Congratulations on winning this contest! How do you feel about this?
I'm thrilled! This is my newest novel and it's a huge boost to get this kind of recognition.
Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?
I write mostly Sci-Fi and Fantasy and usually blend the two. This novel is dark Fantasy, but there are fleeting Sci-Fi elements. I don't generally write just one genre, but I do focus more on one than the other. I absolutely love space and made-up worlds/creatures. Sci-Fi and Fantasy give you ultimate freedom as a writer.
Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?
I started reading Harry Potter and then Twilight, moving on to the Mortal Instruments series. I've read a few classics, bios, historical fiction, and high Sci-Fi too.
My overactive imagination is why I write. It's gotta come out somehow, lol! It's a great creative outlet where your imagination is in charge. It can also be very cathartic. Plus, I don't get to travel or see new things often, but at least my characters can.
How long have you been writing?
For about 10 years now, but it's only in the last few years that I've really taken it seriously. I'm editing furiously, taking constructive criticism, asking advice, participating in writing stuff on Wattpad and Twitter, etc.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
Deep in the Shadows is still a fledgling novel. It's the darkest Fantasy I've tried and it's going well. It has a strong female antihero, a guy who follows her lead, and the two, while there might be some mild attraction, won't have a love story. A deep bond, a friendship, but nothing romantic. Before the end, they'll have to ask themselves what's more important- themselves or the bigger picture?
What do you think most characterizes your writing?
Dark, lol! I don't write happy, holding hands sweetness, or anything resembling ordinary life. My writing is gritty, it asks big questions, it goes deep and talks about conscience and consequences. Most of my characters are opposites and have lead tough lives.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
Figuring out how to make Nera likable. She's been through so much and she's really rough around the edges. She trusts no one and only wants one thing- freedom. Not sure if she'll give that up to do something bigger. She has a conscience, but it'll be a question of having a social conscience in the end. Running will be a much more attractive option for her and, given her life so far, I don't even think readers would hold a grudge if she did.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Writing an escape was fun, but adding these pieces of the puzzle throughout was a joy. I really liked writing a sweet, unselfish guy who's willing to admit the girl is stronger, and follows her.
What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre, that isn't so?
Most Fantasy novels aren't quite as dark as what I write (though some are). I think blending genres, especially Sci-Fi and Fantasy, is amazing. Takes the story and characters to a whole other level and gives you, the writer, so many options.
What projects are you working on at the present?
I'm concentrating on editing my two completed novels- a Sci-Fi with Fantasy elements for adults, and a YA Fantasy. It's hard work, but I'm trimming a lot to quicken the pace and adding new POVs and scenes. Makes the novels, as a whole, more dynamic and interesting.
Interview by let_alpha_write
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