Meet the Member Mike Torreano

Today, Kathie Scrimgeour (aka KJ Scrim), Meet the Member and Sweet Success editor, shares her recent interview with member Mike Torreano.  We’re pleased to share successes and highlight our diverse membership.  Kathie can be reached at  ppwsweetsuccess@gmail.com.

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KJ Scrim: How long have you been writing and what is the genre you prefer to write?
Mike Torreano: I started writing when I retired about six years ago. I seem to be inescapably drawn to mid-to-late 19^th century America. I have two traditional western mysteries out (The Reckoning and in a couple months The Renewal), both set in South Park 1868 and 1872. Also, my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, just brought out The Renewal as an audio book as well.
KJ Scrim: Do you have anything in particular you are working on right now? Tell us a little about it.
M.T.: I’m writing another western, but it’s not the third in the trilogy, it’s set in 1871 New Mexico territory, and my hero travels north during a cattle drive. He has a mysterious background that is slowly revealed as he rides. For a long time he doesn’t even realize someone is hunting him. I’m a pantser, so the rest will come together as I go.
KJ Scrim: On your website, you say that you consumed Zane Grey’s work. Of the vast array of his writing, are there any that stood out for you? Why?
M.T.: Riders of the Purple Sage is probably his most enduring work and contains several story line threads which add complexity and heighten interest as the reader waits to see them all come together. I’ve more or less structured my storylines with the same multiple threads.
KJ Scrim: What other authors influenced your writing?
M.T.: Certainly Louis L’Amour and Larry McMurtry, but also the poet Robert Service and novelist Jack London. My stories seem to be set in the Old West or in the northlands. I tend to gravitate to descriptive, but sparse writers.
KJ Scrim: Writing conferences, workshops, and critique groups are an important part of the new writer's experiences (and more experienced writers too!). How have they helped you?
M.T.: I always come away with a stack of conference notes, but honestly, if I can come away from a conference with one or two good ideas it’s been a success. The trick then is to force myself to apply those ideas in my writing, so those gems don’t just gather dust.
KJ Scrim: Do you attend the events outside PPW’s conference and, if so, which ones are your favorite?
M.T.: I’ve always enjoyed the Write Brain sessions and Open Critiques.
KJ Scrim: Do you have any "self-help for writers" books that you use regularly? How do they help? Please share your list of your top 2 or 3.
M.T.: I would recommend everyone writing historicals use a period reference book or two. They’re available online and will give you a clearer picture of what life was like during a particular time.
I’ve found The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, to be very helpful, along with Donald Maas’ Fire In Fiction.
KJ Scrim: If you met someone who was thinking about starting to write, what advice would you give them?
M.T.: Whether you’re a pantser like me, or a plotter, take time to think in detail about your main characters. Once you know them well, their scenes will likely spill off the page.
The second thing I would recommend is to find a compatible critique group of similar genre if possible. Mine is very valuable in helping polish my manuscripts.
KJ Scrim: Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t discussed?
M.T.: Craft your storylines with care. Pick something you just have to tell so you’ll be able to finish what you start.

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Mike Torreano is a western mystery writer. He joined PPW about six years ago. Mike devoured Zane Grey which sparked a lifelong love of American West of the 19^th century. He has one book published, The Reckoning, with two more in the works, The Renewal, Fireflies at Dusk.  Website: miketorreano.com. Email: mtorr4650@comcast.net

Meet the Member ~ Margena Adams Holmes

Readers, today Contributing Editor Kathie Scrimgeour introduces us to Margena Adams Holmes in her regular Meet the Member post.  You can reach Kathie here.

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Please meet PPW member Margena Adams Holmes. She is an observer of life, and many everyday things could (and do!) end up in her writings. She has written for Examiner.com, Kapost, and the now-defunct Yahoo Contributor Network, where she earned the title of Top 500 Contributor for her story on the Black Forest fires in Colorado. She has been an active volunteer with Pikes Peak Writers since 2016 and favors the monthly Write Brain. 

KJ: How long have you been writing and what genre do you prefer to write?
MARGENA: I have been writing ever since I can remember! I wrote poems in school, and minored in English in college. But I started getting serious about it and working on novels about 18 years ago. I took a little break for a few years to raise my family and just started writing again about 10 years ago. I prefer writing Science Fiction/Space Opera because I can create anything and have my characters go anywhere because it’s my world. I’m a big Star Wars and Harry Potter fan (Yeah, Gryffindor!), so that influences me a lot. I have written a general fiction novel as well.
KJ: Do you have anything in particular you are working on right now? Tell us a little about it.
MARGENA: Right now, I’m working on the second in what I hope will be a trilogy, titled The Elixir Trade, which I’m editing/rewriting at the moment. The first in the series is called The Elixir War. The elixir was discovered a thousand years ago which gives people certain abilities based on the person’s genetic make-up. The antagonists want it so they can have control over their people and take advantage of others. Prince Jory and the Royal Planet Fleet have their work cut out for them in trying to stop that from happening.
KJ: Have you set any goals for your publication date?
MARGENA: I’m shooting for Spring 2018. I’m hoping to get it to an editor by December.
KJ: Do you set daily, weekly, or monthly writing goals? If yes, what are they? What do you do to insure you meet these goals?
MARGENA: I set daily goals of 500 words. That may seem low, but I have a day job as well, and a family. Some days I make that goal easily and then some; other days it’s a struggle. I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo in July. I set my monthly goal for 20,000 words, and I made that with two days to spare! When I’m writing, I pretty much tell everyone to leave me alone! Ha ha! I try to treat it like a job and limit distractions, but sometimes life gets in the way. If the phone is ringing a lot, I bring the phone to my desk, thus ensuring that it WON’T ring anymore! Murphy’s Law and all that.
KJ: You have two books published and one on the way, what important lessons did you learn between writing The End and getting to publication?
MARGENA: I learned to not be hasty. I need to remember to take my time when I edit. I’m using a beta reader for the first time. I never really understood the need for one until I wrote The Elixir Trade. I’m at that stage right now, looking for someone to read it over. I mean, I’ve used my sister to read over my manuscripts, but I need someone who will tell me what’s wrong with it, not “Oh, this is good!”
KJ: With every accepted manuscript there are many rejections, how do you get past the "No's"?  What best advice, or lessons learned, have you gotten from them?
MARGENA: Some No’s are encouraging. I’ve gotten form rejections. You know, “Thanks for letting us consider your story. While it looks intriguing, we’re inundated right now.” But a couple have been encouraging. I sent an article to a national woman’s magazine a few years ago. I got a rejection, saying that they don’t publish works of writers without national experience, and to let them know when I DID have that experience. I was going to start papering my walls with the rejections! After a while, you just get used to the No’s, but you keep going.  Just because someone rejected the story, doesn’t mean they are rejecting YOU. You keep writing to get better. I was happy when self-publishing became a thing, though.
KJ: Do you face road blocks as you write? What do you do when it is winning over writing?
MARGENA: Yes, I do face road blocks. Head, meet desk. If I’m having trouble with my writing, it’s just not working out, I seek help in the writer’s groups I’m in, both on Facebook and Pikes Peak Writers. I’ve met quite a few helpful people through both places. I was having trouble with my book cover for Dear Moviegoer. The cover was printing too dark on Create Space. Could not figure it out. I had heard KL Cooper talk at the mini conference and Friended her on FB. She heard of my plight and took pity on me and designed an awesome cover. Other times, taking a break for a day helps with the road blocks, and things then seem a lot clearer.
KJ: Writing conferences, workshops, and critique groups are an important part of the new writer's experiences (and more experienced writers too!). How have they helped you?
MARGENA: Oh, my gosh! Where to start? When I lived in CA, I went to a couple of writer’s conferences, and just one workshop was so helpful, it was worth the money of the conference. It helps to get a fresh set of eyes on your work at critique groups. I went to the PPWC mini conference this year and took lots of notes. I go to Write Brain every month. I feel I can never learn enough about writing and I always learn something at the conferences, webinars, critiques, etc.
KJ: Do you have any "self-help for writers" books that you use regularly? How do they help?
MARGENA: I do! They are marketing books, because as a self-published author, you have to wear many hats! The Author’s Guide to Selling Books to Non-Bookstores by Kristina Stanley, and Online Marketing for Busy Authors by Fauzia Burke have been very helpful with ideas and strategies to getting my books “out there.” I also want to get Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.
KJ: Does your reading influence your writing? How?
MARGENA: You must be a reader as well as a writer in order to write your stories. When I sent one of my manuscripts to a publisher when I was first starting out, they suggested that I read more in the genre I wanted to write in. I picked up Sandra Brown’s Fat Tuesday. I had read the required books in school like Hamlet and Grapes of Wrath and the Little House books, but those weren’t my writing genres. I loved how the story flowed and I could “see” the action happening in my mind. Reading her books and books like the Harry Potter series have helped me fine-tune my writing. She has been my biggest influence and I got to meet her last year at a book signing in Castle Rock! Scratch that one off the Bucket List!


Margena currently lives in Colorado with her family, where she enjoys hiking, photography, singing, scrapbooking, and couponing. She also loves Star Wars, Star Trek, and going to the Renaissance Festival each year. Although she is in Colorado, she still supports her Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Margena's Website
Margena's Email
Margena on Facebook and Twitter

Meet the Member Maria Melendez Kelson

Today, Kathie Scrimegour, Meet the Member and Sweet Success editor, shares her recent interview with member Maria Melendez Kelson.   We're pleased to share successes and highlight our diverse membership.  Kathie can be reached at  ppwsweetsuccess@gmail.com.

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On Writing In Diverse Genre

KJ Scrim - I read that you are a poet and a mystery writer. Does one help with writing the other? How?
Maria Melendez Kelson - Both poetry writing and mystery writing involve a dance between fulfilling and subverting a reader’s expectations about form and structure.

• Poetry taught me to look for opportunities to use unexpected phrasing, and to appreciate the potential for patterning in the physical sounds of language.
• Fiction teaches me to look for opportunities for unexpected emotions or events, and to appreciate the potential for patterning in symbols and motifs.

Each genre adds to my understanding of the other. I wouldn’t go so far as to say one helps, or doesn’t help, the other. Who knows?

Current Work in Progress

KJ - What are you working on right now?
Maria - I’m writing a contemporary mystery set in the redwood country of northern California. The lead character, Boots Montoya, is a multiracial single mother of an adopted teen son. She’s an education reformer with a lot of do-gooder self-righteousness. But when her son is accused of the murder of an undocumented boy, she becomes a liar, a prowler, and a thief in her struggle to find the real killer and exonerate her kid. Clues lead her deeper into the area’s Spanish-speaking immigrant community, out to the wild Pacific coast, and into the ancient forest backcountry of Humboldt County, where she discovers a clandestine camp for teenaged domestic spies. If she fails to find the threads connecting these worlds, it could cost her son his freedom. When the killer learns Boots has come too near the truth, her search for answers becomes a fight for her very life.

Santa Fe Art Residency

KJ - You were recently selected for a writing residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute. What did you have to do to secure this residency, and what does this mean to you as a writer?
Maria - The Santa Fe Art Institute has a theme each year for what they call their “sponsored residencies.” These are residencies for which the cost of housing is underwritten by sponsors, and residents need only pay for food and personal needs while living on-site.

Apogee Journal, a literary magazine I follow, tweeted out the SFAI call for residency applications, where I learned the theme for the upcoming residency year was “Equal Justice.” I thought—isn’t this a concern of many crime writers? It’s a concept that raises driving questions for the characters I’m writing about.

The application requested a current work sample and a proposal for work to be done at SFAI. So I sent sample chapters from the work-in-progress, and … *gulp* … a brief outline of a “Book 2” with these characters. This felt like a huge leap of faith, since I’m still revising Book 1.
I submitted the application in February of this year. When I found out in July that I’d been selected for a residency, it meant a panel of strangers that included writers, residency staff, and other artists had seen value in what I am doing. This was a significant affirmation, and a handy little oar for (what feels like) my solitary writing raft. I’m not really going a whole lot faster with one oar, but it’s something to hold onto, and I might be able to beat back a shark with it.
The residency itself, I imagine, will be a big fireworks show of inspiration! I’ll be living at the Art Institute for the month of July 2018, which is a month the brilliant SFAI staff have designated for artists who are parents. I’ll have my family with me, and I’ll be living with seven other residents from multiple disciplines and their families. SFAI provides an apartment and a separate studio workspace. I’m so excited to learn about the other artists’ creative processes, and to see what kinds of unpredictable things come of our time with each other. The only thing I’m tasked with doing, as a resident, is my own writing, but residents are encouraged to interact and collaborate if their muses move them to do so.
For writers who are starting to build a record of publication, or for established writers who could benefit from a concentrated period of time in the company of other working writers or artists, applying for residencies is a great way to validate that your work, and the time needed for your work, are things to be taken seriously.

Beating Procrastination

KJ - What do you do when procrastination is winning over writing?
Maria - I’ve gotten better at measuring when I am truly procrastinating and when I am simply living my life. I used to think that ANYTHING I did that wasn’t writing was a way of procrastinating from writing. For this reason, I could feel guilty brushing my teeth, guilty about taking my car in for an oil change. Who can live like that? Now I make a weekly writing schedule at the start of the week, and set the expectation that I’ll be at my desk during those times. When it’s not those times, I consciously let go of guilt or anxiety about whatever it is I might currently be working on. Something that helps me do this is physically putting the work back in a drawer after each session.
When it comes to maintaining focus during a scheduled writing session, I have a couple of tricks: tracking my focused time in 25-minute increments (aka “the Pomodoro method”), leaving the home modem off, and keeping my writing desk generally free of non-writing related stuff.

Conferences, Workshops, Critique Groups

KJ - Writing conferences, workshops, and critique groups are an important part of the new writer's experiences (and more experienced writers too!). How have they helped you?
Maria – Pikes Peak Writers Conference and SleuthFest (a mystery writers’ conference in Florida) have both been great for how-to sessions and for unparalleled opportunities to network with agents and editors.
Although I’ve only attended one or two events in each case, I should also mention that I’ve learned quite a bit from periodic free or low-cost workshops run through Pikes Peak Writers Write Brains, Pikes Peak Writers Critique Group, Romance Writers of America, and Colorado Sisters in Crime. The volunteer person-power that goes into running these public events year-round is staggering, and every one of these organizations’ board members and volunteers deserve a room of their own with unlimited chocolate, coffee, and craft beer in that great writer’s retreat in the sky.
Sisters in Crime runs a wonderful workshop the day before the annual mystery fiction fan-con (aka “Bouchercon”) that I’ve attend a couple of times. It’s for Sisters and Misters!

My local anchor for professional development as a writer has been the Rocky Mountain chapter of Mystery Writers of America. I attended their monthly dinners, where there’s always a generous and free-flowing exchange of information, heartaches, and triumphs. Members range from newbie writers to established bestsellers with 30+ books in print.
Because it’s the largest writers’ conference in North America, the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference is a wonderful place to meet other writers of color from around the country for fellowship and mutual support. In fact, writers of many stripes can find their tribe there. There are panels for and about writers with disabilities, writers who’ve lived abroad, veterans who write, etc. As a poet, I’ve presented at AWP a number of times over the years, and two years ago I put together a panel of women of color who write crime novels. The chance to connect these novelists I admire with potential new readers in the audience was a real high, for me.
As far as critique groups go ... over the last 20+ years I have lived in Wyoming, South Carolina, California, Indiana, Utah, and (now) Colorado. In four of those six states, I’ve participated in critique groups. Some writers do fine without them, and in the two states I lived where I didn’t have a critique group, I still produced a fair amount of work, but I simply enjoy my own process more when I have regular meetings with peers to provide understanding, challenge, and … deadlines!

Go to Books for Writers

KJ - Do you have any "self-help for writers" books that you use regularly? How do they help? Please share your list of your top 2 or 3.
Maria - Around the Writer’s Block, by Roseanne Bane, helps with organizing time and understanding the neurological conditions under which creativity can/can’t flourish.
Plot Whisperer, by Martha Alderson, helps with fictional structure and with seeing a sense of purpose in the highs and lows of the process of writing.
7 Secrets of the Highly Prolific, by Hillary Rettig, helps writers understand and improve their own processes and mindsets.
KJ - What is one (or a few) of the most important lessons you have learned so far?
Maria - Learn to love your process, not someone else’s process. And if learning to love your process is too much to ask, then learn to accept that feeling confident is desirable but not required. Only showing up and working is a must. In the words of an 80s candy bar commercial: “Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don’t.”

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Maria Melendez Kelson is a poet and mystery writer. These very different genres lend a dynamic approach in writing. She has been accepted to a month-long writing residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute beginning in July of 2018.  

Visit Maria Melendez Kelson’s website at: www.mariakelson.com

Email: maria@mariakelson.com 

Twitter @mkelsonauthor

Meet Pikes Peak Writers Member Darby Karchut

   

By: Kathie Scrimgeour

Darby Karchut’s writing career began in 2010 and, today, her debut novel, Griffin Rising (Copper Square Studios, 2014 re-release), has been optioned for film. She has been a member of PPW since 2010 and frequently contributes to Writing from the Peak. Darby has also been spotted around her home riding her bike in blizzards and braving lightning storms while jogging.

A little about your books:

Kathie: You have published 2 books with a new one on the way (Del Toro Moon, Owl Hollow Press). What is one of the biggest lessons you have learned that would be important for a new writer?

Darby: When you are finished with your first book, write another one and another and another. Repeat until you die.

Kathie: Your YA debut novel, Griffin Rising (Copper Square Studios, 2014 re-release) has been optioned for film. How did this exciting step come about?

Darby: A local teen residency had used my series as part of their reading program. They invited me to come spend a morning with the students. In the audience was Geoff Stults, a TV/movie actor from California. His mom was one of the administrators of the residency, and he was in town visiting. He and producer, Carmella Casinelli (Bonne Aire Productions) called me a few weeks later and offered to option the series. Carmella is currently pitching the books to various studios. This is a long process and it may take years or nothing at all may come of it. That’s okay – it’s just fun to be in the game.

  

Kathie: Do you have a favorite among your publications? Why?

Darby: Del Toro Moon. And, no, not because it’s my latest book, but because it’s the book of my heart.

All about Writing:

Kathie: Do you set daily, weekly, or monthly writing goals? If yes, what are they? What do you do to insure you meet these goals?

Darby: I try to write every day, even if it’s only a few thousand words, a couple of pages, or even just scene, plodding along like a mule. I treat my writing career as a business, and in business, you have to produce. Better to write badly than to write nothing at all. You can fix bad writing; you cannot fix a blank page.

Kathie: With all your successful publications, I am sure you also wade through the rejections. Do you have any fun ways you deal with rejection (i.e. wallpaper closets with the rejects)? Do rejections help you be a better writer? If so, how?

Darby: Honestly, rejections don’t bother me all that much because I know it is part of the journey. If I have a strong manuscript, then it’s simply a number’s game. This industry is incredibly subjective, so keep querying.  

Kathie: Rejection letters are one end of the spectrum in writing, the other end could be called success. What does success mean to you? Does success scare you or motivate you?

Darby: Success means I am always improving. I owe that to the children and teens who pick up my books, and hopefully, enjoy them enough to read other books, not just mine. Because children and teens who read become adults who think and feel. Also, over the past three years, I’ve focused on creating stories with diverse characters. Like so many middle grade and YA authors, this is something I’m passionate about—that books are both “mirrors and windows.” That’s why I’m so excited about Del Toro Moon.

Writing Conferences and Reading:

Kathie: Writing conferences, workshops, and critique groups are an important part of all writer’s growth. What have been a few of your favorite experiences?

Darby: Critique groups are not my thing. When I first started, I had a beta reader whom I trusted, and she was amazing, but I outgrew her. I believe art is not created by committee, and writers need to move to a place where they can self-critique. That said, I enjoy workshops and writer conferences, and try to attend them when possible. I always pick up useful tools, but more importantly, it’s a lovely chance to spend time with my tribe.

Kathie: Do you have any "self-help for writers" books that you use regularly? Please share your list of your top 2 or 3.

Darby: Well, Stephen King’s On Writing is my favorite. Actually, it’s the only one I’ve read.

Kathie: Does your reading influence your writing? How?

Darby: I call it Karchut University. I like to learn a new skill by examining how others do it. Centuries ago, painters and sculptors would learn their craft by copying the masters in museums. I do the same thing by reading favorite authors and figuring out how they solve various problems. I read all the time; sometimes I read to learn and sometimes I read for pleasure. When I visit schools, I tell the students that when I was growing up, I devoured books, gorging myself on the written word, until one day, I threw up my own book. There’s a famous quote from Pam Allyn: “Reading is like breathing in; writing is like breathing out.”

Kathie: If you met someone who was thinking about starting to write, what advice would you give them?

Darby: Read a billion books in the genre you wish to write. Then, write. Nothing will teach you about writing a book more than writing a book.

Thank you, Kathie, for talking with me about books and writing, and for asking such great questions. Writery folks are the best folks. People, if you have questions, fire away.

Website: www.darbykarchut.com

Email: darbykarchut@gmail.com

Social media pages

Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/darby.karchut

Twitter       https://twitter.com/DarbyKarchut

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4558016.Darby_Karchut

Are you a member of Pikes Peak Writers and interested in being interviewed? Contact Kathie Scrimgeour at kjscrimwriter@gmail.com 

Meet PPW Member Patrick Hester

Today we take a quick peek into Patrick Hester’s busy universe. He is not only a writer, but an avid reader, and a teacher as well.

KATHIE SCRIMGEOUR:  What is a book that you read that you couldn’t put down, and why? What is a book that you will reread more than once?

PATRICK HESTER: Most recently, any of the Miles Vorkosigan books from Lois McMaster Bujold. Once I got into them, I fell hard and couldn’t stop until I’d read them all. Bujold is a master of storytelling and great characters and worldbuilding.

The Lord of the Rings or Robert Jordan’s Eye of the World are books I have read and reread multiple times. Both are cherished by me and for very different reasons. Tolkein is who most fantasy authors look to as foundational and a deep influence, kinda like how bands in the 70’s would say The Beatles inspired and influenced them. I was introduced to Tolkein at a young age and was blown away by the world and characters he created.

Jordan did the same, but on such a scale! His Wheel of Time series is massive and dense, full of mythology and worldbuilding, and characters! Oh, I love the characters. When a new book was coming out, I would reread the entire series (think about that for a second, cuz there are 14 of them plus a prequel!) Now that it’s finished, I reread just the first book – Eye of the World – when I can, or when I need a reminder of the kind of author I aspire to be.

KATHIE SCRIMGEOUR: What author inspired you to write?

PATRICK HESTER: As mentioned above, Jordan and Tolkein were both huge influences on me. I’ll add to that all of the Star Trek novels published in the 70’s and 80’s by great authors like Diane Duane, D.C. Fontana, Peter David and Vonda McIntyre.

More recently, I’ve been inspired by Jim Butcher, Gail Carriger, Lois McMaster Bujold, Brandon Sanderson and James SA Corey, all of whom approach writing and storytelling in different ways.

KATHIE SCRIMGEOUR:  You teach workshops on Scrivener, and many writers are unfamiliar with this powerful program. If it is possible, can you tell us why this is a “must use” program for writers? How will it help them be better writers?

PATRICK HESTER: The first thing I always tell people is this: Scrivener is not Word. Word is a word processing software that has been enhanced by its developers to offer bells and whistles specifically for people working in offices. Need to send a fax? You can do that from Word. Want a simple brochure? Word has one. So on and etc.

Scrivener is project management for writers that includes, as part of a powerful suite of tools, a word processor.

If you want to write out of order as ideas come to you for chapter 36, Scrivener makes it easy to do that. Word, you basically need separate docs for each chapter to do that. Want to outline your novel and have that outline visible as you work on each chapter? In Word, you have to have multiple docs open, totally doable. In Scrivener, you split your screen and have your outline on the right, manuscript on the left. You can also have all your research, character descriptions, notes, etc.

Scrivener is designed to make it easier for you to draft your manuscript quickly and in the way that makes the most sense to you and how you write.

KATHIE SCRIMGEOUR:  How can people find out about your upcoming classes?

PATRICK HESTER: Usually my website, www.atfmb.com but I can clue your readers in right now to my next class – it’ll be at the 2017 Pikes Peak Writers Conference as part of the Thursday Prequel on April 27th. You can actually take only the Thursday Prequel if you like, and pair my half-day afternoon workshop with one of our awesome morning classes. For information about cost, visit PikesPeakWriters.com.

KATHIE SCRIMGEOUR: What are you are working on right now? Tell us a little about it.

PATRICK HESTER: I’ve had a space opera percolating for a couple years now – I’ve described it as the hunt for Red October in space. I’ve written, rewritten and shredded it a few times. The most recent draft takes it down from five point of view characters to two. This has allowed me to focus much more on those two characters and the world I’m building, which takes place just a couple hundred years in the future. Humans have discovered space travel and have taken the first steps out into the galaxy only to find they’re still alone. They’ve colonized worlds and gotten into a routine of exploration and exploitation of resources. The same petty political issues we see now still exist, just on a broader scale between not only countries, but country-sized corporations and independent colony planets. When a new technology is discovered and deployed by one country, it threatens to incite a war like we have never seen before – a space based war. Everything is riding on a naval intelligence officer, and a gateship captain, neither of whom are aware of just how much is riding on them or what will happen if they fail.

Patrick Hester is an author, blogger and two-time Hugo Award Winner. He lives in Colorado, writes science fiction and fantasy, and can usually be found hanging out on his Twitter feed - @atfmb. His novel, SAMANTHA KANE: INTO THE FIRE is available at all major retailers. His short fiction can be found in the anthologies Space Battles: Full-Throttle Space Tales #6 and An Uncommon Collection, as well as the eBooks Conversations with my Cat, Witchcraft & Satyrs, Consumption, Cahill's Homecoming and Cahill's Unfinished Business. His Functional Nerds and SF Signal weekly podcasts have both been nominated for Parsec awards, and the SF Signal podcast was nominated for a 2012, 2013, and 2014 Hugo Award. His Scrivener Quick Tips articles exploded on social media and the web in 2012, and he’s been teaching writers how to use the software ever since.

Meet PIkes Peak Writers Member Barbara Nickless

By: Kathie Scrimgeour

Barbara Nickless, author and PPW member, talks with us about going to the museum, her

upcoming thriller, along with the class she will be teaching at PPWC 2017.

Kathie: I saw on your website that you were “…made in Japan, born in Guam.” It sounds that, from birth, you have traveled the world over. Is there any one place you that has influenced you the most creatively? How?

Barbara: Much of my traveling happened when I was young (Air Force brat). But as an adult, I have to say one of the greatest pleasures of travel is visiting museums. There is always something new to discover, an idea to be had. It’s hard to argue with the Guggenheim or the Musée du Louvre. But we are fortunate to have the incredible Denver Museum of Nature and Science in our own backyard. I love their traveling exhibits and enjoy attending the lectures—it’s a chance to learn something new, and a great opportunity to talk to an expert.

Kathie: What are you are working on right now? Tell us a little about it.

Barbara: I’m in the middle of developmental edits on the second book in my Sydney Parnell mystery/thriller series. Sydney and her K9 partner Clyde return, along with Denver homicide detective Michael Cohen. They’re joined by FBI agent Mac McConnell as they work to track down a violent killer and save a little girl before time runs out. DEAD STOP comes out October 3, 2017.

Kathie: What is one (or a few) of the most important lessons you have learned as a writer?

Barbara: I think the single most important thing you should do as a writer is ask yourself if you feel fulfilled when you’re working. Writing is a tough job, and if it doesn’t bring you joy, there are easier and more efficient ways to make money.

Also, remember that each of us is on our own path. And trust that path! Comparing ourselves to others, whether it’s our writing style or where we are on the journey, is a losing game.

Kathie: You will be facilitating a workshop at the Pikes Peak Writer’s conference. Please fill us in with the details.

Barbara: I’ll be talking about dialogue! Well written dialogue is one of the best ways to reveal character and enhance the plot. What your characters say and how they say it provides all kinds of fascinating information about them while also moving the story forward. I’m excited about the workshop and I’m especially excited to meet people at the conference.

Kathie: On a personal note, what is the craziest thing that has happened to you?

Barbara: All of us have crazy stories, right? I’d say one of the most bizarre things I’ve experienced was losing my home in a wildfire. A sudden catastrophe forces you to reevaluate your place in the world and your sense of security. But some wonderful things came out of the ashes of that fire, and one of the best was learning what an incredible community we have in Pikes Peak Writers. PPW members took us in, got us back on our feet and proved to be life-long friends. I love you guys!

Barbara Nickless can be found at:

http://www.barbaranickless.com/

Her book, Blood on the Tracks (Sydney Rose Parnell Series Book 1), is available on Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, other online retailers, or at your local bookstore.

Are you a member of Pikes Peak Writers and interested in being interviewed? Contact Kathie Scrimgeour at kjscrimwriter@gmail.com 

Leap into Writing 2017

By:  Kathie Scrimgeour

The days are short and the nights are long right now, and if you live in cold weather country every day is perfect for sitting with cocoa and a blanket by the fire dreaming of warm summers by the lake.

SCREECH! Hold up there!!

Not this year!

You will not hide from the cold under a blanket. I can see your nose peeking out from under the covers, and your eyes do seem a bit blurry, but it’s time to shake off the holiday hangover and Leap into Writing! Grab your cocoa/tea/coffee and head over to your desk. 

Join PPW and writers across the country for a month of writing starting February 1^st.

Leap into Writing is all about writing. Each day of the month. It is your choice what you write, and how much, but it must be every day. Are you plotting a new novel? Then you must plot every day. Are you shopping a completed screenplay? Daily submissions are the rule in this game. Flash Fiction? Poetry? Short Stories? Whatever your choice of writing goal, make sure you do it every day. You write every day already? Then make this a challenge month for yourself. Write outside of your normal genre, produce twice as many words, or be an accountability partner to a fellow writer who may need that daily nudge to get through the Leap. Find a challenge and do it every day of February.

2016 was a huge success. There were over 50 participants including PPW President, J.T. Evans, who commented, “I really liked the constant encouragement and feedback from you on this front. Getting the cheers and support from everyone else participating really helped as well. I had many things pulling me in different directions [last year], but I still managed to get a couple of short stories written. These are two stories that wouldn't have otherwise existed.”

Wednesday Word Wars are back! Everyone had to jump in on these fun weekly writing challenges. One participant said, “While I’m normally a highly productive writer, Wednesday Word Wars were a great motivating tool for me. I definitely felt pushed to choose to put my fingers to the keys over doing anything else that day.”

Daily inspirations and writing prompts will get even the laziest writer at their keyboard. Here are just a few from last year:

·       Write a paragraph, flash fiction, or a short-short story using these 8 words:
leap, jump, fly, year, day, crazy, fun, write.

·       Writing Prompt: Pick a pun and write something.

·       Today is the new year; the year of the Fire Monkey. The Fire Monkey brings vast changes and passion. It only comes around once every 60 years. Dedicate your writing to the Monkey....the Fire Monkey. (Strut your stuff in 2017; it’s the year of the Rooster).

We will gather on Facebook and write from 12:00 am on February 1, 2017 through 12:00 am on February 28. Headquarters for this challenge can be found at Facebook.  [If you are not on FB please email me (kjscrim @ gmail.com) and I will add you to an email blast.] All writers at any level (novice to professional) are welcome. Wrap your blanket around your neck like a superhero and LEAP INTO WRITING!

Each day inspiration, planning, and plotting. Leap into Writing starts February 1^st.

About the Author: Kathie Scrimgeour writes under the name K.J. Scrim and has been a member of Pikes Peak Writers since 2013. She has volunteered at the last two PPW conferences and coordinates the Sweet Success column. Kathie is a self-taught writer who delves into fantasy, fiction, and historical fiction. Her debut fantasy novel,The Manx, is scheduled to release later in 2017. She lives outside of Denver with her family, two dogs, and a crazy cat.

Meet Pikes Peak Writers Member J.T. Evans

Today on Meet the Member, I'm bringing you an interview from Pikes Peak Writers President, J.T. Evans. We all know J.T. in his leadership capacity, but what do we really know about his writing career? Let's find out!

Kathie Scrimgeour:  How long have you been writing and what genre do you prefer to write?

J.T. Evans:  I’ve been writing on and off since I was 10 years old. I got serious about my writing efforts in 2006 and haven’t stopped since then. I prefer to write fantasy, urban fantasy, horror, and science fiction.

Kathie Scrimgeour: Do you have anything in particular you are working on right now? Tell us a little about it.

J.T. Evans:  I just finished up edits on two novels and am editing a third. For the actual writing part of things, I’m about to launch into sword & sorcery-style fantasy involving two reluctant vagabonds saving their neighborhood from a dangerous gang that is preying upon the children of the area under the direction of a secret cult.

Kathie Scrimgeour: Have you set any goals for your publication date?

J.T. Evans:  For the two novels that I just finished edits on, I’m hoping one comes out spring of 2017 (Griffin’s Feather – Urban Fantasy) followed by early fall of 2017 (Warmaiden – Fantasy) for the other. I don’t have a date for the book I’m about to write as I’m just now getting into it.

Kathie Scrimgeour: Do you set daily, weekly, or monthly writing goals? If yes, what are they? What do you do to ensure you meet these goals?

J.T. Evans: I used to set word count goals for myself, but if I missed even one day (or week) of hitting the goal, I’d get discouraged and I found that my productivity would go down. Some people thrive on word count goals, but I’ve discovered I’m not one of them. I don’t write every day, but I try to do something creative each day. When I seriously get into writing a novel, I can usually do 3,000 to 4,000 words each day, which makes me incredibly happy. I sometimes will burn a vacation day from the Day Job to sit down and try to hit 10,000 words (or more!) in a day.

Kathie Scrimgeour:  If you have a completed manuscript/story/poem/flash have you submitted it yet? What have the results been? How do you get past the "No's"? What do your reject letters say? What best advice, or lessons learned, have you gotten from them?

J.T. Evans:  As I’ve mentioned, I have a fantasy novel under contract and a separate urban fantasy under contract as well. Both are with different publishing houses. The fantasy received over 140 rejections before I found a home for it. The urban fantasy landed almost 90 rejections before someone loved it as much as I do. Writing a novel is the easy part of this career. Handling the rejections is the hardest part, but it’s necessary to find the right home. I want a publisher to love my stories as much as I do. Many form rejection letters mention something along the lines of “reading is subjective, so my rejection doesn’t mean your work is of low quality,” and these words are very true. I’m very certain that my favorite book of all time won’t line up with someone else’s tastes. That’s perfectly okay because it takes a wide variety of people in this world to keep life interesting.

Kathie Scrimgeour:  What does success mean to you?

J.T. Evans:  There are different levels of this. Finishing a story is one success. Selling it is another. Making a living from writing is yet another one. For me, the validation of selling a story is success for me. This means that someone else out there in the world agrees with me that the words I’ve produced are worthy of editing and publication.

Kathie Scrimgeour:  Does success scare you or motivate you?

J.T. Evans:  100% motivation for me. I’ve always been driven to excel and improve. Success is just an indicator of that drive.

Kathie Scrimgeour: What do you do when procrastination is winning over writing?

J.T. Evans:  I have to be honest here. I’ve rarely have this problem. When I realize that I’ve spent the last 10 minutes on Facebook, I shake my head at myself, close the browser tab, and flip back to my writing project. Most of my procrastination efforts have been very minor. Usually it’s a case of I need to step away from the work and let my subconscious mull things over for a few minutes.

Kathie Scrimgeour: Writing conferences, workshops, and critique groups are an important part of the new writer's experiences (and more experienced writers too!). How have they helped you?

J.T. Evans:  Without the support group that I’ve found through my past critique group, my current critique group, Pikes Peak Writers, and others, I would not be writing today. My list of concrete items of how I’ve been helped would go on for pages, but the number one thing they’ve done for me is to support me and hold me up when my own self-doubts clouded my mind.

Kathie Scrimgeour: Do you attend the events and, if so, which ones are your favorites?

J.T. Evans:  I attend as many Write Brains and Writers’ Nights as I can get my hands on. I usually only attend the Open Critique when I’m a guest critiquer. I don’t want to take one of the eight slots from someone else because I already have a regular critique group. As I’ve already mentioned, the “Tools in the Toolbox” Write Brain has a warm spot in my heart because of the quality of the presentation.

Kathie Scrimgeour: Do you have any "self-help for writers" books that you use regularly? How do they help? Please share your list of your top 2 or 3.

J.T. Evans:  I have dozens of them. I used to have almost 100, but I’ve donated, gifted, or given away many of them that I won’t get further use from. My top ones are:

1.    On Writing – Steven King

2.    Dialogue – Gloria Kempton

3.    39 Most Common Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) – Jack Bickham

Kathie Scrimgeour:  Does your reading influence your writing? How?

J.T. Evans:  I’m sure it does, but I can’t put my finger on it. I don’t write fan-fic, and I certainly don’t intentionally “steal ideas,” but I’m certain my concepts of what makes a good story is influenced by what I read.

Kathie Scrimgeour:  If you met someone who was thinking about starting to write, what advice would you give them?

J.T. Evans:  Don’t quit. Follow your passion. You can’t “find time.” You have to make time to do the things you love.

Kathie Scrimgeour: What is one (or a few) of the most important lessons you have learned so far?

J.T. Evans:  Be nice. It goes a long ways in all relationships. I’ve had doors opened for me that would normally be closed off because I was nice to someone.

Kathie Scrimgeour: What expertise in your background do you draw on in your writing? (e.g. were you a photographer, chef, court reporter, FBI agent?)

J.T. Evans:  My martial arts background (armed and unarmed) has served me very well in writing the multitude of fight scenes that I throw into my stories.

J.T. is all over the internet...check it out! 

Website: http://jtevans.net/

Email: jt@jtevans.net

Social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtevans.writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jtevans

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jtevanswriter/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3519020.J_T_Evans

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J.-T.-Evans/e/B00AG3TR6O

Interested in being interviewed by Kathie Scrimgeour for Meet the Member? Contact her at kjscrimwriter@gmail.com 

About the Author: Kathie Scrimgeour writes under the name K.J. Scrim and has been a member of Pikes Peak Writers since 2013. She has volunteered at the last two PPW conferences and coordinates the Sweet Success column. Kathie is a self-taught writer who delves into fantasy, fiction, and historical fiction. Her debut fantasy novel,The Manx, is scheduled to release later in 2017. She lives outside of Denver with her family, two dogs, and a crazy cat.