Another Amazing Interview with Fantasy Author S.E. Gordon

TEMPERANCE: Up until now, I’ve interviewed Scott about his upcoming vampire novels. Now suddenly he drops this piece of fantasy fiction in my lap. What is this all about? This sounds totally nuts.

S.E. GORDON: Thanks, Temperance. What is this? The third interview you’ve done for me? You’d figure that one of my other novels would be out by now, but good things are in store for my readers. Good, maniacal chaotic things that could only come a disturbed mind like yours truly.

But The Sweetest Stalk represents something else entirely. First and foremost, I would consider myself a fantasy author. Though I love horror, science fiction and thrillers, it all started with my love of fantasy epics such as Lord of the Rings. If you’ve been following my blog and reading all the mayhem, you might think that I’m a horror writer and nothing more. But that is merely what’s ‘hot’ right now. As is cliché, you must strike when the iron is hot, and that’s exactly what I’ve done with Enura and the Vampire Hunters series. This is an attempt to go back to my roots, and show readers what I can do in the fantasy genre.

TEMPERANCE: So what is The Sweetest Stalk? What can you tell us about it? Where did you get the idea for it?

S.E. GORDON: The Sweetest Stalk actually came to me while I was participating in Writers Weekly’s 24-hour Short Story competition. I thought it would be a great opportunity to show readers my skills, and pocket a little prize money (the top prize is $300). To say the least, it was a humbling experience: not only did I not win a prize of any sort, I did not even place in the honorable mentions. That goes to show you that there’s some stiff competition out there.

Months later, I dusted off the short story that I wrote (it was less than 1,000 words), and was surprised what I found (yes, writers with feeble minds such as my own oftentimes forget what we’ve written). Sure there were a few things that needed to be tweaked and expanded, but by and large the overall writing was good.

When I attempted to expand it into a larger story (even an additional 500 words would have sufficed), something strange happened (I know, I’m the king of strange). Though I tried in earnest to expand it out, I only succeeded in adding a couple hundred words, while also cutting out about half that amount. The net result was only about 10% more, which is when I realized that I had said all that needed to be said in this small piece of flash fiction. And then a dubious idea hit me: what I really needed was to do was write the short story that comes after it, so I jumped in and pounded out another 3,000 words.

This left me with an odd dilemma: first, even though I was giving away the first short story for free on my website, it did not appear to be the right medium for people to actually read it. I read in one of my books on blogging that the idea length for a blog entry is approximately 500 words, anything greater than that and you’re stretching it.

Further research also brought some other interesting statistics to my attention. One such website (I forget the name, but not Project Guttenberg) offers complete novels that you can read online. By publishing these works online, they’ve found that most readers only read up to the first 10% of the novel, and then use that as a deciding factor to purchase the print version. I’d imagine that this also holds true with e-books in a sense. Ultimately the readers don’t want to read it on a blog wrapped in a bunch of hyperlinks and ads. They want a ‘clean’ version on their medium of choice (print, e-reader) that they can take with them wherever they go, regardless of whether or not they have network connectivity.

So taking that all into account, I decided that the best way to get people to read my work…(drumroll)…was to get it published. (What can I say? I have a very hard head.) But even with a combined 4,000 words, I did not feel that I had a complete product, so I decided to write one last short story, and add two small poems in between to tie it all together. Once I did this, it really came together, providing all the necessary back-story for my future fantasy novel Goblin Story.

TEMPERANCE: Ooh, another fantasy novel! You must tell us more about it!

S.E. GORDON: I would certainly love to, but even I don’t know a whole lot about it yet. Goblin Story is about three goblings living with their uncle Ganqua. One day Yeka comes across a magic eye in the swamp and brings it back to her uncle. Annoyed at the disruption, he swallows the magic eye, and goes back to his work, thinking that will be the end of it. Of course, that’s where all the fun begins.

TEMPERANCE: I’ve noticed that on your blog (segordon.blogspot.com) that you have a fantasy novel in the works called The Key of Neverhence. The cover art is awesome, what can you tell us about that one?

S.E. GORDON: The Key of Neverhence was actually the first thing that I wrote when I decided to take a stab at being an author five years ago. Over the span of a couple months, I tapped out 77,000 words of faery mayhem. When I went back to read what I had written, I realized that writing the rough draft was on the proverbial tip of the iceberg. A massive editing job awaited.

So I dove in, editing chapter after chapter, not really sure what I was doing. I’m a perfectionist of sorts, and I soon realized that this was having an adverse effect on the editing process. I would comb through my work over and over again until I could not find any errors. Of course, all the rereading slowed me down to a snail’s pace. After getting 10% of the book edited, I gave up. “When does the editing end?” I proclaimed. Inevitably it does not.

You only get better at editing through practice and knowledge. Knowing grammar inside and out, and having other writers point out bad tendencies helps cut down the amount of editing that is needed. And also, I can’t stress this enough because I’m terrible at it: good organization can cut out entire drafts. Organization helps you produce work more effectively. I realize all of this is a lot for a new writer (and in many ways I am still a novice), but if I were to focus on one thing just to get my feet wet in all of this, it would be to be consistent and write every day. One way or another you will learn the grammar, and how best to tell a story, but you really need to get the exercise so that you can form the necessary connections to be a writer. Once you establish this mentality, you can add to it, and sculpt yourself into the writer that you want to be.

Oops. Didn’t mean to go off on a tangent there. Now what was I talking about?

TEMPERANCE: Neverhence.

S.E. GORDON: Oh yeah, I probably didn’t tell you what that’s about, did I?

TEMPERANCE: Nope.

S.E. GORDON: Let’s see if I can remember. Oh yes, The Key of Neverhence is a comedic fantasy set entirely in the faery kingdom of Timara. (After all, when am I going to finish this? Timara, I always say.) Our main character, Yvan Frollingswyrth unwittingly brings the Key of Neverhence into Holloway Springs, a dangerous magic tool that opens doors between the lands of cloud and netherfaeries. But this is the least of the old geezer’s problems. While visiting the dragon lands, he’s duped into marriage with a cloud faery. Due to his advanced age, the last thing that he wants to do is to be pestered by pack of ravenous, pecker-headed kids. Will he ever find the peace and quiet he seeks? Hopefully I can throw a few wrenches in his plans.

TEMPERANCE: Wow, that sounds…insane.

S.E. GORDON: Par for the course…

TEMPERANCE: I love it, tell me more!

S.E. GORDON: Well, I don’t want to give too much of the story away. Let’s just say that all doesn’t go quite according to plan. He encounters an evil dark faery named Kymira, and becomes aware of an equally dark force called Myzeroff. There’s humor, intrigue, and plenty of spankings to go around.

TEMPERANCE: Sounds great! Like The Sweetest Stalk, is this the first book in a series?

S.E. GORDON: Oh boy. What a question to answer. Not only is this the first in a series, it’s the first book that kicks off a series of series. This first series is called The Withered Ones, which includes The Key of Neverhence and two other novels. I may slip in a couple novellas (including his dubious honeymoon exploits), but the main course is 3 books long. Series two I know less about—it will probably be 3 books as well. Then we get to the real meat of the adventure—The First Light of the Sword, a five-book series told from five different perspectives. Each of these books will be enormous. Dare I say each will top 100,000 words? So it will be awhile until these are done, but thankfully there’s plenty to do in the interim. Series 4 I know a little more about, and it will continue the use of multiple viewpoints over 5 books. Then there’s Series 5 which I know nothing about, and probably don’t want to know anything about, because I’ve also devised side-stories (or “gaidens” to the Japanese) and subseries. It’s enough to make one’s head explode. So I’m just focusing on The Key of Neverhence for now.

TEMPERANCE: Whoa.

S.E. GORDON: Yeah.

TEMPERANCE: Do you have a life?

S.E. GORDON: A very good one, if I can support myself on writing alone.

TEMPERANCE: Real quickly, for those who have not read the other interview, and are not aware of your vampire novels, tell us about those.

S.E. GORDON: For those brave hearts that desire a darker adventure, I would suggest that they check out my forthcoming novel Enura. It’s a dark tale about the town of Vissorouy, a haven where humans and vampires alike live in harmony. A dangerous transient called Enura comes to their lands and begins killing everything in her path. To rid themselves of her evil presence, a vampire hunter is brought into town. If they are to survive, they must put aside their differences and band together, otherwise everything that they know and love will be extinguished.

If you enjoy Enura, I also have a novella that will be released around the same time called Vampire Hunters: Prelude, which is actually a prequel to Enura, and features the exploits of Vampire Hunter Lawson Parker. It’s the same mayhem, but one a much smaller scale (about 100 pages). Actually, you might want to start with Prelude first to know what you are in for.

Beyond that, who knows? I plan to follow up Enura with Half Light in the future, and continue the Vampire Hunters series with Vampire Hunters: Calamity, Vampire Hunters: Forsaken and Vampire Hunters: Enigma.

If only there were enough hours in the day.

TEMPERANCE: No kidding. That all sounds great, Scott. Anything that you’d like to say before you go?

S.E. GORDON: Only that if you want to accomplish something great, the first thing that you must have is belief in yourself. As your belief in yourself goes, so does your productivity. Certainly my plans are ambitious, and perhaps there are more books that I want to write than I actually have time for. But one thing at a time, one day at a time, and all dreams can come true, no matter how outlandish they seem.

You heard the saying, “How do you eat an elephant? A little at a time.” It’s the same for writing. By doing a little each day, you can accomplish many great things. Here’s an easy example: if you were to commit to writing 1,000 words a day, and do this consistently over the span of a year, you’d have over 365,000 words, or the equivalent of 7 novels. If you did this over a period of 10 years, you’d produce at least 70 books. Not bad output for someone who ‘only’ writes 1,000 words a day. But it’s not about the speed, it’s about consistency; and if you have that, then you will be truly prolific.

Thanks for having me, Temperance. And good luck with your own novels. I have the feeling that we’ll be doing this again soon but with the roles reversed.

TEMPERANCE: Indeed. Take care, S.E. Gordon, and thank you for taking the time to speak to me about your novels.

S.E. GORDON: Always a pleasure, Temperance.

Another Amazing Interview with S.E. Gordon

Tempe: Welcome back S.E. , I am so happy to have you on my blog again!

S.E.G. : Hey Temperance, thanks for putting this together.

Tempe: Anytime! So tell me , whats changed since the  last time we spoke?

S.E.G.: Well, I am writing a prequel of sorts called Vampire Hunters: Prelude. It is a novelette (~15,000 words), and will give readers a taste of what they're in for with Enura. It is unique in the sense that it is told entirely from the first person perspective of Lawson Parker, the resident vampire hunter. I would go as far as to say that this has the feel as a novel itself, but in a much smaller space.

I plan to release this first, and include the entire first act of Enura as a sample (Enura has a total of 5 acts). But what's also interesting about this is that this will not be the only novelette in the Vampire Hunters series. I will also be writing Vampire Hunters: Calamity, another novelette which will feature characters not found in Enura that will thread into the sequel, Half Light.


Tempe: Once again, great cover art! Who did this one?

S.E.G. : For Vampire Hunters: Prelude, I did everything myself. I purchased the stock image from iStockPhoto, threw it into Photoshop, banged my head against the wall...that sort of thing...and *presto* a masterpiece!

Tempe: Wow!! Well , job well done! :c)

S.E.G. : I guess that short stint at Ringling School of Art & Design is really starting to pay off. [grins]

Tempe: You changed your art for Enura too, right?

S.E.G. : Yes, Enura's cover has changed.. When I started thinking ahead to Half-light, the next novel in the series, I realized I had a problem.

I pondered what the new cover would look like: I see a woman running--it's Yakim from the first novel, and there's a light. Unfortunately, that's exactly what appears on Enura's current cover. And I realized another problem--even though the book is called Enura, she doesn't appear on the cover; it's actually Yakim. That's when I realized I had to move the cover art from book #1 to book #2, and get new artwork for Enura. I figured I could still get away with it since I hadn't done a ton of publicity or listed the novel for sale yet.

I'm sure readers will be pleased with the selection of the new cover art (also by the amazing Claudia McKinney of PhatPuppyArt). One of my beta readers also asked me why Enura has red hair on the cover while the character has white hair in the first half of the novel. This is intentional--there's a nasty little surprise at the end of the book.
Tempe: Oooh, exciting!  I love nasty little surprises!

Tempe: What else can you tell us about your new novellas?

S.E.G. : Vampire Hunters: Prelude is the first of five novellas detailing the events leading up to Enura. Collectively, all five stories could be considered one long novel or 'prequel.' Originally it was my intention to only write 12,500 words for each one, but, as is common with my projects, they have a tendency to expand. I'm getting close to finishing Prelude, and it's poised to break 20,000 words. So much for setting limits. It's all about the story anyways, not the word count. The readers are the real winners when I exceed my limits.
Tempe: Wow, 20,000? Awesome! Oh, and  I agree, it's all about the story and the readers.

Tempe: So why did you choose to write the prequels, exactly?

S.E.G.: I decided to write the prequels because I knew there will be a lag between books 1 and 2. Releasing the prequels keeps interest alive, and helps provide depth to the vampire universe I've created. In addition, they provide a low entry fee into the series (each will have a list price of .99).

Also, there seemed to be a bit of unfinished business while I was writing Enura. I eluded to events that happened earlier with Lawson, but did not have the space to go into any detail. Now I have the opportunity, and readers are in for a wild ride!

Tempe: Are any of your characters based on real life people ?

S.E.G.: Lawson Parker is actually the name of a graphic designer I met while working for the American Registry of Internet Numbers (ARIN)--you know, those people responsible for IP addresses. Every now and then I would tell her that her name was perfect for a vampire hunter. I guess it was just a matter of time before I made it happen. Hopefully she's not terribly upset that her character is a man.

In a broader sense, my characters are a concatenation of personalities I've been exposed to over time. Enura herself is inspired from Amy Lee of Evanescence (especially the cover of her album The Open Door), and Yakim from Mia Wasikowska (Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland). I would liken Lord Vangley's demeanor to Liam Neeson (Batman Begins), and Laurent's quiet presence to Stuart Townsend (Queen of the Damned). But Lawson's is the funniest of all; for some reason, I think back to Pinocchio whenever I write his scenes. A truly wooden character he is!
Tempe: I bet Lawson thinks it's cool... I would!

Tempe: Where do your inspirations come from?

S.E.G. : It's doesn't take much. The wind blows, and I get a new idea for a novel, among other things. I've got a backlog from here to the moon. If I could type 200 words a minute, I might have a shot at finishing them all. Maybe.

For me, I always look for an idea that is worth exploration. I believe in having a solid plot, but do not believe it's in the writer's best interest to know every single detail before entering the story. Discovery must be one of the prerequisites, otherwise the story suffers, and it shows.

I find that music is the best medium for experiencing my dreams, if only for a few moments. Paying closer attention to the things happening around you is an excellent way to come up with novel ideas; especially when you realize that everything is fodder for fiction. Even this interview, if viewed in the appropriate context.

Tempe: Thank you S.E. , great advice! Well I am now looking forward to your novellas getting finished , so I can get the full story. Thank you again S.E. for doing this interview with me.

Tempe: Everybody, keep your eyes peeled for S.E. Gordons books...You won't be sorry!

FINALLY!

I have had the hardest time getting on to my blog page! Anyone else have any issues?

Well, I am just so glad to be able to get back on here...I miss my online pals!
I am still busy with family activities, constantly, but I will try to post more often.
I hope everyone is having a great summer vacation so far! {{{{HUGS}}} :c)

Cool Interview

Sound the trumpets! Ring the bells! I had the privilege of getting an interview with author S.E. Gordon. He is a super cool guy, that I think you all should check out.

Tempe: So S.E. at what age did you begin writing?

 S.E.G. : My love of writing didn't sink in until I was a freshman in high school. A few of us traded stories back and forth--short fiction, nothing longer than a few pages. The freedom it gave us was awesome; it was hard not to write more.

Most of the stories were scribbled down by hand, but we weren't prehistoric. Computers were available then. Did all of our stories suck? Who knows? But we had a lot of fun doing it.

To answer your question, I started taking writing seriously at age 15.

Tempe: Did you ever think to yourself that you would be an author one day? 

S.E.G. : Once my mother published her first novel, The Valiant Heart, I knew I would eventually take a stab at it.

At the same time Valiant hit the stands, my friend and I were in the process of putting together an independent film. We sunk thousands of dollars into the venture, and never produced anything. It was horrible and humbling, not to mention, limiting. All those cool ideas we wanted to put on celluloid? They would have to wait until we could scrape together a "real" budget.

One day it dawned on me that I could tell the type of story that I always dreamed of without bankrupting myself. Writing a novel is inexpensive; the major cost is your time. Plus, you get to tell the story that you want (especially with the emergence of indie publishing), without having to be second-guessed by your "collaborators."

Tempe: Wow! And what was your first actual novel?

S.E.G. : I'll be finished with it in the next few weeks. It's a vampire thriller called Enura.

Tempe: Awesome! Can you tell us more about this book?

S.E.G.: Enura is a historical fantasy/horror novel set in the fictitious town of Vissorouy during the late 1700s. The story is about a half-vampire named Yakim who reluctantly tells her captor about a creature that feeds on vampires. When the enlightened are unable to purge Enura from their lands, a tactician is brought in, who also happens to be a vampire hunter. To survive, the town must make this odd pairing work, or be destroyed.

Tempe: How long have you been working on Enura?

S.E.G.:  I started work on Enura at the end of November 2010, and have been working on it off an on until now. Presently, 2/3 of the novel is finished (including editing).

Tempe: That sounds like my kind of book!
The cover is made by Phatpuppy , is this correct?

S.E.G. : The cover is the amazing art of Claudia McKinney (phatpuppyart.com)

Tempe: I love her cover art, it really draws you in.
What other novels are you working on?

S.E.G. :  I've got several I'm working on: Enura will be followed by Half-light, the second book in the series. I am also planning to write a novella in between called Red Wind. Song: Awakening is a novel I'm writing for my grandmother who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The Key of Neverhence is a comedic fantasy novel that's already written and just needs editing. Ok, a lot of editing. And Neverling is a YA novel that will be written after I clear the slate. Then I've also got two fun projects on the side, Yummy! The Crusty Englishman and a Harry Potter parody both written under pseudonyms.
Tempe: All of those sound like great reads. I can't wait to check them out!
You also write your stories online, would you mind sharing that link?


S.E.G.: Sure, my blog can be found at: http://segordon.blogspot.com/. I also have a website at: http://www.segordon.com/.

 Tempe: Thank you S.E. , is there anything else you would like to share?

S.E.G. : I'd just like to add that we are only limited by our imaginations. Think of the life that you want for yourself, and line it up. For me, if I only write books the rest of my life that entertain and inspire others, then I know I've succeeded. The rest is trivial.

Tempe: Thank you again S.E. , you are awesome! I really appreciate you answering my questions. I'm also looking forward to reading all of your books, starting with Enura. Keep your eyes peeled everyone, cause this book sounds like a winner!

Follow Friday blog hop

Well, I have no goodies to give to you, but I do have a fun little interview with my all time favorite book hero Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, from the wonderful book Pride & Prejudice . Written by Jane Austen.

Tempe: Hello  Fitzwilliam! You don't mind if I call you that do you?

F.D. : Actually, I do mind Miss Black. You may call me Mr.Darcy.

Tempe: Oh..um.. So, Mr. Darcy, would you think of yourself as a prideful person?

F.D. : No

Tempe:O..K.. Not very chatty huh?

F.D. : I have nothing to be "chatty" of.

Tempe: Right! Well, tell us a little bit about yourself!

F.D. : I do not share my life with complete strangers.

Tempe: I'm not really a stranger. I mean I've known you for years.

F.D. : No, you have read about me in a book, but you do not personally know me, therefore we are strangers.

Tempe: Well then , help me and my readers get to know you more by answering just a few small questions.

F.D. : Why, so you can send off stories about me through a little gossip chain?

Tempe: No, we would just love to know more about who you are!

F.D. : The only women that I care to know me ,are my sister Georgiana and my beloved wife Elizabeth. I think you have recieved enough through your readings from Miss Austen.

Tempe: Wow, you are really stubborn!

F.D. : Why, because I refuse to look any more ridiculous than I already do?

Tempe: You do not look ridiculous to anyone..many adore you!

F.D. : Exactly! Women swooning over me as if they were dogs after meat.
I find it quite silly and repulsive, actually.

Tempe: sigh

F.D. : Why do you sigh? Were you expecting me to throw in some charm? Tell you how lovely a shade of brown your eyes are, or how sweet your lips? I am who I am Miss Black, take it or leave it.

Tempe: Ugh.. You can't be a charmer and a jerk all at the same time. It's too sexy and twisted!

F.D. : As I said, I am who I am

Tempe: Yes, positively difficult  to communicate with. I guess I will have to go to Elizabeth for my answers.

F.D. : Absolutely not!

Tempe: Why?

F.D. : Elizabeth takes no interest in these silly type of affairs.
She would be less civil than I have been about your ridiculius questions.
Now, you have wasted enough of my time,  I must take my leave. Good day Miss Black. (walks off)

Tempe: Of all the...breath..

Tempe: Well, that didn't go as planned!

I hope you enjoyed my mock interview with Mr.Darcy, whom I still do adore even if he can be a jerk.  It just goes to show you..Fiction or non..No man is perfect.
If you haven't read Jane Austen's ,"Pride & Prejudice" yet, you really should. Believe me Darcy is still a hard headed jerk sometimes, but you'll learn to love him.

Sorry for delaying

Life is just sooo busy right now. I am going to have to delay the planned post until next week. I have been having alot of family time though, which is a plus. I guess it's the warm weather making everything pile up. I hope everyone else is wonderful too . :c)

My youngest child  had a birthday this weekend, so I was off spending some much needed fun time with my family. It was great !
You know, life seems to rush by so fast , it's as if it's on fast forward... It's nice to just put on pause and take a break every once in awhile. Well , now that my little break is done, I have blog planning to do. I will be having an interview this week with author S.E. Gordon about his book Enura and a fun little write up on my favorite hero Mr.Darcy..So keep watching! ;c)