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Ask An Author #20

Renee Stevens

Entry posted by Renee Stevens in Author Interviews

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I can't believe how quickly this year seems to be going. It's already the beginning of September and since it's also the first Wednesday of the month, that means it's time for our monthly feature, Ask An Author. This great feature is provided to us every month by Dark, to help keep it going, don't forget to PM Dark your questions for your favorite authors!

Ask an Author #20

 

Welcome back to another quirky question and answer session with your favorite authors!

 

In AtA #19, we had questions for authors Layla, lilansui, and Thorn WIlde.

 

In AtA #20, we hear from authors Aditus, Celethiel, TetRefine.

 

For their protection, the members who asked these questions shall remain nameless (unless they choose to reveal themselves). :lol: Please note that all author replies are copied as is, spelling errors and grammar eccentricities original to the individual.

 

Our first author today is Aditus, who makes this look easy. Many of you know my feelings about vampires, but have you read From the Ashes Springs New Life? You’d think Halloween + vampire = horror, but I found this entry for W_L’s Halloween collection deliciously fun. Aditus is also one of the writers of Gaia Town. For those of you not in the know, Gaia Town is a story written in a round-robin style, with all authors contributing to the plot and characters. If you want to know more, check out the forum here: Gaia Town. Aditus reads everything, so watch out! :P

 

To Aditus: Since English isn't your first language, do you brainstorm for a story in German or in English?

When I get an idea for a story, I see pictures in my mind, in other words, I use one of the most basic languages that exists. If I explore the idea further, brainstorm, I always do that in English. It isn't a conscious decision, I do it involuntarily. It's also the reason why lately I have more problems writing a story in German than in English. For poems, though, I still prefer German. When I start writing, and don't know a word, I paraphrase, looking it up would interrupt my thought process. Later I read everything aloud, change what sounds wrong, look up words or expressions, and hope Lisa and Zombie won't ever resign their job.

 

Up next is artist and Author Celethiel. From Montana, he writes both prose and poetry, and he likes to draw. Talk about a triple threat! Plus, if you’ve ever visited his blog, you’ll see examples of the bracelets he’s made. Celethiel is one of our more prolific poets, all organized by theme. I think my favorite collection is The Elementals. Maybe I like them because they’re “dark.” :gikkle: Then again, there’s just something so stirring about them and I love the build-up toward a climax. If you like vampires and the teen genre, you’ll definitely want to check out A Crimson Frost. Maybe if enough of us poke him, Celethiel will finish it. <_< Oh! And random tidbit: Celethiel shares a birthday with my sister.

 

To Celethiel: Have your stories been (or do your stories get) influenced by stories you've read?

My stories have been influenced by lots of things, books I've read, movies I've watched, my life, my dreams, history it's self. You can see a lot of the influences of movies like the 1963 movie the Raven, and Wizards of the Lost Kingdom (cheesy movie, you don't want to watch it), both of which i watched as a child. You may also see some influence of Tolkien and David Eddings in it as well. Although most of these are in the aesthetics and technic of what I writing, rather than plot. Possibly though some of the greatest influence on my writing, at least consciously, came from James V. Smith, who actually wrote a book on the subject. On my poetry... I'd tell you i get my inspiration from emotions, politics, war, while i got idea of poetic quatranes from the Mayans. It was an attempt on my part to create my own poetic style, which may have been more or less successful. So as you can see there are a lot of things that really go into the things I write.

 

Last but not least, is Author TetRefine. Although he’s only been with GA since 2009, TetRefine’s one of those guys that you wonder how you lived without. 2014 is going to be an exciting and challenging year for Tet as he finishes college and decides what his next steps are going to be. He’s already got one thing many of us are still looking for: a loving, supportive partner of several years. Plus, we’ve finally convinced him to write for us! Go take a look at The Gauntlet, a story about a college lacrosse player. Like Tet, main character Mark has a lot to come to grips with in his life. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a happy ending.

 

To TetRefine: What do you like the most about your writing process? Which part you find it most challenging?

The part I like most about my own personal writing process is exploring how gay men reconcile their masculinity with their homosexuality. One of the things that bothers me in gay fiction is how authors often portray a "straight-acting" closeted character's coming out as neat and orderly. He meets a out-and-proud boy, they stay secret for a while, and eventually the "straight-acting" guy comes out and its happily ever after. I just don't think that it's that simple or easy in real life. I think the struggles that guys like that go through can be harsh and painful, and don't always have a happy ending. I like exploring what I see as a more realistic view of people like that when I create each chapter.

 

That’s it for now! For more info on these authors, go check out their stories, post in their forums, and/or catch them in chat!

 

Coming next time: Comicfan, K.C., and Reddirtwriter.

 

Want to ask your favorite author a question? Simply PM me (Dark).
Until next time!
Dark

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Mann Ramblings

I like TetRefine's view of the messy coming out process. I think he's spot on with how it rarely it comes along smoothly with men who are deep in the closet. That level of denial is a difficult thing to shake off.

 

Nice group of Q&A for all three authors. :)

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Lisa

Addy's chapters come to me practically flawless. When I started editing for him four years ago, I never knew he wasn't a native English speaker. I was amazed that he was so fluent in the English language. =) Addy's command of the English language is better than a lot of native English speakers and I give him so much credit for that. =)

 

And it's more impressive to know that he thinks of story ideas in English, rather than his native tongue. :)

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Slytherin
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Addy rules ! :joe: I've been wondering for a long time if he "brainstorms" / write his stories in English or in German :)

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Cia
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Great questions and answers. I like how the questions go beyond the usual 'why do you write such and such' to get answers that give us a good peek inside the author's 'why and what for'.

 

Remember, if anyone wants to turn the tables on Dark, he's going to do a live Q&A on Saturday, Sept. 27th on the CSR blog, too!

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joann414

I so admire writers that have English as a second language and still publishes great writing.  Addy is a wonderful writer.

Matt,'Tetrefine'  created a great first read and I'm glad to see it ongoing.  He's a great talent

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Cole Matthews

Fantastic interviews! So much fun finding out more about our friends and fellow artists. Such interesting processes and ideas. Yet another reason I love this place! :)

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Aditus

Thank you Dark. I always read this blog and now I'm in too. Wow!

 

Aww Lisa 'practical flawless' thank you, but you didn't mention my endless sentences you have to hack in two or three all the time. And I learned a lot just by reading what the editors around here talk about.

 

Now you know Sly and you made me think about how I'm doing this, never did this before.

 

Turning the table, good idea. *goes and reads The Phantom*

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Lisa

I was riveted to every sentence of The Gauntlet when Matt was writing it. It's an excellent story.

 

Maybe now that he graduated college, he'll have some downtime to continue with it. :)  (hint, hint! :P)

 

I haven't read a lot of poetry, but I've read several of Celethiel's pieces and they are really beautiful. His poetry is very emotional and really pulls at those heartstrings. =)

 

I love this blog, Dark and I look forward to finding out more about your next three authors!  :2thumbs:

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Daddydavek
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That Aditus writes in English and does it well as his second language is quite an accomplishment.  He does not hale from a country that has two official languages with English being the second one either.  That his ideas are pictorial rather than pictures and words like most of us is also singular.  I use words to sort, describe and give cohesion to the pictorial fantasies in my mind and for Aditus to do just do pictures and to still be so very intelligently verbal in his writing in a second language that it seems is becoming his first language in written stories is amazing.

 

TetRefine makes a very valid point that I share.  I think almost everyone has some doubts dealing with their sexuality whether straight, gay, bisexual or asexual as they grow up and even as grown ups.  The doubts are not just about adequacy, but also about whether how much or how little should I conform to what others expect; how much am I willing to risk if I appear or act different and do I really like that, or am I just curious?

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