Give a brief bio of yourself, including your earliest
aspirations of being a writer and anything else you want to share about your
journey to authorship.
I was born and raised in Southern
California (Go Trojans!) but took the opportunity, once older, to live and
travel all across the Continental US (43 states down...7 to go). I’ve always
been writing or telling stories; my mother has a bunch of examples and even
saved the first one I ever wrote. It’s on that huge lined paper for
Kindergarten with the dashed middle line. It was about a giraffe whose neck was
really short but could fly. Don’t ask me where I got that from...
During my undergrad years, I wasn’t
really pursuing writing head-on, I did it on the side because I was a double
major in international relations/linguistics and history. Then, this teacher in
a writing course pulled me aside and said I would be wasting talent if I didn’t
answer my calling and write. She jokingly (I think) threatened my grade if I
didn’t switch to a double major with English. I did switch, and I am ever
grateful to that professor as she led me onto the path to earning my M.F.A. in
Creative Writing.
Who or what do you consider to be your most significant
influences as a writer?
History is my most significant
“what” influence. Everything I write is steeped in history in one way or
another. My works might not seem similar when you line them up - historical
fiction, paranormal young adult, fantasy, sci-fi - but they all have history in
them, in depth, somewhere.
My most significant “who” boils
down to three authors (my fave books of theirs I’ve listed, too): Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice), Ernest
Hemingway (The Sun Also Rises) & Tim O’Brien (The Things They Carried).
What is it about fantasy that’s so alluring? Are there other genres that you would like to
write?
Fantasy is alluring because you’re
encouraged to break the mold - bend the rules - and be original. I love doing
that and when I get a genre requiring it I’m all pen and paper! I also love the
hint of romance there always is with fantasy. There’s something indescribable
about being taken into a world with magic and wonders that we will never see
and with creatures we are never going to behold anywhere else. I just want to
be a part of spreading that kind of experience.
Other genres I write include
historical fiction, paranormal, young adult, sci-fi, and drama/comedy for
screenwriting (TV & Film).
Which do you prefer writing, heroes or villains? Why?
It really depends on the story.
With my fantasy series, Dragonics & Runics, I am loving writing the
Chancellor and his wife. It’s not that I like how evil and sadistic they are -
but I like bringing them to life to really drive home how scary a situation
where people like the Diesdens get into a power/control situation and start
destroying lives.
I actually, normally, prefer
writing the secondary characters. I know that sounds ridiculous but there’s
something just plain fun about fleshing them out and making them compliment the
story and the setting. It’s a fun little challenging puzzle, if you will.
Do you have a set writing schedule? What are your biggest challenges as a writer?
Yes and no. I work a full time job
in the entertainment industry so I write before work (before I get my munchkin
off to school), then I write on breaks, and then (bless my family’s hearts) I
write when I get home. People I have worked with always joke that I hand stuff
in at odd hours. Hey, that’s the time I have, so that’s when it gets done. Oh,
I write almost all Saturday day too.
Biggest challenges include my
schedule and balancing day job with writing until it (hopefully) becomes my
real job. That, and I have a family. I have to weave and squeeze in writing and
gigs where and when I can and that - between soccer and family events - it gets
pretty tricky sometimes.
Do you have any processes or rituals when you write? If you’re asking me about the color of my
editing pen, I’m sure you do.
I’m neurotic. Not really, but kinda
sorta. I outline on fluorescent notecards (I sometimes tape them to walls/mirrors
to check plot and subplot development flows) and I refuse to use any other
color combo. I’ve tried the regular colored note cards! It’s just not the same!
I have certain pens I write with.
Yes, I handwrite sometimes! This is mainly because I like a pen that flows but
also because I have this old wrist injury that flares up if I handwrite too
much.
I brainstorm with musical playlists
created specifically for certain projects. I text myself random sparks/ideas I
have immediately so I don’t lose them (My texts to myself are one of the
biggest text records I have!) And I usually nosh on green grapes and/or drink
coffee.
When I am revising/editing I do an
in-computer revision on plot/character/setting incongruities, then I do an out
loud editing on dialogue, then I do a paper edit on fleshing out and trimming
up, and then I send it to my editor. I won’t skip a step. You can’t make me!
Oh, and I always write in
scenes/clips. Sometimes in order - sometimes all over the place. Weaving them
together can be the really fun part!
Who is your favorite character from Defiance: Dragonics and Runics Part I? Why?
Argh! I hate this question! Er... Lanthar. No! Nylan... Okay, Callon.
Crap. Let me think....Vee. I choose Vee. Why? Because there is so, so much more
to her than what is on the surface and there are little plants here and there
but you can just tell - she’s something special. She’s interesting and you want
to know where she’s been and why. That, and because if I were to cast the movie
version, I’d pick Julia Roberts for her. So talented. I just love Julia
Roberts.
It’s clear that you have created a very detailed fantasy world
for your story. How do you keep all of
the geography and cultures straight? Do
you outline? Map?
All of the above. I have a Production
Bible that has everything printed or handwritten about the world of Dragonics
& Runics. I have pages on how the Dragons breed, grow, and co-exist - what
their Queen Dragons were, who major Runics were in Soleran past, etc. etc. I
also have a country outline in there that is similar to the CIA Fact List for
foreign countries including climate, culture, and industry. In an epic series,
these things matter so I have to keep them straight.
I also doodled a map. There are
different versions as more and more of the world is discovered in the series,
so keep an eye out for that. And yes, the maps have detailed notes on
mountains, rivers, swamps, deserts, and cities.
What has been the most rewarding thing about writing? Most frustrating?
Having people really get involved
in the stories I have written. I love that they can feel and see everything.
It’s so gratifying and inside I’m going “WOO! THEY GOT IT! I CAN WRITE!”
while outside I’m thanking them for their kind words. My favorite was when a
reader asked me how I saw the dragons and I replied, “A mix of traditional
Dragons (wings instead of arms) with Wyverns (wings & arms but smaller),
because I’d be way more fun to eat a goat that way.” He laughed and said, “This
-- is why I love your writing.”
The most frustrating is dealing
with being an indie author/publisher and doing all the ground work and getting
told that I don’t count as much because I’m an Indie. That, or when I am
working on something as a team and you have to navigate everyone agreeing and
seeing the same vision without sacrificing quality or story.
What color is YOUR editing pen?
Purple. Bright, freaking purple. I
do digress to orange or pink - if my munchkin begs me to - but I prefer my
lovely purple ink.
Defiance: Dragonics & Runics Part I (print): http://bit.ly/dr1amazon
Defiance: Dragonics & Runics Part I (ebook): http://bit.ly/dr1ebook (Coming to Smashwords & others June 2013!)
My website: www.awrighton.comDragonics & Runics Series website: www.defythecouncil.com
Defiance: D&R Part I trailer: http://bit.ly/dandrvideo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/awrightonTwitter: @a_wrighton
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