Sunday Surprise

And it’s a guest! And an old friend, since her first interview came out with her first book that I loved (and it came out before more famous shades of gray was published – and it’s a completely different genre!)! So, here we are again, almost five years later, another six books for a great series I keep recommending whenever someone asks me. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back fellow indie author and beta swapper Joleene Naylor!

Where do you live and write from?

We recently moved back to southwest Iowa, which is where I grew up at it. There are things I miss about southern Missouri, like the warmth, but there are things I’m enjoying. Like autumn was much autumn-ier here. The change of location hasn’t had any impact on my writing, except that the moving and house renovations put me behind.

Why do you write?

Hmmm. Everyone asks this question and I usually give one of the standard answers, but the truth is I don’t know. I took a writing break for a few years and I got back into it because I wanted to join a Harry Potter fan fiction/role play group. Then I started the vampire series because I wanted to write something dark…I guess I write because I can.

When did you start writing?

I used to write “books” when I was a kid, which went into my teenage and early adult years. (I have several novels stacked up in notebooks) but as I mentioned above I quit for a while and it was the Harry Potter Fans Around the Globe Yahoo group that got me going again. Wow, looking back on it those first few posts were terrible! It just shows if you don’t use it, you lose it.

What genre(s) do you write?

Speculative fiction. I have vampire series Amaranthine, but I have been considering doing a second fantasy series on the side if I ever get time, and then there is the meg project I have with a co-author. We may never finish it but by God we’ve made a go at it.

What does your writing routine consist of?

I need a routine, but alas it’s all very random. Everything I do is random. Sometimes I think a schedule would be great, but I never manage to stick to one.

What do you feel are your strengths as a writer? How have you developed these qualities?

I’m good at torturing characters. I’d actually like to torture them more than I do, but I try to stay lower key. I think that’s why the unpublished Patrick prequel had issues from beta readers – because I torture him a LOT.

Where do you find your inspiration? Do you put yourself in your stories?

This is where I am supposed to tell you about all the vampire series I read, but truth is I’m bad and I don’t. Most of my inspiration comes from anime. I’d love to see the Amaranthine series as anime or manga.

Outliner or improviser? Fast or slow writer?

Improviser most of the time. If I do an outline I feel like I’ve already written the book. And I’m slow. Mind numbingly slow. Probably because I lack that writing routine…

Tell us about your latest book

Clash of Legends is the seventh book in the series. It’s the end of a story arc and wraps up a lot of things that readers have been waiting for. Or I hope they’ve been waiting for it. For new readers, it could be read as a standalone if you don’t want to invest in six previous books.

The explosive seventh installment in the Amaranthine series brings blood, ruin, despair, and hope, for even in the darkest night there is still a moon.

After the battle in Indonesia. Katelina wakes in Samael’s domain. Though her memories are tattered, she knows someone is missing: Jorick.

Her vampire lover gathers an army to save her from the ancient, but his master Malick interferes. For five hundred years Malick has manipulated and ruined Jorick’s life. When he leaves Katelina broken and bleeding in the bowels of his oasis, it’s the final straw.

While Malick sets up his glorious war with a living legend, Jorick plans the ultimate taboo: to kill his master. He’s tried before and failed. Will this be different, or will he and Katelina be crushed in the carnage of a greater battle, between two whose blood goes back millennia?

Links:

amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TR7IA36

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121251968?ean=2940046584363

smashwords – http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/520737

apple – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/clash-of-legends/id968843228?mt=11&uo=4

kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/clash-of-legends

Indie publishing or traditional publishing – and why?

Indie. I like to control everything, and this way I can.

Any other projects in the pipeline?

I’m planning to rework that Patrick sequel I mentioned and give it away to people on my mailing list (you can sign up at http://www.joleenenaylor.com/books/newsletter.php ), There’s a short story collection I’d like to finish (Tales of the Executioners), and then the eighth book, of course. There are some people who think I should quit the series after the next book because it’s too many books for one series. What do you think?

What is your goal as a writer and what are you doing to achieve it?

I’m going to be honest again. I don’t ever expect to make a living from my books – it was hard before and is only getting harder. Many traditionally published authors don’t make a living wage, and there are even fewer indies who do. I just want to know that there are people who enjoy my stories. Sure, I’d like there to be hundreds, but you know what? When I had seven fans I was happy, too. So as long as people are enjoying it I’ll keep plugging along.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

That’s a tough question. I guess the best is to never give up and not to expect too much. Having goals is great, but none of us will be the next Stephen King just by putting a book on Smashwords. Be realistic, and then work towards whatever your goal is, whether it is to be the next Stephen King or just to entertain people.

About Joleene

author blog: http://joleenenaylor.wordpress.com/

FB author page: https://www.facebook.com/joleenenaylorbooks

twitter http://twitter.com/joleene_naylor

website- http://JoleeneNaylor.com

good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3165393.Joleene_Naylor

facebook profile – http://facebook.com/joleene.naylor

pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/joleenenaylor/boards/

google + – https://plus.google.com/102925915756209535618/posts

Posted by Barb on 08/03/2015

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/sunday-surprise-92/