Interview with Hope Collier

Today begins the ARC tour of Hope Collier's debut YA novel, THE WILLOWS: HAVEN. Not only is Hope an amazing writer, but she also heads up Soul Fire Press, the YA division of Christopher Matthews Publishing. Talk about having your hands full!

Let's celebrate Hope's ARC tour with an interview.

Welcome to We Do Write, Hope. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a twenty-something year-old wife of one and mom of two. I love anything to do with nature, especially trees. I form odd attachments to things like keys and compasses. I buy them compulsively like Mel Gibson with The Catcher in the Rye in the movie Conspiracy Theory. Music is the biggest influence when it comes to my writing. Indie and alternative are the best. My favorite color is purple. I love flowers but hate the smell of orchids. One day, I want to write a Tim Burton-esque novel.

Sounds great! How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I penned and illustrated my first book in the first grade entitled, The Bear and the Balloons. My teacher had them covered and bound like a real book. That was the first moment I really knew I wanted to be a writer. As far as Haven goes, I began it at fourteen. I wrote forty pages longhand, laid it down for twelve years then picked it up again in 2009.

The cover of THE WILLOWS: HAVEN is absolutely stunning. What’s the story about?

Thank you so much! My cover team is simply amazing.


When tragedy strikes, seventeen year-old Ashton Blake sets out on a cross-country road trip, leaving the comforts of Malibu for the mountains of Kentucky. Along the way, she encounters Gabe Willoughby—the mysterious drifter with eyes like the sea and a knowing smile. Getting to know Gabe raises questions about her past. But no secret can be buried forever, and Ashton soon finders herself in a world where water is air and myth becomes reality.


Just as Ashton comes to accept her newfound heritage, she’s summoned to fulfill a treaty laid down centuries before — a treaty that will divide her love and test her loyalty. In the end, her future isn’t her biggest concern, her humanity is. To run may mean war, but is she strong enough to stay?

The story sounds fascinating. How did the idea come to you?

The characters told me. I know that sounds odd, but the male lead, Gabe, was the first to have a voice. As cliché as it sounds, I had a dream about these two beings who were just inherently good. They intrigued me, so I started thinking about their lives. Eventually, it turned into a story of whom they could help and how. After some arguing on their part and some concession on mine, we decided to let them show me what was going to happen.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have the best betas and critique partners ever! Twitter can be thanked for that. I’m a member and co-founder of the Goodreads group, Chirenjenzie, as well as a small, private group of fabulous ladies on Twitter, @KappaDeltaWrite. Some might disagree with me here, but I firmly believe it’s impossible to edit your own work. That doesn’t mean you can’t get your manuscript super shiny, but there’s always something to catch, whether it be plot holes or grammatical issues. You’re just too close to the story to fully appreciate it. As my friend Beth says, “It’s a party in your head.” You know what’s going to happen. That makes it tough to know if you’ve covered all your bases.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I tend to overdo everything. My wonderful, super-hero of an editor’s favorite words are chuck, omit, and streamline. I see everything play out in my imagination. I want the reader to see it like a movie. The downside to this is you see those things without knowing it when you’re watching a screen. It isn’t so smooth on the page!

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

I think the best (and most important) thing I’ve learned is always have fun! Writing is tough enough when you actually enjoy it. The day you don’t, is the day you won’t want to write anymore. Also, avoid passive voice like the plague. Accept the fact that no matter how wonderful your book is, someone won’t like it. Don’t take it personally. Lastly, never give up writing if that’s where your heart lies.

Great advice. Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Music! I can’t write or edit without it. Also, a drink! Sweet tea when I can get it, diet Mt Dew when I can’t.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Oh, that’s a tough one. Probably something lame but functional like super-human, knowledge retention. I love words and information. It would be nice to act as a walking encyclopedia as long as I wasn’t annoying!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: stun gun, baby carriage, and antacid.


The gritty antacid crunched between my teeth as the stun gun’s volt surged through the man stealing the baby carriage.

So simple, yet so visual! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Thanks to my awesome family for their endless support and willingness to share me with my muse. All my amazing and wonderful writing friends. You’re too numerous to personally share here, but you each know who you are and how much I love you! Much thanks to book bloggers who selflessly share our work with the world. And to the incredible readers who make writing so fun, I owe you an organ.

And finally, where can people find you online?

www.hopecollier.com
https://www.facebook.com/author.hope.collier
http://twitter.com/HopeCollier

Hope, I wish you and your book tons of success. Thanks so much for letting us chat with you.

Interview with Bertram Gibbs

Hot enough for you? Let's try to chill out a bit with a cool interview with author Bertram Gibbs.

Welcome, Bertram. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in a semi-theatrical family. My grandmother was a former chorus girl, my grandfather a former jazz drummer, and my mother (aka ‘Ma’) - who had crippling stage fright - went to every movie and Broadway show during the 40s, 50s, 60, 70s and 80s. She taught me film and theater history at an early age and have a semi-photographical memory when it comes to comic books, television programs, Broadway shows and (of course) movies. Because of her (gotta put the blame somewhere) I collect movies and have over 2.500 DVDs/VHS tapes. I also have about 700 CDs. My taste in music runs from classical (European and modern American composers), to jazz, to Big Band, to Doo Wop, to Broadway scores, to early rock and roll, to funk, to progressive rock.


Between the age of 15 and 25 I was an actor. I did a few off-Broadway shows, made an appearance on a PBS television production, performed with the Metropolitan Opera, performed for the Mayor of New York at Gracie Mansion, performed for the Chinese government at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and was an extra in the 1976 film ‘King Kong’ (I was under the fallen ape’s butt, so you won’t see me on screen). After finding my theatrical career stagnant, I worked in credit and collections for 3M Company, Fuji Photo Film USA, worked for the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a greeter and coordinated the Degas and O’Keefe exhibitions, was part of the Army Reserves for several years (where, much to the dismay of the military, it was found that there were no regulations against biting sarcasm), and presently back working in credit and collections (don’t look for a linear correlation – there ain’t none). But to keep myself sane (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), I write fiction.


My side interest is studying criminal psychology and forensic sciences. I have a considerable collection on serial killers, mass murderers and bizarre crimes. Add in I have deep Vincent Price-like laugh. This explains why I do not get many visitors.


I am also a single parent of a highly intelligent (and twice as deadly) 14 year old daughter. When she was younger, she was somewhat confused that Dad would sit for hours at the computer, tapping away and giggling. She got used to it and has encouraged me since she cannot physically pry me away from the machine (she has dragged the chair - with me on it - into the next room on occasion).

Quite a life you have there. How long have you been writing?

Ma always said that since I began reading and writing on my own since the age of 3, I have been trying to top the author of whatever book I was reading. Despite my years in theater, I always found the time (albeit at pre-dawn hours) to write. Unlike other authors who find a genre and write only that, I write fantasy, sci-fi, (as Harlan Ellison calls it) speculative fiction, mysteries, horror, comedy, farce, and a little comic book fan fiction. I do not like to limit myself to one thing.

Tell us about REFLECTION FROM THE ABYSS. What’s the story about?

It is the story of Carlton Book. He is a freelance accountant and crunches the numbers for several clients. He also runs his life like the spreadsheets he works on; reviewing every variable until all possibilities are considered before any action takes place. This suits him well in his ‘second job’; a paid assassin. He removes individuals the same way he deletes numbers on spreadsheets; without personal interest. He even considers his targets ‘numbers’.


When he arrives at the location of his next target, he finds the individual brutally murdered by the 3-Monkey Killer, an elusive serial killer. In his haste to leave the scene of the crime, he leaves trace evidence behind.


The 3-Monkey Killer not only knows who he is, and is sending him text messages and emails to his personal address requesting they team up. While the police are reviewing the evidence from the crime scene, Book must now find the killer before the police find him and arrest him for crimes he did not commit, and before his own crimes become known.


This is the story of the death and resurrection of a man’s soul.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I was watching a program on serial killers on the Discovery network, and what followed was an episode on assassins. Despite the fact that they share an end result, their methods and mindsets are different. As always, the ‘what if’ came to mind; this time what if an assassin is forced to deal with a serial killer, and would one feel morally superior over the other? Because they are on two separate levels, would there be an understanding of the other’s methods? Because there were so many questions, I began jotting notes and the story began to write itself. My knowledge of criminology, criminal psychology and my repeated watching of episodes of Criminal Minds, CSI and assorted crime shows and documentaries helped a great deal.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Typing as fast as my mind plays the scene out. You see, because of my love of movies, my writing has a cinematic style. Because my imagination ‘sees’ my stories as films, my mind is ‘playing’ the DVD while my fingers transcribe the setting, the camera angles, the characters, the costumes, the direction, the dialog, and the special effects, if any. Sometimes my mind plays out chapters at a time and I can spend hours doing transcription. I’d love to have a USB port in my head to plug myself into my computer and sit back watching the words/actions appear on the screen.

I've had the exact same idea. Plug and play! I wish someone would invent it already. Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

My daughter, silence and iced water. If an idea ‘tickles’ me, I will stop what I’m typing and run it past her; not necessarily for approval, but to watch her reaction. She usually just stares at me blankly and goes back to whatever I interrupted her from. I used to have music playing, but I would become distracted and find myself stopping to listen when a certain track (or segment of a song) played. The water is to keep me hydrated (and awake if I knock the glass in my lap).

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

BWAH-HAH-HA! Super-speed. It would help getting these images I have constantly running through my head on paper. Of course, I would have to have a room full of replacement keyboards (I have a tendency of pounding on the keys – a throwback to my days of using a typewriter).

Yikes! I'll be sure to stay clear of you when you're typing then.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: comic books, time machine, and equilibrium.

Using the instructions I found in the back of a comic book, I adjusted the equilibrium of the flux capacitor and found the time machine actually worked! Now I can go back in time, buy early shares of AT&T, 3M Company, Lucasfilms, Microsoft, and several copies of the first issues of Batman and Superman, go back home and write for a living! And get my kid a pizza.

Hehehe. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

To Ma; she had always been my closest friend and harshest critic. She will always be the cricket in my ear telling me I should write that section over.


To my daughter; she is the light in my eyes and the love in my heart. I write not only for myself, but for her to be proud of her Dad.


To Jeremy; we’ve known each other for so long, and still talk to each other. Thank you for joining me on the ride of a lifetime.


To the many of the mugs who are generous enough to call me their friend, who have read my work and know I have something special to share. Thank you for being there during my ‘Brightest Days’ and ‘Blackest Nights’.

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

You can go to the Christopher Matthews Publishing site, as well as Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. It’s available in paperback, as well as for eBooks.

Go! Buy! I got a kid to feed!

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Bertram. Good luck with your books, and you know, maybe go easy on the keyboard. ;)

Interview with Jeremy Soldevilla

Hello, everyone. Glad to see we all survived the supposed end of the world. In celebration, let's indulge ourselves in another fun interview. This time I'm talking with Jeremy Soldevilla.

Welcome, Jeremy. Tell us a bit about yourself.

After a long career as a publishing exec in Boston I moved to Montana because I wanted a lifestyle change and to start writing. My wife and I bought a bed and breakfast, and between fixing egg casseroles and making beds, I started my first novel. After two years we sold the inn and I was in a job I was not happy with, so my wife generously offered to be the sole bread winner while I focused on my writing. I finished my novel and went through the machinations that all new authors go through trying to find an agent and a publisher. People in my critique group and others whose opinion I respect praised my book, but I couldn't get an agent or a publisher to give it a chance. I kept writing, however, and had three works in progress when I wrote Thief Creek, basing it on my experience as a Montana innkeeper. Once again I started the discouraging process of shopping my manuscript. At that point I realized how many excellent writers (like myself : )) were out there but whose work would never get a chance to see the light of day because of the way publishers and agents often work. I also knew how little writers understand about the publishing process and that I could help good unpublished writers get their work into book form without having to go the self-publishing route. In January of this year I formed Christopher Matthews Publishing Services, Inc. (named after my two sons). and began publishing books that I vetted and had faith in. I was joined by a former colleague and good friend, Armen Kojoyian, an accomplished artist and designer that has created covers for many of the leading NY and European publishing houses. His office is in NY and he and I work together via Skype. We also provide services and advice for authors who want to self-publish their books with other companies but may need help in formatting or getting professional cover designs. I have less time for my writing now, but am going back and polishing up some of my unfinished projects.

How long have you been writing?

All my life. I've loved writing since I was very young. My first job was as an advertising copywriter for a publishing company where my first ad copy was for a book called Maintenance and Repair of Band Instruments. I learned it doesn't matter what you're writing as long as you're writing. It wasn't until 2005 when I first started writing seriously for myself, however. I took a couple of adult ed courses in fiction writing and formed a critique group, The Bozeman Inkslingers. The group has been most instructive and inspirational for me.

Tell us about THIEF CREEK. What's the story about and how did the idea come to you?

Four escaped convicts, the Toomey brothers, making their getaway, hold up a convenience store and the youngest brother gets shot in the back. They get in an accident and end up going to the Thief Creek Bed and Breakfast -- the only place in the remote Northwest part of Montana where they are at, to try to steal a car and save their brother. The only two guests at the inn are a honeymooning couple from Ohio. He is a new doctor and she teaches women's self-defense. There is no car available at the inn and when the young doctor is unable to save the younger brother's life, all hell breaks out. The heroes of the story turn out to be surprises.


I love the beauty of Montana and like to use it as my backdrop for my books. I came up with the initial idea for the book in my sleep, where most of my ideas hit me, and then I get up and start putting things down on my computer. I wanted to come up with an unlikely place in Montana for desperate escaped cons to terrorize and thought that a remote B&B would be a perfect unlikely spot. Drawing on my memories of the inn I used to own, I built the story from there.

Wow, that sounds exciting. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

For some writers, it's the dedication of writing everyday, but for me it's an adventure and I make a point of devoting the first several hours of every morning to my story. The hardest part for me is the editing. I have to really think carefully about what's working and what isn't; cutting out the unhelpful stuff and fine tuning the rest. My critique group is a tremendous help in this process.

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

1. When I started seriously writing, I took courses, read books on writing, and attended workshops. I knew I had talent, but I learned quickly that there was much more to crafting a book than just writing skills. I also learned to not get too hung up on rules. I decided to someday write a book on writing where each chapter would refute the previous one. A lot of the "rules' we learned in English class go out the window if you want to write a compelling novel. Also, I would find one "hard and fast rule" by one expert would be the complete opposite of another expert's hard and fast rule. The tip is to just write what feels right to you. Then go back and make it beautiful.
2. Most important -- read, read, read. Read as much as you can as often as you can. As you begin to write you find yourself reading much more analytically. How does the author craft his/her book? What phrases strike you as really powerful? How does the author make us care or hate his characters? Learn from your favorite authors. Read as much as you can in the genre you write in, but also read books in other genres to enrich your own writing.
3. Don't give up. The rejection notices, the distractions from writing, the self-doubts can do a number on a writer. But I have a quote from author Richard Bach posted next to my computer: "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit."

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

The internet and a cup of coffee. One of my favorite parts of writing is researching details to give my stories authenticity. I also need to find just the right words, so an online thesaurus is an enormous help. If it wasn't for the vast and easily available database of the internet I don't think I could write a book. I also like having my Golden Retriever and my Yorkie keeping me company and reminding me when it's time to stop. What I don't need is my damn cat jumping in my lap or on the keyboard!

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Wow. It would have to be the ability to fly. When I've flown in my dreams it's an amazing experience. In my sleep it seems so real and natural and fun.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: obligatory, tight rope, and Chinese paper lantern.

With rivulets of sweat dribbling down her face,Virginia gingerly took the obligatory first step on the tight rope with the Chinese paper lantern in one hand, the parasol in the other and the diarrhea-ridden Capuchin monkey perched on her head.

Amazing sentence! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

First and foremost, I am eternally grateful for the generosity, patience and solid advice of my wife. Shout outs to my fellow Inkslingers and authors, Frank Seitz, Ellen Figura, Kathy Tyers, Donna Wallace, Jamie Upschulte, Marci Whitehurst, Sue Geske, Sharon Dunn and Dennis Flath -- all great writers themselves -- have been immensely helpful with their support and suggestions.

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

They can find me and my book at www.christophermatthewspub.com or any of the usual online bookstores.

Jeremy, thank you so much for letting us get a chance to learn more about you and your book. It was fun having you here. :)