Emerging Author Interview of the week Number Thingy...I lost track this week after being stuck in the infamous Facebook Jail for varying periods and being sick too, baby birthday parties (both my daughters' first) etc. etc. This, I suppose will be just unique, like our subject and interviewee; The Great Ms. A.M. Deese! Alexis is from Georgia and has been writing for pretty much as long as she can remember; she in close to finishing her first novel, what I think is going to become part one of quite an interesting series but that's just me. I sense epic and this first novel know as Ignited is just this fine writer's way of - haha - testing the waters (read the book and you'll get it)...I feel the waters will open up quickly for her.
OK, so let's allow Alexis to explain for herself;
So, tell me about yourself, the person, not just the writer. You have 2000 words (ish, very ish)
Well people tell me that I can be bubbly and sweet and while I'm not opposed to those attributes I would prefer to be known as more edgy. I am 34 years old and I live in north Georgia with my husband and our three dogs. Aside from reading (what writer doesn't love reading) my passions involve cooking and eating (yes, eating) traveling and Netflix marathons. I still work part-time as a bartender which I love because it allows me the opportunity to constantly meet new characters while still giving me flexible hours for my writing schedule.
Social Media links:
Webpage: https://www.amdeese.com/
How did you first get into writing?
I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I would write stories on computer paper or yellow legal pad stolen from my dad's office. I wrote for the school paper in high school but it wasn't until college when I decided to change my major to creative writing that I began to take my writing career and myself seriously.
Have you published or received awards for anything you have written?
I have a dark fantasy short story titled Magic Show published in an anthology. Aside from the short story my debut novel, Ignited,will be published March 27, 2018 under Radiant Teen, an imprint of Radiant Crown Publishing.
Tell me all about your current project, add a 200 hundred word excerpt if you like of your favourite part.
I'm currently working on a sequel for my debut novel. I tend to be a pantser as far as my writing technique so this experience has definitely been more difficult than the first book. I was forced to bust out the dreaded outline in order to whip the story into some sort of shape. In this novel, Jura and her group of friends embark on a quest not only to rescue a beloved friend, but also to prevent a war that would shatter the fragile peace of the land. It's full of dragons, political intrigue and elemental magic. Here's the opening 200 words:
“It seemed her heart would forever be in a state of panic. It beat wildly in her rib cage, a dragon trapped in the arena. Jura would never get used to it. Nearly two weeks and they were no closer to Kitoi. The endless desert stretched out around them and the only sound was the steady breathing of the men beside her.
They traveled during the day, Tylak made them all invisible. Every morning they would set off and trudge across the desert until Tylak collapsed and the Samur helped her make camp for the night. Tylak usually awakened an hour or so later, just in time to eat dinner and provide first watch. It was a tiresome schedule for him. It was a tiresome schedule for them all. He never complained. Jura appreciated that about him. Throughout this entire journey Tylak had done nothing but offer up his services as bodyguard, as friend. But everyone wants something in return. It wasn't that long ago Tylak had needed her help to recover his birthstone. What did he want from her now?”
Have you ever or would you ever think of doing a collaboration (this is not an offer). Why/Why not?
I did (very briefly) work on a collaborative project. Unfortunately we parted ways before the project was ever finished. It was definitely a learning experience. I would try the experience again if it was a project I firmly believed in with another author I could trust but at the moment I'm happy to continue working alone.
What experience or part of your personal life has been the biggest influence on your style and writing?
My father was in the Army and as a result we tended to move quite frequently. It was hard for me to make new friends so I had a lonesome childhood and spent the majority of my free time either reading or playing with my imaginary friends. I suppose in that way, not much has changed.
Your writing and all projects…time to plug away..
My guilty pleasure is poetry. I'm not the greatest at it but there is something so liberating about feeding all that raw emotion on to paper. At the moment my focus is split between marketing and preparing for the release of Ignited while also editing and polishing its sequel.
New writers, what would be your most serious best advice?
New writers should never give up. This industry is tough and a writer needs to grow skin thick enough to deflect the countless rejections that are sure to come. New writers should also be brave. How can a writer find their biggest fan if they're too scared to put their work out there?
Ok controversial perhaps but what most irritates you with the world of writing today?
Hmm, I think for me it is all the so-called “rules.” There are an infinite amount of different ways to tell the same story. Under that same assumption, there is more than one path to find your success. It might be through an agent, or through self-publishing. Maybe your marketing niche is on Pinterest or SnapChat, maybe its on YouTube. I guess what irritates me are the sticklers for rules. The publishing world is constantly changing and I think more people need to adapt with it.
So what's your way forward in 2018? What can we expect?
So aside from finally publishing a novel I plan to finish two more by the year's end. I'm speaking at a few panels at DragonCon (held this fall in Atlanta) and I will also get to go on (my first ever) book tour so I'm excited and looking forward to this year as the year I finally become a “real author”.
Poetry or prose, be honest? Why?
I have a profound respect for poetry but to tell the story properly (in my genre at least) prose is needed! I don't think there will ever be a book of collected poetry by me but I would be thrilled if readers noted a bit of poetry in my prose.
Finally, one hundred years from now, how will they remember you? Why?
Oh goodness, if anyone remembers me in one hundred years I will be thrilled! I would hope to be remembered for my heartfelt stories and creative world building.
Keep on building Alexis because you do it very, very well. All the lore and little differences and details you need to make it both engaging and believable, you do that well. Check out Ignited now and leave a lady a review!
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