Today I have an interview, with fantasy and sci-fi author Alene Nation who stops by to chat about her books and writing. Enjoy.
Interview With Alene Nation
Why
don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.I’m retired. For a long time, I have worked in health
insurance offices due to my degree in Computer Information Systems. Twenty
years ago, I owned and ran a small screen print and embroidery shop. This is
where I learned how to use my design talents on my covers. I have always read
fiction and non-fiction books for the past 60 years. My genre is realistic
science fiction and urban fantasy. I have also added a travel mystery series
and wrote a non-fiction true story.
Could you tell us a bit
about your latest book?
My latest book is the fifth urban fantasy about a
thirtyish aged woman who is a widow, called The
Magic Within. She sees little people and ghosts that no one else can see.
Her unusual friends are the ones who lead her into trouble or save her life. In
this story, she has to save her boyfriend’s daughter from a kidnapper. One day she
steps into a hidden library and enlists the help from a wizard.
How long have you been
writing, and how many books have you published to date? I always wanted to write but never knew how to
publish until I found an excellent writing club in 2011. Since 2013, I have
published 16 novels and several novellas and short stories. I attach the short
stories to my monthly newsletters.
Of all the books you've
written, do you have a favourite?
It depends on my mood. They are all mysteries, some
cozy and some thrillers. I love writing and exploring what could be in our
quest of space. So, this is fun and examining how we might live on Mars or the
Moon.
I wrote my first urban fantasy as a NaNoWriMo test. Which
means I had to write 50K words in 30 days. After finishing the story in 11
days, I knew I had a talent for writing. Since the character lives in a little
town not far from my home, I know the people so well and what they would do.
After I took a fantastic trip to Europe, I met my
next character and wrote two stories about her (my) experiences.
My only nonfiction is based on a true story in
northern Idaho in 1971 where I grew up.
What is my favorite book? That’s like asking who is
my favorite child?
I’ll pick Fatal
Error because it’s based on actual occurrences and a lot about robots in
the future. The danger is real.
Do you have a
favourite character? If so, why?
I’ll have to choose Detective Alex Blackhawk because
he’s strong, smart, and won’t give up in his search for his suspect. I would
say my favorite female character would be Alice Morgan who worked on the Moon
and Mars. Next in the UF series, it would be Hobnobby, the gnome. Now he’s not
the MC, but he uses magic to benefit others and he’s a little sneaky.
Why did you decide to write in the urban fantasy
& science fiction genre?
I have always liked mysteries and spooky stories. Just
as I’m about to end writing one of my books, I discover a twist that has to be
told. I’m interested in science and the progress our country has made. I’m a
deep Star Trek fan since 1960.
What is the hardest part
of writing science fiction? Getting the scene times in order. On the whole, I
find writing it quite easy.
What do you enjoy most
about writing in the urban fantasy genre?
It’s easy and relatable to people I know.
You write in several
genres. Do you have a favourite? And if so, why?
It depends on what I want to express. If I want to
continue my SF series to explain the galaxy beyond, then I’ll do that one. If I
think my character has to have an unusual encounter with the fantasy world,
I’ll write that one. For example, my character, Susan Edwards and her friend
Hobnobby had just trapped a terrible witch inside an old mirror. Done and
settled? No, I had to write the next book about the witch’s escape and what
Susan was going to do. Like life, my stories go on.
Who is your intended
readership?
Probably 30-70 age group. I do have a couple of YA
and NA SF books for the 16-22 age group as well.
Are there particular
challenges in writing for your core readership?
I don’t see one, I remember what I expected at those
ages. It helps too when I watch shows or read about that age range.
Why did you write this
book? What was your inspiration?
The first science fiction book was a test for my
writing class. It was a story I had continually thought about. The same
happened when I wrote the first urban fantasy. I had every scene memorized
before I began NaNoWriMo.
What did you enjoy most
about writing your book?
Finishing, re-editing where I change scenes around, and that final
sale.
What did you find most
challenging about writing your book?
If I need to know how a machine works. I had to
research tunnel digging, a grain mill operation, and the unique surface
formations on Mars.
Did anything surprise you
about the process of writing your book?
In the beginning, it was the formatting and the publishing,
but I have that down pat now.
What did you hope to
accomplish by publishing your book?
Entertain and make people think
When did you realize you
wanted to be a writer?
After a year in my writing class.
Can you tell us about your
writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing
routine?
As I said above, I’m retired and have lots of time on
my hands. If I don’t have any appointments to keep, I sit down after breakfast
and write until Lunch. After Lunch, I pick up the mail, and do a few house
chores, and write until 4:00pm. I don’t do any writing at night. That’s my time
off to watch mystery shows or Forensic Files for ideas. On Saturday, I’ll set
my promos on Facebook.
What is your greatest
challenge as a writer?
To remind my hubby not to test the fire alarm during
NaNoWriMo. He did one year and since then I remind him before November 1st.
Once in a while between hitting the stores and housework, I need more time.
Do you have a favourite
author, or writing inspiration?
I loved reading Agatha Christie ad Isaac Asimov.
Georgette Heyer is another favorite with her beautiful long sentences. I was
told not to do long sentences for today’s readers, so I don’t. I have read all
of Rita Mae Brown’s books, which gave me the inspiration to write what my SF
animals are saying.
How do you research your
books?
Google for details listed above. When I’m sitting in the doctor’s
office or at the airport, I watch people and decide what type of character they
could become. After 60+ years of living, I have seen a lot.
What advice would you give
beginning writers?
Read, read, read as much as you can. Books will
always help you with your grammar. As for publishing, use KDP as Amazon sells
75+% of all the books in the world. Use Grammarly and ProWriting Aid before you
let anyone else read your book. Try to find beta readers after you have read
your manuscript over ten times or more. Give them a free book and ask them to help
correcting your errors. Start with ebook, the formatting is easier than print.
Ebooks are the fastest sellers on the publishing market today.
Do you have any amusing
writing stories or anecdotes to share?
Several odd things that I have experienced have found
their way into my books. I had a small Corelle dish break in front of my eyes. If
you own some, then you know they aren’t supposed to break. Then I read in the
newspaper that Peru had an earthquake at the same time. That scene went into my
UF book. Another time, I lost my ship card while in Europe. Talk about panic.
The stewards were kind and replaced it for me. That scene went into my travel
book.
What do you like to do
when you're not writing? Any hobbies?
I did commercial embroidery for many years. I still
do totes and shirts once in a while, but writing has taken up most of my time.
My husband and I used to travel a lot before covid happened. So, before I send
out my newsletter, I write and attach a new short story each month. After a
year, I put all of the short stories into one book.
How did you
become interested in science fiction/urban fantasy?
Movies, TV shows, and books I have watched and read.
Are you working on another
book?
I will for NaNoWriMo this November 2020. I may write
one novel, a novella, and a few short stories. Last year, I wrote over 80,000
words in 30 days using this writing system.
What’s your next project?
Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?
My next projects are the books I start in NaNoWriMo.
The SF book will be first.
I just discovered Justkindlebooks.com. They are the
best for sales. Just use the bargain offer. In that one day, I had more
downloads than I have had from that one book in years. I keep a section on my
blog for writing tips that anyone can look over – blogingwrites.weebly.com.
The average fiction book is sized 6x9” but I have
tried 5x8” and I like that one better. For the series, keep all of them the
same size.
Write a lot of novellas and put them into kindle
unlimited. I use the free days with great success.
~*~
You can find more about Alene Nation and her books at these sites.
Webpage:
Blog:
Facebook:
