by A.E. Albert
@aealbert23
My first novel was The Minstrel’s Tale. It’s medieval fiction for smart ten year olds and those of us still young enough to enjoy fairy tales.
I had a collection of fairy tales I’d written, and wanted to present them in a unique way. Since one of my favorite books growing up was 1001 Arabian Nights, I decided to go with the stories-within-a-story format since I hadn't seen much fiction done this way. I got the idea for my minstrel from Robert Jordan’s gleeman in World of Time. Once I had the minstrel’s character figured out, the rest was fun. I heard his voice in my head, he sounded a bit like Patrick Stewart and he told me the story as I typed.
Is there a message in your book?
There is, but it wasn't on purpose and I won't tell you what it is. All I can say is, I'm amazed at how writing can reach down deep into your soul and pull something out, you didn't intend to share.
Is there anything in your book based on real life experience?
There is one scene in the prologue, I remembered from my childhood and used. We moved around a lot when I was growing up, and I used to love exploring our new homes. My running through the house, footsteps echoing in the empty rooms, opening and then slamming shut every drawer and cabinet door, in my search for hidden rooms and treasure, drove my mom crazy. I remember once reaching into a darkened room to flip on the light switch and knowing a spider would skittle across my hand.
What books/writers have influenced you the most?
My, that would be a long, long list. Growing up, I fell in love with The Secrets of NIMH, anything by Jules Verne, Ray Bradbury, or H.G. Wells, but it was The Hobbit, that made me want to write, to create worlds and characters and to tell my own stories.
As an adult, I would have to say Stephen King, Jim Butcher, Mark Twain, and J.K. Rowling have influenced my writing the most. I have studied the writing of each one of them and still do. They have a way of putting the reader right into their worlds, where we won’t even come up for air, and we’re upset when it’s over. Combine that with their use of humor, and it’s magical. That’s how I want to write.
What has been your greatest challenge when writing?
Finding a story I love enough to finish. I have ADHD, so keeping myself focused is really tough for me. I have to find the right balance of plotting so the story makes sense and is going somewhere, but if I know too much, I lose interest and want to work on something new. I usually have twenty files open, each with the beginnings of a new story. If the characters aren't coming alive in my head, or I can’t ‘walk’ in the world, or if it seems too much like everything else I've read, I don't want to ‘play’ with that one anymore and I'll move on to a new one.
But once I do hear my character, I can't wait to get it done so I can find out what happens!
What are you working on right now?
I just released my utopian fantasy, Pangaea, and I'm not quite ready to commit to another novel of that length right now. So I’m writing flash fiction which is really short stories. I think this is a great way to keep learning the craft of writing. When you only have 200-300 words to tell a story, it becomes a game as to how you can introduce a believable character and get them in and out of trouble. Basically, it’s a way to play with words and story structure, and since I’m doing it in a group with other writers, it’s fun.
What have you learned and do you have any advice for other authors?
The best advice I ever received was from my daughter who was a magazine editor at the time. She must have grown so tired of me reading about writing and starting a new book and then not finishing it because she told me to stop trying to write the Great American Novel and write short stories, so you give yourself a chance to finish something before growing bored with it. She was right on the mark.
Once I felt the joy of accomplishment writing ‘the end,’ I was hooked. I would pass along that advice to any writer.
For authors who have already finished their novels, and may be worried no one will like it, I've learned a valuable lesson as a bookseller in a bookstore. Don't worry about it. There are people out there who don't like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Mark Twain, and have never heard of Jim Butcher. If they don't like my favorite authors, they're probably not going to like my book either. But other people will. Share it with the world and find your tribe.
Finding a story I love enough to finish. I have ADHD, so keeping myself focused is really tough for me. I have to find the right balance of plotting so the story makes sense and is going somewhere, but if I know too much, I lose interest and want to work on something new. I usually have twenty files open, each with the beginnings of a new story. If the characters aren't coming alive in my head, or I can’t ‘walk’ in the world, or if it seems too much like everything else I've read, I don't want to ‘play’ with that one anymore and I'll move on to a new one.
But once I do hear my character, I can't wait to get it done so I can find out what happens!
What are you working on right now?
I just released my utopian fantasy, Pangaea, and I'm not quite ready to commit to another novel of that length right now. So I’m writing flash fiction which is really short stories. I think this is a great way to keep learning the craft of writing. When you only have 200-300 words to tell a story, it becomes a game as to how you can introduce a believable character and get them in and out of trouble. Basically, it’s a way to play with words and story structure, and since I’m doing it in a group with other writers, it’s fun.
What have you learned and do you have any advice for other authors?
The best advice I ever received was from my daughter who was a magazine editor at the time. She must have grown so tired of me reading about writing and starting a new book and then not finishing it because she told me to stop trying to write the Great American Novel and write short stories, so you give yourself a chance to finish something before growing bored with it. She was right on the mark.
Once I felt the joy of accomplishment writing ‘the end,’ I was hooked. I would pass along that advice to any writer.
For authors who have already finished their novels, and may be worried no one will like it, I've learned a valuable lesson as a bookseller in a bookstore. Don't worry about it. There are people out there who don't like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Mark Twain, and have never heard of Jim Butcher. If they don't like my favorite authors, they're probably not going to like my book either. But other people will. Share it with the world and find your tribe.
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You can reach Anna through her website www.annaquesterly.com. From there, you can follow her on Twitter, friend her on Facebook, subscribe to her blog, or send her an email.
Find The Minstrel's Tale at:
Amazon
Find The Minstrel's Tale at:
Amazon
Best wishes to Anna.. She gave expressive answers. And I couldn't empathise more, when it comes to the challenge of persevering with something; five days in, I've already experienced the temptation to discontinue the listings project (remember Aimee, the one I told you about).
ReplyDeleteI'll persevere.. I've scoured the internet, country to country, town to town, vocation to vocation; I've used YouTube, Google Images, movie credits, tv ads, Google World Map, and still discovering more and more new sources of people data.
If done best, this document could be possibly one of the most revolutionary documents the world's ever produced.
(Enjoy your weekend Aimee)
I agree. I think perseverance supersedes even talent. Nothing gets done if you don't get it done and there's always bumps in the road along the way.
DeleteI still experience the bumps, all these weeks later (while using your site, Aimee, the past few months, I've actually been attending a local mental health hospital, because of severe anxiety issues - enough to make me contemplate "postponed suicide")..
DeleteBut yes, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google Images, thousands and thousands and thousands of news reports. I'm twelve pages into my list because of these sources.
A market stall person, in South Sudan. A construction worker, in London. Paris Hilton. Ashley Nixon (the woman, you helped promote last week). Helen White (the person, I had affection for when I was in secondary school). Green Yu. Don Dixon (PUC student). Nigel Farage (UKIP leader). A Transylvanian hostel owner. Suzan Pilon (a yoga teacher). The Jackpot presenters, on ITV. Elizabet Liendro, a San Joaquin resident. A cadet, who attends the Jhang Cadet College. Nadia Bjorlin (a former actress, of Days of Our Lives). Katie McGrath (an Irish actress). Colin Bailey. Michelle Obama. Tracy Chou. Luis Enrique. Gerard Salonga..
You can be the most famous of people, or you can be the most obscure of people (obscure enough that you can only get found via Google Images), all it takes is my either happening to think of you, or my happening to discover you.
I'm a changed person, to how I was in 2014: on any day, I'm now willing to unconditionally say anything, and to give anything to anyone. I can give myself a countdown (perhaps another 100 days, or 150 days), because in light of never transcending - with other people - I just don't see the value in long-term repetition.
I'll incorporate everyone, everywhere: I hope to one day get to experience every sentient life form, equal to myself, reaching their hand out to the sun, at the same time..
Literally, at the same time, every human being on the planet with their hand reached out to the sun - then I can die.
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