1. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Ever since I was about 10 and was given a creative writing assignment at school, it's the only career I've wanted.
2. What has been the toughest challenge in your publishing journey?
Learning to market my books effectively, I'm very anti-social, it's why I like writing, so I struggle with marketing.
3. How long did it take to write your first book?
I'm going to use the first book I published because I can't remember much about the first book I actually wrote, that was a quarter of a century ago; Where There's A Will took me about 2 months, I was out of work and without either a computer or internet so had a lot of time on my hands, which I used for writing.
4. What advice can you give aspiring authors?
If writing is what you really want to do, don't ever let anything stop you, there are many aspects to being an author but writing is the most important, make sure you do it whenever you can, even if it's only a line a day.
5. What has been the best and worst experience you've had as a self-publishing author?
My best experience was during my first time as a published author (this is my second go at it) I hit the top 30 of the Nook charts on Barnes & Noble with one of my titles. The worst was having to give up my first shot as an author through legal and financial troubles.
6. What is your favorite genre/character/author?
This is such a tough one; I'd have to say fantasy is my favourite genre, and my current favourite author in fantasy is George RR Martin with Arya and Tyrion being tip-top characters.
7. What has been the most valuable advice you've been given as an author?
Keep writing, don't sweat the marketing, releasing more titles will help more than poor marketing.
When I feel like it, when I can fit it in. I've been known to scribble on a scrap of paper while I'm supposed to be working.
9. Describe your writing space.
Currently my writing space is restricted, I've been working in the armchair in the living room, it's not the best but it works.
10. What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing or promoting your book?
I like watching TV and playing computer games. I'm hoping to take up golf again at some point, it's been years since I played but I love it.
11. What are you working on now? Do you have a new or upcoming release?
Right now I'm working on two books, Written In Blood, a serial killer thriller set in a small village, and an Eye For An Eye, the 2nd book in my detective series.
12. What are your goals for this year?
I hope to have the two books I'm working on released, and maybe a third.
Excerpt from Written In Blood tbr March/April
“What’re you talking about?” Oliver surged to his feet again. “Why hasn’t anyone told me Lucy’s missing? How long’s she been gone? What’s happened to her?”
“If you hadn’t acted like such an idiot earlier, racing off to attack Kieran the moment you were told about Georgina, you’d have found out then. It’s part of what we wanted to talk to you about,” Melissa told him. “Her mum reported her missing last night. Of course, we couldn’t do anything then because she’s sixteen, but her mum still hadn’t seen or heard from her by this morning.
“After Georgina was discovered, we realised we had to take her absence seriously; so far we’ve discovered that the last time she was seen is yesterday afternoon, about two…”
“Let me guess, by Wright!” Oliver spat the name. “Can’t you see, you should be arresting him, not standing here talking to me like it’s any other time you’ve got me banged up. That sick bastard killed Georgie, and he’s probably killed Lucy by now as well. I don’t even wanna think about what he did to them before he killed them, the sick fuck!”
“What is your problem with him? Come on, what is it? There must be a reason for you to hate him so much.”
“You wanna know what my problem with that asshole is. He’s a rapist, that’s my problem with the bastard, he’s a fuckin’ rapist!”
“Are you saying Kieran raped Georgina? When did this happen?”
“No, I don’t know, maybe; she never said anything if he did. I’d’ve killed him already if she told me something like that.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“Lucy.”
“Kieran raped Lucy?”
“As good as. He sure as hell tried to.” Oliver’s face darkened, and he punched one fist into the other palm, hard enough to make Melissa wince. “That’s why she dumped his ass. He got her one night, up at the picnic area, when they were seeing each other. He tried it on, and when she said no, he attacked her.
“If she hadn’t managed to get away, he’d’ve raped her.” He saw the look on Melissa’s face. “You don’t believe Lucy would be seeing someone and not sleeping with them.”
“Her reputation does make it difficult to accept.”
Oliver gave her a look of amused bemusement. “Don’t ask me to understand women, especially Lucy. She were with Wright for months, and wouldn’t let him go further than copping a feel, but she jumped me the first night.”
“Did she tell you Kieran tried to rape her? She never reported it to us. At least not that I heard, and I’m pretty sure I’d have heard about it if she had.”
Bio
Alex Carver has worked a number of jobs over the years, none of which provided the satisfaction he got from writing, and he has now given up the day jobs to write full-time. Primarily he writes crime fiction, reflecting his interest in the seedy underbelly of life, but science fiction and kids adventure have featured in his writing, with books in those genres on the long list of titles he is preparing for release.
Amazon author page - https://www.amazon.com/Alex-
Twitter - https://twitter.com/
Thanks for interviewing me, it was fun to think back to how I got started with writing.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview!!
ReplyDelete