Author Interview: Steve Rzasa

     Hey guys. Please welcome Steve Rzasa, our guest for today. Steve is an author of several Sci-Fi and Steampunk novels. Check out his latest book on amazon.

     So Steve, when did you first realize you wanted to write books?

     I’ve always loved to write stories, but I think the first time I recognized a desire to write books was when I was in high school. It took me a couple years at the time but I finished a space opera tale called Unifying Factors. You will never see that one published. But it was my first experiment to see if I could start and finish something novel-length.

     How many books have you written?

     Five, all for the Christian speculative fiction publisher Marcher Lord Press: The Word Reclaimed (2009) and its sequel, The Word Unleashed (2010); Broken Sight (2011), which follows chronologically after those first two; Crosswind (2012) and its sequel Sandstorm (2013).

     What inspired Sandstorm?

     I had such a blast writing Crosswind that I knew I wanted to revisit the steampunk world of the Sark brothers and take them on a new adventure. This time I patterned the story in a very Indiana Jones­ style way, with ancient ruins, tomb traps and dusty artifacts. But as always it contains a very strong spiritual element, and takes a closer look at this alternate Earth in which Ice Age mammals roam and people flit about in steam-powered airplanes. So I guess you could say it was a mix of factors that inspired this newest story.

     What genres have you written?

     All kinds. The Word Reclaimed, The Word Unleashed, and Broken Sight are all science-fiction. Crosswind and Sandstorm are steampunk. I’m currently working with Vox Day (A Throne of Bones, MLP 2012) on a sci-fi murder mystery and I have a fantasy tale in the mix. So I’ve been dabbling in several genres as of late.

     What is your writing process? Do you write regularly at certain times or just when inspiration hits?

     A little of both. I write every Wednesday between 11:30 and noon before I work the evening shift at the library. Plus, when I work Saturdays, I have Fridays off and since the rest of my family is in school I use those days to catch up. But I also carry a notebook at all times to write down ideas, characters or whole pages when the ideas strike.

     What was your favorite book or author as a teen? What’s your favorite now?

     Back in the 1990s and my young teen days it was the six-book TRIO series by R.A. Montgomery, a post-apocalyptic adventure set in the late 2010s. My wife was kind enough to buy me the whole set for my birthday this year, and I found them just as much fun as I did at 14.

My favorite series right now is Jim Butcher’s Dresiden Files, about Chicago’s only wizard detective, Harry Dresden. I have yet to read one of his books and not chuckle a half dozen times, often aloud.

     Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

     I love to read (of course) and draw. There’s tons of movies I enjoy watching, long trips I cherish with my family, and games I like playing with my boys. Bicycling and exploring new locales also rate highly on my list.

     Do you have any advice or resources you’d like to share with other writers?

     Just this: write. I know everyone says this is true, but it really is. I echo Michael Connelly, the mystery novelist who appeared as himself on the TV show Castle. His comment: “You know what I did after I wrote my first novel? I shut up and wrote twenty-three more.”

     And finally, where can we find you online?

     You can find me on Facebook and www.steverzasa.com.

     From all of us on YAWA, thanks for joining us.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Rachelle Rea

     Hey writers. Today I would like to present author and freelance editor Rachelle Rea! Rachelle's a member of both our group and the Go Teen Writers group. In addition, she's offering a special giveaway of a 10-page edit. Don't miss the opportunity to sign up for it.

     And now, on with the interview.

   Tell us a little about yourself first.

   I am a homeschool graduate who sloshed through Algebra and soared through History. I am a college girl attending a Christian university in pursuit of a Communications degree—senior year is almost upon me! I am a freelance editor who loves to perfect punctuation and is fearlessly loyal to semi-colons. 

   I blog about books, writing, and my favorite word at my personal blog, Inspiring Daring, and I can also be found on Meditations of His Love, Kindred Grace, and Adornabelle. 

     How much research do you usually put into your books?

     I write historicals, so plenty. J My writers’ group (Word Weavers) has asked me a number of times how I know all this stuff. And it’s funny because I feel like such a cheater. Some authors say they spend months researching medieval Italy or the anatomy of a WWII bomber plane. Yet I find nonfiction tomes about the Dutch Revolution dry, but I’ll consume a biography about William of Orange and come away from it with all sorts of ideas. I just search the Internet for all the itty-gritty details not included in biographies.
     In other words, there’s no way I would have survived as a novelist pre-Google. J

     What are a few interesting things you’ve studied/researched for your latest novel?

     What nuns wore in the 16^th century (habits were indeed black by then). How far a horse can travel in a day (30-60 miles, depending on the horse’s health). How deep the English Channel is (at it’s deepest, app. 400 feet). The family tree of Philip II of Spain (convoluted). How to say “I love you” in Dutch (Ik hou van jou). 

     How does your real life interact/play a role in/interfere with your writing life?

    

     Oh, I like that you categorize “real life” and “writing life” as different. At this stage of my life (for the entirety of my college/university experience), my real life and writing life have operated in cycles. During semesters, I read, research, outline my next novel, edit my last one. During Christmas Break and summers, I write like mad.

     So, to answer the question, my real life and writing life glare at each other across the room because we all know only one of them can have my attention at a time. Talk to me in a year, though; that may have changed after I’m a college-educated woman no longer bound by the rigidity of the school year. J

     What do you do when you're not writing?

     I go to the beach or blast worship songs in my truck or watch TV dramas or princess movies. At my local YMCA, I coach gymnastics to preschoolers through pre-teens. Children are my joy; stories are my passion. I read. I blog. I blog about the books I’m reading.

     When you read, what is your favorite genre?

     Historical fiction, hands-down. My tastes have stretched recently; I’ll read dystopians (Roth rocks), YA (Stephanie Morrill and Laura Anderson Kurk), and even some contemporary (Jenny B. Jones and Kristen Heitzmann).

     But I start to get cranky after a fast from historical fiction—and a plunge into a different century is the only cure.

     What keeps you motivated?

     A pink sticky note greets me whenever I open the box that holds my earliest “manuscripts” (short stories riddled with perfect protagonists and speaker tags). It says, Write like you’re ten. When I was in middle and high school, I could sit for hours with a pen and paper (I detested the computer then) and just write. Not because I thought I should, but because I loved it. I lost that for a time, but I’ve got it back again: that thirst to put a story down in all its dazzling brilliance—and then edit it until it starts to actually resemble dazzling brilliance.

     If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

     Can I pick something that’s still related to the publishing industry? I think I’d like to be a publicist. Becoming a book blogger/reviewer has allowed me to use my passion for great stories to get those same great stories into readers’ newsfeeds, hands, and hearts. When I fall in love with a book, I can’t shut up about it (on my blog, social media, or in real life). Doing that for a living would be amazing.

     If you could have time travel abilities and could meet anyone from any time, who would you like to meet?

     Queen Elizabeth I. She has always been my favorite historical figure, because she was daring and utterly unpredictable. I love reading her biographies. Plus, the Elizabethan era is my favorite time period in which to write, so research trip!

     If the Doctor and his Tardis showed up on my front lawn, that would be where I’d ask to go.

     And finally, where can we find you online?

     I love connecting with new friends and kindred spirits! Find me on…

     Facebook // Twitter // Goodreads // Pinterest // Google+ // LinkedIn // Inspiring Daring // My Newsletter

     From all of us at YAWA, thank you so much for being our guest today!

     My pleasure! Thank you for having me!

     And now, it is my pleasure to announce that Rachelle will be offering a 10-page edit to one lucky winner. Don't miss this awesome giveaway.

Rachelle Rea's Giveaway

Author Interview: Rachel Coker

Today our special guest is Rachel Coker, a Christian writer who I am a huge fan of.  She's a teenage writer and a graduate of homeschooling.  She writes, owns a photography business, runs a fashion blog with her sister (who sells handmade skirts), and is a pretty good artist, too.  I've read both of her books and let me tell you, they are amazing.  I'm not sure there's anything this girl can't do!

Why did you start writing? Did you always want to be a writer?

I actually wrote my first ever fiction story for a school assignment when I was in sixth grade! I was homeschooled, and my mom realized that year that she’d never had me do any fiction writing before. So she told me to write a short story and it just clicked for me. I’d always been a huge reader, and I guess that transferred over to my fiction writing skills! It was obvious I had a gift, and my mom immediately realized that she couldn’t help me develop my talent, so she hired a fiction writing coach to help me learn the craft of writing! After that, I just wrote all the time. I never seriously thought about being published, especially at such a young age, but God just sort of worked it all out that way!

What is your writing process? Do you write regularly or just when inspiration hits?

I am seriously the most sporadic writer you will ever meet. I will go days—weeks!—without writing at all, and then write five days in a row, five hours a day. I’m definitely just a laidback, busy teenage girl, and I write whenever I feel like writing! Some weeks, I’ll be incredibly inspired and I’ll just want to write all the time. Other weeks, I’ll have a lot going on and it’s just too hard to find the time. I find that if I don’t push myself, and just let my stories grow organically, I’m more creative and inspired.

What was your favorite book or author when you were younger? What’s your favorite now?

My favorite book growing up was Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I loved that book so much as a child and it completely inspired me and made me want to write stories that would mean something to people. When I was in high school, I read Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and that book was world-changing for me. I also was completely inspired by East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I’d say those are my three favorites.

What is your goal in writing and publishing these books?

I think that my primary goal in every book that I write is to bring glory to God. I want to show people what He’s taught me in my own life, and hopefully answer some questions people might have about faith and what it means to truly trust God. I also want to provide a clean story that young people can relate to. I’m only seventeen myself! It makes me really happy to think that other young people can read my stories and relate to them on a personal level, because they also know what it’s like to be a teenager. It’s a really cool connection I’m able to make with my readers.

Can you tell us about the publishing process? Was there anything in particular that surprised you or that was easier or harder than you expected?

It was surprising to me how many amazing opportunities I was given after I published my books. I always thought that I would write a book and then it would all sort of be over and I would just go back to writing. It’s crazy that I get to travel and do book signings and conduct interviews and meet people through my blog. It makes being an author ten times more fun and exciting.

Is there any part of writing you don’t like?

I hate how hard it is to get through a first draft. Everything feels so awkward and stilted and I constantly feel like I’m just pushing all the time to get it over with! I’m always wondering, “How many more pages do I have to write?” and “Is the story still progressing?” It’s actually easier for me to go through and do edits because I’m just cleaning things up. There’s less stress, and I can really focus on making the book better.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever Googled?

When I first got published, I would google myself periodically to see what results would come up! It was really funny because all the websites seemed to differ on what my age was (some said fourteen, others fifteen, some even younger) and there were all these awkward old photos of me from before I got professional pics done. I had to stop googling myself because it was just too embarrassing! ;)

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write about what you know. If you’re a teenager, write about other teenagers. Write about what you personally struggle with—whether it’s self-confidence, confusion, anxiety about the future. If you’re writing about  something that you are personally passionate about, it will resonate with others, and you will create works that will transcend the test of time!

Readers can find me at my blog: www.rachelcoker.com. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter!

Author Interview with Heather Manning

Hi Writers! Carilyn here. :) Today we are interviewing Heather Manning, a writer friend of ours that we met through Go Teen Writers!

Before we get started, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a young lady who loves to read—and write. I am a proud member of ACFW and I live in Kansas City, Missouri where I act in community theatre, eat donuts and read every Christian Historical Romance I can get my hands on.

Why did you start writing? Did you always want to be a writer?

Well, I have technically been writing since I was very young. Before I could write, I used to tell my sister or my mom stories and make them write them down for me. Later, I would write stories in a notebook for fun.  I hadn’t really considered being a writer until a few years ago when I had an amazing English teacher. I realized how fun it was to write stories, and she encouraged my writing.

What do you do when you're not writing?

When I’m not writing, I’m critiquing, reading, or acting. I like to help friends with critiquing their writing and reading has always been a favorite pastime for me. I also act in community theatre and with a college, because my high school doesn’t have much for acting.

What was the biggest obstacle to getting published for the first time, and how did you overcome it?

For me, it has been just preparing for being published. It’s not easy to write. Well, it can be easy to write, but it’s not so easy to polish your writing and make it ready for publication. I’d been editing my book for almost a year before I submitted it to a publisher. To overcome it, I guess I’d say that I just kept going, no matter how difficult it got or how annoyed I was with my story.

What is your book about? Target age range?

My book, Swept to Sea, is about a young aristocrat woman who stows away on a pirate ship to escape marriage to an abusive man. My target age range is actually very wide, because I’d say it goes from 14 and up. It isn’t a young adult book, it’s probably meant for an older age range, but I would like to think that a wide variety would enjoy it.

Eden, the MC

Which are you - panster or plotter?

I’m a plantser. I do a little bit of both. :) I like to know where I’m going but not plan every little detail or it feels too dictated for me. I like to come up with the main idea for a book and then maybe some important plot points and then work from there.

Are you planning any other books?

Yes, I definitely am. I have lots of ideas, but what I’m working on now is a sequel to Swept to Sea currently titled Carried Home. I intend to make a trilogy.

Is there any part of writing that you don’t like?

I don’t love researching, although I definitely do it. I can get very frustrated when I don’t find what I’m looking for so that’s what I don’t particularly enjoy about writing. 

Indie publishing or traditional publishing?

I have always liked traditional publishing and I am very pleased to say that I have a book contract now with a traditional publisher.

Congratulations, Heather!!

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

If I couldn’t be an author, my ideal career would definitely be something related to acting. I really enjoy it and I would love to be a professional stage actor someday. I would also like to teach acting.

What's the weirdest thing you've Googled?

Lately, the weirdest thing I’ve Googled is “treatment of bruises in the seventeenth century”. And oddly, I did not find what I wanted. :)

And finally, where can we find you online? 

You can find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Manning-Author/140994172751360

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherM_Author

Blog: http://heathermauthor.blogspot.com/

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/HeatherMAuthor/boards/

From all of us at YAWA, thank you so much for being our guest today!

Thank you for having me!

Author Interview: Morgan L. Busse

      Hey guys, Sam Graber here. Today I have the privilege of being introduce you to one of my favorite authors: Morgan L. Busse. I featured her book Daughter of Light in my Little Names, Big Stories post a few weeks ago.

Hi Morgan, we're so glad to have you here today. Tell us a little about yourself.

I am married to a wonderful man who is the pastor of a young church in Kansas. Together we are raising four children, two dogs, two cats, and two guinea pigs. When I am not writing, I love to read, bike, and play games with my family.

 

 

     How long have you been writing?

     I have now been writing for over eight years. Whew, that is a long time!

     Why did you start writing? Did you always want to be a writer?

     I was not one of those people who decided when they were six they would be a writer. But looking back, I realize that storytelling was in my blood. I would write plays and perform them for my family or write stories and illustrate them (there was one about a super hero squirrel, complete with a tiny red cape).

     I didn’t start writing until shortly after my second child was born. By then I had fallen in love with speculative fiction and was devouring any book I could find. One day I walked into a Christian book store and asked to see their fantasy section (I laugh about that now). The lady gave me a weird look and pointed to the one Frank Peretti book they had on the bottom shelf. I couldn’t believe it. That’s it?
     I went home and shared my disappointment with my husband. He said I should write a Christian fantasy. I said no way! But then a couple months later on a trip to Seattle, I had this idea of a young woman with a mark on her hand that allowed her to see inside people’s souls. And that is how my first novel, Daughter of Light, was born.

 

     What is your writing process? Do you write regularly at certain times or just when inspiration hits?

     I try and write everyday. Most of the time that is about 500-1,000 words. But sometimes life intervenes and I don’t write. For example, my children are home for the summer. Four children does not equal a nice, quiet house. So I’ve learned to fit in what I can, but be fine if I miss a day here or there. I never want my children growing up believing writing was more important than they were.

 

    

     If you could only share one piece of advice with aspiring authors, what would it be?

     Don’t be so focused on being published that you forget to live life. If you are married, enjoy your spouse. If you have children, enjoy the years you have with them. The writing will always be there, but the relationships may not. So enjoy them now. When the highs and lows in writing hit, it is the relationships in your life that will keep you grounded.

     Which are you - panster or plotter?

     I am a plotter. I have to know how the book begins, how it will end, and the main plot events before I write a book. My outline is like my map, showing me where I need to go next. However, I don’t plot out every detail, so I can be surprised as I am writing along. That helps keep the story fresh and exciting.

 

     Are you planning any other books?

     Yes. I have a steampunk novel that I am slowly plotting out right now. I also have a potential series set in the same world as Follower of the Word, only it takes place 400 years before and explains what happened during the Nordic Wars.

 

How many books have you written?

So far I have written two books, both in the Follower of the Word series (Daughter of Light and Son of Truth) with a third one in the works.

 

What are a few interesting things you’ve studied/researched for your latest novel?

Different knife fighting styles. I discovered a little known sicilian knife fighting technique that fit the personality of Caleb Tala (an assassin in my book).

 

 

 

     What’s your outlook on fan fiction?

     I enjoyed fan fiction long before I became a writer. I think as long as people put the appropriate disclaimers on their work and give credit to the original author, and the author doesn’t mind them playing in his or her world, then fan fiction is a fine way to exercise ideas, writing skills, and story enthusiasm. It is said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and fan fiction is just that: imitating a story or author that you love. 

 

     When you read, what is your favorite genre?

     I read almost everything if it is a good story. I probably lean more toward the speculative, but I also enjoy historicals, suspense, even romance.

 

     If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

     I was originally heading into the medical field, specifically research, when God changed the direction of my life. Instead, I worked my husband through seminary and became a mother. Looking back, I’m sure I would have enjoyed a medical career, but I don’t think I would have ever became a writer. I like God’s plan for my life better than the one I had charted out.

 

 

     What's the weirdest thing you've Googled?

     Funeral practices. There are some pretty interesting ways people take care of the dead!

 

     And finally, where can we find you online?

 

     Website: www.morganlbusse.com

     Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morganlbusseauthor

     Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorganLBusse (@MorganLBusse)

     Thanks so much for joining us today!