Hey everyone! I've come out of blog-seclusion today for a very special treat because Crystal Collier is in the house talking about the release of her new book MOONLESS!
Welcome to
my humble digital-abode, Crystal. First off, let me put on my charming
host hat ...can I offer you some coffee, a croissant, a piece of cheese?
Thanks so much for having me! (And like I’m
going to say no to cheese!)
Who
can…right? Let’s get right to it shall
we? And you needn’t worry about responding while you’re chewing, I’ll edit that
out in the post process.
Um…okay.
A lot of
aspiring writers find it interesting to peek behind the curtain and see
what other writers processes are like. For instance...are you a pantser
or plotter? Laptop or Desktop? Prefer AM or PM writing
sessions?
I eat cheese, dream strange dreams, then
write. Kidding! Well, partially anyway. My writing originates from “story
dreams,” complete with characters, plot and setting. But like a good movie, you
can only cram so much into a couple hours.
Unless
you’re Peter Jackson, then it might go on forever. How many different revisions did MOONLESS go
through before you felt it was ready?
Wow. Um, we’re talking in the ballpark of
two hundred?
In 2002, MOONLESS bloomed as a novella. It
wrote itself in a matter of days. But then, (as with all first drafts,) it went
straight into the folder labeled “never to see the light of day.” Still, I
loved it, and it kept demanding attention.
In 2006 I sent out a couple queries, just
for fun, and the response was awesome. Agents loved my concept. The writing? Not
so much. A very kind agent friend gave me some pointers and set me free.
Fast forward several years. I hosted a major
beta reading (30+ readers) and people actually liked my writing! They liked the
story! They wanted me to publish it!
*gulp*
Welcome back to querying, and the revisions
of madness.
You also
operate a pretty successful blog. Do you find it a help or hindrance after
publication?
I might be (AM) addicted to blogging. 60% of what I know about writing came
from the blogosphere—so while I won’t call it a hindrance, I do struggle to
find the balance between writing, revisions, hanging with my bloggies, and
other promotions.
What would
you say was your biggest setback along this path to publication? How did
you overcome it?
Kids. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
What's on
the horizon for you?
MOONLESS is the first book in a tri-series.
That’s right, TRI-series. (Major plotting here.) With ten books (and three
separate protagonists) in varying stages of completion, the real question is,
how quickly should I publish them?
I want to thank Crystal for taking the time to drop by and answer a few questions for us. Below is a listing of the remaining stops on Crystal's blog tour, as well as an all-important Rafflecopter. Above all else, check out MOONLESS...you won't be sorry!
November 14
Libby Heily: Author
Interview & Excerpt #3
Cathrina Constantine: Excerpt #4
T.W. Fendley:
Author Interview About my Current Work
DL Hammons: Author Interview
November 15
Ashley Chappell: Top Ten Fantasy Novels that
Inspired Crystal
Laura Clipson: Character Interview with Kiren
Kimberly @ Meetings with my Muse: Top Ten Ways
to Send a Boy Running
Robyn Campbell: Review
& Author Interview
November 18
Laurel Garver: How Crystal develops Characters
Gwen Gardner: Truth or Lie
Carrie Butler: Truth or Lie
Natalie Aguirre: Author Interview
& Giveaway
November 19
Christine Rains: Excerpt #4
Mary Waibel: Character Interview
with Kiren
Bethany Kaczmarek: Character
Interview with Miles
November 20
Scribbleweed: Showing VS Telling
Ellie Garratt: Character Interview with Kiren
Aldrea Alien: Top Ten Reasons to Eat Cheese
November 21
Meradeth Houston: Character Interview with Kiren
Mary Pax: Guest Post
C. Lee McKenzie: Truth or Lie
Ashley
Nixon: Excerpt #6
November 22
Elizabeth Seckman: Truth or Lie
Melanie Crouse: Review
Medeia Sharif: Excerpt #5
Nicole Zoltack: Truth or Lie
November 23
Jessie Harrell: Excerpt #6
Hart Johnson: The Naked Cheese
November 24
TC Mckee: Review
November 25
Michelle Wallace: Excerpt #2
Clare Dugmore: Excerpt #7 &
Truth or Lie
November 26
Elise Fallson: Excerpt #7
Larissa Hardesty: Top Ten—You Know
You Live in Florida When
November 27
Julie Musil: Author Interview
November 28
Suzanne Furness: Excerpt #8
Sharon Johnston: Review
November 29
Julie Flanders: Excerpt #5
Misha Gericke: Where Moonless Came
From
November 30
Sherry Auger: Review
Chrys Fey: Excerpt #8