Interview Q&A Spot light week Two Stephen De Marino

Spotlight Day two: Author Stephen De Marino 's Q& A 

Interview Questions :

1. What shaped your imagination as a child, and do you feel that because of this your imagination as an adult is just as strong?  
My parents read to me from a young age, and my Mother, especially read me a great spread of stories.  We have a book, Tyler Gerber’s Big Red Book, which was published way back in 1942. Many of my early child hood imaginations came from stories in this book, though I didn’t always realize it until much later. I would constantly create entire worlds, scenarios, maps. I loved, and still love drawing imaginary maps of place I wanted to write about.

2. Did you have imaginary friends? Do you still have them and have they grown up with you? 

I was too grounded I think in many ways, I didn’t have the “friends” that a lot of kids have, the fully developed person that they blame stuff on, that ran around with them. None of the “Calvin and Hobbes” action for me. I did however constantly imagine myself in different roles, as a space captain, pirate captain, cannibal chief, corporate captain, captain of industry, steamboat captain. Something to do with nifty hats I think…

3. What is your earliest memory of reading? 

The earliest memory I have of reading on my own is actually the newspaper. I read the newspaper from a very young age (3-4 years old) and would read about these events that were happening the world over. I found it pretty fascinating. 

4. What was the first story you ever told and how old were you? 

 I would have to say the first story ever told was to my mother about how Heather Steele stole the cookies and not me when I was three. However, the first story I ever wrote down that I remember was in my early teens. I was writing a piece about how a choir boy turned into a mercenary because of the teasing that happened to him. Somewhat self-based.

5. What inspires your creative world? 

That’s a pretty complicated question, and one I constantly wonder about myself to be honest. I draw inspiration from many sources, but especially most recently, my children. My Daughter, Sarah is an aspiring young artist, and a misfit herself. My son, Vito has a vibrant and fertile imagination that is astounding and makes me wonder how my Mother handled me as a child without losing her own mind. He radiates images so loudly it’s hard to think about your own stuff at times. I read heavily in the Masters of Science Fiction, Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Gordon Dickson, Herbert, Poul Anderson, Heinlein.

6. What would you want readers to know about you in order for them to understand the world you create?

 I don’t know that they need to necessarily need to know ANYTHING about me to understand the world I create, if I have done my job well. I want what I write to be complete enough and properly constructed enough that they can get it without knowing anything about the author.  I don’t necessarily have an “agenda” that needs to be imprinted upon them. Folks can draw their own conclusions and their own ideas from my stories, without my leading them in a particular way. Indeed, it is interesting to see what different people have gotten out of the story I am currently writing, without my telling them anything about it.

7. What's your 'writing ritual'? 

Coffee in my right hand, brain in my left. Seriously, though, most mornings after my work out I get into my SCP (Steve Command Post) chair with the laptop and work for a bit in the mornings while my wife is on the treadmill. When I am going to write for an extended period, I set myself up with my thesaurus, my copy of Sin and Syntax, any research materials, and take two deep breaths and dive in.

8. Who are your favourite Indy authors currently?  

Well, honestly, right now, you guys [Diamant]. I *blush* must admit to being a newbie to the indy scene, but I am learning rapidly. Most of my initial experience with the independent authors has been from an editing standpoint rather than as a writer. Writing short pieces for anthologies and such helped me dip my toe in…then it got grabbed and sucked me up to my navel. Here I am. 

(* Blogger note : Awwww :D Thanks!!!) 

9. Do you feel there is anything that holds you back as an author? 

 Pretty much everything. I work full time. I like spending time with my kid and wife. I have a horrible video game addiction. I am a lazy bastard in general. Oh yeah, add in Facebook, watching football, and you know…reading stuff. So yes pretty much the whole darn world holds me back. The only thing forcing me onward, honestly, is the fact that I promised Michelle (my ornery, lovely, amazing, stubborn wife) that I would finish this book. She has read several of my false starts and always got pissed when I didn’t finish them. So…onward I go.

10. What advice would you give to new indies about the art of self-publishing?   

Make time to write, keep it separate from your time to promote. Write in the morning, deal with promotion in the afternoon. Or, if like Aubrey you work at night, write before work, promote after work.  Also, if you get a book deal, get a signed contract, get a lawyer to look it over. Be diligent. Business is business, and friends are friends, but always check your numbers, always check your accounts. Don’t assume. If you do not watch out for yourself, no one else will. 

Last, get yourself a good editor. If you need to pay for one, fine. If it’s your friends, fine. But get someone who will not be a “teddy bear” and will tell you what is broken or not working in your book .A good proofreader/editor is worth their weight in gold. They can help you with your art, they can help you be a better writer, they can be the coach that you need to become more, to get your story to its full potential.  At the same time, comments about HOW you write, take in.  Comments about WHAT you write, stuff in the orifice of your choice.

Though there are a ton of horror stories out there, have fun! Welcome to the world of writers. We are weird, strange, and bizarre folks, but we work hard to make new worlds. Being an independent writer means you are on the cusp of an amazing revolution in the literary world.