| Author Interview Form |
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
|
Medeas Wray – UK |
What led to your decision to become an author?:
|
I’ve spent my life as a professional writer –
copywriter, writer&researcher in short documentary-style video films,
marketing executive, information worker etc – but
always promised myself I’d turn to fiction some day when the time was
right. It’s difficult to do when you’re commissioned to write other
stuff and that’s your day job, though I always used to try – and fail.
I wrote some short stories which were OK when I was younger, worked
for the local newspaper when I was still at school writing the odd bit
here and there, did a few other journalism gigs but my author voice
was never really there. In recent times, I had something of a
breakthrough – it seems fairly obvious now that I’m through that – but
I think I was waiting for some inspiration to come from on high and
get me going. Then I realized, you have to have some idea of what it
is you want to write about, what the story is and the way it’s going
to go, how you want to write it, how it wants to be written – and
start from there. So now that’s what I do, I write, for me, primarily,
to discover where that story will take me – and hopefully for other
people’s enjoyment and entertainment. I’d like to make a bit of money
from doing that – but so far I’m not holding my breath. |
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: |
At the moment I’m working on a follow-up to my crime
thriller-paranormal novel currently at Amazon/Kindle/other major
e-publishers through Smashwords – another e-publication and to be
called The Big Maybe, the second in what’s going to be The Eaters of
Light series (sci-fi, paranormal crime thriller.) I’ve also got
another e-book called The Big Crunch at Amazon/Kindle/etc which is
what you’d call urban noir, lad lit, full of shady deeds and humour
whilst conveying some dark themes. And then there’s Jabberworky & The
Other Odd Story – just recently put up on Amazon/Kindle as an e-book
through the Kindle Select scheme and therefore exclusive to them for
the next three months. It’s priced at $2.99 like the other two but
will be available FREE between June 5th and June 9th so I hope to see
readers going for it – and enjoying it. Jabberworky is just 6 chapters
long, set in London in the year thirteen hundred and ninety blob on
the day of the hanging of Lambkin Simwort, dubious local pie-maker
(and old Mrs Cartwright and Mr Slophammer gone missing from the
neighbourhood – conclusions have been drawn.) Hope you like it, it’s
there for everyone from 16+ – and there’s the other short story thrown
in.
As for the new book, the one I’m working on right now, it’s going
reasonably well. I’ve already written about four or five chapters –
only 20,000 words so far – but that’s a fifth of the book that’s
planned. |
What are some of your strongest points as a writer,
and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?:
|
I actually think I’m a good writer if that doesn’t sound too
boastful. I work hard for my readers, I edit and edit and edit, I
proofread, I research, I do all I can to improve and I think I’m
growing as a writer all the time. My weaknesses are – a tendency to be
too verbose (see above for proof, to over-write) and I’m trying to
work on that now, taking lessons from people like James Patterson and
Stephen King (not personally, you understand.) |
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: |
I decided to e-publish after doing some research into how
difficult it was to get traditionally published in print – though
print is not an option I’d ignore if I got the opportunity.
E-publishing on Amazon/Kindle/other major e-publishers is of course
free, getting a book cover isn’t too difficult and one big advantage
is that they’re open 24/7 across the globe for readers everywhere to
find. (The disadvantage is that there are millions of title to chose
from and your book can get swamped and lost in all of that – and that
you have to do self-marketing which most of us writers aren’t good
at.) |
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: |
I believe it’s available in most e-pub formats. That’s all I
know. |
How do you go about marketing your books?:
|
Word of mouth, Twitter, joining with other authors and
readers, business cards, my web-site at: http;//www.medeaswray.com,
trying to pick the right categories for your books on Amazon/Kindle
etc Connecting with people like #IAN and getting exposure at sites
like yours and @ourawesomegang.com, posting samples of work
@writerscafe |
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
review, and how do you handle it?: |
I think all criticism is actually useful if you can actually
sit back and listen to it – though that’s not always easy. It could be
that the process of time actually helps it sink in. |
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: |
Favourite genres are fantasy, hard-boiled detective crime
thrillers, urban noir though I also like Scandi noir, speculative
fiction and some weird fiction. |
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
|
Mervyn Peake: The Gormenghast Trilogy, Lawrence Durrell ‘The
Alexandria Quartet’, Franz Kafka, Herman Hesse, Kurt Vonnegut, Iain
Banks, Martin Amis, Val McDiurmud, Ian Rankin, John Steinbeck, H.P.
Lovecraft, Gore Vidal, George MacDonald Fraser, Anthony Burgess,
William Gibson, Stephen King, James Ellory and John Grisham – and so
many others there’s not enough space. |
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: |
I watch all kinds of movies, try and keep up to date, TV also
– currently into Game of Thrones, Da Vincis Demons, Vikings, The
Blacklist. Otherwise, I just meet up with friends, read and I like
traveling but don’t get to do enough of it. |
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
|
Just Windows Word – it suits me. (I’m not very geeky – or at
least like that.) |
What is it that you like about the software you’re
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
|
It’s easy to use and does the job I need it to do. |
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: |
As Stephen King says in his book ‘On Writing’ – I’m
paraphrasing ‘write with the door shut, edit with the door open.’
Write because you want to but think about your readers. |
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: |
My web-site is; http://www.medeaswray.com for further
details, news and my simple and free guide to e-formatting for other
writers: otherwise just go to Amazon and search for The Big Crunch,
Down To Zero and/or Jabberworky by Medeas Wray and you’ll find me.
There’s also an author-profile up there – and at Smashwords too and
@IAN. Some samples of work are at @writerscafe right now. Or find me
on Twitter @medeaswray. |
Medeas Wray
copywriter, writer&researcher in short documentary-style video films,
marketing executive, information worker etc – but
always promised myself I’d turn to fiction some day when the time was
right. It’s difficult to do when you’re commissioned to write other
stuff and that’s your day job, though I always used to try – and fail.
I wrote some short stories which were OK when I was younger, worked
for the local newspaper when I was still at school writing the odd bit
here and there, did a few other journalism gigs but my author voice
was never really there. In recent times, I had something of a
breakthrough – it seems fairly obvious now that I’m through that – but
I think I was waiting for some inspiration to come from on high and
get me going. Then I realized, you have to have some idea of what it
is you want to write about, what the story is and the way it’s going
to go, how you want to write it, how it wants to be written – and
start from there. So now that’s what I do, I write, for me, primarily,
to discover where that story will take me – and hopefully for other
people’s enjoyment and entertainment. I’d like to make a bit of money
from doing that – but so far I’m not holding my breath.
what you’ve written in the past.:
thriller-paranormal novel currently at Amazon/Kindle/other major
e-publishers through Smashwords – another e-publication and to be
called The Big Maybe, the second in what’s going to be The Eaters of
Light series (sci-fi, paranormal crime thriller.) I’ve also got
another e-book called The Big Crunch at Amazon/Kindle/etc which is
what you’d call urban noir, lad lit, full of shady deeds and humour
whilst conveying some dark themes. And then there’s Jabberworky & The
Other Odd Story – just recently put up on Amazon/Kindle as an e-book
through the Kindle Select scheme and therefore exclusive to them for
the next three months. It’s priced at $2.99 like the other two but
will be available FREE between June 5th and June 9th so I hope to see
readers going for it – and enjoying it. Jabberworky is just 6 chapters
long, set in London in the year thirteen hundred and ninety blob on
the day of the hanging of Lambkin Simwort, dubious local pie-maker
(and old Mrs Cartwright and Mr Slophammer gone missing from the
neighbourhood – conclusions have been drawn.) Hope you like it, it’s
there for everyone from 16+ – and there’s the other short story thrown
in.
As for the new book, the one I’m working on right now, it’s going
reasonably well. I’ve already written about four or five chapters –
only 20,000 words so far – but that’s a fifth of the book that’s
planned.
and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?:
boastful. I work hard for my readers, I edit and edit and edit, I
proofread, I research, I do all I can to improve and I think I’m
growing as a writer all the time. My weaknesses are – a tendency to be
too verbose (see above for proof, to over-write) and I’m trying to
work on that now, taking lessons from people like James Patterson and
Stephen King (not personally, you understand.)
both? Why did you choose to go that route?:
difficult it was to get traditionally published in print – though
print is not an option I’d ignore if I got the opportunity.
E-publishing on Amazon/Kindle/other major e-publishers is of course
free, getting a book cover isn’t too difficult and one big advantage
is that they’re open 24/7 across the globe for readers everywhere to
find. (The disadvantage is that there are millions of title to chose
from and your book can get swamped and lost in all of that – and that
you have to do self-marketing which most of us writers aren’t good
at.)
these formats do you prefer and why?:
know.
readers, business cards, my web-site at: http;//www.medeaswray.com,
trying to pick the right categories for your books on Amazon/Kindle
etc Connecting with people like #IAN and getting exposure at sites
like yours and @ourawesomegang.com, posting samples of work
@writerscafe
review, and how do you handle it?:
sit back and listen to it – though that’s not always easy. It could be
that the process of time actually helps it sink in.
write?:
thrillers, urban noir though I also like Scandi noir, speculative
fiction and some weird fiction.
Alexandria Quartet’, Franz Kafka, Herman Hesse, Kurt Vonnegut, Iain
Banks, Martin Amis, Val McDiurmud, Ian Rankin, John Steinbeck, H.P.
Lovecraft, Gore Vidal, George MacDonald Fraser, Anthony Burgess,
William Gibson, Stephen King, James Ellory and John Grisham – and so
many others there’s not enough space.
not writing?:
– currently into Game of Thrones, Da Vincis Demons, Vikings, The
Blacklist. Otherwise, I just meet up with friends, read and I like
traveling but don’t get to do enough of it.
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
least like that.)
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
your fellow authors?:
paraphrasing ‘write with the door shut, edit with the door open.’
Write because you want to but think about your readers.
books?:
details, news and my simple and free guide to e-formatting for other
writers: otherwise just go to Amazon and search for The Big Crunch,
Down To Zero and/or Jabberworky by Medeas Wray and you’ll find me.
There’s also an author-profile up there – and at Smashwords too and
@IAN. Some samples of work are at @writerscafe right now. Or find me
on Twitter @medeaswray.
By Duane • Guest Author Interviews 0