You can find Su blogging here - http://dreamweavernovels.blogspot.co.uk/
And Christoph is right here - http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/
So, on with the questions...
Well, that's a loaded question isn't it? The question should have been, what am I not working on - it would have been simpler!
At this present time, I have my fingers in many pies. My splatterpunk horror short, 'The Meat Wagon - A Prequel' has just been accepted for publication in JWKFictions anthology, 'The Terror Train', which is very exciting.
I am in the process of completing my young children's picture book, 'Doodeedoo', which is being published by Visionary Press. This is a joint effort with my wife, who is doing the illustrations (you can see some of her work on my 'Sammy Gilberts Art' page, above). This is due for release within the next couple of months.
I am half way through the first draft of 'The Adventures of Mud', a science fiction adventure story for older children (YYA?) which I am really excited about. Also in this age range, my adventure novel 'The Youngest Knight' has been accepted by Ghostly Publishing and is due for release early 2015.
I have completed my short story anthology, 'Driftwood from the Specific' and will be self pubbing when the cover is sorted. This is currently being worked on by Joseph Murphy.
Apart from a few more shorts and some short poems, that is pretty much it (bar the planning for this years NaNoWriMo - an adult dystopian fiction this time).
3) Why do I write what I do?
I thought I'd answer these together as I don't really have a genre. As 'Driftwood from the Specific' will suggest in it's tagline, I am a genre-hopper.
I haven't been writing for long, a little under two years, I'm still experimenting. I write what I want to write, whether that be a fun little rhyme about blue cats and green dogs, an adventure based in a city round the corner from Narnia, or a gruesome horror based on Jupiter. If my mind wants to take me on a journey, who am I to deny it?
I began my 'writing career' with a short children's story about love, loss and hope. 'The Cloud Diary' got a great response and lots of five star reviews. I was so pleased that I decided to try more children's fiction. The words seemed to flow really easily so I continued with it. Then I met other writers and started reading some great indie work, such as 'The Caseworkers Memoirs' by Dan Thompson, 'Tethers' by Jack Croxall and 'The Memory Game' by Sharon Sant and decided I wanted to try something different.
I moved up to the next age range and then the next. I found writing enthralling. I loved every style I tried (I admit that I'm not strong in most) so just kept trying. Scifi, horror, fantasy, humour and even a bit of erotica. Most of my attempts will never see the light of day but I'm still trying, and although I may never master the art, I hope that my writing can bring some happiness to readers.
I suppose, to answer the question I have been skirting round for the last four paragraphs, my work differs because of the range of styles I work in. If I'm writing a horror, then I may include a bit of humour in it. Or, maybe a steampunk erotica. Or a fantasy crime thriller scifi. I don't like to stick within the boundaries and I hope my work shows that.
For me, the process of writing is actually very simple. Why wouldn't it be? You sit down, you write. There is nothing complicated about that.
I like to play classical music while I put fingers to keys. I don't really mind what it is, so long as there are no lyrics. I stare at the screen for a couple of hours, pop on to Facebook for a quick chat with as many friends as I can, attempt some humorous remarks on peoples statuses, jump on Twitter, then Goodreads, make a cup of tea, see what's on TV, then finally, write three words - normally consisting of 'Chapter One - A'. See, what's so hard about that?
I purchased a writing desk about a month ago and I love the thought of sitting down, shut off from the world and writing thousands of words a day, penning book after book after book. Unfortunately, as I am sure you're aware, life gets in the way. I have a family, four children and a gorgeous wife so there is not a great deal of time or opportunity to write the level of content I would like to. That said, they are all very understanding so when I disappear into my cloud of fiction they let me be.
It takes a while to write a novel and I find the trick is (something I learned through NaNoWriMo) to turn off the inner editor. It does work but it means that the editing process often takes three times as long. Editing is the bane of my life. Fortunately I have made some great friends through Facebook and they are more than willing to step in as beta readers. Before I put them through that though, my work goes to my dad and my mother-in-law who are both big readers and are more than willing to rip my work apart. Thankfully I have a thick skin.
The only way for me to improve my writing and better the journey I take my readers on is to write, then repeat. How do you do it?
And so we reach the end...
For now though, I would love to introduce you to three authors who, if you haven't already heard of, you really should check out. They will be posting their responses to the four questions next Monday - 19th May.
The bloggers, the authors, my friends...
You can find his blog here - http://www.eliaszapple.com/zapples-moustache---a-blog.html
You can find her blog here - http://calliehunter.wordpress.com
Age: Getting perilously close to fifty.
Location: Bolton, the north of England.
Married, three (almost) grown-up kids.
Occupation: Tradesman and brilliant novelist; “The Tale of the Ancient Marina” (Novel), “The Skiffies” (sci-fi shorts), “The Almost English Dictionaarony” (Shorts), “Rhyming stuff” (poems) and “The Complete Works” (everything in one volume).
My second novel; "All the Loft Insulation You can Eat" is on it's way but don't hold your breath.
You can find his blog here - http://aarondavid.co.uk/blog/