22 March 2020 - GARRIS L. R. COLEMAN - GUEST AUTHOR

 GARRIS L. R. COLEMAN 

- GUEST AUTHOR -

G'day folks,

Today, I interview an aspiring author fom Augusta, Georgia, USA.

Welcome, Garris ... 

1.   TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.

  My name is Garris Lee Reid Coleman, I’m the author of the original series Curse of Crowns.  I enjoy art of all forms such as books, music, and painting. I play several musical instruments and have been writing song lyrics since I was fourteen.

2.   WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?

 I originally started off with wanting to make a video game. So, I came up with a design concept that was a rough idea but eventually it developed into a novel as I kept writing.

3.    WHAT TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP?

 I do like to make preparations.

 I look up names, I research different topics so that I can get all of the technical terminology correct. 

5.   WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

Marketing yourself and getting in front of the right audience.

6.   WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?

In my past life I most definitely was a pirate.

7.   WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?

My novel series Curse of Crowns.

8.   WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

I am working on finishing the second volume of Curse of Crowns series, which is titled, Blood You Will Taste.

9.   WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I love to see when people set out to do something and finish it. It doesn’t matter what it is. I love to see others reach their goals.

10.              WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?

I write in fantasy fiction.

11.              DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?

Don’t listen to others who would try to discourage you from finishing your work. Do what you love and love what you do, then it won’t feel like a job.

12.              DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?

No, I have learned how to tap into my creative side. I just need a pair of headphones and some soft music and I’m off to my imagination.

13.              DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?

I prefer to write and create most of the day. I’m always trying to come up with new ideas.

14.              DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?

I love to kick back in my bed and use my laptop.

15.              WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?

When I finish adding another page.

16.              WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?

I don’t have a favourite author, I just like to see what others create. My favourite screenwriters are John Logan, Andrew Hinderaker, and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Together they wrote the show Penny dreadful. The dialog between the characters and the narration is brilliant.

17.              WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?

That they could not put my novel down and that they dream about it.

18.              WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?

It’s not something I focus on. I have not received any negative comments, but I’m sure they are coming.

19.              WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?

Sometimes I have a moment where I’m influenced by a situation and I will change the names, alter the events and add it into the story. 

20.              OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?

 I love to play music. Drums, Guitar, Cello, whatever I can get my hands on.

21.              DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?

 I always have the books edited several times before publication.

22.              DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.

A perfect day would be to sleep without having an alarm.

23.              IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY?

I would love to be stuck on a desert island. I would most definitely choose my beautiful wife.

24.              WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS?

You should work on helping your people be free and cut down on all the conflict. People want to live peacefully and prosper.

25.              WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

To become a full-time writer.

26.               WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?

I love book trailers. I have two for my first novel and working on a trailer for the second one. I think they do help sell books. They also help set the mood and can get others interested and talking about your book.

27.              DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?

I have one character that always finds himself getting into a not so good situation. I would say that happens to me sometimes. 

28.              DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?

Yes, the traditional publishing industry can frustrate me.  I’m glad that the author can choose to self-publish. There are a lot of talented writers that have worked hard on their stories and now they can be available to readers.  

29.              DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?

Never. I have come too far to give up now.

30.              WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY?

My favourite manuscript to write was the third novel in the Curse of Crowns series.

 The characters are fun to write. They have so much going on in their worlds and I love the excitement.

31.               HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER?

If you have pushed through the toughness, not given up, and have published your work whether it be traditionally or self-published, you are already a successful writer. If you make money along the way with it, then that’s just icing on the cake.

32.              WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?

After reading my books, I want readers to know that original ideas still exist.

 My hope is that they could relate to any of the characters.  

33.              WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?

If that were to ever happen, I would rather it be made into a TV series. Movies are so rushed and with a TV series the characters can have a little more time to be developed.

I have never written a screenplay.

34.              HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?

With my Curse of Crowns series, I tried to put certain things that are in the books onto the covers. The cover is telling its own sort of story.

 I also think about the art that goes inside the novel. For example, the chapter headings, the maps, and the previews to the next series. Having it all helps to tell a story and bring the reader on a journey. 

35.              WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?

To have millions of books sold.

36.                WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?

For me creating stories for my series is easy. Marketing and building a platform is hard. If you have the money and can afford it, I would suggest hiring a marketing team.

37.               ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED?

 Yes.  I chose that route after doing research and learning about how the traditional publishing industry works.  

38.              DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.

Creative, witty, artistic, inquisitive, and rebellious.

39.              WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?

Being told I am not capable of something.

40.              WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE?

Chinese Myths & Tales by Davide Latini. Yes, I enjoyed it.

41.               WHAT WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?

Take your shoes off and stay as long as you like.

42.               WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?

To have more novels out for my readers.

43.               ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

Yes, go buy my books, Now!

AMAZON

Clancy's comment: Well done, Garris. Love the book covers, and your love of music. Keep going ...

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