Okay, first things first. (And I know you’re just dying to ask the question.)
Is that a recent photo? Like…is my hair still orangey-red?
Nope, to both. In fact, I can tell you that most author photos aren’t really all that recent unless they’re debut authors or Stephen King.
Do I have a recent photo? Somewhere. I might even post it eventually.
Anyway…about me.
Let’s just say that I’m a child psychiatrist, although I started out in surgery (because most every doctor wants to be a surgeon at some point). I didn’t stay in surgery, but that’s another story for another day. I’m also a film scholar (mostly because I love hanging out, watching movies, and eating popcorn that’s truly not good for me), former Air Force major, and an award-winning author of more than thirty of short stories and twenty-some-odd novels. (Believe me, no one is more surprised about that last bit than me.)
In case you were wondering? Yes, I used to write Star Trek. And Mechwarrior. And Battletech. And the occasional ShadowRun. I loved every minute of it, too.
My YA works include the critically acclaimed DRAW THE DARK (winner of the Westchester Fiction Award, a VOYA Perfect Ten, and Bank Street College 2011 Best Book); DROWNING INSTINCT; and THE SIN-EATER’S CONFESSION (a 2014 YALSA BYFA and 2014 TAYSHAS Nominee).
Among many other nominations and awards, ASHES, the first book in my YA apocalyptic thriller trilogy, was a 2011 VOYA Perfect Ten, 2012 YALSA Top Ten Teen Nominee, 2012 YALSA Best Fiction Nominee, and 2012 Outstanding Book by a Wisconsin Author. ASHES is currently a 2013 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Finalist, 2013 TAYSHAS High School Reading List, 2013-2014 Gateway Award Final Nominee, 2014 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award Nominee, and 2014 Abraham Lincoln High School Book Award Nominee.
SHADOWS, the second book in the trilogy, hit shelves in 2012, and MONSTERS, the final volume, was released September, 2013, and earned starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus.
WHITE SPACE, the first volume in the Dark Passages duology, hit shelves 2/11/14 and was hailed as a “sophisticated” horror novel for older teens (and they mentioned Stephen King and me in the same breath!). The book was also long-listed for the Stoker. Its sequel, THE DICKENS MIRROR, appeared in 2015.
Most recently, I’ve delved into adult action/adventure and penned five novels in bestselling author Elle James’s Brotherhood Protectors World. SOLDIER’S HEART, PARTS 1-4 follows the adventures of Kate McEvoy, a crackerjack Army medic who was seriously wounded in Afghanistan war and is now part of a super-secret cybersoldier DARPA project. PROTECTING THE FLAME‘s Emma Gold, an Air Force photographer with a secret, survives a plane crash only to discover that’s the easy part.
For the longest time, I was a cheesehead-in-exile, living on a mountain in Alabama with the husband and several furry creatures and even feeding them on occasion. That mountain was pretty darned nice during the worse of the COVID years, too.
But I’m out of Alabama now…and yet still a cheesehead-in-exile because I now live in London. Yep, you read that right. A real city where there’s not a mountain to be seen and not a heck of a lot of trees or birds or other creatures who aren’t people or their teeny-tiny dogs. I’ve had to say good-bye to my cats, too, but they’re in good hands with a new mom and other furry creatures to keep them company.
On the other hand, you know, it’s London: new places, new ideas, new adventures coming at a stage in life where many people don’t get that opportunity. So I figure, okay, go for it, see what happens. Fly back to Wisconsin once a year, visit friends and Lake Superior, spend some time in a real forest or on a mountaintop or (better yet) both.
Is London terrific as cities go? Sure. Personally, I think anyplace where people have lived for over a thousand years has got to be pretty interesting. London is layered, a true necropolis where everything is built on the bones of something–and, not infrequently, someone–else.
Being a tourist is, of course, very different than actually living somewhere. I do find Londoners to be very nice, open people. The cultural landscape is much less rigid here in the city; no one is telling women what they can and can’t do, for example. I don’t worry about getting shot. But Shaw was also correct:
England and America are two countries separated by the same language.
So, we’ll see. Jury’s out. So, stay tuned because, yeah, I’m working on the next book.
In the meantime…don’t even think of touching my cheese.
Well, thank you! I’m so glad you liked that book. I’ll be honest, too; every book I write is my favorite of the moment. Sort of like having kids, you know? 😉
Ilsa:
Very interested in your writings — especially short stories. I’m mostly a short story writer. Living in Huntsville.
My email: ck.mk@comcast.net Might we talk in email? Carroll D. Killingsworth.
Sure, but if you’re around and you can come…how about the library this Thursday? If not, sure, we can talk. I’m not sure how helpful I can be, but I’m always open. Whassup? 😉 Try ilsa@ilsajbick.com.
Can you tell my English teacher to give me a good grade on my presentation about you?
LOL!! Tell you what: if you do a good job, I’ll tell her to give you a good grade 😉
Thank you. I started Ashes when the book first came out. I have just finished it within the last 5 minutes and cannot be more happy with the series. These books opened a whole new world to me. Thanks again!
My sincere pleasure, and thank you for reading!
Hi! I’m a student from Hermiston high school. We have this thing called honors credits. I read the drowning instinct by you and am writing a biography. In order to get my honors credits i need to receive a proficient grade on my biography with the correct amount of information for the grade. But I can not find anything that I need for a biography. I have found enough to fill two paragraphs but that’s it. I understand that if you want to be private I can’t help that. But if you could email me with any information that i don’t already have or could answer a couple questions it would be a huge help. Thanks!
Hi, there, thanks for getting in touch. You are spot on; I usually don’t give out a lot of personal information. I am happy to answer what questions I can, though, so fire away and let’s see what I can do.
Alternatively, I have done tons of guest blogs and given tons of interviews that may already all your questions because people routinely ask how I got into writing and things like that. In fact, if you Google “Bick interviews Ashes,” the very first thing that comes up is a YouTube video of me talking about my background. So do a couple searches first, read and watch what’s there, and then see if you need more.
Dear Ilsa Bick,
My name is Seth Tinker. I am doing a book report in English class and I happen to choose the book Ashes. Part of the assignment, is to write 2 paragraphs about the Author. Some of the things my teacher listed to talk about was, 1. Tell me about their life, 2. Are they still alive and where are the from, and 3. Do you know why the became an author? If you could write back with some of the information listed above, that would be greatly appreciated.
Your Friend,
Seth Tinker
Hi, Seth:
First off, thanks for getting in touch. I hope you enjoyed ASHES; if you didn’t, don’t tell me ;-).
Second, in terms of your questions, all the information you need is already available online and in a lot of detail. I’ve done tons of interviews, so all you need to do is Google “Bick Ashes Interviews,” and you’ll get boatloads of material. To be frank, telling you about my life . . . well, that’s kind of a broad question and you’d need to narrow that down quite a bit because, you know, I’ve been around for a while. Anyway, I think that a search will pull up most everything you need, including how I got my start in writing and why.
Of course, since I’ve answered this…I must be still alive, too. Thank heavens, because there are days . . .
Good luck with all this!
Best,
Ilsa
Hi Ilsa,
I’ve left comments before. And we actually had a mini conversation about your Ashes Trilogy series, years back on your older website. But anyway, I am a fan. I have read Draw the Dark, and I just finished Drowning Instinct.
Bravo!
I tell people that not only are you my favorite author, but Ashes is also my favorite novel.
Thank you for your talent, your books are my “me-time”. I read them repeatedly, and they give always give me a different perspective that I surprisingly find myself enjoying, or giving a second look. And I always find myself catching something new I missed, or even looking at what I finished reading feeling differently.
Thanks Ilsa.
Hello Mrs.Bick, so I just finished your Ashes trilogy and I loved the book! Just the ending is such a cliff hanger. Could you please just make ONE more book? I am so confused, did she chose Wolf? I really wanted her to chose Tom. Could you please tell me the ending or the rest of the story? I love love love this series and bummed it’s finished.
Hey, Jessica, I’m so glad you enjoyed that trilogy! I don’t know if I’ll continue that story or not, though it’s always possible (I do have ideas). For now, though, you guess is as good as mine 😉
Well, thank YOU, Kim. I really appreciate that. At the rate you’re reading…well, I’d better come up with more for you 😉
Thanks so much for getting in touch, and I’m so pleased you continue to discover new things in my work.
Wow, I didn’t even see this until now! Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my books. If you’re hankering over something else of mine to read, do consider THE SIN-EATER’S CONFESSION or THE DARK PASSAGES series [yes, a shameless plug 😉 ].
Thank YOU for reading!
I just read Ashes in one day 🙂 loved every page.
Well, my goodness! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know. Hearing from folks who like the work always makes up for hours hunched over a hot keyboard 😉
Hey so I’m doing a wisconsin author project for my english class, would you be ok with me asking you some questions for my class?
Sure. At the moment, I’m not living in WI (much to my chagrin), but I *think* of myself as a WI author and have written a fair amount whilst being in WI, so that probably counts ;-). One thing, though: I don’t give out a ton of personal information, like where I was born, how old I am, my kids’ names, things like that. Also, you might want to Google “Bick Ashes Interviews” or just “Ilsa J. Bick Interviews,” and you’ll find tons of questions I’ve answered for other folks at various times. Those might have the information you’re looking for, too.
But, sure. Fire away 🙂
For my English final, we had to do a book review on a book of our choice. i chose Ashes, and it was so good that i’m writing my review on the entire series! I love the Ashes series.
Why, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
The Ashes Trilogy let me connect to a character that was like me.
And for that I truly thank you.
-Elenna
You are very welcome. I’m so pleased my trilogy has found a place in your heart.
Hi Ilsa, I have just literally finished the last book in your amazing trilogy Ashes. I am 16 and have been struggling to read books for a while, when I found your book at my local library in New Zealand. I have fallen in love with every character and I even started crying when Mia died. I don’t know if I didn’t understand something at the end of Monsters as it has been left unexplained. I don’t know if that is intentional to leave you readers wanting more, but if that’s the case, then it did a great job. I finished it about 5 minutes ago and I can’t stop thinking about all the possibilities of what happens with Alex, and Tom and Wolf/Simon. I just wanted to ask if you were planning on writing another one after Monsters to say what happens after because I would be very eager to know. You are such an amazing writer and I have tried writing my own book before, only to discover how truly difficult it is. Since reading the first book, I have recommended it to everyone I come across, and now my sister and mum are reading them. Like I said, I am really hoping you decide to write another book after Monsters, and I can’t wait till I hear from you. Thank you so much.
Hey, Kate,
Thanks so much for getting in touch. Although I’ve traveled around Australia, I’ve never been to New Zealand. Definitely on my bucket list!
I am so pleased you liked the books! (I cry, too, when I re-read parts.) As for the ending, I did that for a couple reasons. One was I’d finished that part of the story, the one I had to tell, and while I might come back to it in the future, I am also a strong believer in possibilities. I think that, way too often, books are neatly wrapped up and tied with a bow when, in fact, life is random and the most unexpected things can happen. For me, the blank page at the end of a book, after the whole story is done, is for you to fill in, if that makes sense. It’s sort of like being a kid and having the courage to walk out of your parents’ house and strike out on your own. So, a lot of my books end with ambiguity because I want you to imagine what might happen next (and believe me, anything you can think of is just as good as what I think).
I hope that makes some sense. Yes, I think about writing more but, for the moment, the characters are alive in your mind for you to do with as you wish.
You should write. Everyone has stories to tell and no one is born a “good” writer. Some have an easier time than others, but the reality is writing is really hard work. Writing is a job and so you have to report to work every day if you expect the job to get done. Even if all you did was write a single page every single day, at the end of the year, you’d have a book. Think about that. One bloody page a day. I’ll bet you can do it. The key is to struggle through the dreaded middle of a book, when you don’t see the need yet and the beginning excitement is far behind you…that’s when most people give up.
Anyway, thank you for brightening my morning and I hope your sister and mum like the books, too. I believe some of my other work is available to you, so—in a shameless plug—check them out!
Hugs,
Ilsa
Hi! Can i know if “ drowning istinct” will come out in italy?
Hey, there…I wish! You are not the first and certainly will not be the last to ask. Whether the book comes out in Italian, however, is under the control of the publisher. So, do feel free to drop them a line and ask. Lindsay Matvick is a good person and usually pretty responsive; her email is lmatvick@lernerbooks.com. Good luck! I would love to see the book in Italian!
Hello Ilsa!
I can’t even begin to describe how much I love the Ashes series. I first picked it up a few years ago and could not put it down. Recently I bought all three of them and have read them twice again already. Your books have inspired me so much. The mix of horror and action gripped me from beginning to finish. (And lead to a few sleepless nights.) Now i have a few questions that i would love to hear your answers to. Have you always loved to write/read, how do you find inspiration and finally, who is your favorite author (You’re one of mine 🙂
The Ashes trilogy is a wonderful book series that has helped bring so much joy into my life. Thank you so much for writing and sharing that writing with the world.
Hi Ilsa,
I’m a 17 year old student from Germany and I’m in my last school year. At the moment I’m writing my “Seminararbeit” ( it’s an 20 to 30 page long essay about a topic that I’m interested in), which will have an influence on my Abitur. I decided to write about your Ashes trilogy. I have to analyze the utopia/dystopia that’s displayed in your books and I have to compare the way-of-life in Rule to the way-of-life of the Amish-People.
My teacher gave me some guidelines I have to work with and one of them is to find out and write about why the author decided to write the books ( which backgrounds) and how their life corresponds with the story. We also have to write about why the author decided to write the books at that time.
I thought it would be a good idea to ask directly for your help.
It would be really cool if you could help me out there 🙂
( sorry for my not-so-perfect english, I hope you understand what I mean)
– Sophia
Why, thank you, Olivia! What a lovely message to start my day! I’m so glad you enjoy my work.
In answer to your questions…gosh, I guess I find inspiration in reading other writers and wondering if I can craft a story as well as they can (or, in some cases, if a story pisses me off, doing it better). I also find inspiration in, you know, life. So many premises pop into my head every single day, I couldn’t possibly write them all down (and probably some would be crappy stories anyway). Then, too, I read a lot, especially non-fiction because you just pick up so much. I think the best writers have magpie minds; they gather fun and glittery bits and sock them away for when they might need them. So, there’s plenty of inspiration; the key to writing really is having the discipline to screw your butt to the chair day in and day out.
As far as a favorite writer: honestly, if you’re telling me a good story, you’re my favorite writer of the moment. I guess I’d say, though, that Stephen King is one my heroes because even when he writes a really crappy novel (and he’s written some real clunkers), he still manages to, sometimes, tell a pretty decent story. Not always; there are a lot of his things I just put aside because they’re not that interesting to me. But I always admire his language and he’s a great storyteller.
Anyway, thanks again. Do share the love 😉 We writers need all the help we can get.
Best,
Ilsa
First off, I’m flattered! I’m so glad you enjoyed those books and you have a very interesting problem/premise there, especially when comparing a dystopian “rule” to the very rigid confines of almost any fundamentalist sect or religion (whether that’s Amish or Muslim or Jewish or Primitive Baptists). By and large, though, they do share many commonalities in their overall structure and in the type of people who seek them out. (Those who leave are interesting, too. You should check out the literature of Amish who’ve decided to join the “English” world.)
Second, I am happy to help. The best way would be for you to give me specific questions, which I could then answer. I will tell you the only things I won’t talk about are very personal ones, things like details about my family and such. But broadly-speaking, I can probably answer most of your questions.
So, have at it! And don’t worry about your English. It is far, far better than my German 😉
Best,
Ilsa
Hi Ilsa,
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!
I actually have quite a lot of questions:
– Have there been any (political) signs of a threat that referred back to an attack with an EMP? ( I don’t know how to exactly ask the questions, but i basically have to find out why you wrote the book in this exact year.)
– I only found out, that you were “inspired” to write the books because you heard a lecture about EMP’s. What exactly inspired you to write the series, and did you have other reasons to write it?
– Did your job as child psychiatrist had an influence on how the characters ( especially Alex, Tom and Chris) behave? Or did it have an influence on the book in general?
– In general, have your professions had influence on the book and how?
– How did you get the idea that teenagers turn into Zombies? Do you think this could happen in real life? Many studies show that EMPs almost have no influence on zhe human brain.
– Do you think the threat of EMPs has got more important over time? (Mostly because of North Korea )
– Did you have any orientations ( on the real world) while writing about Rule? Which aspects of its society are the most important?
– Why are the people in Rule so religious overall? And why do they compare Reverend Yeager to a god- like person? Is it only because he’s from the oldest family, which founded Rule?
I hope they’re specific enough, but if you should have any questions about what I exactly mean… then just ask please 🙂
A HUGE thank you for your time!
-Sophia
No problem, but it’s probably best if I answer these via regular email. What is yours?
Also, I am on deadline and will not be able to answer these until, probably, tomorrow evening. Will that be a problem?
It won’t be a problem, take the time you need 🙂
My e-mail is phia.tanuki@gmail.com
Thanks!
-Sophia
What is Your favorite book that you have written?
Hey, Garrett, what a great question! I’ll be honest; each book I’ve written is my favorite at the time I’m writing it (just like authors: if you’re written a GREAT story, you’re my favorite author of the moment). I really can’t choose because they’re like kids, you know? Each of them took sweat and tears and each have strengths and weaknesses. So…instead…which book of mine is YOUR favorite? 😉
I love your book A Sin Eaters Confession so much, and i’m doing a report on it and could really use your help with a few questions i have about the book?
Does this book have any ties to events in your life?
Which character do you best identify with?
Why did you write this book? Honestly, what in your life made you think of writing this book the way you did?
Were there any events that happened in your childhood or after that made you feel like Jimmy or Ben?
If you were in the exact position as Ben, what would you have done differently? Or would you have done the same things he did?
Hey, there, Lolita!
Thanks for getting in touch—and I’m so pleased you like that book. I will be happy to answer all your questions and shall get to them tomorrow. Been a little busy here 😉
Okay, Lolita, here you go. I hope this is all helpful. I apologize, again, for the delay. If there’s anything you need me to clarify, feel free.
Does this book have any ties to events in your life?
Not in terms of personal experience, no, although I certainly know what it’s like when people judge you on the basis of appearances. Where I lived, being Jewish—and white, because I spent a fair amount of time in the rural South-was really rough, and I got into a couple fights.
But this story is really based on one I heard from a librarian in a small Wisconsin village. Being gay is still not terrifically accepted in many parts of the country (as you must know) and she told me about these two guys who’d moved to town a few years back. They were harassed mercilessly, especially by kids (if you can believe it) and finally, one of them cracked and burned down the house of one of the teenagers. That had happened about a year before I heard the whole story, though I remember when the house burned because I smelled it and it was near the school, so I saw it. But I never understood how or why it had burned down until the librarian told me. No one was hurt, but the guy was arrested and I think he’s still in jail. The other half of the couple moved away.
So, that got me thinking about intolerance and what people do to each other and the assumptions they make about people in general—and that got me thinking about the assumptions parents make about and the control they have over their kids in particular. (I know; it was kind of a leap.). But if you think about it, wondering who you are is all part of getting older; wondering if the school or career path you’re on is actually your idea or something you’ve assimilated because you’ve been told your whole life that’s what you’ll do and be…we all struggle with that. I thought that Ben beginning to question everything-who he is, what he wants, when his parents’ ideas become his—and then having him get caught up in the same kind of assumptions about Jimmy was something we could all relate to.
Which character do you best identify with?
Oh, definitely, Ben. Jimmy, too, but to a lesser degree; he’s not exactly truthful, is he? But that might be because he can’t truthful with himself or anyone else. But Ben’s the focus here; he’s the voice of doubt and he’s trying to solve a bunch of mysteries. Not only Jimmy’s murder, but the question of who Jimmy was as well as who HE is and wants to be.
Why did you write this book? Honestly, what in your life made you think of writing this book the way you did?
Well, I think I answered the first question. In terms of writing it the way I did…I think there are some things you can only see and talk about more clearly when time has passed. This was the pivotal moment in Ben’s life; he may not be around tomorrow; and being a doctor, I’ve sat with a fair number of people who are dying. Almost all talk about regrets first—not how happy they’ve been but what they wish they’d done differently—and sometimes I heard that because they didn’t want to tell their families. (And vice versa; a wife might tell me something about a husband or a kid something about a parent.) Those are hard confessions to hang onto; I guess I became the sin-eater, you know? But sometimes that’s the role you’re given and you have to be able to tolerate it. Sometimes, you become the repository of a family’s secrets.
Were there any events that happened in your childhood or after that made you feel like Jimmy or Ben?
I think I kind of answered that, yeah? :-). Although I guess I’d add that I think we all go through a time when we question our sexuality. I think this particularly true of girls, who have very intense and sometimes quite physical friendships. Girls can be very, very close in ways that boys are conditioned not to be from an early age. So I do think girls might explore a bit more with one another or even feel same-sex attraction without necessarily being a lesbian. I think sexuality in some instances is quite fluid but also normal. It’s society that insists you have to be one or the other (and that goes for same-sex attraction too). It’s somewhat similar to issues of gender. For example, there’s a flurry of girls right now who’ve decided they’re really transgender. Well…maybe they are, maybe they’re not. I’m probably not going to say this well, but groups and fads can sometimes have a profound influence on how a teenager feels and behaves. I don’t think people consciously think, oh, I’ll be transgender; that’s cool—but environment can sometimes play a profound role in a person’s identity. So, as in the book, if enough people suggest you might be a certain way, you begin to wonder if maybe that’s not true, just as there are girls now who decided they were transgender (I’m just choosing that as an example) only to put a few years between them and high school and discover they really weren’t/aren’t but were responding to a perceived group pressure. Groups have a profound influence on how people think and operate; I’m sure you can think of plenty of instances where group/peer pressure had an influence on what you thought and how you behaved.
If you were in the exact position as Ben, what would you have done differently?
Or would you have done the same things he did?
Gosh, I don’t know. I’d like to think I’d have gone to the police right away, but then the same things that stopped Ben might have stopped me: the fear of exposure, guilt, that kind of thing. The problem is once you start down a certain road, you can get yourself into a situation where you think there’s no way you can turn back. You worry about what everyone else will think. I mean, in a way, Ben’s quest to figure out what happened to Jimmy really becomes more of a journey to figure out himself. So I don’t know. What do you think? Would you have done the same thing or gone to the police? If you go to teh police, you’ll get asked all kinds of questions, right? So…would you want that?
Hi, I am 11 and I would like to remain anonymous but I just want to say I love all of your books and they are so hard to stop reading. You have inspired me with the Ashes trilogy to write my own books. I am still working on them though. You are my favorite author and I want to thank you for writing so many good books. If it is not too much trouble, can you answer the following questions? Thank you.
1. How much money does one book make a year on average?
2. How much money did you make starting out as an author?
3. How many books do you have to publish to make a living?
4. How do you perfect your writing?(In other words, how do you make your writing so perfect?)
Also can you tell me any other tips for writing amazing books? How do you come up with your titles? Thank you!
With great respects and thanks,
anonymous(I wish I could tell you my name!)
This is anonymous, and I can’t thank you enough!
This is anonymous again and I can’t thank you enough!
Hi, 11-year-old anonymous person!
I’m so glad you like writing (and reading, too)! Unfortunately, a lot of your questions don’t have hard and fast rules. For example, the amount of money you might make from a book depends heavily on genre, how well it’s written, how well it’s marketed, whether you’re published traditionally or do it yourself, and so on. Advances for a first-time author are usually not terrifically high unless the publisher thinks he’s got a hit on his hands; it’s the same for midlist authors. Advances depend a lot on the size of the house and how well the publisher thinks the book will do, and you are still always competing with established bestsellers who will make way more money all the time and almost regardless of what they put out.
Ditto for your question about how many books you have to publish. I know authors who struck it big the first time out and I know writers who are publishing over 20 books a year (albeit, these are usually much shorter—length is in the eye of the beholder in some ways, but various platforms have different criteria for what can be marketed as a novel versus a short story or novella) and indie-published. In other words, they’re not going through one of the Big Five publishers; they’re putting their books up themselves. Getting eyeballs on your books is then key and so is content and production; if you’re writing short books, then you really have to be cranking to keep your fan base happy and the cash flowing because putting up books also costs money (copy-editing, perhaps a professional edit, cover artist, and—-of course, the hardest thing of them all—marketing). People can burn out at that rate very quickly, too.
I don’t know about making my words perfect. I guess I think they were the best words I came up with at the time, but remember that a book is never really done, even when you turn it in. If you’re going through a traditional publisher, there’s the editor’s notes and the copy-editor’s notes and then your own sensibilities which will have changed by the time you see your book again. Most books going through traditional houses take about a year from acceptance to coming out, so that’s a lot of time and eyeballs given to the work. I’m not the same person now as I was when I finished my last book, and I’m sure I’ll want to change hiccups I catch when I next see it. If you’re doing this the indie-pub route, you still see your book several times over because, if you’ve got a good first reader or editor or copy-editor, they wil see things you don’t.
Titles: Some were mine from the very beginning; others were suggested by editors; and usually we went back and forth to get the right ones.
I don’t know if I have tons of tips other than in order to be a decent writer you not only have to read a lot, you have to write a lot and you have to write pretty much every day. Heinlein had five rules for writers to which Robert Sawyer added a sixth: https://www.sfwriter.com/ow05.htm
The reality is you have to practice. You have to do this every day. You have to set aside a time and space to do this every day (or close to every day). Even if you only write one page a day, keep that up for a year, and you’ll have a book.
I would suggest you also follow one of Elmore Leonard’s rules: leave out the parts readers tend to skip.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much!
You are most welcome, 11-year-old anonymous person 😉
First of all, Thank you for your service!
Your Ashes trilogy books are amazing, I couldn’t seem to put them down. Now I need to start reading some of your other titles, what would you suggest?
Gosh, I think it depends on what you like. What are you in the mood for?
Oh, and I’m so glad you like the trilogy!
Hey I just got done reading the ashes trilogy I love it but I am writing about the author of the book I’ve just read and I need to ask you what inspired you to write the ashes trilogy