Artist Interview — Michael Inman

Today I’m excited to interview an artist I have known and respected for a very long time—Michael Inman. Since the first time I saw Michael’s artwork, I was drawn to his creative imaginings and to his colorful  sketches. I’m honored that he agreed to stop by today and tell us more about himself and about his art.

What got you interested in Art? Can you remember the first things you drew/sculpted/painted and what made them memorable?

The earliest I can remember being interested in art was being exposed in some way to Picasso’s paintings. I loved the weird, cubist, almost cartoony style of some of his paintings and charcoals. My two all-time favorites of his are “The Three Musicians” and “Night Fishing at Antibes.” I tried to duplicate both of these pieces myself many times as a kid and the whimsical, cartoony, strange art seemed to be something I found myself appreciating more than say, Picasso’s more realistic portraits. After some time, I really came to appreciate album art in CD lyric books and came to love Beck Hansen, not only for his music but for his studio art. My father took me to a Beck art exhibit at Cheekwood [in Nashville, Tennessee], and I was just in awe at everything.

Have you taken any art classes?

I have taken many. Illustration courses, perspective drawing, painting, figure drawing, black and white analog photography, graphic design (I consider that art), etc.

What is your preferred medium and why?

My preferred “traditional” medium is acrylic paint, but my absolute preference is digital– a Wacom Tablet and a program such as Photoshop to paint digitally in at a high resolution. I can get the same effect with painting digitally as I can traditionally with a paint brush, and it is much more time efficient, hence I can produce more. Quantity is never better than quality to me, but with this medium, you get the best of both worlds. Same look, less time, more art.

Because I am an author, I have to ask: Have you ever designed any artwork for an author?

The closest I have come to producing any form of art for an author is just for a school project in which I laid out an outline of a story concept. My mother wrote the book, and I did all the illustrations. This was a children’s book called My Beloved Monster.

Author Interview — Jennifer Hawes

Social media, although overwhelming at times, offers great avenues to meet new people. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know today’s author via Twitter, but we follow each other on Pinterest as well, and I love seeing what new images and inspirational quotes she has for her audience. Jennifer (great name, by the way) is passionate about her writing, and I am so excited for the release of her first novel.

Quick! Give us the title and genre of your upcoming novel and a 30-word or less tagline. Free Runner — It’s an upper mid-grade contemporary/action/adventure novel with a heavy dose of mystery thriller. Fourteen-year-old Cam White is forced to exchange his SoCal life for London. He steps off the plane and into the pages of a crime novel. Only one kid can dodge bullets and bad guys and live to tell about it—the FREE RUNNER.

What lures you to write young adult novels? My name is Jennifer, and I am addicted to YA lit.

Me too, Jennifer.

How did you come up with the title of your novel? [Free running is] not only the fastest growing extreme sport in the world, but it’s the essence of the main character.

I’ve never heard of free running before. What is it about it that has captured your attention? I’ve been a runner for a LONG time, but it was my sixteen-year-old son who introduced me to free running. The art of defying gravity with the human body won me over. 

My Writing Process – On the Blog Tour

It’s blog tour day, and I’m excited to be able to help promote other writers and their craft! Last week, my Twitter friend and fellow writer Jay Scott discussed his upcoming novel 122 Rules, and I can’t wait to buy a copy!

What am I working on?

I’m in the middle of two projects. The first project is a young adult fantasy–The Wickenstaffs’ Journey–I co-created with one of my best friends, Julianne St. Clair. We make a great team, and it’s been a rewarding experience working with her. She’s also drawn amazing illustrations for the novel. We’re revising the manuscript at present and hope to have it ready for print in early 2014.

The second project is a contemporary magical realism novel set in the same town I wrote about in my first published novel, The Baker’s Man. This newest installment follows a few of the same characters that readers will recognize from Mystic Water, but with new faces sprinkled into the story. I’m working on this novel during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), so I hope to reach my goal of 50,000 words by the end of this month. After editing and revisions, I hope to have the novel published in early 2014.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

There aren’t a lot of current magical realism novels on the market. I think Sarah Addison Allen is a great example of tossing a bit of magic into a novel, and I admire her work. I’d like to think I have my own voice, which is unlike anyone else in the genre, and that’s what makes me unique.

Why do I write what I write?

Like most writers, I can’t always control the stories that come to me. Most often I feel as though they sneak up on me–usually during the most inconvenient times (hello, nighttime while I’m trying to sleep)­–and they demand to be written. This usually happens when I’m in the middle of writing another story, so I have to stop, make extensive notes, and promise the story I won’t forget about it and I will write it.

As for why I write the type of stories I write: Roald Dahl said: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” I think there’s magic all around us. In a sunset, in birdsong, in the stars, in the blown seeds of a dandelion. I love recreating that feeling in my novels. Plus, I’m a sucker for happy endings.

How does your writing process work?

After a story shows up and demands to be written, I brainstorm a little, but then I start writing soon after. I normally write a few chapters before I need to stop and outline where the story is going. I don’t outline every minute detail because I like to leave a little wiggle room for my characters and for the plot, but I do not want to haphazardly write without a destination in mind. That feels too much like an accident waiting to happen (or a plot hole waiting to be created). I normally know I want to get from A to B, but I don’t always know how I’m going to get there, which allows for creativity and surprises.

The most difficult part about writing for me is finding the time to write. I work full-time at a publishing house, and my job keeps me busy. I try to get up by 5 a.m. in the mornings to write before work, and then I write during my lunch hour. I try to make up for lost time during the weekends. I even have a voice recorder on my phone so that I can talk to it during my rush hour commute (in case ideas pop into my head while I’m driving).

What I like to have when I write: hot tea or water, music, peace of mind, and a clean space.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post! Next week you can learn more about my friend Jackson’s writing process. Stay tuned!

NEXT WEEK

Jackson Paul Baer – Fiction writer in the literary fiction genre with blends of mystery, suspense, and even a few thrills. Author of the newly released literary suspense, The Earth Bleeds Red. Jackson is signed with Pandamoon Publishing and is currently writing a literary psychological thriller.

Author Interview — Jackson Paul Baer

Today, I'm more than pleased to introduce you to Jackson Paul Baer, the charming, humorous, talented author (and all-around great guy). Jackson is a busy bee, splitting his time between writing, reading, being a loving father and husband, and preparing for the release of his newest project The Earth Bleeds Red. How does he find the time? I have no idea, but I have my suspicions that he's a superhero (with a time machine). Thanks for sharing your time with me, Jackson! Lights, camera, action!

You have a literary suspense novel coming out this month. Quick! Give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline.

The book is called The Earth Bleeds Red. All right, 30 words… starting, now :) Scott and Jessie are a couple in love. Someone took their only daughter, leaving behind only a pool of blood. Is there any redemption left to be found?

Crime, suspense, and a serial killer, oh my! What gives you the drive to write literary suspense? Do you have a favorite crime or suspense novel? You know, it’s not exactly a scary book. I’m not a big fan of scary books/movies, though I do enjoy thrills and twists. This book will force you to question faith, justice, and what is really important in life. I read a lot of literary fiction and historical fiction, rather than suspense novels (don’t judge me). Too late! Kidding.

The title of your book is unique (and a little scary!). How did you come up with it? I can’t say exactly how it came to me, just that it did. I distinctly remember telling me wife back in February that I was going to write a book called, The Earth Bleeds Red. I sat down, began to write, and couldn’t stop. The book just poured out of me. 

I want to mention that you're hosting a giveaway on Goodreads. Three lucky people will win an autographed copy of The Earth Bleeds Red. Yay! I already entered (and, yes, I'm still going to buy the book). Members of Goodreads can enter here. If people are not members of Goodreads, they can join now. It's free!

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork? The publishing company did the cover (their graphic design guy). I worked with them for a while, sharing ideas and pictures, and they captured the perfect metaphorical picture for the novel. There is a point at the end of a particular chapter where The Earth Bleeds Red is used as a metaphor. The cover reflects that moment.