Mud Vs. Finger Paints

Quick note: I’m over on Calista Taylor’s blog talking about It’s All Kid’s Play, the importance of play in childhood, and the crossover from fiction writing to nonfiction writing. We’d love to see you there–feel free to drop a comment and weigh in on mud vs. finger paints. That’s right. It’s on like Donkey Kong!

(And if you are wondering about this crazy Kid’s Play thing of mine and want a little crash course and missed Jemi Fraser’s mini tour of It’s All Kid’s Play, it’s still up on her blog.)
Thanks and happy Trails!

Writer Wednesday: Calista Taylor

Calista Taylor is an amazing, multi-talented dame from the Eastern US. She just finished up her steampunk craft book for her publisher (Fox Chapel Publishing–tentative release date: May 2012) where she not only designed and created a wardrobe of steampunk clothes and accessories, she also wrote the step-by-step instructions, and took all of the book’s 175 photographs. Oh yes, and while doing that she was also designing her own award-winning cover for her self-published steampunk novel, Viridis, which has had over 20,000 downloads, and spent weeks on the top 100 free ebooks list on Amazon. She also designed the beautiful cover for book two in the series as well as helped other writer’s with their cover designs. And she’s been making websites. And she’s been raising her young family. And keeping her crazy South American dog in line (and warm with a special handmade coat she made for her). And renovating her bathroom!

Yeesh! I’m tired just thinking about it!

Recently, Calista has released both Viridis (free!!) and Devil on a Sparrow’s Wing ($2.99) as ebooks on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.com. (You can read ebooks on a dedicated ebook reader, your computer, a tablet, or even a smart phone.) These two novels are unique stories featuring a hot-headed, strong-willed, and very feisty character named Phoebe who plays an important role in Victorian, steampunk London during a revolution. She an inventor, mother, wife, friend, business owner, and quiet revolutionary. Talk about how does she do it all!? I think Calista and Phoebe have something in common!

For those of you who have not heard of steampunk, it is a wonderful dream world created by writers where they have imagined what our world would have been like if the industrial revolution had taken longer to evolve and steampower had been able to develop more fully as a possible power source. A steampunk world is as rich and unique as its inventions. It’s a world well worth checking out.

Without further ado, I would like to introduce Calista Taylor!

What lead you to or got you interested in steampunk?

Oddly enough I was looking at corsets when I noticed the steampunk tag, and remembered seeing it as a genre an agent rep’d.  Once I looked into it further, I realized it was the perfect fit!

What do you love most about creating a steampunk world in your novels? What is the trickiest part?

I love that I’m only inhibited by my own imagination.  The trickiest part is translating what I see in my imagination, in a way that’s clear to the reader without getting too bogged down in details.

Both books, Viridis and Devil on a Sparrow’s Wing, are set in Victorian England, did you have to do any/much research for your books?

To be honest, I’ve been an avid reader of books set in the Victorian time period (Elizabeth Peters and Anne Perry are some of my favorites).  That certainly helped.  Also, there are some fantastic websites out there.  Oddly enough, the one thing I had the hardest time finding out about was what would be historically accurate for men’s undergarments during that period (when still in London).  Still not 100% sure on that one.

Lady Phoebe Hughes (the main character in both novels) is a tough yet sweet, rule-breaking woman. What was the most difficult part of creating a such a feisty character? What was the easiest?

I tend to let my characters dictate who they are and what they do, so in a way, it comes natural to write them.  I think the hardest part is actually remaining true to them, since it would often be easier to make them behave in ways that are more acceptable to a majority of readers.

There are some wonderfully steamy passages in Viridis and Devil on a Sparrow’s Wing, do you worry what people like your parents, siblings, coworkers, or friends and other family members might think if they read it? (Yeah, I’m a big chicken, what can I say?)

Yeah, I’m a big chicken too, which is why I tend not to advertise to my friends and family.  However… if they do ask, I give them the warning that there are some graphically intimate details, and ask them if they really want to read it, knowing that I wrote the book. Some skip it, but others don’t mind.

The male characters speak with a definite accent, where did you pick up their expressions and accents?

I think it’s a mish mash of my husband’s Irish accent and the way he phrases things, combined with Gabaldon’s Outlander series, and the celtic music I listen to.  I can literally hear the characters speaking in my head in their accent, so I just do my best to translate it.

Phoebe finds herself in all sorts of interesting situations. Are there ways that Phoebe resembles you?

Perhaps. lol.  Like Phoebe, I think I tend to be strong willed, and tend to act with my heart rather than with my head when it comes to the people and causes I care about.  I guess that’s why Phoebe gets herself in difficult situations which may have been handled differently if she acted logically rather than emotionally.

If you had only three adjectives (Ack! Adjectives!!!) to describe your novels, Viridis and Devil on a Sparrow’s Wing, which three would you use?

Steamy, different, unconventional.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love the adventures my characters take me on. The scenes are constantly playing in my head, and being a pantser, I never know where they’ll take me.  I’m completely addicted.

(Note from Jean: “Pantser” or “pantster” is writer speak for writing by the seat of your pants. In other words, sit down, start writing and see what happens rather than a “plotster” who plots the whole story out before they begin writing.)

You’ve self-published this book which is an immense amount of work. One of the issues with self-published books are the lame-o covers. How did you create such a striking and beautiful cover? Can people hire you to create a cover for them?

Thank you, Jean!  To be honest, I’d be the person that clicks on the red button and sets off a nuclear reaction. lol.  I constantly click on things to see what the buttons do, and it’s sort of the way I went about learning Photoshop and figuring out what seemed to work with designing book covers and what didn’t.  I have just recently started making covers for other writers, and I’ll admit, it’s been great fun!

Is there a third book in the works?

There is!  As long as Phoebe, Seth and Gavin are willing to take me on their adventures, I’m happy to write their story.  I also have other series in the works, and will soon be finishing my paranormal romance on Jack the Ripper.

Thank you for visiting, Calista. Best of luck with your books!

How to get your hands on Calista Taylor’s books:

Viridis (book 1):
Smashwords
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Devil on a Sparrow’s Wing (book 2):
Smashwords
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

These books are part of a series but can be read as stand alone novels as well.

Like Phone Tag, Only More Fun

There’s something going around the Internet tubes. And no, it’s not a virus… it’s a game called (wait for it) Blog Tag! Yes! You can now play tag while sitting, and you won’t even spill your coffee. Does it get any better? (The correct answer is ‘no.’)

I have to admit, I was blindsided. Calista Taylor snuck up on me while I was drinking a chai latte with friends and tagged me. I just about spilled my chai, I was so surprised. I didn’t even know I was playing! (Aren’t those the best kind of games?)

So, having been tagged, I get to answer some writing questions that you didn’t even realize you wanted answers to. There are a lot of them, you might want to take a bathroom break first.

*****

1)What’s the last thing you wrote? What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have?

Well, I just wrote this. Oh! You mean… Okay, um, the last thing I wrote was part of a work in progress–that was

yesterday. The first thing I wrote that I still have is probably some stories in my grade one notebook.

2) Write poetry?

On occasion, if a poem comes to me.

3) Angsty poetry?

When I was a teenager, but I haven’t been one in awhile, so, no.

4) Favourite genre of writing?

Romance is fun because you get to toy with character’s emotions and bring them down and then ‘wham,’ give them the greastest gift of all–love. Aw. I dapple with other genres, but romance is high-speed fun with the top rolled down.

5) Most annoying character you’ve ever created?

Well, there’s a guy character who always wore his shoes in the house and left mud on his friend’s coffee table. That annoyed the character. I’m not sure about reader’s though. I try not to annoy the reader.

6) Best plot you’ve ever created?

I think I might be creating it in my work in progress, but I’m not sure. It’s too soon to tell.

7) Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created?

Uh… huh. Hmmm… ummmm. I dunno. It’s hard to answer these questions because it’s hard to pull it out of your own writing, because it just is. Either that, or I’ve never written a cool plot twist, in which case, that’s just sad and depressing and I thank you for bringing me down.

8 ) How often do you get writer’s block?

Never. There are times when I have to step back, go for a walk and let the next scene or move come to me.

9) Write fan fiction?

Nope. I’m not avid about a show or series enough to feel the desire to pen myself some fan fiction.

10) Do you type or write by hand?

I can type faster than I can write now, so brainstorming and here-and-there notes are by hand, the rest is a la computer.

11) Do you save everything you write?

Yeah, pretty much. I’m a natural packrat.

12) Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it?

Define abandon. These are my kids, they might get neglected, but never truly abandoned.

13) What’s your favourite thing you’ve ever written?

That would be The 15 Date Rule. Not because it is the best, but because it was the most fun to write.

14) What’s everyone else’s favourite story you’ve written?

What? It isn’t The 15 Date Rule? Come on! Seriously though, people seem to love Caviar and Lemon Drops. It is pretty good, but it wasn’t quite as much fun to write as 15DR. (It came after 15DR and plotting it, etc, wasn’t as ridden with challenges to keep me on my toes.)

15) Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

Romance, yes. Teen drama, no.

16) What’s your favourite setting for your characters?

Honestly, I forget about setting a lot of the time. I’m more concerned with the mood, emotion, motivations, etc. I have to remind myself to add setting into each scene.

17) How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Of my own–just one. It’s a first draft, so everything else of mine gets to hang back for a bit. I am doing some editing work for other people’s projects. (You can contract me to edit, coach, critique, and more! I do queries, synopses, manuscripts, and proposals.)

18) Have you ever won an award for your writing?

Nope. I placed in a contest, but I’m not much of a contest hound. I won first in a province-wide art contest once, does
that count? No, no it doesn’t. I just wanted to feel special.

19) What are your five favourite words?

Leave me alone, I’m writing.

Not really–I don’t think I’ve ever said that. How about ‘pristine’. That’s a good word. Now, I need four more…

20) What character have you created that is most like yourself?

They all have pieces of me.

21) Where do you get your ideas for your characters?

They just show up, ready to kick a$$ (or whatever they are there to do).

22) Do you ever write based on your dreams?

Nope.

23) Do you favour happy endings?

Sure. If it fits the story. It has to be satisfying for the audience, that’s the number one requirement.

24) Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Sorta. I’ll backtrack to fix spelling. Mostly, it’s full steam ahead in the first draft. My first concern is the get the idea down before it disappears. I can make it flow or grammatically correct on the second pass.

25) Does music help you write?

It depends. Sometimes music interrupts, which is really annoying.

26) Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops in your head.

“Cynthia tossed her wavy hair, leaving it tousled, sexy, and perfect in a way that made Beth think of champagne and movie stars.” I wrote that line in one of my edits of Caviar and Lemon Drops and then forgot about it. I reread it months later and got all pissed off. I thought someone had been messing with my manuscript. But the worst part was that they were better than I was. It was an interesting moment when I figured out I wrote it.

*****

That’s it. You made it to the end. I hope I didn’t bore you too much.

Now… I get to tag another three writers!

I’m going to chase after Yvonne Osborne, snag TK Richardson, and grab J. Lea. Lopez because she posted an interview the other day with moi and some of these questions weren’t covered in her interview with herself back in June.

Hmmm… I’m noticing a trend here… I’ve been a guest on all three of these blogs! It’s tag nepotism at its best. Love it!

The Writer Who Signed an Agent is…Calista!

Cdesses/c.taylor, aka Calista, my critique buddy over on AgentQuery is in the process of signing with a literary agent. Calista decided to move from fantasy to steampunk a few months ago and the move paid off. She’s written a great story about a feisty lass named Phoebe who creates a powerful drink that brings her to the center of a murder mystery. I feel honoured to have read and provided feedback on VIRDIS as Calista has a unique voice and a very simple, crisp, straight-forward style that makes my convoluted, wordy mind envious. When her book comes out, I’ll be sure to let you know so you can enjoy this action adventure/romance/history/mystery story set in London.

What is steampunk? Basically, it is a genre that is part historical, part futuristic. In Calista’s story, the story is set in London in the 1800s. While some things are as they were in the 1800s, such as clothing and social norms, it is a ‘what if’ take on life with a bit more technology. What if steam could be used to power some of the inventions we have now?

Curious? You can read her story, VIRDIS…coming soon!