Contrary Cats--Author Interview--Sean Cleary

So there I was, minding my own business, playing Candy Crush on Facebook fleshing out the plot in my current work-in-progress, when I received a message from another of my co-writers on Contrary Cats. I was overjoyed to hear from him. Apparently, there are other people besides myself who hardly ever read the 'Other' message folder. Without further ado, here is another interview!

Sean Cleary is a science nerd, who was lucky to be taught programming by undergraduates at MIT while still in high school. He received a BSEE from Northeastern U in Boston, studied programming (Computer Science) at Wichita State U, and several Los Angeles Colleges, and received a BSCS from West Coast U in LA. Sean has had 20+ years of combining Electrical Engineering and Programming in Firmware and test stand creation.Sean began playing D&D 6 months after the first books were published and introduced the game to Wichita KS.

1. How long have you been a writer?

I started to write several years ago, maybe 2007. My first story was a dragon based story for my eldest. It had prophesy vs prophesy and thus it died. But it was fun. Contrary Cats contains my first published work, and when I get paid I will be a paid published writer. That is a goal point. 

2. What is your favorite genre to write and/or read.

SF/F. But I have read romance, mystery, engineering technical books, and others. I enjoy reading Mystic and self help also.
I love filking, (Filk is science fiction and fantasy folk style songs as well as anything sung by a filk singer). SCA, (SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronisms, the people trying to bring back the middle ages as they should have been. You are in one of their kingdoms and likely do not know it). role play games, and the furries. 
I have sung Kipling's poems, as well as Martha Keller, and Robert Service. 
My favorite living writers are Pratchett, Bujold, MCA Hogarth, Eric Flint.


3. Where did you get the idea for your story, Empathy Day?

I have forgotten, but I can reconstruct a bit--There is a group of people that like anthropomorphic animals. This group is called the Furries. Within that group there are many different sub interests. There is a subgroup of animals eating animals. That is called 'vore. This story is in reaction to some of the assumptions of that subgroup. 

I have a teacher/reader, Pat. She was an middle school English teacher, she has retired. She was helping me learn to write. And she toned down the gore. 

So the first idea was that the dog would be eaten by the cat. The suicide beam came slightly later. I think most of the story came in one session, with the next 30+ revisions via Pat and me corresponding. 

4. What are you working on now?

It is another reaction to the Vore crowd. But it started out as a way to mourn a couple of people. I learned of their deaths in Feb 2013. And wrote a drippingly sad short story. And when I got done, what I knew about the story at the bottom did not match the top. And I wanted some hope. So I rewrote it. It is now over the 50K limit and so is a novel. I am still getting editorial comments from Pat. We are still improving it. 
Core: One BFF must kill the other in a population Lottery based dystopia. I am forbidding myself to directly make puns or to blatantly use Catholic ideas in a religion that is pantheonic. I still have fun.  

Sean doesn't have a website yet, but I'll be sure to keep you posted when he gets one set up.

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Contrary Cats--Author Interview with...Me!

So after all that scrambling to find the other contributors to Contrary Cats, I could not reach anyone else. But I do hope you enjoyed the past three interviews! I love to meet other writers and get to know a little bit about them, don't you?

Since I gave Melodie Caragill, Gerry Huntman, and Carla Sarett the interview questions, I thought I would answer them also. So today's post is by me! I am the author of the story, Inseparable.

Denise Stanley is a graduate of The Institute for Children's Literature. Her children's stories appeared on the now-defunct Smories.com and in the anthology, 31 More Nights of Halloween. Denise also dabbles in adult fiction and poetry and is currently attempting to write a publishable novel.

How long have you been a writer?

I never knew how someone went about becoming a published author. For years and years, all of my stories and poems clanked around in my head. I didn't start writing until 2008, when I enrolled in ICL. I wish I had started a long time ago.

What is your favorite genre to write and/or read?

I read anything and everything, but the genre depends upon my mood. Some days it's hard for me to get involved in a fantasy world, and other days I soak it all up.  I've even read zombie stories that I surprisingly enjoyed. I usually read two books in different genres (one paperback and one e-book) at the same time.

As far as writing goes, I cannot write horror. I like to read it, but can't write it for the life of me. I enjoy trying out a little bit of everything, but I still haven't found that one genre that I'm passionate about.

Where did you get the idea for your story?

I talk to my cats as if they're people. Don't we all? One particularly stressful day, I was talking to my cat Cashmere, and I thought that if anyone heard me they would think I was off my rocker. Then, I wondered, 'What if a character had a conversation with a cat and what if the cat answered her?' and Inseparable was born.

What are you working on now?

Right now I'm working on the first draft of my second attempt at a novel. In between trying to pull the plot out of my head, I'm writing and submitting flash fiction and poetry.


Thanks to all of you for sticking around for my interview! If you'd like to get to know me better, you can find me socializing (and procrastinating) on:

Facebook and Twitter

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Contrary Cats--Author Interview with Carla Sarett

Today's guest is fellow contributor, Carla Sarett. Carla is the author of the story, Chopin for Igor.

Carla Sarett has worked in academia, TV, film and market research -- and in 2010, added fiction writing to the mix.  Her stories have been published in Crack the Spine, Loch Raven Review, The Linnet’s Wings, Eric’s Hysterics, Red Fez, Rose Red Review and other magazines. She has two story collections available through online retailers:  Strange Courtships:  Nine Romantic Stories and Crazy Lovebirds:  Five Super-Short Stories.  In addition,  Her stories are included in the anthologies, Love Hurts!, 13 Bites, as well as Contrary Cats.  Her essay, “Sam’s Will,” published in Blue Lyra Review, received a nomination for Best American Essay 2013.

Hi Carla! Welcome to A Room to Write.

How long have you been a writer?

I never wanted to be a writer, so it came as a shock to me when I started-- life’s a strange busines, isn’t it?. About a year after my mother death, I attempted to keep a journal and what emerged was fiction-- that was in 2010.  I’m a big believer in testing the waters, so I submitted to literary magazines soon thereafter -- and fortunately, encountered receptive editors.        

What is your favorite genre to write and/or read.

I love all kinds of literature--from Dickens to Alice Munro-- and anything that falls, more or less, into the literary fiction camp intrigues me.  I enjoy women writers in particular.  Right now, I’m absorbed by the English writer, Barbara Comyns, because she weaves dark, even bitter, humor into her stories, the scary, wonderful short fiction of Daphne du Maurier, and the downright amazing short fiction of  Mavis Gallant.  As for my own short fiction, I am eclectic -- I’ve dabbled in the surreal and romantic (e.g., Strange Courtships: Nine Romantic Stories) as well as humor (my flash fiction collection, Crazy Lovebirds: Five Super-Short Stories.)  

Where did you get the idea for your story?

This one came to me in a dream: I woke up and wrote it. Like all of my stories, this one has kernels of personal history and fact, blended with pure fiction. My family was a cat family -- and we had a few magical cats whose comings and goings were unpredictable. I can’t separate my childhood from those cats.  And over the years, I’ve heard other tales of owners (“cat people”) and their cats -- and somehow, those all came together in “Chopin for Igor.”  When I heard that there was to be “cat” anthology, I knew that it was the right venue for this peculiar story.   

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a romantic comedy/novel that is based on the heroine from “Career Girl” (published in the anthology, Love Hurts!), “Skinny Girl” (published in Red Fez), and “Bonny Lass” (in Strange Courtships.)  It’s different taking her on a longer journey (than I am allowed in a short story) -- I’m hoping that readers like the results.   I’m also hoping to return to the memoir I’m developing about my grandparents (the first part was published in Blue Lyra Review this year.)

Thanks for visiting with us today, Carla. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work.

If you'd like to get to know more about Carla, visit her websites. 

Carla’s blog:  http://carlasarett.blogspot.com

Carla’s Amazon Page:

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Contrary Cats--Interview with Gerry Huntman

Today, I'm happy to introduce another fellow contributor to the anthology, Contrary Cats. 

Gerry Huntman is the author of the story, Pretty Kitty.

Gerry Huntman is a writer based in Melbourne, Australia, living with his wife and young daughter. He is also a speculative and children's fiction publisher, managing two small publishing companies: IFWG Publishing and IFWG Publishing Australia. Just to add to his workload, he is also the publisher of a speculative fiction ezine, SQ Mag.

Gerry has published a story on average one per month since January 2010. He writes roughly equally among the three accepted genres of speculative fiction, and most sub-genres. However, most of his storied tend toward the dark. Recent acceptances include Aurealis Magazine, Stupefying Stories, Lovecraft eZine, BLEED charity anthology, and Night Terrors III pro anthology. He will be publishing a young teen fantasy novel in April 2014 (Cohesion Publishing).

Hi, Gerry. Welcome!

How long have you been a writer?

I think there's been quite a bit of discussion in the writing community, of late, regarding what constitutes a writer/author. Some would say that a person has to make x dollars, or y sales - which I have some sympathy for; while others might say that eligibility for membership of the various peak bodies (such as the SFWA, HWA), and there will also be those who believe that it is a state of mind - you are a writer if you love writing, creating, plotting, with the intention for growth in respectability in the community. I started writing seriously in 2008 and started submitting short fiction seriously from early 2010. In that time I have pretty much achieved the several definitions of being a writer. Regarding the last, more fluid, definition, I have been heavily involved in the roleplaying design community for near on 30 years, creating story lines, characters etc, so you could say I was a writer for that long, or perhaps, had an elongated apprenticeship.

What is your favorite genre to write and/or read?

Up to a few years ago, I would have answered fantasy (dark and more mainstream). But I have changed. I enjoy writing dark stories to an extent that I have become a convert to many types and sub genres of horror. My answer now is horror (although don't get me started on my belief that horror is not a genre, but a style). :)

Where did you get the idea for your story?

I really can't exactly remember when the kernel of the idea of 'Pretty Kitty' started. It is often an amalgam of a few stimuli. I think in this case I simply pondered what would an animal spirit be like, and what would be the conditions to make it happen. My story really does spend most of its time exploring that angle.

What are you working on now?

I am currently in the process of editing a few accepted pieces, including my young teen novel, 'Guardian of the Sky Realms', with a wonderful small press called Cohesion Publishing. I always have a short story in the works - in my head or in draft form - and I also contribute short fiction to a writing challenge group that has been in operation since 2008. I just finished a Weird Western (a great deal of fun).

Thanks for stopping by A Room to Write today. Good luck with your writing!


If you'd like to learn more about Gerry, you can visit him here:

Blog: gerryhuntman.livejournal.com

IFWG Publishing: www.ifwgpublishing.com

IFWG Pub Australia: www.ifwgaustralia.com

SQ Mag: www.sqmag.com

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Contrary Cats--Interview with Melodie Corrigall

Some of you may have read one of my previous posts, Anthology Angst. 
Let me tell you, it was no small task finding and contacting the other authors involved with this project. Even when I did find them on Facebook or on their websites, most of them never answered my invitation. BUT there were a few gracious people who were happy to sit down and chat.

Here is the first in a week-long series of interviews with my fellow contributors to Contrary Cats:

My first guest is Melodie Corrigall, author of the story, Slicker-down.

Melodie Corrigall is a Canadian writer fortunate to have family and friends who have encouraged her creative efforts.  She appreciates the work of print and E-Zine publishers and editors, most of whom work for little or no money, for their dedicated efforts to keep short fiction available to readers and give writers, like herself, an opportunity to share their stories.

Hi, Melodie! Welcome to A Room to Write. 

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing stories from childhood but school, work, family and life got in the way of focusing on my fiction. Since retirement, I have had more time to write for pleasure and to hone my skills.

What is your favorite genre to read?

I am a theatre buff and like to see plays performed (hence enjoy dialogue) and to read novels and short stories, especially short comic pieces. 

What is your favorite genre to write?

Depending on the day, I like to meet the challenge of writing what a friend called “harrowing pieces” or if I am in a more whimsical mood to capture comic moments and possibilities.

Where did you get the inspiration for your story?

The story came from considering how a person might escape unwanted phone calls and how cats, naughty or nice, usually end up landing on their feet.

What are you working on now?

At present, I have a number of stories in the hopper: some serious and some whimsical.

Thanks so much for visiting today. Good luck in your writing, and I hope to read more of your work soon.

If you'd like to know more about Melodie, visit her website: http://www.melodiecorrigall.com/

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SHOW & SHARE--Workspaces--Anne E. Johnson

Anne E. Johnson

Where the Magic Happens

by Anne E. Johnson

I can’t really call this my writing space. Almost all my first drafts are born of pen meeting paper in the corner of a coffee shop, on a subway seat, or on my living room couch. This picture shows my revising and editing station. However, as any writer knows, that’s the stage when the magic in a book is uncovered and allowed to flourish.

Yes, yes, it’s a mess. Insert famous quote here (attributed to Einstein) about the importance of clutter to the development of genius. But in this junkyard are buried countless comforting items and features that keep me seated and working for hours at a time. 

Inside info? Why sure! Here are two elements of my workspace philosophy:

The “desk” itself is not a desk. My ancient laptop sits on a sewing machine table from the 1940s that my great grandma used for its original purpose when I was a little kid. It’s beat up and even squeaks a little, but I love it. 

Perpendicular to that, forming what’s called an “ell-shaped desk” among hifalutin types, is a truckload of notes and manuscript pages (and a box of Kleenex for when a sad scene makes me cry) dumped onto an aluminum TV-dinner table. 

For an extra chuckle: the long cardboard box you see behind the computer contains a “real” desk that simply needs assembly. That box has been sitting there for years because I won’t give up my sewing table.

I need company, protection, inspiration, humor, and comfort while I’m working. Therefore I keep myself surrounded by a bevy of friends: 

For company and support, there’s a picture of my husband. 

For protection against the lethal brain drain of negative thoughts, there’s a poster and action figure of The Wolverine. 

For inspiration when the idea factory threatens a strike, there’s an ever-changing gallery of creative people I admire. At the moment I’m watched over by playwright Terrence McNally, painter Keith Haring, and dancer/director Tommy Tune. Of course, I’m inspired by books, too, but we own over a thousand; only a tiny percentage of them are stored near my work station.

For humor, there’s a giant plush pineapple, a clock shaped like a chicken, and two friendly monsters named Nerdyworm and Plum, painted by a company called Kudu-La.

For comfort, especially in the winter when the office gets very cold, I keep a pair of fluffy pink slippers in front of my chair.

Visit Anne's website to discover all the magic she creates!

Twitter-- @AnneEJohnson
Facebook-- https://www.facebook.com/anne.e.johnson.9
Blog-- http://anneejohnson.blogspot.com/

Celebrating A Scottish Christmas with Willa Blair

Would You Like to Celebrate a Scottish Christmas?

While Christmas, or Yule as it was once called, is celebrated in modern Scotland with many of the same trimmings as in America, it’s a more subdued affair.  Christmas was banned in Scotland in the mid-16th century because it was seen as a Catholic holiday by the Protestant Reformation.  That ban lasted nearly 400 years, until the 1950s. 

During that bleak time, a few old traditions survived, most derived from ancient midwinter celebrations.  Candles in windows were once meant to light the way to warmth and safety for travelers out in harsh winter weather.  Now candles are everywhere, from windows to Christmas tree branches, though we’ve modernized that fire hazard into strings of LED lights.  

The yule log was borrowed from the early Norse invaders to light the longest night of the year and provide an omen, good or bad, of the coming year in its ashes.  Scots also believed that the fire burning all night kept spirits and sprites from coming down the chimney and entering the house to do mischief.  No wonder Santa Claus didn’t visit. 

How things have changed!  We’re more likely to eat a yule log than light one on fire.  There are many versions of yule log cakes, from the simple jelly roll to gorgeously decorated holiday cakes.

          

So if Scots didn’t celebrate Christmas, what did they do?  Scotland has a long history of trade with France due to the Auld Alliance, and the term for Scotland’s New Year celebration, Hogmanay, is believed to have been derived from a French phrase for Christmas. Gifts were given for Hogmanay rather than Christmas, and special feasts celebrated it.  On New Year’s Eve, houses were cleaned to clear away the old year.  Candles lit the way for the First Footer, a tradition that survives today.  The first person to enter the house after midnight on New Year’s Eve/Day, preferably a tall, dark-haired, male bearing a gift of food, fuel, or whisky, brings good luck to the house and those within it.  The preference for dark hair may come from the time when light hair was associated with Norse invaders.

Yule logs, outdoor bonfires, and other fire ceremonies may have fallen out of favor, but the modern equivalent - fireworks - are a big part of New Year’s Eve celebrations all over the world. 

Nowadays, Scots celebrate Christmas, Hogmanay, Boxing Day, all the way through Twelfth Night.  So if you want to celebrate the holidays in Scotland, be prepared to stay a while.  If you just want to celebrate like a Scot, stock up on food and single malts, light some candles - or the LED equivalent, invite your friends, and enjoy! Merry Christmas, and have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Cheers!
Willa

HIGHLAND HEALER  available at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, B&N, iBook and others

Highland Seer available NOW on Amazon 

www.willablair.com

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www.twitter.com/willablair

Goodreads: http://ning.it/Vswn8D

Four For Friday--Sheila Deeth

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. 

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This week's post is by Sheila Deeth from her novel, Bethlehem's Baby

I’m called David, which is pretty cool ‘cause there was a great king called David once, not like that Herod the Great guy my granddad keeps complaining about. King David, he was the sort of king that knew stuff and did stuff and won great battles and all that, and people wrote about him and still sing songs. And he was a shepherd, just like me. So I’m proud to be a David, and one day I think I might grow up to be a king.

1. The thing I’m most thankful for is my dad, ‘cause lots of my friends haven’t got dads. The Roman soldiers killed ‘em when that evil King Herod told them to, just ‘cause they didn’t think he should be king. And he shouldn’t really be king ‘cause he’s not even one of us. He’s a… Idu… Idiot… I dunno; my granddad could tell you though. He knows that sort of thing.
2. The best part of a Chanukah meal is remembering how we kicked out the Greeks. Granddad says it was our finest hour. He says we’re going to kick out the Romans one day too and that’ll be our even finester hour. Me, I’m going to be a famous warrior and help and then they’ll let me into the Temple so they can crown me king.
3. I wish the people in my family were more like kings and royalty though. I know it’s cool to be a shepherd like King David, but King David wasn’t just a shepherd was he? He got to live in a palace and all I get is a tent full of brothers and sisters and my granddad bossing us about.
4. Temperatures are getting cooler; that means we have to keep the fires burning at night. And Granddad, he just complains and complains and complains. He says his cloak’s not warm enough and the fire makes too much noise and we kids keep disturbing him. But honestly, it’s Granddad keeps disturbing us, except… That’s not Granddad. The whole sky looks like it’s on fire and it sounds like somebody’s singing. I got to go and see!

You can find more of the Five-Minute Bible StoryTM Series on the publisher’s website: http://capearagopress.com/Five-Minute.html

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