Blog Chain: What Am I Working On?

Today I’m pleased to be taking part in a blog chain. 

A blog chain is simply a blog post written on a set topic, at the end of which you nominate a given number of bloggers to do the same. So we have a linked  set of blogs popping up at intervals covering the same topic.  The blog chain is bit different from the blog hop,during which a number of bloggers post simultaneously on the same topic, including links to each other’s posts. I took part in a blog hop just before Christmas: Helen Hollick’s excellent Winter Solstice Blog Hop.  In this blog chain we are looking at the topic “What am I working on?” 

Receiving the baton:

Passing the Baton to me is the author Helen Hollick.  Helen is the author who really got me started self publishing. She took me under her wing, encouraged me and introduced me to her editor (now also mine) and book cover artist (ditto). Helen is a writer of Historical Fiction and Fantasy. Her main periods are the Arthurian era, Anglo-Saxon England and also the age of piracy. You can read her answers here:

http://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.co.uk/

 So then on to my questions and answers:

1)    What am I working on?

Right now I have just published The Catacombs of Vanaheim which is a children’s Historical Fantasy and the sequel to the first in the series, Shield Maiden. This series imagines a world where the Germanic-Norse mythology is real and we follow the adventures of a young Anglo-Saxon girl  in Mercia with the back drop of that mythology. I have turned to writing the third in my time travel adventure story for young adults called “Today’s Sacrifice”.  That like the first two in the series is a fast moving gallop through history. I actually have 4 series on the go and tend to rotate them. Thus whenever I return to a series its fresh and exciting to be back there.  After Today’s Sacrifice I may do he 4th in the Historical Fiction series “Northern Crown” which is about early Anglo-Saxon England. That series take a lot of research and I always have a book about the period open around the house.

2)    How does my work differ from others of its genre?

As I said I have 4 series on the go. The Nine Worlds Series with its mix of Germanic mythology and Anglo-Saxon history is – I think – fairly unique. Least ways I have not  come across any children’s books in the same genre.  There are Time travel adventure stories a plenty and I don’t pretend that the Hourglass Institute Series is particularly unique. It is meant to be exciting, fast paced and just plain fun. I do spend a lot of time on the historical research. Right now I am writing a scene where the team appear at the Battle of Waterloo which allows me to use knowledge of the period.  The Northern Crown Historical Fiction series has the virtue of being set in a period which has very few other authors working in – the early but post Arthurian Saxon era. I am told I write very good battle scenes and  I do love those. That period allows the reader to experience the dramatic historical events that helped forge Britain.  Finally my 4th series has one book so far – The Last Seal. Again here I am blending fantasy with history in  a tale of demons and magic and the Greta Fire of London. I think sometimes mixing genres  can give a fresh take on a story.

3)    Why do I write what I do?

I write the sorts of books I want to read. If I got lots of poor reviews I would probably stop publishing them but the reviews are generally good and I do get encouraging emails and comments from readers so I am encouraged to press on.  I also love the worlds and characters I have created. I want to know what happens next and so have t carry on writing to find out. So yes its fairly self indulgent but why not!

4)    How does my writing process work?

I have a combination of day job, writing carer and a job running an annual convention of board games that gets 4000+ attendees each May/June.  The late winter and spring is increasing devoted to thousand  of emails and hundreds of hours planning and organising a convention which sees 4000 people attend over 3 days along with 100 exhibitors to play hundreds of board games and roleplaying games (all a passion of mine). There are seminars to organize, guests to invite, hotel rooms to books etc.  As a result for a third of the year the writing goes on hold. However I still do some visits to schools and try and keep busy on the social media. etc After Expo is over and tidied away I get about 4 months where I can focus exclusively on the writing so I try and get a draft of a book ready in that time. Then towards the end of the year and over the winter I have to mix some work on Expo with  writing something. If possible I try and get the latest book finished  so it can be edited and prepared and released.  Some years I manage 2 books, some just 1 new release.

When it comes to the actual writing process I spend I while thinking about the characters and plot. I try to then write a bief outline, then add details to the outline, fleshing it out in stages so that when I start writing I already know most of what is going to occur. I aim to get a first draft done quickly and messily.  Only I read it and I then redraft it before allowing my wife or parents to read it and give me feedback. It then goes through a couple of drafts again (at least) before going to my editor.

Passing on the baton: 

So I now pass the baton on to another writer. I look forward to hearing her answers.

Marilyn L Rice took early retirement from teaching and began her writing career. On her 50th birthday she launched her first book Time & Tide in a West Bromwich Shopping Mall. No Regrets followed in May 2003. Then, Stay in Touch in 2005 and in 2007 her fourth work, Look After Each Other. This was taken on by Strategic Book Publishing (an American Publishing Company) who released the sequel to Look After Each Other… Sofia’s Legacy. Love You Forever, (coming soon!) is the final work in the ‘Sofia’ trilogy and her legacy!

Marilyn’s answers will go up on Monday 3rd February.

 http://lookaftereachother.blogspot.com