atlas. (Indonesia has all kinds of cool places to draw from.)

4. How long did it take to write Eldala from start to finish (the final copy)?

-- I started in November 2005, stopped, completely started over, revised, etc, and had the final copy in my hands in August 2007, so almost two years.

5. I love what Eldala stands for and love it for the title of the book—Has this been the title throughout your whole process?

-- I first called it Kiran (yes, I changed the way his name is spelled), but that was before I came up with the concept of Eldala and what it stands for.

6. What is your process-- are you more structured or a panster (writing by the seat of your pants)?

-- I’m a little bit of both. I have a general idea of what I want to have happen, but as I write, that changes and evolves. By the final draft, the story has gone in directions I never imagined it would go. Eldala certainly became something larger and more complex than I’d originally planned.

7. What made you to decide to self publish?

-- Originally, I wasn’t going to publish at all. I was just writing a story for me and my kids, to see if I could do it. My husband mentioned self-publishing and I agreed, but only so I could have ONE copy to show my accomplishment. Over time, I told friends and family I was writing a novel and so I reluctantly decided to purchase an ISBN so that I could sell it on Amazon. I never imagined I would sell or give away over 100 copies.
8. Any advice for anyone who is considering self publishing?

-- Do some research about self-publishing companies. There are so many out there (good and bad) that it’s hard to choose. A great book called The Fine Print of Self-Publishing by Mark Levine.
http://www.bookpublisherscompared.com/  helped me find the company I wanted to use.

-- Do some research about the process of self-publishing. I’ve learned that, technically, I’m not a self-publisher because I go through a company that charges for book sales, so I’m really a publish-on-demand author. If I were truly a “self-publisher”, I would have found a company that prints the book and then I would work on the distribution. That’s more work than I want to do right now.

-- Be prepared for some prejudice in the writing community. Self-publishing has gotten a bad name because there are a lot of poorly written and poorly edited self-published books out there. The cover art isn’t always the best. Self-published is equivalent to “you couldn’t make it in the real publishing world, so you did it yourself.” I could go into all the arguments about why that isn’t always true, but that would take an entire blog post and it’s time for me to get off my soap box now.

9. What can we expect from Blackheart (the sequel to Eldala)?

-- Blackheart takes place several years after the end of Eldala. The story will be more about Tiana and Arathor, but I’ll still have Kieran and Jessa’s points of view. Things have been fine in Teleria, but now there’s a disturbance. The Esgharites are causing trouble. The blessing is failing for some reason. There will be more battle, a new villain, and you’ll meet Kieran and Jessa’s eldest daughter Lydia.

10. Any advice for aspiring authors?

-- Learn all you can about writing, but don’t spend so much time learning that it keeps you from actually writing. The only way to learn is to jump in and do it.

-- Learn to write for yourself. You don’t know how long it will take for your stories to be picked up by a publisher, so in the meantime, enjoy the process and don’t worry about what will happen to your stories.

Quick answer questions:

11. Do you have a favorite snack food while writing?
-- The problem is, I don’t eat at all while I write and then I wonder (hours later), “Why don’t I feel so well?”

12. Who is your favorite author?
-- Mary Connealy – http://www.maryconnealy.com/ She writes what I call hysterical historicals, but she calls them romantic comedy with cowboys.

13. What is your favorite book?
-- That’s like asking me to pick my favorite food. Impossible. My favorite genre is historical romance (be it Christian or not), and contemporary romance comes in second. Oddly enough, I don’t really enjoy fantasy because I haven’t found that many good fantasy books out there.
Thank you for this chance to share more of myself with your blog readers and my novel readers.

Thank you so much Michelle. You can check out Michelle's website http://www.michelledgregory.com/ her blog http://www.michellegregory.blogspot.com/
She is also hosting a blogfest on Thursday July 1st. The Kill Share Your Darlings Blogfest. Be sure to get in on the action. It will be fun.
I had a lot of questions. Have a great day!

Books, books, books.

Hello and welcome to the new blogger buddies. Take a look around and I will be visiting your blogs soon.

As you know I'm in a local book club. Since I pretty much read YA/Paranormal/Sci Fi --you know the whole sha bang--I wanted to expand my book reading and the book club forces me to read books I would never look at. Sure some are hard to read and make my slow reading even slower--but the one I'm reading now has suprised me.

I did a review way back on my first book for the book club The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

The second book was Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Don't click to see what's inside --I'm borrowing the picture.  Go to Amazon.com for that.

Here is the synopsis:
All children should believe they are special. But the students of Hailsham, an elite school in the English countryside, are so special that visitors shun them, and only by rumor and the occasional fleeting remark by a teacher do they discover their unconventional origins and strange destiny. Kazuo Ishiguro's sixth novel, Never Let Me Go, is a masterpiece of indirection. Like the students of Hailsham, readers are "told but not told" what is going on and should be allowed to discover the secrets of Hailsham and the truth about these children on their own.
Offsetting the bizarreness of these revelations is the placid, measured voice of the narrator, Kathy H., a 31-year-old Hailsham alumna who, at the close of the 1990s, is consciously ending one phase of her life and beginning another. She is in a reflective mood, and recounts not only her childhood memories, but her quest in adulthood to find out more about Hailsham and the idealistic women who ran it. Although often poignant, Kathy's matter-of-fact narration blunts the sharper emotional effects you might expect in a novel that deals with illness, self-sacrifice, and the severe restriction of personal freedoms. As in Ishiguro's best-known work, The Remains of the Day, only after closing the book do you absorb the magnitude of what his characters endure. --Regina Marler

My take:
This was slow in the beginning. It took me awhile to get into it and understand what the heck was going on. The middle picked it up through to the end. I think the way it is written is what was hard for me. Since I write in first person I tend to gravitate towards books that are written that way and if they are not the book tends to drag for me. The story idea is brilliant but the way its told is odd. I had a hard time figuring out the time period. I thought it took place in the 50s or 60s and the summary says the 90s. Everyone in the book club pretty much agreed on that confusion. I thought some characters traits were odd and in some parts I thought it needed more. In the end --I did like it. Just not raving about it.

This is the book that is surprising me. A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White is great. I really like this book and I'm not done. I will give a full review later. It's not written in first person but it seems to hold my attention and the pace flows quickly. So far, I definately would recommend this one. Check out my review on this next week.

***The books I'm reading that are not part of the book club (purely for my interest):

I just finished Eldala by Michelle Gregory and really liked it. You should check out her site.

The synopsis:
Kieran's blood boils every time he hears about the abuse handed down by Teleria's nobility. But years of hiding in his father's smithy have taught him to avoid trouble. Content with being a blacksmith, the only disruptions in his well-ordered life are his disturbing dreams. It isn't until his twentieth birthday, when he receives a mysterious letter and sword from King Arathor - the man who claims to be his real father - that he wonders if his nightmares have become reality. If he believes Arathor, he will have a chance to end a twenty-year curse over Teleria, and free the people from King Rahnak's oppression. But it could also mean giving up his quest to find the mysterious woman with whom he shares an intimate heart connection.

My take:
I really liked this book. It was more up my alley. I am always in awe by authors who create worlds that are similar to ours but are different. This is like a medieval world with it's own language and cool magic. Kudos Michelle on making up a language. The names are great too. I've been having trouble in this area with my own WiP so I am inspired by this. It's a great love story and her descriptions are fantastic. The magical element added a nice touch. You know me love story, YA, and any sort of magical element--I get a mushy and smile. The pace is good and the writing fantastic. You should check this out.
Michelle is also hosting a blogfest on July 1st and will be giving away a prize during her blogfest. I will be interviewing Michelle and will post it the last week in June. So stay tuned.

So I'm trying to figure out what to read next. I said I would read Hunger Games but I may save that for later in the summer. I did take a peek at the first page and didn't want to put it down. We will see. I may read the novella by Stephanie Meyer. It's short and I could fly through it. Hopefully--remember slow reader here. I also have Candor by Pam Bachorz. I won this from the awesome Elana. I'll let you know. My list on Goodreads.com is getting longer and I'm trying to keep up the Shelfari site too. I think I have too many sites going on along with too many books to read.

Do you have any good books to share? (I know I asked this last week but you guys read faster than me.) 

Any fellow blogger books you recommend?

***I will be hosting ***Writing the Next Line on Friday June 18th.****  So promote it and come back.

This is my 100th post how crazy is that. To my CPs --I'm off to critique.

Have a great day! Sorry for the long post.

The Book Club.

Well, I am one tired puppy. Like I said the other day the kids are not sleeping so not much is getting done. I want to thank you guys for all your advice on Twitter/ Web pages. I think I should concentrate on my MS and then decide.  I really want to get that baby in good shape.  I started revising chapter 2 yesterday so I will hopefully continue on that today. 

On Wednesday, I mentioned that I joined a book club--yes-- a book club.
Not like have a lot on my plate already but I am the type of person who needs to be busy constantly. I also thought it would give me a chance to read books I would not normally go for.

I am a YA girl heart and soul and if you add paranormal, sci fi, and romance into the picture it is so my cup of tea--so makes my day.  I thought maybe the book club would get me out of the house with some gals to have some fun.  So far it has and it is exposing me to books I would not take a second glance at.  Sure they are best sellers and most likely on Oprah's list and that is usually not me. I am not one to follow the mainstream despite my appearance. Plus, I have so many books on my Dining Room table and on my booklist --it is frightning (check out my goodreads or shelfari site and you will see).

Anyway, I read-- well --I almost finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  This book is good and written very well but not quite my cup of tea.  It is very interesting and --yes --I will say it again I liked it but I like a story that is a little more fast paced. It is set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. 

The main problem I had with this book is the dialogue.  It was written in southern slang so to speak and when I started to read this I was critiquing three other MS aside from revising mine so it was not easy to read right away.  I think that is what slowed it down for me.

Now to all my YA friends, I am not converting I promise. I have to have my books take me to an unknown place away from this reality and they may include a little hottie.  I thought this push would open me up to other ways of writing which may help my own.  I also like the getting together with the girls and discussing-- it was fun.  Between book club books, I am going to read Eldala by Michelle Gregory and I hope to get to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

My daughter even wants to come to a meeting. She said, "Mommy, I want to come to the book club and we can read a book about the Backyardigans (a kids cartoon).  We can discuss it too." She is 4 going on 14. Too funny.

Have you ever joined a book club? Have you read a book you would not normally read? Was it a good or bad experience?

I hope you have a great weekend!

The stats!

On a super happy note--Thank you to Michelle Gregory of beautiful chaos. I won an autographed copy of her book Eldala. I can't wait to read it. Thanks Michelle!



Whew! The first step of many is complete and I will put talking about my first draft to rest--I promise. I have fully finished my first draft. Yes, I know a few weeks ago I said I was almost finished but I added some things and now my baby will be taking her first steps to revision. 

I must take a break from her, then print her out and read her all over again. Then the ultimate of scary--revision.  I am scared--not sure why-- but I am on my way.  Sure for some of you this is silly for me to make such a big deal but it is the first story --out of the several I have started-- that I have completed.  I actually took my kids to lunch to celebrate-- including a milkshake.

So here are her stats --I feel like this is the weight and length of one of my children after being born.

Chapters-33

Words- 87,230

Pages-301

There you go. I have alot of revising to do--so scared. 


So I may post a snippit, I may not, because I have a ton of critiques to finish and my CP told me no more thoughts of Ian and Anna--I need to take a break. She is sooo right but it is sooo hard. :) I may not post until Friday. 

Fun question---What is your favorite ice cream?  Totally unrelated and random but something fun and it helps me think of summer.  We are about to get another 10" of snow. 

Have a good day!

What planet is that?

I hope everyone had a great weekend.  My time was mainly cleaning house and much needed family time.  I was quite a happy little bee when I looked over at my followers block.  51 --yes-- 51 where did that number come from?  I can't believe that anyone thinks that I'm interesting.  So thanks for making me feel accepted--it makes me smile.

Also, Thanks for your feedback on the Snowflake Method.  I am trying it but it was great to hear that some of you do things by the 'seat of your pants' and have had success.  So far, I have been flying 'by the seat of my pants' and to be quite honest it feels the most comfortable but I will try other methods to see if it helps me become a better writer.  I may post my one liner tomorrow.

So on with my post.
I thought of you Michelle Gregory (beautiful chaos) when I started this post. I need to come up with names for my novel.  Not just names of people but names of things not of this world.  I have been racking my brain and have come up with nothing.  I may be trying too hard and when I do that I get nothing.  I stand in awe at the authors/movie folks who come up with a whole planet that includes a whole new way of life ie. George Lucas, JK Rowling, Tolkien, etc.

Do any of you have any advice? Have any of you needed to come up with names of other worldly places, languages, races of people, etc.?  If you have, how have you gone about naming things?

Don't forget about Michelle's giveaway.  Her book Eldala--I have to read this one.

Have a great day!