Glenda Fralin Interviews Me. :-)

Ever wondered what I'm like? (You do? Wow! I'm so flattered! You should ask me questions some time. I'm easy to ask. ;-) )

 Well, fellow Nebraskan and writer Glenda Fralin went ahead and asked me questions; for an author interview posted to her blog. She has interviewed many authors, and there's lots of interesting people to read about over there, if you'd like to take a look.

 Anyway, here's how it turned out.

 I'll let Glenda tell it...

"Author Elizabeth Kaiser Interview"

Elizabeth, author of Jeweler’s Apprentice, joined the Nebraska Writer’s Guild last year. She’s already working on a sequel to the timeless fantasy about a sixteen year old girl whose curiosity makes her stumble upon a secret the King can’t allow to be revealed. Sent to a mountain jeweler as an apprentice, life becomes no less fraught with adventure and intrigue as she learns the trade of crafting jewelry.

Elizabeth is an intriguing person. As I read through her blog, I discovered many facets make up this beautiful gem that is the woman behind the author. I will let her explain to you how her life story lends to her mindset of fantasy.

Elizabeth, you have an eclectic interest in preferred reading. However, you’re first book is a young adult fantasy which incorporates some of your hobbies such as intricate jewelry. Tell the readers the story you related to me about your family and life on the farm.

 I'm third in my family with an older sister and brother.  I'm 28, and Abigail is my youngest sister, and best friend. She and I manage a small herd of dairy goats, (registered Alpines, their site is here.) and share so many other interests that we make a great team no matter what we're doing, whether it’s quilting, designing and sewing our own clothes, painting, drawing, or obedience training the dogs.  Although she isn't interested in writing, she loves stories, so she's my best "writing buddy" and we brainstorm on plots, characters, clichés and all things writing! She's a nit-picky perfectionist, and my first reader, so she drives me to do more and be better!

   My parents, three siblings and I live and work on the farm.  Our family business includes training, marketing and selling horses. Our operation has been blessed to have gained a really solid reputation over the years we've been in business, and buyers from all over the country bid some high money for a horse from  Double K Ranch. Abi and our oldest sister work full time in the horse area,  first training, conditioning for months, then photographing & videoing, and then making the sales. A web presence is a big part of making this successful, and I take care of a lot on that end of things.

 Dad has been quite ill to varying degrees for basically his whole life. Living a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced, natural diet have always been a big part of our lives. We produce approximately 99% of our own vegetables and our own dairy products. We raise & butcher our own meat, can, dry, and freeze much like farm families did in the first part of the last century. This keeps the schedule very full, and there's always something next to try and add!

Mom has been into growing and using herbs for as long as I can remember, and so I am a neophyte compared to her experience! This has given me a lot of exposure. I value the knowledge I have gotten secondhand, and do try to keep picking things up as we go. Remembering all of it is the challenge! But that's one of the great things about writing, doing the research is so fascinating!

Since I like to write in pre-modern or fantasy settings; I like to slip little nuggets of fact in on the storyline. This is especially useful in the herb section, since they were so important to health care prior to very recent centuries.  

 
Abi and I are involved with the Nebraska Dairy Goat Association and I have done the cover art for its monthly newsletter for about three years now, and somewhere in there became the S.W. Director for the club. Having a monthly deadline has insisted that I focus on my drawing periodically, and I'm not able to "let it slide" like life has a tendency of doing! Lately I've been encouraging Abigail to help me out a little with a few drawings, and she did one last week that is really fantastic. Being a perfectionist, she has a tendency to hang back until she's sure she can do it perfectly. When she took the plunge and got it as far as she could, then I was able to give her a few pointers, and she was really pleased with the result. I'm so happy about this, because now her confidence is boosted and she can be bolder about tackling her art on the next ! Her pencil still life, "Cheese Plate," will be appearing on a future cover, and I'm going to keep her going on this track! 

I've really been grateful for the support she's often given me on my endeavors, and I definitely try to pay that back.

How did that influence Jeweler’s Apprentice?

We always lived out in remote areas, and so we kids grew up exploring whatever new woods we had moved next to and learning to get along with horses, cows, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, chickens, and lately turkeys. I was more the "nose in a book" type, but my siblings were my peer group, so I did what they did a lot of the time. And the older two could get kind of wild, especially with horses.

So I count myself blessed with a good understanding of how things were before industrialization, which sets me up to write about faraway lands in long ago times. I've always been a lover of fairy-tales, so oftentimes a serving of that gets stirred in to the mix.

Many people have commented that the setting of Jeweler's Apprentice feels very "real", as if it was history that actually happened somewhere. I love that compliment and credit my unique childhood for much of that.

I understand that besides the family business, you have an interest in art, along with your sister Abigail who helps critique your writing. In your book Jeweler’s Apprentice your protagonist, Fia, has a younger sister Eilma. How much is Eilma like your younger sister Abigail?

Eilma definitely shares a lot of traits with Abigail, certainly being about the same span of years younger than Fia, and blonde/blue eyed, sweet and caring, quiet and thoughtful. Eilma differs in that she is more precocious as a youngster than Abi was, so in that way Eilma is borrowing traits from an older Abi and maybe some from a younger me. Abi was a picture perfect child, whereas I had a certain sense of curiosity and mild boldness. 

I do have to say that I'm very fond of Eilma, and was sad when the story required leaving her so soon! I hope to write her story as well someday. 

Elizabeth, you joined the Nebraska Writer’s Guild sometime last year and attended the fall conference. I’ve had such wonderful experiences with the other members of the guild. I noticed in your acknowledgments of Jeweler’s Apprentice several of the guild members are mentioned. Explain just how being a member of such an organization has advanced your writing career.

I joined NWG just before the Fall Conference 2011, and so I haven't been around in the group a whole long time. I went up to Ainsworth with two lovely ladies from my area. They were such great company.  It was my first time at a writing conference of any kind, and having made two new friends right beforehand was so nice!

I had an all-around great time at the Conference, and the part I liked best was networking with all the nice fellow writers! Everyone was so open and friendly, and it was a blast to talk with people who were all thinking along the same lines; improving craft, gaining new social media/marketing skills, and the whole publishing animal! 

After coming home I felt empowered enough to get my manuscript seriously edited, and then put out there as an e-book. This has been a huge turning point in my writing career. I've received some excellent feedback and gained fans; all of which has been like high octane fuel to my writing aspirations. It's catapulted me into a Writer instead of a hobbyist. Now I feel pressured to turn out a good manuscript within a certain time frame; always trying for each to be successively better than the last.

 So I'd say that joining the NWG was a major "plot point" in my story as writer. And I'd suggest any writer-hopeful to find a writer's group near them to get in with. Having fellow writers/storytellers there's so much information to be shared and so much encouragement to be shared as well.

Of course, a lot can be found on the internet, so folks just need to reach out and get in contact with people who share goals with them! 

Some people have commented on the depth of emotion; sorrow and anger, shown in some pieces of your writing. It's not what they expect when first meeting you. What has influenced this?

 I've had a unique life in many ways; including sadness. Dealing with severe illnesses within my immediate family... anyone who's been in that position knows it can go on forever and drive everybody to the breaking point. The repeated, unexpected losses of extended family who were very special to me, those are sorrows that don't go away. We loose things; that are, were or might have been... and it breaks our hearts.

  It all serves to show that life is precious. We are held together by a thread, and sometimes... it severs.  In all lives, things are irrevocably changed, and there's no going back.

 We deal with it. The process of grieving comes in many stages, and, as writers, I definitely think the darker days of life are the ones that we're kind of afraid to allow out into our writing. But when I have taken that chance and let it manifest, the release from within was so freeing. Writing is great therapy!

  Then I built up the courage to share with others, I was humbled by the intensity of their reactions to the honesty of the piece. It was amazing to see how it resonated with them on different levels; and it really showed me that we're not alone in feeling sorrow, anger, or fear, anymore than we are when we feel joy, hope and love.

 It's easy to think that no one understands the depth of pain, but the fact is we tend to hide our hurts behind smiles. Smiles are so important! But healing is important too, and believing the universal connections we all share is liberating in a deeply powerful way.

 I don't focus on the sad things. Happiness is a better place to live. But pathos gives our stories, and our lives, depth and layered meanings. I think recognizing this as something good is vital.

  As a member of the Nebraska Writer’s Guild and a fellow author, I’d like to thank the Kaiser family for moving to Nebraska. Elizabeth works hard with her family and we can expect that she will continue to put as much care and effort into her writing. With Jeweler’s Apprentice available here for Kindle and the promise of more books to come, I expect much from Elizabeth Kaiser.

Elizabeth, I’m looking forward to whatever you and Abigail put your heads together on next. I’ll buy it."

 Awww! That is so sweet, Glenda!

 Thank-you so much for your great interviewing style and the time and effort you put into this! I liked your questions, they were fun to answer!
 And special thanks for your encouraging words!

  

 (And, just a note: Glenda's post had one reader comment already, one that was pretty flattering, so I'm excited enough to tack it on here. :-) )

 Comment: "What a fascinating interview! I hope I have the chance to meet you someday, Elizabeth. I am thoroughly intrigued. The experience and knowledge you’ve gained in your lifetime is just amazing. Where can I find your book?" Niecey Roy

I replied: "Niecey Roy! Thanks so much for your kind words! Now I hope we meet someday, too! I do know a little about you, through the Guild… so we’ll see! Thanks so much for your encouragement, as well! (You know we writers can be needy folk. )

 Jeweler’s Apprentice is available online only through Amazon. I’ve considered putting it on Smashwords, but haven’t gotten to that yet. 

What do you writers think? Is that a big niche I’m missing, or something little-ish?
Thanks for your advice!"

 So, what do you think? 

 (On any of the above. Take your pick. ;-) )

Ships and Sails and faraway Seas...

Okay... who loves sailing ships?
 Can we see a show of hands?

 Right. That question should be "Who doesn't love sailing ships?" and I bet we wouldn't get any hands.

 Those things are just majestic and awe inspiring in ways that no other thing can touch.

 But very few of us know much about them.

 So? Got ships on your mind?
 Go learn!

 I just found a right nifty brace of websites devoted to helping you do just that. (Using the term "brace" loosely. ;-) )

There is a Treasure Trove of info at the Pirate King!

including Ship Types; super, super interesting.

An Illustrated Guide to nautical knots.

Weapons. Ooooooo! Nice.

How to talk like a seafarer, so you can fake it right. 

  And a Seafaring Primer, so you can bone up on all your terms, and use them correctly.

Colombian training ship ARC Gloria at sunset in Cartagena, Colombia

For your nautical definitions go here to this site.

And of course, there's always Wikipedia, for a general overview and a short list of ship types. As well as this gorgeous photo!
<- - -

 It's like I said.

 So majestic.

So, have you ever written a story with ships in it? Did you get your details right?

Pixar Rules of Story?

 Hey! Have you seen these?

22 Rules of Pixar Storytelling

 I hadn't, 'til now.

 What do you think of them?

 I'm kind of tickled, myself! There's a lot to think on here, and plenty to take away back to our 'dens' to mess with and figure out how to work them into our writing.
 I like #1. It's very true.

 #2 is also good, though hard to keep in mind.

#3, is kind of... ouch! That hurts.
 But is probably true.

 Well, they're all pretty good.

 Which are your favorites?
 Tell me!

Research: Period Costume Links

Words, Words, Words

 Sometimes I run out of words. Yes, I know... how horrible! For a word-smith like myself, some might not believe it possible.
  But there are times when I know exactly what I want to say... but haven't a clue how to say it. The Word escapes me... sometimes because I simply don't know it.
 Especially when writing about period things.
 What do you call that thing that the chatelaine keeps at her waist with her keys on it? Not a "key chain" surely. That's way too modern.

 All Those Beautiful Nouns

 Well, fortunately there are a lot of folks out there using all sorts of old fashioned words, and in conjunction with the old fashioned things they go with. So if you're stuck on how to describe your heroine's outfit, take a look at some of these links.

Good, Quick, Cheap This has a lot of really interesting details for anyone researching period clothing (or making their own.) Bustles, corded petticoats, there are great detailed photos and construction quips. And what does a "bodkin" do? Well, read this!

Check out the work of costumer Sarah at Sarah Beata's Gallery. Pretty impressive! Sarah also does some theater costuming; which I imagine is a really fun, if quite challenging, task.

If anybody is in need of some clues on how to clothe their 30's/40's/50's heroines, they can just take a stroll through We Sew Retro and come away with all sorts of sweet ideas. These are real people sewing real vintage patterns, (though they are sometimes "inspired by", too.)

And that "key keeping thing"? Turns out its called a chatelaine.
  Who knew?

Q&A: How did you come up with the name Fia?

[ Here we introduce a series of questions I've received or heard, and my responses. I hope this can serve as conversation starters, 'cause I want to hear what the rest of you think of these questions, too. Am I bonkers? (You don't have to answer that directly.) Just tell me what you think and let the readers deduce for themselves. ;-) ]

First question:

  Q: How did you come up with the name Fia? :)

  A: I can't really say how I come up with any of my names. I try to keep them short, and easy; so sometimes I'll pick a letter and experiment with attaching syllables... see how it sounds. Other times a name will pop up out of the blue; and other times I'll get a great name, and realize later that it's a version or a twist of some other name from somewhere else.
  With Fia, I think it sort of came out whole, and in a longer version; that was a close imitation of a name from a rather famous work. At first I was going to have a shortened form, to flip from long to short in a sort of formal/informal manner.
  After a while, we decided to leave it short, instead.
 Sometimes simple is best.

  I love names! I can't help it.
 How do you like to come up with names? Are there certain tricks that work well for you?
 Share your tips!

Heads Up: GiveAway by Sarah Scheele and Homeschool Authors blog

Hey!
 Texan and author Sarah Scheele is being hosted on the Homeschool Authors blog, and giving away a copy of her Facets of Fantasy book, a collection of stories.

 I had the privilege of winning this very book in an earlier giveaway, and I think you'd enjoy it if you get the chance! She's done a really nice job with it... (right now it's sitting on my sister's bedside stand; I finished it and handed it over to her! ;-)  )

 Of course, there are lots of author giveaways that go on periodically at Homeschool Authors, so if you like free reads, subscribe and stay up to date!

 And it's always fun to check out the author interviews, and see what makes them tick! There's nothing like a peek inside a creative brain. It can get crazy in there!
 
 Have fun!
 Elizabeth

Dreams of Inspiration?

Well, FB is one of those things that Writer's Digest keeps saying every writer should have, so dutiful me, I have one.
 (You all knew this, I'm sure.)

 Anyway, like every writer out there says, it is a huge time warp, as in, "Where did that time go? I was only on here a second!"

 A lot of times I find it rather boring, as people I don't know talk to people I barely, kinda know, and post pictures for people I've never met. (Though interesting, in a mild way.)

 Other times, they post LOL Cats, which leave me laughing insanely over the keyboard, and get me strange looks from those around me.

 And other times, writerly minds connect to form sparkly links that fizz with electricity over the fragile strands of the interwebs, and new and super-fun discussions take place. Even if they're just a rapid fire few moments in the comments.

I love it when this happens. 
 Absolutely LOVE IT!

 Hannah S. recently reported having a weird dream, complete with protagonist, concerning mannikins that weren't as static as they usually seem; and I thought, "Wow! I love it when that happens to me!"
 (I also think she should slap that plot line down  pronto before it slips away!)

 This got me thinking about dreams; their nearness to (and differences from) our daydreams, and where we go when we read a good book that carries us away.

 So I commented to Hannah:
 "I think a lot of folks have indeed used dreams as their inspiration. You could get at least a short story out of this one! I once had a really vivid, heart pounding sci-fi dream, I woke up, thought "Wow! That was vividly heart-pounding, and all made sense!" ...realized it was sabbath and I didn't have to work... got on the computer and didn't get off 'til it was dark.
 [I don't know how late it was... but I was so, so wanting to leave that keyboard!]

  I wrote thirteen thousand words that day, because I knew if I stopped I'd forget some of the details. And the next day was a busy work day again, so I had one shot and one shot only.
 I really, really wanted to quit several times, but I didn't let myself do it!"

 This is, I think,  my over all record word-count-per-day.
   Scratch that.
     I know it is!

 I have to work writing in at odd angles into my life, and when inspiration strikes I can do desperate things. Lots of times, I have to try to hold on to the images for hours on end until I am free to snag a computer.  Which has mixed results.
 And I usually don't hold myself hostage for a full day's stretch. It sort of results in a insulted creative brain.
 (I couldn't even look at a printed page for days afterward, as my mind recovered... with many surly snarls.)

 But I got that plot line.

 And later; I revised, edited, smoothed.
 And someday I will do something with it.
 (It kind of feels like the opening to an action packed, sci-fi novel... which knowing me, you probably could have guessed. I have difficulty writing short.)

 What about you?

     Do you use dreams? Or do you know of authors who did?

 Tell us! I know there must be more to be said!

Destiny of One giveaway complete! And the Winner Is...

Chris!
 Chris has been randomly selected by the Rafflecopter widget as the winner of the Destiny of One giveaway, generously extended to us by author Sarah Holmes.
Thanks Sarah!
And...
 Congratulations Chris! (Let us know what you think when you've finished the read! Also, Sarah would love it if you'd take a few minutes to leave an (honest) review on Amazon, Goodreads, where ever you can!)
 Chris' email address will be sent to Sarah, and she'll be receiving her winner's copy shortly!

 And everybody else, thanks for entering! Especially thanks to those who entered by answering the question, I loved your responses! It's just so much fun to hear what you all think, and it gives me such a great perspective on the subject my own self.
Thanks!
(I'll probably be sharing some of the answers in upcoming posts.)

 And we'll see you next time!

And, I know I'm not posting very methodically; summer is crazy busy for us, and I figure for lots of you too. (Am I right? Or are you sitting around wishing for more stuff to read? If I'm mistaken, tell me!)

Oooops! That didn't work so good.

Oooops! That give away attempt didn't go so smoothly... apparently I had a glitch with the Rafflecopter widget. Zip!

 So... I fixed it!

 Now it should work.

 In order to make everything really nice a clear, here are the Facts! (Don't we just love those! ;-) )
 enter in any or all ways described in the Rofflecopter widget... and the contest runs for one week; so that's until the 26th. So spread the word to anybody you think might be interested in this, and we'll so who is the lucky winner on the 27th!

  Okay, I think those are all the facts we have! Or need.

 We're good to go!

Interview & Giveaway! Sarah Holman & Destiny of One

 Today we have with us Sarah Holman, author of the Christian Sci-Fi "Destiny" trilogy, The Destiny of One, The Destiny of a Few, and The Destiny of a Galaxy. Sarah writes from the Missouri countryside, and enjoys exploring the outer reaches of possibility that sci-fi allows.


 Enter to win a e-copy of Destiny of One! (At the bottom of this post.)

Good morning, Sarah! So glad to have you here, and it's always a blast to talk about writerly things!  Tell us... who did you base your main characters on; or are we allowed to ask that? ;-)

Haha, yes, you are allowed to ask.  Maria, the main character in The Destiny Trilogy was based off of me. Her sister Anna was based off my sister Rose, her brother Daniel was based off of my brother Michael, and Quint was based off of Han Solo form Star Wars.

  With Sci-Fi as your genre, you've got the sky for a limit. With all that imaginary room to play in, what was your favorite "invention"... or something that you created uniquely for your story?

Oh, that is a hard one.  I had so much fun playing among the stars it is hard to pick one thing.  However, I think my favorite creation was a very small one and not extremely unique.  It was the Star Window, it is a window huge that is hidden by panels.  When you press a button, the panels slide into the wall revealing the amazing view into space.

How did you decide what level of culture/technology to use? Was it even a question?
I wanted to story to feel believable and have the feeling that it could happen in the near future.  Other than the presence of starships, technology is only slightly more advanced then we have now.  In fact, I think that 10 years from now, most of the inventions I put in will look as silly as the computers on Star Trek do to us now.

With sci-fi being so open to interpretation, did you find you needed to do much research? And if so, where did you turn?
I did do some research, but not much. As you said sci-fi is open to interpretation, much like fantasy.  I enjoyed creating and building Maria’s world out of my imagination

Many sci-fi authors go with unusual names for their characters. Did you consider this, and what influenced your ultimate decision?
This is very true.  Most of my characters, I have a hard time naming.  However when I started writing The Destiny of One, I felt like my main character entered the room and said: “Hi, Sarah!  My name is Maria Morris.” I didn’t think about it long, her name just seemed to fit.  Many of my side characters have unique names such as Quint, Windspear, and Winter.

What is your biggest pet peeve within the science fiction genre; (Other than the un-Christian slants. I think we can all acknowledge that one!) So... Plotwise?

Many sci-fi writer’s use the genre to make people afraid of the future, and I hate that.  That doesn’t mean that only good things can happen in the book, but the message of the book shouldn’t be one that makes people afraid.

What about World-building wise?
I don’t like a lot of weird creatures.  I know it comes with most sci-fi but I just don’t like.  I wish there were more without.

If you were advising the soon-to-be author of your next hugely-favorite sci-fi novel, what would you say? "Make sure it has...?"
Make sure it has lots of adventure and action!  Those are two of the things that drew me into writing science fiction in the first place; all the possibilities for action and adventure.

Anything else you would like to say to readers and writers of Christian Sci-Fi?

Think outside the box. Build your own worlds, don’t just copy what you have seen. Whatever you do, make sure your faith shines in all you write.

Blessings,

Sarah

 Thanks so much for chatting with us, Sarah! I love your perspective!  

 Here are the links where you can get in touch with, or learn more about her.

Sarah's Books

The Destiny of One

Meditations of His Love

Homeschool Authors

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The First Piece You Ever Wrote

"What got you started writing?" That's a common question for writers to receive. I've posted about how that happened with me here.
 But I came across a different, and possibly much more meaningful question. "What was you're first writing experience?"
 And remembering it explained a lot of things to me, that I hadn't made a connection between before.

  As I recall, my first "story" was when I was nine. When I gave it to Mom I didn't intend for her to read it out loud, but she must have thought it was something special; 'cause she did.
 (Um... maybe she thought it would be encouraging to me? Well...)
 My siblings laughed, and their laughter wasn't the "that's hilarious!" kind. More like... ridiculing. Even homeschoolers have to deal with a peer group that isn't always kind! ;-)
  Anyway, my two older sibs weren't impressed. At all. It kind of got a "Who do you think you are? Some writer or something?" reaction. Pretty dampening.
  Not that the story was stellar! I mean, I was nine. It was no literary marvel. But still...
 The event kept my nose in a book and my hands away from creating fiction for some time.  It wasn't until I wrote a particularly well-liked letter that I even considered I might have any talent with the words I loved very much. (As kids, we always gave our letters to someone older to check for spelling.) This one received some critical acclaim, which surprised and encouraged me.
  I thought; "Wow. Maybe there's something special about my writing after all." Which was a nice boost, and I applied myself to the art of writing letters well; until I was about thirteen, and got enough courage up to try fiction again.
 Mom also is a lover of poetry, and did encourage that, so I wrote some...
 But again... the sibs see it and you'll get scorned!
 Hide the poetry!
  IF you show it to Mom, make sure nobody else is around! :-)
 
  In my late teens, when I was actively seeking feedback on my writing, I would be palm-sweating nervous when I actually handed it over. (I desperately wanted to hear their reactions, but was in a cold sweat at the same time.) Even if it was only to Dad, who has a huge and undemanding appetite for the written word in all its forms. (And is possibly my surest, and blindest, fan. He loves everything I write... which makes me doubt his judgement! But I love him for it anyway!)
  
  To this day I get pretty nervous when I show my work to others. I've gotten better, and braver... but it's still there.

 What was your first writing experience? Did it make you scared of sharing, or did that come later? Tell me I'm not alone here! ;-)

It's a beautiful Spring!

 Jeweler's Apprentice is now priced at $2.99, and many thanks to all who made the recent giveaway, and then sale, such a success! I hope you enjoyed the read, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!
  In that spirit, I'll be working on a little list of questions that will make it easy for you all to send me feedback on the book... It's in the works, and if you'd like to suggest a question to be included, I'd Love to hear from you!
  Thanks so much!
 P.S. It's just So Gorgeous outside lately! :-)