Treating you to a double shot today. An interview and excerpt from author Jonathan Winn!
Enjoy & Comment.
Why did you start
writing and when did you decide to go professional?
writing and when did you decide to go professional?
When you find yourself with a story that won’t leave you
alone, it’s just easier to sit down and tell it rather than fight it. Or at least that’s what I’ve learned. In fact, I remember watching Martuk unfold,
chapter by chapter, and literally feeling the need to put fingers to keyboard
and write. As far as going
“professional”, I don’t think I ever made that decision. At some point it just made sense that this is
what I do.
alone, it’s just easier to sit down and tell it rather than fight it. Or at least that’s what I’ve learned. In fact, I remember watching Martuk unfold,
chapter by chapter, and literally feeling the need to put fingers to keyboard
and write. As far as going
“professional”, I don’t think I ever made that decision. At some point it just made sense that this is
what I do.
Do you write in more
than one genre? Which ones and which do you like the best?
than one genre? Which ones and which do you like the best?
I don’t write — yet — in one genre though I do write
screenplays and plays as well. My
writing career actually started with a really bad screenplay — since
rewritten, thank goodness — and a really good play and then moved from there
to Martuk.
screenplays and plays as well. My
writing career actually started with a really bad screenplay — since
rewritten, thank goodness — and a really good play and then moved from there
to Martuk.
What is the most
difficult part of the entire writing process for you? Queries, pitches,
editing..etc.
difficult part of the entire writing process for you? Queries, pitches,
editing..etc.
It might sound weird, but the most difficult part for me is
deciding what to do next. Not only do I
have fully mapped out ideas for future books, I’m also juggling screenplays and
plays and their various adaptations as well.
So, it becomes a question of, well, do I spend the next few weeks
slamming out a first draft of this movie or rewritten the second draft of this
play or logging in twenty or thirty thousand words on a book? I think that’s where I struggle the most.
deciding what to do next. Not only do I
have fully mapped out ideas for future books, I’m also juggling screenplays and
plays and their various adaptations as well.
So, it becomes a question of, well, do I spend the next few weeks
slamming out a first draft of this movie or rewritten the second draft of this
play or logging in twenty or thirty thousand words on a book? I think that’s where I struggle the most.
If you could have the
same type of career as any author currently publishing who would it be and why?
same type of career as any author currently publishing who would it be and why?
There isn’t a specific author out there I look at and say
“yeah, that’s what I want”. I
believe for any author, it’s important to focus on building your brand and then
offer strong, quality work that supports and strengthens it. And then don’t screw with it! If you readers are expecting X when they open
your book, be sure to give them X (with a twist, of course) and not Y because
if they get Y, chances are they’ll close the book and not come back.
“yeah, that’s what I want”. I
believe for any author, it’s important to focus on building your brand and then
offer strong, quality work that supports and strengthens it. And then don’t screw with it! If you readers are expecting X when they open
your book, be sure to give them X (with a twist, of course) and not Y because
if they get Y, chances are they’ll close the book and not come back.
Excerpt:
“So much rage in you,” he whispered,
looking again at the dying man struggling to breathe. “Just let it go. Let
life, all that power, all that glory, go. Those riches. Let it all go. It’s at
an end now, you silly, stupid old man. It’s ending. It’s over.”
looking again at the dying man struggling to breathe. “Just let it go. Let
life, all that power, all that glory, go. Those riches. Let it all go. It’s at
an end now, you silly, stupid old man. It’s ending. It’s over.”
The Elder opened his eyes and blinked,
looking up at The Magician and then glancing at me, searching my face for a
clue to who I was.
looking up at The Magician and then glancing at me, searching my face for a
clue to who I was.
I considered assisting him, the Elder.
Helping him on his journey. But this sliver of inhumanity growing in strength
reveled in his struggle.
Helping him on his journey. But this sliver of inhumanity growing in strength
reveled in his struggle.
Not the gloating celebration of the
Magician. No, it was a more quiet appreciation of the Elder’s pain.
Magician. No, it was a more quiet appreciation of the Elder’s pain.
The sweat, the shivers. The stained
bedding. The tears and the shallow breaths slowing as he gulped and gasped. The
obvious regret.
bedding. The tears and the shallow breaths slowing as he gulped and gasped. The
obvious regret.
This battle between Light and Dark as the
Veil tugged and pulled and clutched at his sleeve. Wrapped its cold fingers
around his bony neck, drawing him near.
Veil tugged and pulled and clutched at his sleeve. Wrapped its cold fingers
around his bony neck, drawing him near.
But The Elder was weak. Killing him would
be too easy. The Magician, though … ah, he was so close. Within reach. I
could easily snap his neck. Lift him into the air and throw him against the
wall, his bones breaking against the polished stone. I could almost taste it,
this impending victory, the satiating of this blood lust. It was on my tongue,
my fingers tingling, my muscles readying for battle.
be too easy. The Magician, though … ah, he was so close. Within reach. I
could easily snap his neck. Lift him into the air and throw him against the
wall, his bones breaking against the polished stone. I could almost taste it,
this impending victory, the satiating of this blood lust. It was on my tongue,
my fingers tingling, my muscles readying for battle.
“You enjoy killing, don’t you?” The
Magician asked, his eyes fixed on The Elder. “All those innocents. Those broken
bodies. All that poison. Those
bones cracked and splintered and ground into dust, into the stone.
Magician asked, his eyes fixed on The Elder. “All those innocents. Those broken
bodies. All that poison. Those
bones cracked and splintered and ground into dust, into the stone.
“You felt power as you watched them
struggle, their tongues swelling black, their eyes weeping. As they tore at
their flesh. Power when you watched them breathe their last. Happiness.
Satisfaction. You liked it.
struggle, their tongues swelling black, their eyes weeping. As they tore at
their flesh. Power when you watched them breathe their last. Happiness.
Satisfaction. You liked it.
“Even now, the memory of it, of all
that suffering flesh, those cries, their tears, it’s enjoyable for you, isn’t
it?
that suffering flesh, those cries, their tears, it’s enjoyable for you, isn’t
it?
“Killing is enjoyable.”
Yes, I thought, as I turned to him, the
gleaming skull and his garishly painted face so close.
gleaming skull and his garishly painted face so close.
Killing is very enjoyable indeed.
Thank you so much for participating Jonathan!