Blog Hop

 

 

 Fellow Writer Kat Heckenbach invited me to be part of a blog hop. http://www.katheckenbach.com/. Please, check out her blog and see her answers on the following questions.

 

 

 1)      What am I working on? 

I'm a writer who has to have several projects going on at once. I'm editing two anthologies, Supernatural Colorado  and Different Dragons 2. Completing Winter Emergence, the sequel to my first book. I'm working on a collaboration with Julie Campbell and I will writing a book for Sky Warrior Books. The working title is Thunks in the Attic. Not to mention several short stories to submit to various anthologies.

 

 2)       How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I allow my cats to be cats, my wolves to be wolves and any other animal I write to be true to their nature. They aren't people in animal skin. They behaviors, sense of smell, etc. are used instead of how a human would view it. I've even crawled around on the floor to see it from the cat's perspective.

 

I'm also a regional writer. I add local flavor to my work. Many of my stories and books are based in Colorado, or other places I have been. It makes the stories much more real and the reader can identify with them much easier.

 

3)       Why do I write what I do?

I grew up reading Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, so it was natural progression. I also read romances and written my first. It was rejected, but the editor liked it well enough she's going to let me know what was wrong with it so I can fix and re-submit.

 

I envisioned myself as the next Andre Norton. I loved her work and even have a story of hers in an anthology I edited. Talk about a dream come true!

 

4)       How does your writing process work?

I allow myself to writer the splat. Then I go back to fix it. What's important is to get the basic story down. It doesn't need to be perfect. I also write in odd bits of time. Sometimes it's every day, sometimes it's just whenever.

I always have more story ideas floating around in the back of my head. Several series I'm working on even while I'm trying to complete current projects.

The Dollhouse Series

Eventually, I'm planning on writing a series of paranormal/urban fantasy/supernatural/horror novels all based on the dollhouses I've built, decorated and peopled, both with human dolls and animals. The first two are planned and the other day, out of the blue, I discovered who my bad guy was. I hadn't really given it much thought. I just knew the first novel I've worked on was rather dry and lacked a 'what's at stake' element.

Having now figured it out, I'll be able to write this series. Yeah!

And sometime in the distant future, I'm hoping to open my own miniature museum. Can you imagine how fun it will be if there are a series of books to go with it and how absolutely unique that will be?

New Projects

Time snuck up on me and here it is - the day I should have already had a new post up. Whoops!

My two biggest projects this week was to edit my over fifty romance 'Worth the Wait' and get it submitted to Written World communications. The second was to get the guidelines completed for 'Supernatural Colorado'. It's a new anthology I'm working on for the same above publisher. It's invite only. It'll be the first I'm doing that has a darker theme than what I usually do accepting mostly Dark Fantasy, Horror, including Western, Paranormal, Supernatural, Weird Western and other genres as well. It's got a great line up of authors and it'll be fun to see what they do with the theme.

Also on my upcoming agendas, several short story deadlines, completion of my next novel 'Winter Emergence' and in the Fall, putting together Volume 2 of 'Different Dragons'.

Sleepless Night

I enjoy my writer's group and was greatly disappointed when I couldn't attend - again. Unfortunately, I have a 'day' job and tend to still be sleeping when they meet. It doesn't help that work just changed my schedule due to the no longer needed tradition of Day Light Savings Time. Or that I'm at that age when I have sleepless nights. Like last night.

I do keep track of many on Facebook, along with my fellow Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror writers, both in the secular and Christian markets. It doesn't make me feel quite so alone and isolated.

Role of the Writer : Mentor & Example

Next is Mentor and Example. In the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror genre, the older writers mentor the upcoming. They help them by reading their work, critiquing it, when they don't have pressing deadlines, and taking time to answer questions on writing or the business aspect.

They also are watched. Just as I am watching other successful writers to see how they got to where they are, I have other writers watching me aspiring to follow my examples.

These are scarey roles because you want to be encouraging. You also want them to know its not always easy. It can be challenging and sometimes outright frustrating. But well worth the struggle.

Reading Annoucement : I have a reading for Gunslinger and Ghost Stories edited by David B. Riley, Saturday, December 8th at 2 PM. It will be at Who Else Books at Broadway and Cedar in Denver, CO. I will be reading from my story The Ruins along with several other local writers. Come and join us!

Interview for A Flame in the Dark : Monsters!

http://timothycward.com/2012/10/27/coffin-hop-stop-4-dana-bell/

I've had a story accepted for 'A Flame in the Dark: Monsters!' titled 'More Lives'. For today, please to to the above link and read the interview.