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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Would you like a copy of Contrary Cats? 

You can purchase one here:

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Time Flies---An Update

It's hard to believe, but it has been a full month since I've written a blog post. I couldn't think of anything to write about. I had nothing to say. I know, I know, you're probably all wondering how a chatterbox like myself could keep quiet for so long.

I've seen a few blog posts, such as Miss Snark's "When Words Run Dry" and also an article in Writer's Magazine about Blogger's Block. I have to wonder if a strange planetary alignment, some tidal phenomenon, or the warmer weather had an effect on some of us.

I've been more inside myself lately, unable to articulate my feelings and thoughts. All of my thoughts have been jumbled inside my head. In any case, even though I have been quiet, I haven't been idle. When my mind is working overtime and ready to rupture and implode, I look for ways to release some of that pent up disquiet.

I spent a lot of hours watching BBC movies and television shows on Netflix because it helped drown out the questioning and analytic voices in my head. I'm a fan girl for anything British.

I got a little bit crafty and made some fairy houses to tuck into the landscaping around our home. Aren't they cute?

(Pay no attention to the piles of stuff in my spare room...) A friend of mine found this chair on the street. For FREE!!! I've never seen a chair like this before, have you? With some shampoo and a little furniture polish, it will be good as new.

I finished reading A CLASH OF KINGS.

And started reading THE TWO LIVES OF ERROL FLYNN. (which I just noticed has one 1-star review. I haven't given up on it yet.)

I spent some quality time with Caleb. 

I started planning out my friend's daughter's Halloween costume. (No. It's not a fairy princess costume.)

We took a four-day road trip from NJ to Florida. And back again.

And of course we stopped in Pennsylvania at hubby's favorite place.

I even submitted a short story when I got home. 

I HAVE been busy. I guess I needed to wait until I had enough photos to make a semi-interesting blog post. 

What have you all been up to?

SHOW & SHARE--A Workspace and a New Release!

SHOW & SHARE is where writers can share photos and news. This feature has its own tab at the top of the page to make it easy to find again and again. 
Have something to share? E-mail me at deestan62 @ gmail . com, with 'Show & Share' in the subject, and I'll be sure to post it for you. 

This week's SHOW & SHARE is a double feature! 

Andrea Buginsky sent me this photo of her workspace:

I'm jealous--Andrea's space is so organized!

Visit her website to see what she creates there, and don't forget to sign up for her newsletter!

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Mikki Sadil wants everyone to know about the release of her new Tween novel:

When the new girl comes to town, nothing in AJ's life is safe from disaster...not even cheerleading and chocolate.

Visit The Word Painter and learn more about Mikki and her work.  

Fun Facts--HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark. He was an only child. His father, also named Hans, introduced him to literature by reading Arabian Nights. 

Andersen moved to Copenhagen at the age of 14, hoping to get work as an actor. He was accepted at the Royal Danish Theatre as a soprano, but when his voice changed, he began writing.

King Frederick VI took a personal interest in 17-year-old Hans and paid for part of his education. He published his first story in 1822. He wrote more than 160 fairy tales, many of which began as folktales told to him as a child.

His birthday is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.

Hans Christian Andersen and The Ugly Duckling. Central Park, New York

Hans traveled extensively. In England, he met Charles Dickens and they became friends. Ten years later, he returned to England to visit again. After overstaying his welcome on a five-week visit to the Dickens home, Andersen's letters to Dickens went unanswered.

Danny Kaye as Andersen in the 1952 Film. This was one of my favorite movies when I was a child.

The Danish Government paid him an annual stipend and considered him a national treasure.

Hans Christian Andersen. City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Andersen often fell in love with unattainable women and in later years was attracted to nonreciprocating men. He never married.

The Little Mermaid. Langelinje Pier in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In 1872, he fell out of his bed and never recovered from his injuries. He died on August 4th, 1875. 

An Experiment

The days are getting longer and hopefully warmer, but I realize that life is short, and getting shorter every day.

So, I made a conscious decision to free myself from Facebook's powerful grip. Instead of spending hours at a time perusing my news feed for exciting posts by my friends and family, I will log on once a week, for only one hour, to post on my professional pages.

If I didn't manage my business page and author page, I would cancel my account, but I know that as a writer and small business owner, keeping an online presence is very important. One of the best ways is through Facebook.

I love reading everyone's witty posts, watching videos, and learning new ways to recycle egg cartons, soda bottles, plastic forks, and Christmas cards. I look forward to seeing pictures of old friends, new friends, and family members. Sometimes, Facebook is the only way I communicate with my daughter who lives about 1000 miles away. I'll be honest here--I even love to play Candy Crush, Pet Rescue, and Farm Heroes.

I really do love Facebook, but it's a huge time-sucking distraction. My house is cluttered and unorganized, my family is neglected, and my writing is suffering. I want to have a conversation with my husband outside of work. I want to spend more time with my mother and sister. I want to take my grandchildren to the Crayola factory. I want to plant vegetables and flowers. I want to clear out all my e-mails, read all the blogs that I follow, interact with my Twitter followers (hopefully, I don't develop a Twitter addiction.) I want to go shopping with friends and watch movies and read books. I want to WRITE!...but most importantly, I want to feel more alive!

I'm hoping that my Freedom From Facebook Experiment forces me to go out, do things, and get some fresh air, for crying out loud. Just imagine all the cool blog posts, short stories, and novels I can produce if I'm moving and shaking, instead of staring at a computer screen.

Truth be told, I'm scared. Not that I'll miss the next exciting new Zynga game or that awesome viral video that everyone is talking about, but because I'm so addicted that I'm scared I won't be able to abstain. It will take all of my willpower to ONLY post on those pages once a week without scanning my personal news feed and getting sucked back in.

I'm not cutting myself off from the world. I can always be reached by telephone and/or e-mail. If you know where I live, you're always welcome to stop by and visit.

So, if I'm friends with you on Facebook, and I miss something really important to you like your birthday, anniversary, new baby, book release, graduation, new hairstyle, new car, new job or heaven forbid, a loss of some kind, please know that I'm happy, impressed, proud of you, and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Wish me luck. I'll need it. I'll keep you all updated...

Have you ever unplugged yourself from social media? How did it make you feel?

SHOW & SHARE--Workspaces--Lori Verni-Fogarsi

SHOW & SHARE is one of the new features for 2014, where writers can share photos and news. This feature will have its own tab at the top of the page to make it easy to find again and again. Have something to share? E-mail me at deestan62 @ gmail . com, with 'Show & Share' in the subject, and I'll be sure to post it for you. 

Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Three time award-winning author of "Momnesia," "Unexpecting," and "Everything You Need to Know About House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs."

Lori Verni-Fogarsi (LoriTheAuthor) shared some before and after photos of her desk and workspace saying, "It gets out of control very quickly and becomes overwhelming. Sometimes I just have to set aside half a day to get things back on track!"

Lori Verni-Fogarsi is an Author, Speaker, and Small Business Consultant

"Ignite," is Lori's latest release, 12/1/13 by Brickstone Publishing!

If you'd like to learn more about Lori Vern-Fogarsi and see what she writes at her desk, you can visit her at one of the following websites:

Author Site/Blog: www.LoriTheAuthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LoriTheAuthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LoriTheAuthor

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/LoriTheAuthor
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/LoriTheAuthor
YouTube: www.youtube.com/LoriTheAuthor

Publisher Site: www.BrickstonePublishing.com

Thanks for sharing, Lori! 

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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Would you like a copy of Contrary Cats? 

You can purchase one here:

Lulu

Amazon