Writer Gary Schwind has just published a new book and has taken the time to answer a few questions for us, and give some great advice.

Angela Bishop: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an author. How long have you been writing?

Gary Schwind: I grew up in Toledo, Ohio, the youngest of four kids. I think, like a lot of people, I really started coming into my own when I was in college. That was when I found out that I actually enjoyed writing. In high school, I never really got into it because it was compulsory. It’s one thing to create a story that springs from your imagination. It’s quite another to learn the elements of a story and be instructed by your teacher to create a story by a certain date. I started writing when I was 19 and a student at Ohio State. I wrote mostly poems when I first started. I have since moved into short stories, and even some song lyrics.

AB: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

GS: I get a lot of inspiration from just observing people. Just think about the people you encounter on a daily basis. Probably each person has his or her own peculiarities. In fact, those peculiarities are probably something you’d never think to create on your own, but they make great character traits. I also find inspiration in trying to answer those “What if?” questions that randomly pop into my head.

AB: Who are your three biggest influences?

GS: My family greatly influences me. I think my offbeat sense of humor comes from my family. And I don’t just mean my immediate family. I mean my extended family. Believe me, it’s not just extended. It’s extensive. The writers that I admire most are Tom Robbins and Carl Hiaasen. Each of them has a pretty unusual view of the world, yet each of them says some very profound things. Recently, I also find myself inspired by Stephan Pastis, the creator of the comic strip Pearls before Swine. His drawings, like mine, are not very complex, and he clearly likes wordplay as I do.

AB: Who is your target audience?

GS: My target audience really depends on what I am writing. In my fiction, I think my audience includes those people who look at the world a little differently. I like to think that my audience includes that group of people who are not unaccustomed to hearing the phrase “You’re weird.” To me, that’s not an insult. On the contrary, being told that my perspective is a little offbeat is high praise. When I write about music, I think my audience comprises those people that look beyond the top of the charts and beyond what’s on the radio. I like to think that my music readers are the ones with the fairly esoteric music collection.

AB: How would you describe your writing to people?

GS: That depends on what I’m writing. I like to think there is a fair amount of absurdity and humor in the fiction and lyrics I write. However, when I write music reviews, I am pretty straightforward in saying what does and does not work for me on a given album.

AB: Can you tell us a little bit about your new book?

GS: A Gopher I Couldn’t Defuse is an illustrated collection of the first year of the Uncle Sal Chronicles. I illustrated 50 of the 52 episodes and had guest artists do the other two. Uncle Sal is a character who has a new, albeit fairly brief, (fewer than 500 words) adventure every week. He has had a wide variety of jobs, including bomb squad officer, taxi driver, department store clerk. He also has impeccable fashion sense. In the book, Uncle Sal wears graduation robes, bowler hats, stovepipe hats, etc. And then there is the clincher. Every episode of the Uncle Sal Chronicles ends with a pun like the title of the book.

AB: What is a typical day of work look like for you?

GS: I wake up at 4:30 AM and write some fiction before I go to my 6:30-3 job of technical writing. After that, I pick up my son from day care. If he sleeps when we get home, I’ll write some more, but if that doesn’t happen, I wait until he goes to bed. At that point, I might work on my current fiction story, or write for one of the many sites where you can find my work.

AB: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an author that’s just starting out?

GS: Set some time aside every day to write. If you have to wake up 30 minutes earlier than you are used to, do that. If you need to stay up later, do that. The trick is to make it part of the daily routine. If it’s just another part of your day, then writing is not a chore. Also, write whatever comes to mind. I think the trouble most novice writers run into is that they think they want to sit down and write the next great novel. All at once. It’s not going to happen like that. If you have a scene in mind, but nothing to build around it, write that scene. More will come later. If you have a line that your character absolutely must say, just write that. You’ll be amazed at how one scene or one line leads to another.

AB: Finally, where can we find your work?

GS: A new episode of the Uncle Sal Chronicles is published each week at http://gonewiththeschwind.blogspot.com. A Gopher I Couldn’t Defuse is also available for sale there. I write music reviews for http://antimusic.com and other music features for http://www.examiner.com where I am the OC music Examiner. I have published interviews and articles on http://www.broowaha.com. I have also been featured in Jenesis Magazine, Trajan Magazine, Art Nouveau Magazine, and PlayTyme Magazine.

Well known OC writer Alyson Noel was kind enough to take some time off from writing her exciting new teen series to answer a few questions.

Lamia Larkin: Thank you so much for doing this, lets just jump right in. Could you please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an author.

Alyson Noel: I was born and raised in The OC (though I never actually called it that!) but by the time I finished high school I couldn’t wait to flee suburbia so I took off for Europe and ended up living in Mykonos, Greece for several years, before moving to New York City where I lived for several more. These days I’m back in Orange County where I live and write full time, which basically involves sitting in front of my computer, clad in sweat pants, making stuff up!

LL: How long have you been writing?

AN: It all started with some really dreadful poetry penned in junior high, and by high school I was writing short stories in place of the essays my teachers assigned. And though I took writing classes through the years, it wasn’t until the tragic events of 9/11 when I was working as a flight attendant in NYC and thought a career change might be in order. So I took more classes, completed a manuscript, and in February of 2004 I got my first, two-book deal with St. Martin’s Press and I’ve been at it ever since!

LL: Where do you get your daily inspirations from?

AN: Everywhere! My life, other people’s lives, something glimpsed or overheard, the play lists I put together for each book, oh, and back-to-back deadlines also inspire me to keep going!

LL: Who are your three biggest influences?

AN: Judy Blume, JD Salinger, Emily Bronte

LL: Who is your target audience?

AN: Anyone of any age, sex, or decree, who loves action, romance, and adventure!

LL: How would you describe your writing to people?

AN: I write books about normal teens who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.

LL: Could you talk a little bit about your latest series of books “The Immortals Series” (synopsis, influences, inspirations, etc.)?

AN: The IMMORTALS series is the story of Ever, a normal teen in every way who suffered a near death experience that left her with tremendous psychic powers. And just as she’s adjusting to this new way of life, she meets a boy even more mysterious than her, and learns they’re connected in a very unexpected way.

Basically, the series was inspired by grief. A few years ago I lost three people I loved in five months, and shortly after that I nearly lost my husband to leukemia (he’s in full remission now!). Experiencing that sort of intense grief and loss got me thinking a lot about life and death, mortality and immortality, the bonds that tie us even after a loved one is gone, and how our youth loving culture sort of seeks physical immortality by trying to remain youthful looking for as long as we can—and yet, what would happen if we really could achieve it? What would it mean for us, our loved ones, society in general? And since I’ve been interested in all things paranormal since I was a kid, Ever and Damen’s story seemed like the perfect vehicle to explore all of those themes.

LL: How does it feel to be a New York Times #1 Bestselling author?

AN: Awesome, amazing, and somewhat surreal!! It really is a dream come true!

LL: What is a typical day of writing like for you?

AN: I’m pretty much at it all day, everyday. My day begins with green tea sipping, e-mail checking, blog hopping, which adds up to a healthy dose of procrastinating, until a few hours pass and I re-read what I wrote the day before, editing along the way, until I’m all caught up and start writing new stuff, pretty much going straight through to the evening when it’s time to join my husband for dinner!

LL: What should we expect to see from you in the future?

AN: The final books in the IMMORTALS series, and hopefully, many more books after that!

LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an author that’s just starting out?

AN: If you really want it, you’ve got to keep at it no matter what. There will be unbelievable highs and really low lows, people will praise you and reject you—often in the same day! But try not to take it personal and just keep on keeping on. Writers write—its’ what we do, and it only takes one “yes!” to get you where you want to go.

LL: Finally, where can we find your work?

AN: Barnes & Noble, Borders, Walmart, Target, Amazon, Independents—anywhere books are sold!

Thanks so much Alyson for taking the time to answer a few questions, we will definitely be on the look out for the rest of your books!

Photo credit for the author photos goes to Jen Rosenstein.

At the end of May,  Hibbleton hosted the unveiling of three new zines titled Hibbleton Independent, Dash, and Lexicon Polaroid. The event was held at Violet Hour; a warehouse located on West Santa Fe in downtown Fullerton. The entire event was extremely fun and extremely random. The random part is mainly related to the decor that came with the warehouse. Objects such as giant glowing rabbit heads and oddly displayed mannequins are at the top of the list, but before the decor is explained, lets focus on the magazines themselves.

The main magazine of the night, the Hibbleton Independent, is the most diverse of the three; containing everything from interviews and short stories, to comics. Its main focus is mainly on previous art shows that the gallery has held, as well as interviews with the artists. Similar to Hibbleton’s magazine is Dash, which is the official Literary Journal of Cal State University Fullerton and contains everything from short stories and poetry to art. The final literary creation presented was Lexicon Polaroid. Created by local poet Mike Harper (who performed at the event), this magazine contains mainly poetry and art. The artwork for this magazine goes beyond the inside pages to the binding, which was done by hand with thread.  It’s easy to see that a great amount of time and effort was put into all three zines. The bonus is that each magazine contains enough of its own creativity to keep readers interested.

Though these three magazines were the main focus of the night, the festivities that went with it were just as intriguing. Included were a few performances from local bands such as AUDACITY, The Waltz, and Light Music. Each band performed wonderfully, the only complication was the screen behind them. Playing behind every performer that night was the film Dead Man, which was placed on repeat and silenced. Though the rugged and old west style of the film went very well with the style of music performed; it was hard to focus on who was playing. Given the chance to focus on the band or watch Johnny Depp on the screen, it seemed to be Johnny Depp that won.

Along with music was some spoken poetry.  Steven Westbook and Mike Harper performed. The good thing about Harper’s performance was that the people who enjoyed it had the option of purchasing Lexicon Polaroid which he created. Out of the two, Steven Westbook stood out the most. His contemporary and humorous poems were obviously enjoyed. So much in fact that most could not keep a straight face. One thing has to be said about his performance, and this is advice for Hibbleton gallery; could you please have an art show based around Steven Westbook?  It is pretty safe to say that it would be truly fantastic.

With the magazines, music, poetry, and Johnny Depp covered, the only thing left to mention is the space itself. Violet Hour is actually a warehouse-like studio that owners Michael and Candace Magoski rent out for major events. Its a strange venue that calls to mind everything from old abandon homes to Andy Warhol’s Factory. When you first walk in you will notice a highly decorated golf cart, with a giant pink rabbit head resting on top with glowing green eyes. Across from it is a worn out pink velvet couch that faces a pull down projection screen. When the screen is rolled up a back room is revealed that has multiple intense high fashion-like black and white photographs (created by Michal and Candace) as well as strangely decorated mannequins popping out of large pots. At night this place is quite creepy. Having never seen it in the daylight, its hard to imagine it any other way. But it cannot go unnoticed that this unique (and slightly scary) atmosphere helped to create an interesting and successful night. Had this event been anywhere else, the feel and views of the performers would have been different. Even the presentation of the magazines just would not have been the same. This unconventional space made the night what it was. So congrats to Hibbleton Independent, Dash, and Lexicon Polaroid, your unveiling and magazines all were (and are) a success.

Orange County is a quirky place with its mashup-style culture and lifestyles; a large goth subculture mixes with hardcore “Surf City” and local farmers, strong conservative politics butts up against new immigrant ethnic enclaves, and — literature-wise — romance novelists rub shoulders at the local Trader Joe’s and Santa Ana’s Artist Village with science-fiction/fantasy authors.

Devotees of “what if” fiction know Orange County as the homeland of legendary writers such as Philip K. Dick, Dean Koontz, and James Blaylock. For over thirty years, Blaylock has been taking readers on excursions into his imaginative realms where reality warps into detours that surprise, delight, and often make them burst into self-conscious public laughter.

Beginning with “Hans Clinker,” a short story published in 1975 by Scree 3 magazine, James Blaylock has worked his word magic through a couple dozen novels and short stories and been lauded with such prestigious awards as the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story (”Thirteen Phantasms” and “Paper Dragons”) and the Philip K. Dick Award for “Homunculus.”

William Dean: You set quite a bit of your fiction here in Orange County. While it is sometimes natural for an author to write about their local area, what are some of the “special qualities” you find here that seem to work their way into your work?

James Blaylock: I grew up in Anaheim in the 1950s and 60s, spending about half my time hanging out in orange groves with my friends or walking for miles down railroad tracks, and I’ve lived in downtown Orange for over 30 years now, so aside from a year or so up in Eureka, I’ve spent most of my life in Orange County. My father grew up in Tustin, and my grandfather came to California from Oklahoma not long after the turn of the century. I have a natural love of the place, and from the time I was very young I was hearing stories about what life was like back in the 20s and 30s.

When I was a kid I rode my bike to Huntington Beach down Magnolia and Brookhurst, past bean and tomato fields — I even walked… once. I camped and hiked in the Santa Ana Mountains, and in the late 80’s and 90s we owned a cabin back in Trabuco. In short, I feel like I’m part of the place. Certainly the place is a part of me. On top of that, I started reading real novels when I was around 10, and immediately got hooked on Steinbeck and Twain, who both wrote books in which setting seemed to be as important as character. The books kick-started my love of literature and for setting-heavy stories and novels. That hasn’t changed. So it turned out that Orange County settings are more than a mere backdrop in my books. They’re a part of what I am essentially, if that makes sense, and so they become a part of what the books are.

Orange County has a lot of “special qualities,” but I’m drawn to the qualities that have affected my life – the beaches and mountains and my own neighborhood. Many of those qualities, however, are in my memory, because, as anyone knows who has lived here more than 20 years or so, the place is overcrowded and overbuilt and has developed a sort of shopping mall culture. I have a negative interest in that.

WD: It’s been said that you were mentored or influenced strongly by Philip K. Dick. Did he introduce you to the idea of “fabulism” where normal everyday life moves along and then inevitably veers into the “not so normal after all”?

JB: By the time I met Phil my writing and thinking was already shaped by influences on me when I was growing up. My uncle, John Carl Blaylock, was a mover and shaker, so to speak, in the New Age movement, and in the 50’s and 60s I got a head full of flying saucers and Fate magazine. Also, my mother hauled me down to the Stanton Library on Beach Boulevard every Tuesday, where I checked out books – usually Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells. (Steinbeck and Twain and Conan Doyle were already on the shelves at home.) So I was primed for fabulism, whatever that really is. I like the word.

When I met Phil and started reading his books, I immediately figured out that he was writing in a way that I was naturally drawn to. I don’t think you can write that sort of book unless you believe that normal everyday life is in some sense fabulous, which I do.

WD: In your fiction, you’ve explored science fiction and fantasy as well as steam punk literary themes or styles, yet — in other ways — it seems to border more on the adult fables of Jorge Luis Borges, Gunther Grass, and Italo Calvino with their twists of humor. Do you think an author’s work is always evolving and mutating or does it at some point solidify and harden into what readers (and critics) think of as “classic”?

JB: That’s a good question. I hope my writing is always evolving and mutating in some sense. The idea of its “hardening” doesn’t appeal to me. On the other hand, I can’t imagine writing books that aren’t obviously my own. I am who I am.

Reviewers sometimes put my books into categories, but I think that’s merely a convenient way of organizing a review, or whatever it is they’re writing. Maybe there’ll be a new Blaylock category somewhere down the line. I’ve always been happy just to have a story to tell.

WD: You currently teach creative writing at Chapman University in Orange. I’m always curious about how exactly one goes about “teaching” writers to express themselves better. What kinds of exercises and influences do you use and — to follow up — what are the qualities you’re seeing in some of your students that will separate them from all the other aspiring authors out there?

JB: People perpetually argue about whether creative writing can be taught. As is true of any controversial subject, as long as people are arguing about it, there’s no agreement. To my mind, a person cannot be taught a love of the craft or a love of books, and certainly a person cannot be taught talent. Good creative writing classes can, however, inspire students to write, create the need to write, give a student writer an audience, and teach a writer how to make the work better.

For the several years that students are in a writing program, they’re compelled to think like a writer and to practice the craft. I’ve been teaching writing for 33 years now, and I’ve kept in touch with a lot of my students. To the best of my knowledge, none of them have regretted studying writing.

WD: Lately your published works seem to be focusing into short stories again, as when you started. Is it a matter of “available time” or are you re-discovering that shorter works just “express the vision” better for you at the present?

JB: Actually, in December my most recent novel, Knights of the Cornerstone, was published, and in April a short steampunk novel titled The Ebb Tide will be published, so I’m happy to say the long novel drought is over, at least for a time. As you say, however, I focused largely on writing short stories for a few years. Available time was a big factor, along with my having a ready market for the stories. Also, I enjoy writing short stories. When an idea or inspiration for a story comes into my mind, I tend to hold onto it. If it’s an idea that’s right for a short story, as it often is, then that’s what I write..

WD: Finally, if you could suddenly have “the magic touch” what would you have happen to bolster and increase Orange County’s public awareness of its rich literary fiction resources?

JB: That’s a tough question. After years of teaching and being around young people, I’ve come to believe that not everyone will become a reader regardless of what well-meaning teachers and parents want. That’s okay with me. The world is full of interesting pastimes, and what’s important is to have a few, not to have some particular pastime. What’s deadly is to have no interest at all in the world, which seems to be all too common these days – talk to any high school teacher. (Fortunately, bright, willing, curious students haven’t gone out of style – ask any high school teacher. And it’s probably true that the best thing teachers can do is to inspire in students an active interest in the world. It’s a tough job, though.)

But to answer your question, a writer can become a bestseller by selling 100,000 hardcover copies of a novel, often far fewer copies than that. All things considered, that’s not very many (although very few authors sell anywhere near that many copies. I certainly do not). A television program that only drew that many viewers would flop.

If I could push a magic button, it would be to make ten times as many people readers. Then they’d have a natural interest in literary Orange County and writers would be happy with their royalty checks. (If that worked, I’d start looking for other buttons: ten years of good waves, no fires, no more development in the foothills and mountains, some rain, the return of the dimestore and mom and pop businesses, the clock moving backward for a while ….)

Angela Bishop: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an author.

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Currently, I write middle grade fiction, which is for readers ages 9-12.  My first novel has just been released on February 3, 2009, by HarperCollins Children’s Books, and is entitled The Year the Swallows Came Early.  It is about an eleven year old girl named Eleanor “Groovy” Robinson, who discovers her father has gambled away an inheritance she had planned on using to attend culinary school.  She has to decide if she can forgive the failings of someone she loves, and accept people for who they are, rather than who she wants them to be.  The book is also about how she achieves her dreams despite the obstacles that were put in her way.

I am finishing up a first draft of a companion book to The Year the Swallows Came Early right now.  Before I started writing five years ago, I taught elementary school on and off while raising my two boys.  I have a Master’s Degree in Education from Chapman University, and live in Monarch Beach with my husband, two sons, and the best dog in the world, Holly.

AB: How long have you been writing?

KF: I have been writing seriously for five years now, but really, I’ve written for most of my life, starting in my teenage years after a trip to visit my grandmother in New York City, who was a science fiction author.

AB: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

KF:  I get inspiration from the strangest things.  Mostly, I get inspiration from little things like a single dandelion growing out of a crack in the concrete, or balled up piece of notebook paper blowing down the street.  I wonder what was written on it to make someone throw it away so carelessly.

AB: Who are your three biggest influences?

KF: My most profound influence came from my grandmother.  The summer I turned 13, my mother sent me to NYC to visit my grandmother, who was a science fiction author.  This was in the 70’s, when science fiction was becoming very popular.  My grandmother led a very eccentric lifestyle.  I remember we never did anything until late afternoon, and then we stayed up until 2 or 3am.  Sometimes, we went to dinner as late as 11pm.  Then she’d sit down to write until very early in the morning.  She told me she did this because the middle of the night was when people said and did things they normally wouldn’t.  She had a collection of porcelain owls, because they were creatures of the night.  She studied paranormal events.  She discussed things like inner motivations and secret desires.  She helped me to write my very first story that summer, and stayed up all night typing it for me so I could have a real story like she had.  At thirteen, it was one of the best times I’d ever had.

One day, we met her agent for lunch, and after listening to them discuss how my grandmother could make her characters into whomever she wanted, I decided that someday, I’d like to be a writer, too.  So she proceeded to send me books about writing techniques, books by classic authors, and literary essays for every birthday and Christmas holiday.  In a volume of Emily Dickinson poems she gave me one Christmas, she writes as her inscription: “ED was a revered poet; perhaps the same will be said of KH someday.  Best love, GE.”  When she passed away, she left me a big box with all of her unfinished manuscripts in them.  The box of manuscripts has been a huge inspiration to me.

Other than that, most every book I read inspires me in some way.  Undoubtedly, at some point, no matter which book I’m reading, I’ll come to a paragraph or a line and wonder how the author ever thought up what I’ve just read.  Every book has something brilliant in it.

AB: Who is your target audience?

KF:  My target audience is readers ages 9-12.

AB: How would you describe your writing to people?

KF: This is a hard question to answer.  I’d prefer other people to describe my writing style.  But it is my wish that people who read my writing would come away with a sense of hope.

AB: What is a typical day of work look like for you?

KF:  A typical work day for me starts at 9am, after my two boys get off to school, and usually lasts until 3pm, when they return home and have to be driven to practices.  I sit in my home office with my dog, Holly, who is a big help, and a very large cup of strong green tea.  I try not to answer the phone unless it is my mother, then I answer the phone!

AB: What are your favorite tools of the trade?

KF:  I use a Dell laptop computer with the typical Word program on it.  I backup my writing EVERY day onto a jump drive AND an external hard drive.  I write my first drafts on a computer, not a notepad.  I revise using paper, though.  I print my manuscript and make changes by pencil, then go back and retype it on the computer.  I have always used only Dixon Ticonderoga medium pencils.  This habit is leftover from teaching, I suppose.

AB: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an author that’s just starting out?

KF:  I would tell writers who want to write for children to join the SCBWI, and then a critique group.  I would also suggest taking writing classes, as well as reading the genre you are interested in writing.  I still do all of these things.  I still have a lot to learn about writing.

AB: Finally, where can we find your work?

KF: You may find my book and my blog on my website, which is www.kathrynfitzmaurice.com