INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF THE "RYS RISING SERIES", TRACY FALBE
Being an independent writer, I have heard many say they enjoy it because they have a wider range of creative license. In other words, you aren’t molded by a publishing company and can pretty much write what you want and what you intend to without expecting someone to try and change it. What do you think about that?
I’ve been writing fiction since 1997 and I spent years querying agents and publishers. At the time, I wanted to have a publisher pick me, but I was always worried the publisher would then want me to change something. I always dreaded that possibility. Eventually I decided trying to find a publisher was a stupid waste of time and became an indie writer. To be honest I love producing my work my way, and it’s a relief to never have to worry about being asked to change something. I’ve continued to write novels since publishing my first series, and I can say that writing as an indie makes me feel free and creative. I never think will a publisher like this? I only think two things: 1) Do I like it? And 2) Do I think some readers might like it?
When did you first realize your dream of writing and what led you to create your novel series?
I always wanted to write stories since I was a kid in grade school. I always imagined my name on the cover of novels. The thought that it might be hard to write a novel never occurred to me. I wrote two novels when I was a young teen. I’ve never did anything with them, but when I was 25 I started writing fiction again with a serious commitment to my dream of being a novelist. As for what led me to create my series, it began as a desire to write a fantasy novel. Then I discovered that the story got bigger and bigger and I had to split that first novel into two books. Then I dreamed up more things to happen and wrote two more novels. Those four novels became The Rys Chronicles. For the past 7 or 8 years I’ve been developing a prequel series called Rys Rising. I’ve published two novels for that series and plan to publish two more over the next year.
Who are some of your inspirations?
As a writer I was early on inspired by Frank Herbert. I was an adolescent when I read his famous novel Dune, and it was the first book that had multiple characters and multiple settings and bounced around among interwoven scenes of action. I was delighted by the elaborate narrative, and it opened my mind to greater possibilities as a writer. Of course, I credit J.R.R. Tolkien with my love of fantasy. The Lord of the Rings is a tremendous literary work that will survive the ages. In recent years I have also been very taken with the classic novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The imagery and nuances he employs in his writing have taught me a lot. He knows how to go deep and make people feel real.
What kinds of movies were your favorites as a kid? Being a fantasy did these movies have an impact on what you decided to write about?
Oh I loved anything that was fantasy and sci fi! I loved Star Wars, Clash of the Titans, Star Trek, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I would walk to the video store and rent The Empire Strikes Back over and over. These movies definitely kindled my love of fantasy. When I was kid girls would tease me because I liked boy movies, and I would just think “You’re boring!” I just loved all that action and excitement. It was so much better than real life. Fantasy has always been my coping mechanism. I don’t know how people who don’t like such things get by.
You said you grew up in Mount Pleasant. I know this is where the Andy Griffith Show was filmed. Can you tell us a bit about your experiences growing up there?
Wow, you must be thinking of a different Mount Pleasant than my hometown in Michigan. No television show was ever shot there. There are several MountPleasants in the United States so don’t feel bad for the mistake. Law enforcement shoots people where I come from.
You said you had a fantasy of running off and joining the circus. What did you see yourself as doing if that dream had come true?
I totally remember when this fantasy started. I was probably about eight years old and I saw on TV the movie The Greatest Show on Earth starring Charleton Heston. Oh what an exciting life that looked like. There were elephants and horses and you got to put on a show and everyone lived in little houses on wheels. I of course wanted to be someone in the show who did tricks riding horses. I wanted to take care of the animals and wear skimpy clothes and stay out all night!
You earned a journalism degree from California State University, Chico. Did you ever work as a newspaper journalist?
No I never pursued a job at a newspaper, but I have not ruled it out. In school they taught us how a journalist has to start at a small market paper and work for peanuts and then try to get a job at a medium sized market and work for a little better money and then try to get a job in large market to earn anything approaching a living. I was never interested in that ordeal. Plus they taught us in school that if you actually wanted to have a career and make money then you had to do public relations, which unfortunately tends to put you on the side of evil. Also I graduated in 2000, which was probably the last year that anyone thought a career for a journalist was possible. All that aside, studying journalism is a wonderful degree that gives you great professional skills. It also very much taught me about writing and I still apply the principles I learned in college. The journalism degree also gave me ethical and legal training that is applicable to my publishing business. I’m very glad I studied journalism and am proud of my degree.
Have you ever thought about writing in other genres and if so what would they be and why?
I’ve often thought about writing a sci fi space adventure because I enjoy such things. I’m not sure if I’ll ever do it. Another genre I very much enjoy is westerns. I love novels written by classic authors like Zane Grey and Louis Lamour. I lived in Nevada for two years and California for 12 years, and I dearly love the Western United States. I love the epic landscapes and all the clichés of the genre. I don’t know if westerns even have a market anymore, but I honestly love them and think I could write some smashing adventures.
What is your next big project as far as writing and when can we expect to see it out?
I still have a lot of work to do to finish the Rys Rising series. I expect to publish the next novel New Religion: Rys Rising Book III in February 2012. New Religion is completely written. I’m happy with the novel but it still needs a thorough editing. I estimate that I have about another 100 hours of work to put in on it. Then I have to finish writing the fourth and final novel Love Lost. That novel is half written, so realistically it will be the last half of 2012 before it is published.
Do you have advice for other authors that you’d like to share?
I wish I knew the secrets to success, but I can offer some advice. Always write because you love doing it. Yes, it’s work, but it should be work you love. Don’t procrastinate. I guess writers are famous for procrastinating, but it’s best to write consistently. I believe it’s a skill like a muscle. It needs to be used to be strong. Once you decide to publish your work, make it available in many places, not just Amazon. Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple iBooks, and Sony offer great markets as well. I am distributed into these ebook retailers through Smashwords.com, but some of them will work directly with indie authors too. Also always make sure you have a website or blog of your own. Don’t just rely on a Facebook page. If you’re serious about your career, you need to have your site that is not controlled by the whims of another company.
Falbe’s newest novel Savage Storm: Rys Rising Book II is an ebook available worldwide at:
Falbe’s website http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/savage-storm-rys-rising-book-ii.html
Kindle US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060WV96Q
Kindle UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0060WV96Q
Kindle Germany https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0060WV96Q
Kindle France https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0060WV96Q
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/99999
And coming to more retailers soon.
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=interviews&action=display&thread=799#ixzz1cyEakZE5
Being an independent writer, I have heard many say they enjoy it because they have a wider range of creative license. In other words, you aren’t molded by a publishing company and can pretty much write what you want and what you intend to without expecting someone to try and change it. What do you think about that?
I’ve been writing fiction since 1997 and I spent years querying agents and publishers. At the time, I wanted to have a publisher pick me, but I was always worried the publisher would then want me to change something. I always dreaded that possibility. Eventually I decided trying to find a publisher was a stupid waste of time and became an indie writer. To be honest I love producing my work my way, and it’s a relief to never have to worry about being asked to change something. I’ve continued to write novels since publishing my first series, and I can say that writing as an indie makes me feel free and creative. I never think will a publisher like this? I only think two things: 1) Do I like it? And 2) Do I think some readers might like it?
When did you first realize your dream of writing and what led you to create your novel series?
I always wanted to write stories since I was a kid in grade school. I always imagined my name on the cover of novels. The thought that it might be hard to write a novel never occurred to me. I wrote two novels when I was a young teen. I’ve never did anything with them, but when I was 25 I started writing fiction again with a serious commitment to my dream of being a novelist. As for what led me to create my series, it began as a desire to write a fantasy novel. Then I discovered that the story got bigger and bigger and I had to split that first novel into two books. Then I dreamed up more things to happen and wrote two more novels. Those four novels became The Rys Chronicles. For the past 7 or 8 years I’ve been developing a prequel series called Rys Rising. I’ve published two novels for that series and plan to publish two more over the next year.
Who are some of your inspirations?
As a writer I was early on inspired by Frank Herbert. I was an adolescent when I read his famous novel Dune, and it was the first book that had multiple characters and multiple settings and bounced around among interwoven scenes of action. I was delighted by the elaborate narrative, and it opened my mind to greater possibilities as a writer. Of course, I credit J.R.R. Tolkien with my love of fantasy. The Lord of the Rings is a tremendous literary work that will survive the ages. In recent years I have also been very taken with the classic novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The imagery and nuances he employs in his writing have taught me a lot. He knows how to go deep and make people feel real.
What kinds of movies were your favorites as a kid? Being a fantasy did these movies have an impact on what you decided to write about?
Oh I loved anything that was fantasy and sci fi! I loved Star Wars, Clash of the Titans, Star Trek, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I would walk to the video store and rent The Empire Strikes Back over and over. These movies definitely kindled my love of fantasy. When I was kid girls would tease me because I liked boy movies, and I would just think “You’re boring!” I just loved all that action and excitement. It was so much better than real life. Fantasy has always been my coping mechanism. I don’t know how people who don’t like such things get by.
You said you grew up in Mount Pleasant. I know this is where the Andy Griffith Show was filmed. Can you tell us a bit about your experiences growing up there?
Wow, you must be thinking of a different Mount Pleasant than my hometown in Michigan. No television show was ever shot there. There are several MountPleasants in the United States so don’t feel bad for the mistake. Law enforcement shoots people where I come from.
You said you had a fantasy of running off and joining the circus. What did you see yourself as doing if that dream had come true?
I totally remember when this fantasy started. I was probably about eight years old and I saw on TV the movie The Greatest Show on Earth starring Charleton Heston. Oh what an exciting life that looked like. There were elephants and horses and you got to put on a show and everyone lived in little houses on wheels. I of course wanted to be someone in the show who did tricks riding horses. I wanted to take care of the animals and wear skimpy clothes and stay out all night!
You earned a journalism degree from California State University, Chico. Did you ever work as a newspaper journalist?
No I never pursued a job at a newspaper, but I have not ruled it out. In school they taught us how a journalist has to start at a small market paper and work for peanuts and then try to get a job at a medium sized market and work for a little better money and then try to get a job in large market to earn anything approaching a living. I was never interested in that ordeal. Plus they taught us in school that if you actually wanted to have a career and make money then you had to do public relations, which unfortunately tends to put you on the side of evil. Also I graduated in 2000, which was probably the last year that anyone thought a career for a journalist was possible. All that aside, studying journalism is a wonderful degree that gives you great professional skills. It also very much taught me about writing and I still apply the principles I learned in college. The journalism degree also gave me ethical and legal training that is applicable to my publishing business. I’m very glad I studied journalism and am proud of my degree.
Have you ever thought about writing in other genres and if so what would they be and why?
I’ve often thought about writing a sci fi space adventure because I enjoy such things. I’m not sure if I’ll ever do it. Another genre I very much enjoy is westerns. I love novels written by classic authors like Zane Grey and Louis Lamour. I lived in Nevada for two years and California for 12 years, and I dearly love the Western United States. I love the epic landscapes and all the clichés of the genre. I don’t know if westerns even have a market anymore, but I honestly love them and think I could write some smashing adventures.
What is your next big project as far as writing and when can we expect to see it out?
I still have a lot of work to do to finish the Rys Rising series. I expect to publish the next novel New Religion: Rys Rising Book III in February 2012. New Religion is completely written. I’m happy with the novel but it still needs a thorough editing. I estimate that I have about another 100 hours of work to put in on it. Then I have to finish writing the fourth and final novel Love Lost. That novel is half written, so realistically it will be the last half of 2012 before it is published.
Do you have advice for other authors that you’d like to share?
I wish I knew the secrets to success, but I can offer some advice. Always write because you love doing it. Yes, it’s work, but it should be work you love. Don’t procrastinate. I guess writers are famous for procrastinating, but it’s best to write consistently. I believe it’s a skill like a muscle. It needs to be used to be strong. Once you decide to publish your work, make it available in many places, not just Amazon. Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple iBooks, and Sony offer great markets as well. I am distributed into these ebook retailers through Smashwords.com, but some of them will work directly with indie authors too. Also always make sure you have a website or blog of your own. Don’t just rely on a Facebook page. If you’re serious about your career, you need to have your site that is not controlled by the whims of another company.
Falbe’s newest novel Savage Storm: Rys Rising Book II is an ebook available worldwide at:
Falbe’s website http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/savage-storm-rys-rising-book-ii.html
Kindle US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060WV96Q
Kindle UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0060WV96Q
Kindle Germany https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0060WV96Q
Kindle France https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0060WV96Q
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/99999
And coming to more retailers soon.
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=interviews&action=display&thread=799#ixzz1cyEakZE5
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