The official blog for THG StarDragon Publishing. Publishing spiritual/paranormal fantasy and poetry, and open to non-fiction spirituality works. Please don't forget to visit the side pages and check out the main site as well. There is now also a podcast!
Selkies' Skins
Current book in series Temple and Skinquest. Enjoy Castle and Well from Amazon, B&N and Smashwords while waiting for that and the prequel's audiobook "Pearls of Sea and Stone: Book of Seals".
Part Two of the Ian's Realm Saga is finished, ready, and available for purchase and download on Dianne Gardner's Gumroads store. You can listen to the story on any device that plays MP3 and are not locked into streaming only (unlike some venues can be).
It has been a pleasure working on this project. Part Three is in production and available for pre-order directly from the author. By ordering from the author directly you ensure that she receives more, especially in projects where narrators or illustrators are paid up front. Please also check out her other projects.
a)
What name and gender are being used to refer to you? If they do not
match your birth name and gender are you open about it? You do not
have to disclose legal/birth name and gender, but if you want it
mentioned you write under an assumed identity or have more than one
identity you work under for this industry that can open up new lines
of discussion.
Female
b)
Are you an author, poet, illustrator, editor, game writer, game
creator, publisher, or multiple? If you have multiple roles in the
publishing community then which ones are they? If you have multiple
roles feel free to answer each question with sections for each role.
Author,
poet, editor
c)
What books, games, or other publishing related projects have you been
involved in the production of?
Author
of 2 children’s books: The Golden Rule & My Family Is Different
/ 1 science fiction series: Embracing Entropy (which is currently out
of print and being revamped) / and numerous short stories 1 of which
was featured in the Chicken Soup for the Soul Book: Inspiration for
Teachers. I also do freelance editing work and assist the editor of
Me First Magazine.
===
1.
What got you interested in (writing/illustrating/editing, etc)?
I
love stories. Ever since I was little I was making up my own worlds
and getting people to laugh at true tales of my silliness.
2.
What company or companies are you doing work for/with?
I
do a lot of freelance work but my involvement with Me First Magazine
has been incredibly rewarding, and my technical writing keeps the
bills paid.
3.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m
always juggling different manuscripts. I’ve been working on a
non-fiction piece about when I moved to L.A. to be a singer for a
while now, but also have a new middle grade children’s book I’m
diving into, and a mad-scientist story involving a veterinarian.
4.
Do you have any future projects in mind to take on?
Every
day I have to fight with new ideas and see which ones stick around
for future endeavors. I’m constantly scribbling down new ideas to
plot, and researching non-fiction topics that matter most to me.
5.
What is your favorite project?
That’s
like asking which of my children I love most. I can’t choose
between them. I can say that one of my newest unpublished short
stories, “Forgotten Voyage,” was such a big part of me that I’m
hoping it finds a home soon. It’s a classic hero story with a dark
twist that poured out and reads real smooth.
6.
Is this career something that you always wanted to do?
Not
at all. Haha When I was really young I wanted to be a
dinosaur. When I realized that probably wasn’t an option (one can
still dream) I switched from veterinarian to singer to sculpter to
you name it. And I worked in a lot of the fields I dreamed of. I was
a veterinary assistant, a travel agent, a clothing store manager, a
receptionist, and so on. All that experience piled up and pointed me
in my true direction: writing.
Don’t
get me wrong; I always loved writing and telling stories. I just
didn’t think it would be a viable career. That was reserved for old
cranky drunk men, or so stereotypes suggested. I’m glad that was
wrong.
7.
Do you find it difficult, or find some aspects more difficult than
others?
Yes.
I have sent out over 100 submissions already this year with only a
few acceptances. That’s the life of a writer. The more lucrative
the market, the more heartache you get, but I’m fully committed. It
takes a lot of spark to keep burning through the publishing industry.
8.
What is a normal day like for you? Is this your side job or main job?
My
weekdays are very structured. I get up early, spend time with my kids
getting them ready for the day, exercising together, and having
breakfast. Then my husband takes over and I go to the office to write
until my lunch break. I usually record ideas, poems, or blogs on my
phone as I drive to the park to play with the kids at lunchtime. Then
I come back to the office, write some more and head home to cart the
little ones to practices and rehearsals and somehow squeak dinner,
reading, and outside time in there. Once they go to bed I make time
for the hubsy, but then I do some writing, outlining, or
brainstorming.
The
weekends are the opposite. Less structure, more adventure. We go
hiking, swimming, camping, hit up local events, or bombard family,
play music, dance, and run around having as much fun as we can. I
also sneak in writing when everyone’s asleep on the weekends.
9.
How do you manage balancing this with family and any other work you
may have?
Very
carefully. haha
10.
What hobbies do you have?
I
love to play guitar, sing, dance, swim, hike, garden, play with
animals, pretend I can draw and try new things.
11.
If you could be anything in the world besides this, what would it be?
A
mermaid. Or a dinosaur. A MER-DINO!
12.
Do you feel that school helped set you up toward following this path
in the publishing industry?
Yes
and no. In school we read some pretty standard books. Some were
great, but a lot of them bored me. I hated Lord of the Flies and
Romeo & Juliet. They didn’t say anything to me about myself or
the world I knew. BUT I spent a lot of time in the library just
closing my eyes and running my fingers over rows of books until I
stopped on one. I loved that game. I would read the back and if I
liked it I would check it out. I also had a couple of teachers who
really encouraged my love of writing and reading. One suggested I
become a writer and I laughed at the idea. How silly of me.
13.
If you could go back to school is there anything you wish you had
paid more attention to?
Math.
It’s the language of numbers. I’m dyslexic so numbers and letters
like to play tricks on me. I struggled with it pretty bad until I had
a great math teacher in college. He really taught me how to train my
brain and get to know numbers.
14.
What advice do you have for the next generation?
That’s
a hefty order. Haha I guess it would be: Read old
books. Classic English Lit always revives my faith in humanity
because 50, 100, 200… even 1000 years ago people were complaining
about the same things: crooked politicians, the state of the
education system, the future of the world, and financial woes. No
matter how bad things seem, we’ll be okay.
15.
What advice do you have for your age peers that may also want to take
part in the publishing industry and specifically with your area
within it?
Do
the work. No one is ever a perfect writer. Keep learning. Go to
workshops, find a mentor - surround yourself with writers, agents,
and publishers. Listen to them and let your work grow. Be realistic
about your goals and work hard.
16.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add that we didn’t
discuss?
Everyone
is a writer nowadays but fewer people are reading. If you really care
about literature and word art, support more authors.
