CSR Book Club C S R Discussion Day: The Holly And The Ivy By Aditus
Entry posted by Cia in CSR- Can't Stop Reading
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Well it's the once in a four year event, Leap Day! For this special day, we have a special story a lot of readers on GA really like! Today we're featuring Aditus' story, The Holly and the Ivy. I hope you enjoyed reading it this month, and you're ready to share your thoughts and questions with Aditus. First, though, I'll share the interview questions I asked him.
If you were an animal, what would you be?
I’d like to be a large dog: cuddly, empathic, protective, and a great companion. But I asked around and it’s obvious I am a cat and not even a house cat.
What's your favorite room in your house? Do you plot or write there?
My favorite place isn’t really a room; it’s the roof terrace over my bedroom. I go there to read, listen to music, and yes, sometimes to plot too, but I write at my desk or at the kitchen table.
What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
Haha. Some things come to mind… I hate pairing up my socks, that’s why I stuff them all into a drawer and just grab two of similar color in the morning. I do have emergency pairs though, just in case I have to make the wrong impression. Yep, I meant to write that.
What brought you to Gayauthors?
Who, actually. My very dear friend Lisa. I met her at another site. She helped me with the first story I published in English. We talked, became friends and eventually she told me about GA. I lurked around for a while, read your (Cia’s) Carthera stories and Andrew Q. Gordon’s Second Shot, and stayed.
Is there a literary character (in the whole universe of fiction) that you’ve read who you really identified with?
When I read a story/book and I’m really into it, I always identify with one of the characters, which makes me live through all their pain and joy, and I can become very emotional for the rest of the day–or week. So no, there is no single character I identify with, but I always loved Samwise Gamgee.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging when writing?
Yes. First, finding the time to write. I prefer writing in the morning and editing in the evening, which doesn’t always fit into my schedule. Second, not to bore my readers with too many details. I have pictures in my head when I write and tend to describe what I see up to the last crumble on the table. In the past, Zombie would always comment: ‘Do we really need to know this?’, or something along those lines. Oh yes, and all my commas… I think I make Lisa cry sometimes.
Is there any quote or saying about writing that resonates with you?
“I write because I must.”
There are some authors who have said that; Somerset Maugham is one of them.
When you wrote The Holly and the Ivy, did you plot the story first or just write it?
I wanted to write a holiday story but not a sappy one, as I already did that the previous year. The only idea I had was about a vampire who was waiting for his human mate to grow up. He was only allowed to see him once a year, at Christmas mass. While browsing Christmas songs, old Christmas songs to avoid copyright issues, I found ‘The Holly and the Ivy’. Something about the title intrigued me. From then on, I just started to write, which is my usual MO. I did a lot of research while the story was underway: the meaning of names, languages, (as I suddenly needed to invent a completely new species), plants and their meanings, Christmas songs, torture techniques… Research always helps me to plot; I look for one thing and suddenly I am on a different topic entirely. Not the most efficient way to write, I know.
How did you decide on the chapter titles? Was it before or after you wrote the chapters?
I always decide on chapter titles after I write the chapter. It has to be an intriguing title that doesn’t reveal too much. It takes me hours sometimes, and I always ask myself ‘Why am I doing this again. Next time I just use numbers….’
Did the decision to name your main character Noel come before or after deciding on his birth date?
I can’t really say. It feels as if it happened at the same time.
Your story has strong paranormal vibes with the mating and power themes, yet you made the non-humans aliens. Is this a set up for a later off-world theme for the series, or was it just the way you decide to create beings who were “other”?
I love mixing genres. That being said, this happens when I plot while I’m already writing a story. Maybe I can explain my thought process with an example: ‘Lonely vampire plus holiday story, but not a ‘normal’ vampire. Maybe a space vampire? What would he do on Earth? Maybe he was here this whole time; maybe he lives here. But not alone. He could be part of species living with us. But why would they do that?’ And so on and so on.
In the end, I was very pleased with my beings who were ‘other’, and I might elaborate some more about them in the next book.
When can readers expect the next story in The King’s Mate series?
I had planned to start writing Caesura this month (February), but then I had an idea for the Valentine’s Day and the anthology stories, so I’ll most likely start in March and post the first chapters in April.
Well, now you know more about Aditus, so it's time to share your story thoughts!
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