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Graeme Ing Interview 7/20/2013 7:17:31 PM
Speculative fiction author Graeme Ing discusses the writing life and his debut novel, Ocean of Dust! LTS: If you’re a fan of speculative fiction, today’s featured author has much to share in the way of his writing process and details of his debut novel, Ocean of Dust. I’d like to introduce you to Graeme Ing, talented writer of fantasy, sci-fi and practically everything in-between! I’d like to begin by having you share a little information about yourself with our readers, Graeme. What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
GI: First off, thank you for the honour of appearing on your blog! My wife and I are big travellers. We're always poring over book, maps and travel sites looking for the next great place to visit. Between writing and vacations, I read a lot (of course), indulge in role-playing games, geek out to computers and space science, and succumb to the psychological experiments our six cats like to perform. I also love to meet authors and readers.
LTS: Has writing stories always been a part of your life and becoming a published author a lifelong dream?
GI: Off and on. I remember typing screenplays as a young teen. I shudder now to think how terrible they were. Writing stories has always been an escape for me, and I always dreamed of becoming an author. I only got serious about making it a reality about 8 years ago. Giving up my day job to write full-time is always on my mind now, though I've got a long way to go.
LTS: You’ve been gathering some pretty impressive reviews for your debut novel, Ocean of Dust. What was the inspiration behind this story and can you tell us a little bit about your protagonist, 14-year-old Lissa?
GI: Nuggets for that book have been swimming in my head for decades. I love ships, and I always wondered how it would work if oceans weren't made of water, or even a liquid. Most of the plot came to me one afternoon: What if a young galley girl defeated the evil plans of a cruel officer and his lackeys? Lissa, my heroine, is a character I've been dying to write about. She's intensely curious about everything, so much that it gets her into constant trouble, but she is cool-headed, brave and tenacious. I love reading about strong women and you'll see that as a recurring theme in my future books.
LTS: Without giving away too much, can you reveal what’s in store for the readers when they crack open Ocean of Dust?
GI: Life for Lissa isn't easy aboard ship - she has more enemies than friends. There are lots of adventures to be had and she soon discovers that something sinister is afoot among the crew. Something isn't quite right with her either. Why does she see and hear things that others do not? The creepiest man aboard ship seems to hold the secrets, but how can she convince him to help?
LTS: I’m one of those who will judge a book by its cover. I think the cover art for Ocean of Dust is beautiful! So, can you tell us who designed the book cover?
LTS: Erin did a fabulous job! Now, the road to publication is difficult at the best of times. What made you decide to go the indie route and self-publish your novel?
GI: I studied both sides and decided that Indie was the way to go for me - mileage may vary for others authors, but it's great to have a choice. I enjoy having full control over every step: The plot, the title, choice of editor, choice of artist, formatting and ultimately the marketing and price. I'm looking forward to adjusting to the tastes of my readers, because for me it's all about the reader. Being only one step away from them is very rewarding. Would I sign with a big publisher in the future? Very likely if the deal made sense and didn't alienate readers. High-priced ebooks is not something I believe in.
LTS: What is the best and worst part of being an indie author? Who would you recommend this mode of publication to?
GI: I think I just sold the good points. :) Flip them on their head and you get the worst points. It's a lot of work and responsibility to do it all yourself without the backup of a huge publisher. The buck stops here. You have to put on your marketing and sales hat every day, even when you'd rather be writing. I'm not a pushy salesman so that's an unfortunate part of being an Indie author that I have to deal with best I can. Luckily there is a massive support group of readers, reviewers and fellow authors. It's really heart-warming to watch us all genuinely cross-promoting each other's work and sharing advice. What a great community. If you like control, community and freedom to write what you want to, I recommend you consider the Indie scene.
LTS: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned on the road to publication?
GI: Not the lessons I had expected, that's for sure. Fear is my greatest enemy. Is my plot captivating enough? Are my characters likeable and believable? Will people put down my book, bored? Have I polished it enough or missed handfuls of errors? Did I format it correctly for all e-readers? What if I get bad reviews? Argh! It's one thing to write stories for yourself, but launching your creation into the world is a scary thing. Having confidence and understanding that fear is part of the process are huge lessons that I am still learning.
LTS: Still on the subject of writing styles, are you a plotter or pantser? The readers would like to know if you tend to plot out your story line in great detail or if your writing is more organic with the characters and events unfolding as you write.
GI: A plotter. I write highly detailed outlines with maps, timelines, glossaries and character relationship grids. It's the engineer in me, and besides, world creation is my favourite thing. Do I sometimes deviate from my plan and let events unfold organically? Certainly. I often break my plot because I listen to the characters and what they want to do, but I like having the safety net of my outline.
LTS: Some authors meditate, others need to fuel up on coffee or listen to music. Do you have any rituals, ones that can be shared with the readers, that you must do before you hunker down for a writing session?
GI: I don't actually. I like to take care of email and social media distractions first, for peace of mind, but otherwise I just sit and write. Rarely do I listen to music - I like to be alone in silence. I'm not a ritualistic person.
LTS: At one time or another, most writers hit the wall and their work stalls because of the dreaded writer’s block. What do you do to get around or over this mental wall to resume writing?
GI: I rarely get blocked; my outline keeps me on track. If I do, I consider what event or action would most surprise the reader. What would heighten tension right at this moment? Then I go off in that direction and see where it leads. For me, a block usually indicates that I'm writing a boring scene. If I'm bored, I don't envy the poor reader!
LTS: Who is your favourite author and how has he/she inspired you to write or influenced your writing style or choice of genre?
GI: I grew up with all the classics of sci-fi and fantasy: McCaffrey, Tepper, Azimov, Zelazny, Heinlein, Tolkien, Clarke, and how could I not be influenced by all their incredible works? Ocean of Dust was my humble attempt to mirror the YA feel of McCaffrey's Harper Hall series. My upcoming book is inspired by the style of Fritz Leiber and Steven Brust, and their colorful and rich cityscapes of Lankhmar and Adrilanka.
LTS: What do you foresee in your future over the next five years and do you hope to branch out from YA fantasy into other genres? Can your fans expect a sequel to Ocean of Dust in the near future?
GI: My current book, due 2014, is a dark fantasy, but I'm working on outlines for sci-fi, time travel, space opera, more fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, paranormal and quite a few crossovers. My plan calls for two more novels and two novellas in the next five years, hopefully more. I do have a sequel planned for Ocean of Dust but probably not in the near future. Lissa is dear to my heart and I can't let her go yet. :)
LTS: Thank you so much for sharing in your novel and in your writing experience, Graeme! Catch you on Twitter!
