Why did you feel you had to tell this story?
All stories come from the same place: the experiences, passions, and interests of the author. I began writing Eternity when I was seventeen and still in high school; I finished the initial draft in longhand as a freshman in college; initially typed it all up when I was in my mid-twenties, and then let it sit for another ten years while I worked on other projects, including other fiction, poetry, and a career in teaching. The story, at it's core, is about identity and ideals, and about the ability of any person to achieve their desires, if they have imagination and will enough to make it happen.
Where do you get your ideas?
Part of that's answered in the previous question. Ideas come from deep parts of the self, even ideas for science-fiction stories like Eternity, or like the novel I have coming out later in the year from PDMI Publishing, called Annah. The form the ideas take come from the nature of the idea—some things are poems, and some things are short stories, and some things are novels. Types of stories? Most of my fiction is science-fiction, fantasy and horror, because those are the lenses I'm most comfortable using to comment on the world. But if stories of any kind aren't rooted in human concerns—even if they're filled with aliens, monsters, or other worlds, then I personally wouldn't bother.
Do you ever experience writer’s block and how do you overcome it?
I don't get 'writer's block.' That's a phrase somebody made up to get around the hard work of sitting down and actually writing. Writing is work. Just because it's filled with inspiration and many elements of wonder and magic doesn't mean it isn't. Establish a routine. Always write in the same place; don't let yourself be interrupted if you can help it. Know when you sit down to write that you have the tools you need. If you feel like you're running out of material, take a blank sheet of paper out, think about your characters or the situations in your story and just free-write with no regard to form or context until you feel like you can go on with the main work at hand.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers on the writing and publishing process?
There are no aspiring writers, unless by that, one means people who don't write. Don't aspire to write—do it. Now, as far as aspiring authors—meaning those who haven't yet been published—get your work in as nearly a finished state as you possibly can. Then get someone else to read it—several someone-elses. Then send out your work; send it to writing contests, editors, agents. It took me decades to get my current publishing contract with PDMI Publishing, who will be publishing my second novel, Annah, later this year. I self-published Eternity with Amazon.com/CreateSpace shortly before getting the deal with PDMI—out of a drive to finally get something of mine out there. Self-publishing can be valuable, but it requires aggressive marketing on the part of the author, a burden that can be relieved when an author has a reliable and supportive publisher at his or her back, as I do now.
How do you market your work? Have you found some avenues to be more successful than others?
I've made up flyers for the book; I've created webpages at wordpress.com—a fantastic blogging site I'd recommend to any writer—all of these with a link to the amazon.com page, where the book can be ordered. Word of mouth is good, as is contacting local media. Organizing local book events, such as book signings at libraries or bookstores, is also an effective means of promotion. I'm in the process now of setting up a signing at my local Books-a-Million.
If your book was made into a movie, who do you picture playing each part?
Leonardo diCaprio might have been a good fit for my main character, Eternity, if the film had been made back when “Titanic” was made. At this point, I'd have to give that some more thought.
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Synopsis
In the distant future, the remnants of man live in a city of black glass, ruled over by unseen gods called the Providers, and powered by a great Engine at the City's heart. This is the story of one young man who sets out to stand against the Providers, find the secret to their power, and free the City from their tyranny for good.
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FOR MORE INFO
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claygilbert.author
Blogs: http://evohe1.wordpress.com/
https://memoryschildren.wordpress.com/
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