by Dan Stout
A new year means a new vintage calendar to track my writing.
I use novelty stickers from my 2nd grade sticker book to mark major achievements.
I love repurposing things that brought me joy as a kid to remind me of why I love writing & storytelling.
by Dan Stout
Look at all these awesome people I got to hang out with!
Marshall Ryan Maresca, Sara Hanover, Edward Willett, Sheila Gilbert, Gerald Brandt, Dan Stout, Katie Hoffman, Betsy Wollheim, Troy Carrol Bucher (photo by Arley Sorg, Locus Magazine)
One of the best parts of being at a gathering like World Fantasy is the chance to spend time with the amazing authors and editors who make up the DAW family.
This photo was published in Locus magazine as part of their coverage of WFC — check out the full article here.
by Dan Stout
Man... once again, Chris McGrath and DAW have done amazing work.
Balancing the fun and gritty weirdness of these books is not easy, but they always manage to find a way.
Titan's Day releases on April 7th, 2020 & I'm so excited to share this story with you!
(PS: Pre-order from your local indie bookstore by clicking here! )
by Dan Stout in Interviews
As part of an ongoing celebration of upcoming debut novels, I’ll be running highlights of interviews from a number of my fellow debuts through the end of 2019. The full interviews are available on DebutAuthors19.com.
Today, we’re continuing the series with a conversation with M.A. Guglielmo, author of Summoned, a fantasy releasing from Tule Publishing Group on September 24th, 2019.
Zahara, party girl of the paranormal, floats up out of a lamp in Daniel Goldstein's apartment ready to trick an evil sorcerer into giving up his soul. But Daniel, whose Moroccan grandmother has reached out from beyond the grave to command him to raise a jinn, wants to do good—by stopping a vengeful fallen angel.
The nymphomaniacal, shopping-obsessed Zahara isn’t the otherworldly ally Daniel had in mind. A do-gooder with a dangerous quest isn't what Zahara's looking for, either.
Stuck in a magical contract with each other, the two travel to Morocco, where Zahara’s handsome friend Zaid, a jinn who's converted to Islam, reluctantly joins their quest. As Daniel and Zaid struggle against paranormal mercenaries, bumbling terrorists and their attraction to one other, Zahara is forced to join forces with the fallen angel's gorgeous but infuriating brother to stop a cataclysmic war between the human and jinn worlds.
Where did you get the idea?
The mythology behind the novel is the story of Harut and Marut, two overly proud angels—or jinn in some versions—who are sent down to earth to show humans how to resist temptation. They fail, in rather spectacular fashion, and are punished by being hung by the feet until the end of the world. According to some sources, the two gave the gift—or curse—of magical knowledge to humanity.
How long did you take to write this book?
It started out as a NaNoWriMo project in 2015, and I worked on finishing and revising it, along with other projects, through 2016. After that, I worked on standard querying, along with different pitch contests. I connected with Tule Publishing through a Facebook pitch contest hosted by the group Writers for Diversity. They're awesome—look them up and join them if you're a writer.
What did you remove from this book during the editing process?
Several characters, a middle chapter that required rewriting the entire plot, and more weak verbs and repetitive phrases than I could ever count.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I write out an outline, throw in a collection of disconnected scenes, then never look at it again after I start writing. A pantser in denial, I think.
What is your favorite part of your writing process, and why?
I love drafting and work best under time pressure. Revision doesn't come nearly as easily to me.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process, and why?
Substantive revision is the hardest. Skimming along and fixing typos and awkward sentences isn't too taxing, but confronting an enormous plot hole that has to be fixed by major book surgery is downright painful.
Can you share your writing routine?
I usually write after dinner, and try to fit in some early morning hours on weekends. I do NaNoWrimo every year to get at least half of a rough draft done on a new project. If I have time on a plane trip, or when I'm stuck waiting somewhere, I'll try to get sneak a little writing in.
Have you ever gotten writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
I've often been quite stuck, and I've tried different techniques to overcome it. One trick that's worked for me is to put away the laptop, and grab some paper and a pencil. I scribble out a series of questions about the plot or character issue I'm struggling with and then answer them with anything that pops into my head.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Three hundred thousand words is not a reasonable word count for a first draft.
What’s your favorite writing advice?
Read your novel out loud to yourself. Yes, the whole thing. It's amazing how much it helps with revisions.
What are you working on right now?
I'm working on the sequel to Summoned, and all I can say is that I'm researching hot sports cars. Because clearly Zahara wouldn't be caught dead in the boring SUV I drive.
M.A. Guglielmo is a neurosurgeon, mother of two awesome daughters, and a life-long fan of speculative fiction. Her Italian grandmother may or may not have been able to cast the evil eye on difficult neighbors, and Maria loves telling a good story, especially if magical curses and witty villains are involved.
Her interest in Middle Eastern politics and culture inspires her to incorporate mythology and folklore from the region into her writing projects. After having the wits scared out of her by ghost tales told to her over a campfire in the Moroccan Sahara, she’s come up with a plan to travel to all the potential settings for her novels. Since those include the mountain-ringed home of the Jinn and a modernized version of the Greek Underworld, some items on her bucket list might be harder to achieve than others.
Maria was born and raised in Rhode Island, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in biology. She completed her M.D. degree at Brown University, and went on to finish her neurosurgical residency there. After several years enjoying the company of sunny friends and overcast skies in Portland, Oregon, she moved back to Rhode Island, where she’s a neurosurgeon in academic practice. She lives there with her two daughters, assorted pets, and is always dreaming of the stories that can come out of her next travel destination.
Connect with M.A. Guglielmo:
by Dan Stout
This morning’s monster is ultra sunrise, chosen to go with the awesome book swag for Sarah J. Sover’s DOUBLE-CROSSING THE BRIDGE.
Check out the book here or read the interview excerpt with Sarah.
by Dan Stout in Interviews
As part of an ongoing celebration of upcoming debut novels, I’ll be running highlights of interviews from a number of my fellow debuts through the end of 2019. The full interviews are available on DebutAuthors19.com.
Today, we’re continuing the series with a conversation with Reese Hogan, author of Shrouded Loyalties, a military sci-fi / dieselpunk releasing from Angry Robot on August 13th, 2019.
Naval officer Mila Blackwood receives dangerous powers when her submarine travels through an alternate realm of existence and is attacked by a monster. She must figure out how to use these powers to save her country from invasion, all the while unaware that her partner is a spy and her brother is an enemy collaborator.
Where did you get the idea?
I always have to have three ideas come together to really take off. This one’s root ideas were a fantasy with a WW2 feel, a soldier who returns home to find out her brother is an enemy collaborator, and people with magic tattoos who are being hunted by an occupying force (which became the marks with powers they receive in the second chapter). Everything else built from there.
How long did you take to write this book?
Approximately two years to write (not continuous), then ten months from there until publication. Atypically, I got the publisher offer before I had an agent, so that put me on a faster track than normal.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
Lots about World War 2, especially France both before and after occupation. A TON about submarines, including visiting the USS Pampanito, the submarine on which the BZS Desert Crab in the novel is based. And a lot about volcanoes—yes, there are volcanoes, too.
What did you remove from this book during the editing process?
Mostly passages where it took too long to get to the point. I’ve discovered that when I’m not quite positive of the next step my character will take, my character is doing a lot of internal thinking to figure that out when I reread. So when I chop out the internal thought process, they appear to make decisions quicker, and the pacing is better.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I write EXTENSIVE outlines, but—like that old military expression about the best plans only lasting until the first bullet is fired—my outlines go off the rails almost right away. That being said, the outlining does help me figure out the key points that I’m most excited about, and I use those as guidelines to keep the book on track.
What is your favorite part of your writing process, and why?
Over time, it’s definitely become editing. Having the story down in a workable form makes it so much easier to sit down and work with than writing those initial words. And during the editing process, you’ve already had feedback and know where its weak points are, so there’s more confidence that you’re spending time obsessing over the right things.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process, and why?
When I first start writing a new draft, I have all these ideas but I haven’t yet put together a framework for how they’ll work together. There’s a lot of self-doubt about whether I’m starting in the right place, or have too many plot threads or not enough, or whether I should write first or third person…the list goes on. There’s lots of deleting—whole chapters worth—before I start to figure out what the story will look like.
Can you share your writing routine?
I write a minimum of two hours a day, and I have to plan when this block will be ahead of time to make sure it actually happens, since my kids’ schedules can vary. I try to get another two hours in the evening, but it depends on how crazy my kids are at bedtime (they are 7 and 5). My husband is very good about making sure I get my needed blocks on the weekends, which is the most challenging time to fit it in.
Have you ever gotten writer’s block?
If yes, how do you overcome it? I think we all get stuck sometimes, and I think it usually relates to losing interest in your story. When this happens, I go back to the last moment in the story I was excited about and try a different direction from there.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Try not to be afraid to share your work. No matter how good you think it is, you won’t know what its real problems are until someone points them out to you.
What’s your favorite writing advice?
It’s from V.E. Schwab, and I absolutely love it: “At the end of the day, there’s one thing to do: Show up. Put in the work. Let go of the outcome.”
Reese Hogan loves nothing more than creating broken relationships in broken worlds. With a Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in journalism, Hogan has spent the last twenty years honing her craft by taking classes, listening to podcasts, and attending writing workshops and critique groups. She is passionate about music, especially alternative and punk rock, and adamantly believes that art can reach out in a way no other form of communication can. She lives with her family in New Mexico.
Connect with Reese:
by Dan Stout in Interviews
As part of an ongoing celebration of upcoming debut novels, I’ll be running highlights of interviews from a number of my fellow debuts through the end of 2019. The full interviews are available on DebutAuthors19.com.
Today, we’re continuing the series with a conversation with Sarah J. Sover, author of Double-Crossing the Bridge, a humorous fantasy releasing from The Parliament House on August 13th, 2019.
An upstanding, grog-chugging troll sick of struggling to make ends meet devises a scheme to solve her financial woes—a heist!
Where did you get the idea?
I love to combine things that shouldn’t be combined, so when my husband and I were talking about a sitcom starring trolls, it only seemed natural to take it to the next level. Double-Crossing The Bridge is How I Met Your Mother meets Ocean’s 11 with the humor of Deadpool and characters that could have been created by Jim Henson.
What’s the story behind the title?
I’m a sucker for word play. My dog’s name is Roadie because I found him hit by a car back when I used to play guitar. So when Double-Crossing The Bridge came out of a brainstorming session, I knew it was the one.
How long did you take to write this book?
My writing process is atypical. It took about a year to get the bones all in place and another to get the story fleshed out.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
I read Donald Westlake and researched troll lore. But the best part was subjecting my husband to hours upon hours of heist movies in the name of research, frequently with our own versions of grog—scotch for him, beer for me.
What is your favorite part of your writing process, and why?
Discovering the story. I begin with a spark and write from there. Finding out what it turns into is exciting.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process, and why?
Once I know the story, I struggle to keep momentum through revision after revision. I get bored and lose focus easily, so I really have to beat myself up to get it whole and shiny.
Can you share your writing routine?
I have two young children. I only get about 30 minutes of writing in per day under normal circumstances. Some days, I don’t write at all and others, I have to steal time during naps and after bedtime. I have a dedicated writing space that is always buried, currently beneath Double-Crossing The Bridge swag, so I do most of my writing at the dining room table or hiding in a corner of the bedroom.
Have you ever gotten writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
I don’t really believe in writer’s block. I’ve lost all will to keep going, but that’s not really the same thing. In those times, I take a week or two off and set a drop-dead date. If I haven’t picked it up by then, I force myself to push through. Eventually, I get my groove back and go back to fix whatever nonsense I wrote when I was only focused on getting the words down.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Relax and embrace who you are. You don’t need to change the world overtly to have an impact on it.
What are you working on right now?
I’m working on a fantasy noir about a fairy godmother who goes rogue to hunt down the serial killer who slaughtered her first princess.
What’s your favorite writing advice?
Just do it. LOL! I’m really not kidding though. There are so many routes, and different things work for different people. Whatever works for you is the right way to get it done.
What’s the book you’re currently reading?
I’m currently enjoying The Queen Con by Meghan Scott Molin. Next up is Shrouded Loyalties by Reese Hogan.
Sarah J. Sover writes fantasy crossover novels while raising two energetic little people. A Georgia Southern Bell Honor's graduate who grew up living near Detroit, London, Miami, and Atlanta, Sarah's background is as varied as her answers to the dreaded "where are you from" question. She's done everything from wildlife rehabilitation to data management, leaving notebooks filled with bad poetry in her wake.
Sarah resides in John's Creek, Ga with her brilliant husband Alex, two vibrant daughters, cranky old dog, and seemingly immortal snake. In addition to writing, Sarah loves craft beer, blues dancing, binging superhero Netflix shows, hobby jumping, Disney, and groove metal.
Connect with Sarah:
Website
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Goodreads
Buy DOUBLE-CROSSING THE BRIDGE on Amazon or through the publisher
by Dan Stout in Interviews
As part of an ongoing celebration of upcoming debut novels, I’ll be running highlights of interviews from a number of my fellow debuts through the end of 2019. The full interviews are available on DebutAuthors19.com.
Today, we’re continuing the series with a conversation with Maxym M. Martineau, author of Kingdom of Exiles, a fantasy romance releasing from Sourcebooks on June 25th, 2019.
Exiled Charmer Leena Edenfrell is running out of time. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts—an offense punishable by death—and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes Noc an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.
Plagued by a curse that kills everyone he loves, Noc agrees to Leena’s terms in hopes of finding a cure. Never mind that the dark magic binding the assassin’s oath will eventually force him to choose between Leena’s continued survival…and his own.
Where did you get the idea?
Kingdom of Exiles started because of a dream I had about Noc, the main male character. I’ve always had particularly vivid dreams, so when he appeared all swathed in shadows, as he’s apt to do in the book, I just knew I had to write about him. In my dream, he told me about how he was physically incapable of being with the one he loved, and I wanted that to translate into a story, hence Noc’s curse.
Leena was born out of his descriptions of her, and the beasts were something I always dreamed about—creatures I’d see, worlds I’d get snippets of. It was really like pulling ideas together from several different dreams into one coherent story.
No spoiler, but tell us something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket.
There is something like 25+ beasts referenced in some way, shape, or form in Kingdom of Exiles. I had no idea when I started exactly how many I’d include, and then it just sort of… exploded! I love all of them, and I’m so glad my publisher did, too, because this resulted in the creation of a bestiary appendix, which includes pronunciation guides, ranks, detailed descriptions and taming requirements for each and every one of them.
How long did you take to write this book? (You can share about the timeline from drafting to publication)
I’m a speed writer, I’ll admit it. I started concepting out the idea of this novel while I was in Pitch Wars with a different book, but truly didn’t start writing it until December or January of 2017, I believe. I made it a goal to finish it before my wedding in March, started editing after that, and then sent out a few queries but held off when I got into Query Kombat. Signed with my agent in September, went through revisions over the holidays, went on sub shortly thereafter, and had an offer relatively quickly. I ended up signing with Sourcebooks in July of 2018.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
If you twist my arm, I’ll side with the pantsers. I typically only start with a vague notion of where I want my characters to end up, but as they start to develop on the page and make choices that surprise me, I’ll alter along the way. Which makes me want to say I’m a plantser? Is that a thing? I’m making it a thing. It’s a bit hard to not plot to some degree when writing a trilogy, even if it’s only, “I know he’ll get to Point A by midway and Point Z by the end of it all.” But I have never been a hardcore synopsis writer, sticky note gal, or outline type of person.
What is your favorite part of your writing process, and why?
Pre-writing. In this stage, I do a lot of dreaming, build a lot of boards, fill out character sheets and design maps (I love to design maps!). I feel like this is when I truly get to build out characters and worlds that are three dimensional. That way, when they’re on the page progressing through the plot, their actions and quirks come naturally to me.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process, and why?
This is a hard question for me to answer. I find all parts of the writing process validating and invigorating in different ways. Though I end up pulling my hair out the most during editing, so if I had to pick, that one.
Can you share your writing routine? (e.g. How do you carve out your writing time? Where do you normally write?)
Writing time? What’s that? I’m kidding, mostly. I work a full-time job and am the co-founder of a not-for-profit romance site on the side (All The Kissing), so I don’t have a lot of hours in my day. I will say, though, that I thrive under deadlines. Need edits in a week? I’m game. A rework of that chapter before it gets released? Done.
Have you ever gotten writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
Absolutely. I usually have to walk away for at least a day, if not more. I’m the type of person who can write 5,000+ words in a sitting, so when I can’t get more than 100, I really flail. I end up calling my critique partners so I can talk through options and pain points, and that usually solves the problem. Sometimes I just know the section is going to be rough, and I push through just to make it to the next passage. When I come back for edits, it’s much easier to see what I missed or could do better.
Maxym M. Martineau is a staff writer and editor by day, and a fantasy romance author by night. When she’s not getting heated over broken hearts, she enjoys playing video games, sipping a well-made margarita, binge-watching television shows, competing in just about any sport, and of course, reading.
Following her passion, Maxym earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Arizona State University. From that point on, it was all words, all the time. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, and currently lives in Arizona with her husband and their dogs. She is represented by Cate Hart of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
by Dan Stout in Interviews
As part of an ongoing celebration of upcoming debut novels, I’ll be running highlights of interviews from a number of my fellow debuts through the end of 2019. The full interviews are available on DebutAuthors19.com.
Today, we’re continuing the series with a conversation with Deborah L. King, author of Glory Bishop, a work of women’s fiction releasing from Red Adept Publishing on June 4th, 2019.
GLORY BISHOP is a coming-of-age story of a young woman’s longing to reach outside the sheltered life of her mother’s madness and live in the world as a normal person.
Where did you get the idea?
Years ago, I was in a writing class, and wrote a short story about a sheltered, repressed girl being embarrassed about going to a party. That girl evolved into Glory.
What’s the story behind the title?
Back in 1998, I created an AOL screen name GLORY and I chose BISHOP as a last name because it’s the name of a street in a neighborhood where I lived as a child. I always wanted to go to the corner store on Bishop, but my mother would never let me. I’m glad my publisher liked the name… so we kept it.
How long did you take to write this book?
About 25 years. I started it in 1992 and wrote off and on until 2016.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
I did quite a bit of research. I had to tour some places in Chicago and find the locations and names of 1980s businesses. The old Chicago Transit Authority map was fascinating, as was the history of some of the neighborhoods.
What did you remove from this book during the editing process?
For legal reasons we took out song lyrics and changed a few location names.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Actually, a little of both. I start the story; then write an outline. Then I change the outline as the story evolves.
What is your favorite part of your writing process, and why?
My favorite part is when I get into the zone and the story starts flowing and the characters take control of the narrative and I learn new things about them.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process, and why?
The most challenging part is discipline. I’m not too good at keeping my butt in the chair and my mind focused. The magic portal that is the internet often lures me in, and I waste time. When that happens, I try to turn that time into productive research…or so I tell myself.
Can you share your writing routine?
I write in spurts. I have had weeks where I laid on the couch and plotted the story scenes in my head. I’ve also had binges when I didn’t eat or sleep…just wrote for days on end.
Have you ever gotten writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
I get it frequently. When that happens, I usually switch to another part of the story and try working on that, or maybe work on a different book altogether. When it’s really bad, I read back over what I’ve already written and see where I can improve it.
Deborah King has been a writer and storyteller her whole life. She published her first short story when she was seven years old. Her writing runs the gamut from poetry and women’s fiction, to espionage and science fiction. Her upcoming debut novel, GLORY BISHOP, is scheduled for release in 2019. When she’s not writing, Deborah enjoys cartoons, cooking, photography, and Star Trek. Born and raised in Chicago, Deborah has managed to achieve all her childhood dreams and still lives in the area with her husband and two youngest children. According to her daughter, she has “literally aced her life!
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Buy Glory Bishop
by Dan Stout in Interviews
As part of the ongoing celebration of upcoming debut novels, I’ll be running highlights of interviews from a number of my fellow debuts through the end of 2019. The full interviews are available on DebutAuthors19.com.
Today, we’re continuing the series with a conversation with Daniela Petrova, author of Her Daughter’s Mother, a mystery/suspense releasing from Putnam Press on June 18th, 2019.
Her Daughter’s Mother is a suspense novel about a woman in her late thirties who has it all—an apartment in Manhattan, a great job as an art curator at the Met, a long-term live-in relationship with a Columbia professor—except they haven’t been able to become pregnant after years of trying. Their last chance is a donor egg cycle they can barely afford. But when he unexpectedly leaves her three days before the precious embryo transfer, she faces the impossible choice of having to give up on her dream of having a baby or proceed without his consent.
Where did you get the idea?
I struggled with infertility for nearly ten years. I was in the middle of an anonymous egg donor cycle and thought, What if I were to run into my donor? Of course, I would recognize her—I’d seen photos of her—but she wouldn’t know who I was. Would I be tempted to follow her? To learn more about her? The possibility seemed at once exciting and frightening. I knew her health and education history, her hobbies, the eye and hair color of her grandparents. But I had no idea what she was like. Did she laugh with abandon or shyly cover her mouth? Did she sing in the shower? Did she spend her free time at the gym or curled up on the couch with a book? Hungry to find out more about her, would I be tempted to follow her? I never ran into my donor. I didn’t even get pregnant but I liked the idea of a pregnant woman encountering her donor and stalking her, unable to suppress her curiosity.
What’s the story behind the title? (e.g. who came up with it, did your publisher change it, etc.)
I’m greatly indebted to a writer friend of mine who came up with the title. I love it because it makes you stop and think, Wait what? It also draws out the special relationships in the book, the fact that there are two mothers to one baby (the woman who carries it and the woman who’s egg has been used to conceive it.)
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Somewhere in between. With this novel, I didn’t foresee many of the plot holes and issues until finishing an entire draft. Believe it or not, I only then realized that I had to start again and rewrite the entire book. For my next book, I intend to plot out as much as possible in advance, thereby resolving many of the potential problems before starting to write. But let’s see how that goes.
Can you share your writing routine?
I wish I could say that I have this amazing routine, where I get up every morning at 6 am and write for 5 hours straight, but I don’t. I’m very disorganized—I don’t recommend it—and end up writing at different times, depending on what else is going on in my life. I can spend three days working non-stop but then the rest of the week I won’t write a word. Perhaps not the most efficient process but it works for me.
What are the 2-3 most important things that you learned from writing classes that you found to be true in writing your novel?
Come in late, leave early--I might have picked it up in a screenwriting class but I find it to be true in books. That rule helped me so much with the pace of my novel.
Don’t be the protagonist of your novel because you’ll never be able to put yourself through hell. It’s very hard to make yourself look bad or to create a multi-dimensional character if you’re writing about yourself.
Conflict, conflict, conflict—scenes and conversations without conflict can be dull and slow moving.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I have one completed novel that I couldn’t sell. And in retrospect, it’s pretty bad. But I don’t regret writing it because I learned so much. I see it as my dress rehearsal for the real thing.
Do you have any writing quirks?
I need snacks. All the time. I can’t work if I’m hungry, and I get hungry all the time when I’m stuck.
Daniela Petrova grew up behind the Iron Curtain in Sofia, Bulgaria. After the fall of Communism, she moved to New York where she cleaned apartments while taking English classes at the YMCA in the evenings. She is a recipient of an Artist Fellowship in Writing from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Her work has appeared in anthologies, magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salon, and Marie Claire among others. HER DAUGHTER’S MOTHER (Putnam, June 2019) is her first novel. She lives and writes in New York City.
