Interview and Guest Post by David Brown, Author of A World Apart

Today I will be featuring an interview and guest post by David Brown, author of A World Apart.

Interview:

What are your favorite book(s)? 

I’ve always loved the fantasy genre and when I read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings it quickly became my favourite book. However, Tolkien was surpassed a few years ago when my brother handed me two small books – one red and one green – and told me they made up a novel entitled Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Since reading those little books I have my own copy of Murakami’s masterpiece and despite an average film adaptation in recent years, this remains the finest book I have ever read.

Who is your favorite author?

There are so many I love but I’ve read more books by Terry Pratchett than any other author. His Discworld novels are imaginative, quirky and very funny. He is an inspirational writer though I could never write anything as funny as him.

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

I’ve always loved history and this was integral when it came to my world building. Not only did my passion for history help me shape the fictitious world where my books are set but it gave me ideas for stories as well. There are so many fascinating characters in history, be the conquerors or philosophers, you are never short of ideas. I have also found inspiration in films, RPGs and especially with music such as The Decemberists.

Where is your favorite place to do your writing?

I tend to write at my best when I am not at home. My wife and I will often head into town a couple of times a week and seek out a coffee shop where we’ll squirrel ourselves away for a few hours. No matter how busy it is I find the words flow easily. I write my novels on a Netbook for two reasons. 1) It’s smaller and more portable, 2) My laptop is pretty old and the battery lasts less than five minutes! I should really think about getting a new one.

What made you decide to become a writer? 

I was in college in 1998 when I discovered the RPG series, Final Fantasy. I bought Final Fantasy VII on a whim and quickly fell in love with the game. It used gods such as Shiva and Quetzalcoatl to aid your characters in battle and I began reading up on these deities. Through Final Fantasy VII I discovered Odin and Norse mythology which I immediately preferred to the Greek myths I had known at school. From there, I took in the Icelandic Sagas and Beowulf. These influences collectively led to me creating the fictitious world of Elenchera in 1999 and I have been writing ever since.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? 

The editing process I find both enjoyable and difficult. When you are writing your first draft and just getting ideas down there is no pressure. When the next drafts are taking shape the real challenge begins. I think the hard thing is not necessarily the editing as such but knowing when you have reached that point where the book is as good as you’re ever going to make it. Coming to that stage where you can say the book is done is never easy but it’s a wonderful feeling when you get there.

Tell us about your newest book.
A World Apart is the second in the Elencheran Chronicles series. Rather than a continuous narrative these are self-contained novels about different characters and places within Elenchera and its timeline of 47,000 years. A World Apart tells the story of three friends – Demetrius, Eleyna and Halycon – who grow up together in Dove’s Meadow and find themselves in an awkward love triangle in their teens. When Eleyna marries Halcyon, Demetrius leaves the town and starts a new life in the army. A decade later the friends are reunited with Demetrius charged with hunting down and killing a notorious pirate – the Ivory Rose. When Demetrius discovers the Ivory Rose is Eleyna he must choose between loyalty to the republic of Himordia or to the only woman he has ever loved. 

About the Author
David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Hons in History and English, David's dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.

Although David is inspired primarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime, world cinema, history, and biographies. His own books, Fezariu's Epiphany and A World Apart, and the in-progress Ansel's Remorse and The Stars Beneath the Parapets combine aspects from worlds both old and new into compelling tales of a world not soon forgotten. David himself certainly does not lack a spirit of adventure; in fact, he left his job in 2007 in order to spend a month travelling. Second only to meeting and marrying his wife, David counts this as one of the most amazing experiences of his life.

Book Blurb

Demetrius makes his first mistake when he lets his best friend Halcyon marry Eleyna, the love of his life, without saying a word. On the day of the wedding, he walks away from the Elencheran town of Dove's Meadow and joins the army.

He makes his second mistake when the pirate Black Iris tricks him into letting dozens of men, women and children die in a fire. Demetrius is imprisoned in grief and disgrace.

But he can atone. The Black Iris is dead. The Ivory Rose has risen to the top of the pirates and is leading brutal raids on the coast. If Demetrius can capture and kill her, he'll win his pardon.

And then Demetrius discovers the Ivory Rose is Eleyna. He must decide which will be his third mistake: losing his last chance at a pardon or destroying the one woman he's ever loved.

Website: http://elenchera.com

A World Apart on Amazon US: http://amzn.to/Srahzn

A World Apart on Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/QpppBB

Guest Post about Bloggers:

With a Little Help From My Book Blogging Friends 

Being an indie author is a lonely business. Not only must you take the plunge in being a writer but you choose to go it alone in your writing journey. However, you will need some help along the way and the good news is that there are many people to turn to. When it comes to promoting your work and building your platform, your friends in high places are the fabulous book bloggers.

The worth of book bloggers is beyond the justification of words. These amazing individuals work tirelessly for no financial reward, other than their love of books. They don’t just read and review books, some offer interview and guest post opportunities, they might provide giveaways and after all that they will promote their posts, featuring you, across social media. How much does this cost the author? Nothing. It might seem too good to be true to have such individuals willing to bend over backwards to help you with your writing but, believe me, there are many of them out there.

There are sadly some authors that do not recognise the worth of book bloggers, some that can’t look beyond their magnum opus which they believe any blogger should be honoured to read. The truth is that many book bloggers receive dozens of requests to review books each day. It’s unlikely that they will have time to read every book and that’s fine. The majority of book bloggers do not earn their livings through their blogs. Many go out to work and still find the time to blog, others are raising families yet somehow snatch some reading and blogging time before the end of the day. How they do it perplexes me.

Whenever I hear tales of book bloggers being treated disrespectfully it both angers and saddens me. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer to indie authors is to not only write books but to read and review them as well. The best writers are readers and by being a book blogger you can not only give something back to the indie community but you can see both sides – an author’s viewpoint and a book blogger’s viewpoint. Personally, I have received the emails that are cut and paste jobs sent to multiple contacts, no attempts to even find a blogger’s name and even worse the writers that do not read a blogger’s review policy. These policies are crucial and will prevent you not only wasting a book blogger’s time but your own. Always read them carefully. Bloggers will be grateful that you did.

I have benefitted greatly from being an author and book blogger. I run a blog with my wife and we have reviews, interviews, guest posts and giveaways which we both find rewarding. You can take note of authors that approach you in a polite manner and who found an opportunity to appear on your blog. Follow the examples of those who were pleasant to you and not those that have shown a complete disregard for a blogger and the chances are you will be warmly received. If for whatever reason a blogger cannot accommodate you, don’t take it personally. Always be gracious regardless of the outcome. The truth is that book bloggers are very busy people and cannot possibly review every book or host every author.

There are many links on how to approach book bloggers in the correct manner but what I will say is always remember that you need the blogger more than they need you. Book bloggers provide a fantastic service to indie authors and deserve our respect. At the end of the day they can make the difference for you when it comes to promoting yourself and your work. Every appearance you make on a book blog involves a sacrifice of the blogger’s time and space. Treat them as well as they have treated you and I’m sure they’ll be happy to have you back in future.