When did you know you wanted to be a
writer?
I’d always enjoyed creative writing at
school and one English teacher once told me I had great potential, but I didn’t
believe him. It wasn’t until college that I felt a real desire to pursue
writing. It began in 1999 and I have been writing with great enthusiasm ever
since.
What genre do you write and why?
My novels fall under sci-fi/fantasy, but
mostly the latter. I grew up watching fantasy films like The Neverending Story
and Willow
Tell us about your latest book.
Fezariu’s Epiphany is the first in a series
of self-contained novels set in the fictitious world of Elenchera. I’m trying
to steer away from a continuous series like The Wheel of Time or Harry Potter.
My preference is for different stories about different characters but Elenchera
will tie them all together.
Fezariu’s Epiphany tells the story of a boy
who suffers many upheavals in his childhood – the abandonment of his mother and
the death of his stepfather – before he runs away from his past to join the
Merelax Mercenaries. Amongst hired hands, Fezariu believes he can leave his
past behind for good but although he excels as a mercenary his past will not
let go and only in facing his childhood can he be free of it.
My second novel, A World Apart, is due out
this summer.
What marketing methods are you using to
promote your book?
Blog tours have been very beneficial and I
really enjoy them. Whether it’s an interview or the chance to flex my writing
muscles with a guest post, it’s always a pleasure to stop by a new blog and
interact with readers as well. I also have a book trailer for Fezariu’s
Epiphany on YouTube which has had some good feedback. Social networks, such as
Twitter and Facebook, are also indispensable and indie authors can find a safe
haven within the communities on there, although I consider that less promotion
and more education and support. My wife runs a forum for indie authors on
Facebook – the Indie Exchange – and authors, bloggers and readers have the
opportunity to exchange ideas, advice and support one another. It’s a great
community to be a part of.
What formats is the book available in?
Paperback and ebook - it's available via
Amazon, B&N, Indiebound, Smashwords etc.
What do you like to do when you're not
writing?
I love to read whether it’s fiction or
non-fiction. I’ll read pretty much anything when it comes to fiction though I
do like to keep abreast of the fantasy genre. I never stop learning from my
peers. I also have a great passion for history and soon feel lost without a
history book to hand. Away from books, I love films and games, all of which I
review on my blog.
Who are your favourite authors?
J.R.R. Tolkien is probably my favourite;
his influence on the fantasy genre is incredible. I also love Terry Pratchett,
George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, Haruki Murakami and John Irving.
What advice do you have for other writers?
The best advice I can offer is to find a
critic that you trust, someone who isn’t afraid to question aspects of your
work. My wife, Donna, is the fiercest critic I know and she would rather tear a
manuscript of mine to pieces than publish it if it isn’t right. After my tears
have dried, I always find my writing improves when I listen to her.
What's your favourite quote about
writing/for writers?
Hemingway had a plethora of memorable
quotes but this one is probably the best one: “All good books are alike in that
they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished
reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all
belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse, and sorrow, the
people and the places and how the weather was.” It’s a great feeling knowing your
writing may have that impact on some readers.
What's the best thing about being a writer?
Having the ability to use your imagination,
to give life to your characters and to your world; you feel like a God, but at
the same time you’re at the mercy of your own creations, who often guide you
through their stories rather than the other way round. Writing is such a great
feeling. I never tire of it and I am certain that will always be the case.
Where can people find out more about you
and your writing?
You can find out more me and my work at
www.elenchera.com. I also have a blog The World According to Dave
(http://blog.elenchera.com). If you have any questions you can also catch me on
Twitter (@elenchera) or Facebook (authordavidmbrown), so feel free to get in
touch.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Just that it’s been wonderful being here
and thank you for a great interview. To all readers, keep enjoying books and be
willing to try new writers. To all writers, keep the faith in your craft and
the rewards will come.
David will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one randomly chosen commenter at the end of the tour. So I encourage you to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/02/virtual-book-tour-fezarius-epiphany-by.html.
18 Comments
I wish more writer's would find a good critic.
ReplyDeleteI also love reading the works of Terry Pratchett & J.R.R.Tolkein.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Before I met my wife everyone I spoke to (friends and family) all said my writing was perfect which I knew wasn't true. A critic you trust needs to be ruthless, to guide you with your writing. It's not always easy getting that sort of feedback but I do feel writing my second novel that my writing has improved significantly with all I have learned.
DeleteAlways nice to meet another Tolkien and Pratchett fan. Very different books but equally brilliant :)
This series is good..on to my wishlist. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting :)
DeleteI hope you enjoy the series. I welcome any feedback whether good or bad.
Thank you for hosting David today.
ReplyDeleteThank you Writers and Authors for the wonderful interview.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has any questions please feel free to comment :)
You're very welcome. All the best with your book.
DeleteGreat interview Mr Brown. I also Like J.R. Tolkein also. Your book Fezariu’s Epiphany sounds so interesting.The plot sounds so different. I look forward to reading it. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you Debra. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview.
DeleteIt's nice to meet so many fans of Tolkien. I know he has many :)
I hope enjoy Fezariu's Epiphany. Any feedback is most welcome :)
I think you need a good critic for your writing, but one who gives positve feedback, not negative. I love the name Fezariu, by the way. Very creative. The story sounds really good.
ReplyDeleteMy wife is my critic and she offers both positive and negative feedback. I think the negative is more important to me as it's a helpful but critical analysis. I never have to agree with what my wife says but I always think if she has raised concerns about some aspects of a novel then other readers will too.
DeleteThank you for your kind feedback on the storyline :)
I, too, like Tolkien, Orwell, Hemingway (the short stories over the novels), plus Stephen King and Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine.
DeleteThat's a great list of authors :)
A critic is important for any writer to have on their team. Feedback should always be constructive though.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there will be negative comments along with the good ones but as long as they are given with an explanation they will help you grow as a writer.
We all like to hear how wonderful we are but the negative comments are the ones that help us move to the next level...after we've finished drying the tears of course ;)
I couldn't agree more Jo :)
DeleteThankfully my wife offers me constructive feedback as my main critic.
The vast majority of reviews I have received have come with useful feedback.
I did recently have a couple of 2 star ratings which was fine with me but they came with no comments unfortunately. I don't mind readers not enjoying my work, but I'm always interested in where they believe I am going wrong so I can learn from my mistakes :)
I totally agree. It's good to know WHY they didn't like it so you can grow as a writer... or ignore the negative rating knowing that they just weren't the right audience for your book.
DeleteI'm curious...do you think your love of history affects your fantasy/sci-fi writing (ability to build believable worlds and so forth)?
ReplyDeleteeai(at)stanfordalumni(dot)org
That's a good question. I do read history extensively and it has had some influence on how I have built Elenchera.
ReplyDeleteI want my fantasy world to be one that many readers can embrace. Some elements would not seem out of place in our world but many other aspects could not happen here.
I believe reading history helps to construct more convincing worlds. No matter how primitive or developed a civilization is there are still many of the same themes running through the history of events. Elenchera, like our world, is not a utopia. It's a difficult place to be and only the strong survive.
I love to hear from you. So feel free to comment, but keep in mind the basics of blog etiquette — no spam, no profanity, no slander, etc.
Thanks for being an active part of the Writers and Authors community.