I think Twitter gets a bad rap sometimes as being too limiting and for forcing our beautiful language into a trash compactor of text slang, and I'll admit I've been a pretty big critic of it in the past. But for the purposes of this interview I was pleased that it forced me to trim the fat out of my responses and get to the point.
So please enjoy the transcript of the interview below and know that what you're seeing is as cut and dry as I'll possibly ever be; trimmed-down, scaled back, and without even the extra butter on the side. I won't say I left off the cheese, though... :-)
Welcome
to today’s chat with Ashley Chappell author of Alice Will #c1books
Hello,
everyone! I can't wait to chat with all of you :-)#c1books
Feel
free to ask questions while we do, Ashley it's great to have you here! #c1books
Alright
Ashley the question we all want to know, how much of your book did your cats
write? #c1books
@Justin_Dine Ha!
They would claim all of it since they were at least touching the laptop while I
wrote #c1books
When
naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning? #c1books
@C1Books The right name can help convey an image
of strength, shyness, clumsiness, loveliness, etc. #c1books
I was
curious if you tried to stay away from the romance aspect with your book Alice
Will? By the way I loved it! #c1books @AshleyNChappell
@larabookvampire
Thank you so much! Trotter's development influenced that decision for me. Her
isolation was a big factor in her. #c1books
@larabookvampire But
without spoilers, there might be an early hint of a love interest in the next
book ;-) #c1books
Describe
your writing style in ten words or less. #c1books
Hmmm...
Darker fantasy with a dry dose of humor and satire #c1books
What’s
the earliest memory you have of writing a story? #c1books
I was
5 when I wrote my first story “Super Car.” My father drew illustrations for it
which I still treasure. #c1books
It
didn't make it out of the playground, but I still felt like a real writer for
it. Even at only 3 pages :-)
@SkittyPandora
Really, I think if I didn't write down where my imagination went I'd eventually
explode. #c1books
@AshleyNChappell
After your book was published, was there anything you would have wanted to
change still? #c1books
@Lisa_Cray Oh
yes! Mostly specific writing, not story elements. But I think all writers want
constant 'do-overs' with their books. #c1books
What
is your least favorite part of the writing process? #c1books
@C1Books Editing and more editing! Specifically
making myself change a major element when I know it isn't working. #c1books
Who
is your favorite author and is you writing style similar to theirs? #c1books
@RebekahMcClew
Terry Pratchett. My
writing isn't lyrical as his can be, but I tend to fall into a similar
satirical voice. #c1books
@Bubblez44445
Never stop writing! You learn from each project you finish. Even criticisms
that hurt sometimes offer good advice #c1books
As an
Author, if you were stuck on an island, what would you want with you? No limit
on items #c1books
@MasonLinden No
limit? In that case, a laptop with an internet connection and Amazon Air
Delivery :-) #c1books
Was
becoming an author a goal of yours or an after effect? #c1books
supported
this dream. #c1books
@AshleyNChappell
Imagine your characters are on survivor. Who will they vote out of the book?#c1books
Probably
Pratt(s). That would knock out 4 characters with one vote! #c1books
@Ashleynchappell Do
you have a particular favorite character in Alice Will? I loved Prowler #c1books
@larabookvampire I
was attached to Prowler, too! But my fiance swear's I'm Trotter to a 'T'. #c1books
Truthfully,
I do envy Trotter's smiting finger at times... #c1books
Easy!
Steven King’s The Shining will always scare me no matter how many times I read
it. It OOZES psychological terror. #c1books
@RebekahMcClew Two
things - Like you, I won't write pornography. But I also won't write about my
personal beliefs #c1books
My
writing is not a platform, but I hope it will still challenge readers to think.
#c1books
How
long did it take to write Alice Will and did you find it frustrating at all? #c1books
@MasonLinden
Alice was my pride and joy - I wrote it in only 4 months. It's the only book
that's been more exhilarating than not #c1books
When
you write do you concentrate more on just the story or does work count affect
your writing? #c1books
@SkittyPandora Only
1 real quirk... Like Eric, I need quiet to write. But when I get stuck I talk
it
through
out loud to myself. #c1books
@SkittyPandora
Which is probably why I can't write in public. They'd haul me off in a straight
jacket! #c1books
My
favorite monster has always been the monster within ourselves #c1books
Most
of my characters struggle with inner demons and darkness before they can
grow/succeed. #c1books
@AshleyNChappell Is
it hard for you to stop writing, or are you able to pick up where you left off
without problems #c1books
Sometimes
I struggle with balance. If it's been more than a week since I've been able to
write I have a very hard time starting. #c1books
I
find, though, that if I start out re-reading the previous chapters I can get
the rhythm back. (Not to mention some editing!) #c1books
@Lisa_Cray
Trotter was in part a response to the traditional good-looking, super-cool teen
demi-god in this genre... #c1books
@Lisa_Cray I
wanted to create a character that was everything else - awkward, uncomfortable
in her powers, and lonely. #c1books
@larabookvampire
Every single time! Although family and friends tend to be more generous than a
stranger :-) #c1books
@AshleyNChappell How
do you work with an editor without the pride thing getting in the way? #c1books
It's
not bad. The only time I feel irked is when I get edits that are actually
incorrect. It happens to the best of us, though! #c1books
@Justin_Dine
Probably 'Why the heck didn't you try harder sooner?!?' Then I'd kick myself in
the pants a bit for good measure :-) #c1books
Now
if I could ask ANY author, I'd ask how they get through writer's block. #c1books
@AshleyChappell Who
do you want to be reading your book, and who do you expect to be reading it?
(Age groups ect.??).
#c1books
@SkittyPandora I
think teen girls are probably the likeliest readers, but I love hearing that middge
grade readers pick it up, too #c1books
@SkittyPandora But
most of the people that enjoy it also enjoyed The Golden Compass and other
alternate universe concepts #c1books
So
how do you get through 'writers block'? #c1books
Come
on you knew I was going to do that ;) #c1books
@Justin_Dine But
usually I try wine (although, to be honest, it really doesn't help the writing,
just the anger about not writing!) #c1books
How
fast/slow do you write? Or do you try not to notice? #c1books
@Justin_Dine If
I'm on a roll, I'll knock out 5K - 7K words in a session. But on slow days I'm
happy for 500 in 8 hours. #c1books
And
what is your idea writing situation/setup? #c1books
@Justin_Dine I've
planned this out entirely! It will be a hobbit hole in the woods with a
recliner, 3 monitors and tea! #c1books
I
would love to have a third monitor, wife won't let me! #c1books
If I
let him Justin would have 8 monitors, they just keep adding up! #c1books
On
scale of 1 to 10 how real are your characters to you Ashley? #c1books
@Justin_Dine
Whole-hearted 10. I live with these guys, and don't think I'm kidding when I
say they argue with me. #c1books
If
you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be? #c1books
@C1Books Sir Terry Pratchett! Although I'd probably waste most of it
by squealing, repeating 'OMG', and ultimately fainting. #c1books
I
squealed enough when I got a signed book of his without even actually meeting
him... #c1books
Would
you live in your world if it was possible? And no I don't mean the type of live
in your world that results in the white coat #c1books
@Justin_Dine
Definitely on the first part! On the 2nd, what makes you think I don't? They
let me out for the interview :-) #c1books
But
if I had to choose between Aevum, the Wedge, or Realm, I think I'd have
to choose The Wedge for ambience #c1books
@C1Books I do. Then I write, scrap that outline,
make another, write more, scrap that outline, make another... #c1books
Do
you ever find yourself acting out a scene from your book before you can write
it? #c1books
@Justin_Dine Not
actually acting out, but when I talk it through I'm usually talking as my
characters. Not even on purpose. #c1books
It's
a little past 4:30 EST, Thank you so much Ashley Chappell for joining the
twitter chat, it was great having you here #c1books
