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Post by Jim on Jul 3, 2009 12:49:09 GMT
Hi Derek,thanks for doing this.
I'll start of with the usual background type questions
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Post by Jim on Jul 3, 2009 13:00:11 GMT
When did you start writing, and do you think you have reached a stage where you are comfortable in calling yourself a writer?
What inspired you to start writing?
Can you tell us about your past work, and any future projects you have lined up?
Has there been one author more than any other that has been a major influence on your writing?
is there any part of he writing process you find difficult.
How do you go about writing, do you have a plot rundown, character synopsis all developed first or do you go with the flow
Do you have any rituals you go through when writing?
How much of you goes into your work?
Should an author write for himself or the fans? You hear so many stores of fans outrage when an author refuses to write another story based on one of there characters or set in one of their worlds.
If you could use any character from any other author in one of your novels who would it be and who would you pit them up against?
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
You don't have to answer this one if you don't want to.
Have you ever based a character who die a horrible death, or who is just a total jerk, on someone you really didn't like? if so did they ever figure it out?
Being a horror author, do your family and friends ever wonder about you? What has their reaction been after reading your work?
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 11:25:27 GMT
Hi Derek,thanks for doing this. A pleasure Jim!
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 11:38:16 GMT
I have written stories since I was twelve or so. Nothing that you could show anyone else but ideas, aborted attempts and small scenes that came to mind. My first real short story was when I was thirteen. Is sent it off to a magazine and it was promptly rejected. At thirteen I just assumed that that meant I should stop - so I did. But only for a while. I still don't really consider myself a writer at this point. As this is not my primary job I feel reluctant to allow myself that brand. Though, as more books come out I am beginning to feel less reluctant.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 11:42:36 GMT
I don't know if I really had a choice. I have always read books, magazines, in fact anything that I could get my hands on. Some stories were great and others fell a little short of what I had wanted. I found myself thinking how those stories could have gone if the writer had taken another angle and then I began to think up my own ideas. Storylines and plots would come to me and the only way I could see how they might develope was to put them down on paper and breath some life into them. The stories would get stuck in my head and the same scene would play over and over until I got it out.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:17:59 GMT
Vampire Apocalypse - The World Torn Asunder was my first novel. I wrote it just to see if I could actually finish a story. It started as a scene I had that suddenly started to develope into a novella and then a novel. Once I finished it I found people were saying nice things about it and Black Death wanted to publish it. At that point I was beginning to think that maybe I could actually do this.
I don't do a lot of short fiction, the stories tend to grow too long for most anthologies but I forced myself to keep a few short and got The Diabolical Plan into Permutes Press' The Undead. They had just started and it was a real thrill to get into that anthology with the quality of the other authors they had.
Next up came the second Vampire Apocalypse book, Descent into Chaos. This one allowed me to expand on the characters and the canvas of the story. This one was everything I had wanted the first one to be but wasn't really able to do at the time.
I had another short story printed in Permutes Press' History is Dead and had some really nice things said about that one. I have since written a few more short stories and they can be found in The Blackest Death Volume 2, Zombology and, more recently, I was asked to contribute to The Buried Tales of Pinebox anthology.
In fact, The Buried Tales of Pinebox was the first time I had actually been asked to write something rather than me finish something and then look for a home for it. It was different writing something set in someone else's universe but I had a lot of fun doing it. I was in the middle of editing at the time the request came in and I wasn't sure I could meet the deadline but then an idea popped into my head and they seemed to like it so it's in there. It's called The Evil Within and it's available on Amazon etc. It's worth picking up as the setting is really cool and the anthology is a great introduction to the Pinebox universe.
While I was writing the stories above I spent a weekend with friends in Dungarvin in County Waterford and that gave rise to an idea that ended up becoming The Estuary This has just come out from Permuted Press and is my first novel for them. They are a great team and are really supportive.
The third Vampire Apocalypse book, Fallout comes out in September so it's a busy year. I also have a novella coming out from a UK publisher in August. This collects the previously mentioned The Diabolical Plan and a follow on novella set in the same time and with the same characters. I also wrote a linking story and the whole package looks great. These stories are set just before the Napoleonic Wars where historical reality clash with the supernatural. It's called Sentinels of the Sea and the cover they have done looks great. I loved writing this so much I have completed a full novel set in the same time and would love to expand further. However, we'll have to see if people like what I have done so far before I write any more.
I am currently writing a thriller, almost three quarters done at this point. It's been a real challenge writing completely in the real world, without any vampires or warewolves, but it's coming along nicely so we'll see. I also have another idea for a Vampire Apocalypse book and a new series that I will keep to myself for now.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:18:56 GMT
There are two actually. Graham Masterton and James Herbert have always been my favourites. They have consistently come out with great novels year after year and have always remained within the genre.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:22:28 GMT
Time is my biggest problem. I love writing and generally produce something worthwhile each time I sit down, if that's not too facetious. But I only really get a good run at it on Saturday and Sunday so my output is limited I'm afraid. Maybe some day.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:28:06 GMT
I'm afraid I am not very organised when it comes to writing. I have a number of scattered notes from random thoughts that have come to me over the last few days. These might be a scetch of a scene or even just a line of dialogue. Sometimes I know exactly where I want these and other times I have the note beside me waiting for the right moment.
Sometimes I start to write a scene and I have no real idea how it will end. During the course of the writing ideas sometimes come to me that send me in an entireley different direction that I had thought I would go.
I'm not entirely sure if this is a good way to work but it does have its moments and surprises. My latest book, the thriller I mentioned before, has required a lot more planning and research though as it involves cities and countries that I had to study before so that the story would not feel contrived.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:28:42 GMT
No, I turn on my Apple and load Word and iTunes and blast away.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:30:47 GMT
Everything. My heart beats with excitement during the actions scenes and I feel sad when a character dies. I don't know any other way to expect anyone else to feel the emotions or the passion you are trying to convey.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:33:16 GMT
It's a tough world I'm afraid and a writer has to live. Sometimes that means that you have to write what is selling rather than what you want to write. There are many series that I began and loved only to see that the author moved to another genre. It happens unfortunately.
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Post by derekg on Jul 4, 2009 12:37:05 GMT
I don't know if I would like to use someone else's character in one of my stories to be honest. But, I have always dreamed of writing for Marvel. Any character would do. I have read and collected comics all my life and love them. I would to get my hands on one of their characters and see where it might go.
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Post by derekg on Jul 14, 2009 17:40:24 GMT
I reckon the author has to have fun. If I am having fun writing it then that emotion will come through in the writing. If it doesn't then the writing will be forced and won't come across the way it was intended.
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Post by derekg on Jul 14, 2009 17:41:33 GMT
No, I'm afraid not. My murderous tendancies are kept tightly reigned in - for now anyway.
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