1. Your novel, Borrowed Time, where did your inspiration come from for this book? Was there a character that just had to be heard? Was there an event that inspired you to start writing?
Borrowed Time was originally a novella I wrote after many years of walking away from the craft of writing. It was the first original work that put me on the path that has led to where I am today. I began writing short stories in the interest of trying to get my work into magazines but as time went by I made the decsion to publish the stories myself in a collected edition. Seeing my work in publication has been a long standing dream of mine so I was thrilled to be able to take these stories to that level.
2. Does your background (in terms of job, family, geographic location, etc.) play into your writing? What kind of research went into your story?
I have been in love with movies and books for as long as I can remember. I can still remember the thrill of seeing Return of the Jedi on the big screen. I can remember crying in the theater after watching ET (both times). I can remember the pride I felt as my reading abilities progressed and the various worlds and characters I was able to explore. My parents certainly encouraged my artistic side and I suppose that growing up in a somewhat progressive educational system along with a slew of fellow nerds helped foster my creative outlook as well.
In terms of research for this book, the story Legacy was probably the one that I devoted the most time researching. Part of the story is set in the years following World War II and I wanted to make sure the language was sounding somewhat authentic. There was a lot of time spent googling anything from slang that would be more appropriate to the time to how hospitals handled childbirth to how much it cost to use a pay phone.
3. Describe the genres in which you write (paranormal, contemporary, westerns, etc.) If write in more than one genre or area (poetry, non-fiction), do you have a different process when you’re writing different kinds of fiction or non-fiction?
My first love has always been for the horror genre and while my writing tends to lean towards the dark side in terms of content, I also enjoy the challenge of creating stories that have the ability to disturb the reader without going overboard with the graphic description. I think that the most powerful ally horror writers have is the imagination of their own reader and if you give that imagination room to speculate and visualize, you can accomplish great things.
I also have a deep respect and love for science fiction. My father introduced me to Arthur C. Clarke as well as Isaac Asimov at a fairly young age and this was augmented by my love of all things Trek and Star Wars. Recently, I have also been dabbling in some fantasy genre as well.
My process is fairly consistent regardless of the genre I am writing in. I tend to focus on the characters, on their experiences and thoughts and actions. Once I feel like I have a familiarity with them, I can then move on and let the actual plot of the story develop and ripen.
4. What is your mind set or process as you sit down to write? Do you have a playlist going? Do you need complete silence? Are you a 6 am writer or an 11 pm writer?
I need to be alone. I used to be able to write in coffee shops but anymore I just get self conscious. I usually have Pandora running while I’m writing. Movie scores are my favorite to write to, compositions by Thomas Newman, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore as some examples. I also enjoy artists like Lisa Gerrard as well as Karl Jenkins. When I’m feeling like I’m hitting a wall and drifting off, I will switch over to some loud rock in order to keep my energy level up.
5. How do you balance writing with work and/or personal life?
It’s definitely a challenge, with a son as well as a regular full time job. I work when I can and I think that the key is really in tempering your expectations regarding your output. If your life allows for very little free time to write, then maybe you won’t be the kind of writer that puts out a thousand-page novel every year. My main rule is that I write every day but my minimum word count is only 250 words, a completely achievable goal and as low as that number seems, I often end up writing more and the mere act of writing every day has trained my brain to be more productive when I need it to be. The main point is, if you don’t set unreasonable goals for yourself then you won’t find yourself getting frustrated for not having enough time to work.
6. Do you have any other projects you’re working on?
I write a weekly blog that features an original piece of flash fiction at bakedscribe.net. In terms of books, I will be putting out a collection of flash fiction early next year which will be comprised of the first year of stories from the blog. I am also working on a novel which takes me back to the universe of my short story, Tomorrow’s Memory, which is one of the stories that can be found in Borrowed Time. My goal is to have it out by the end of next year or shortly after. I am also starting work on a sort of sci-fi adventure series, which should total three books in all.
7. Any words of advice for aspiring writers?
Don’t give up. Love your words. Don’t be ashamed of whatever it is you choose to write. Very few writers are truly blessed with the gift of being able to write anything and everything. If your true passion is about writing historical romance novels, then do it. If you want to write about spaceships exploring alien civilizations, do it. Don’t worry about trying to meet other people’s expectations, just let your writing be what it is and take pride in it.
Most importantly, lend a helping hand to your fellow writers in the commuinity whenever you can. Social media makes it incredibly simple to reach through the data pathways and do what we can for others. You will likely need to depend on the help of others around you so I always say that whatever assistance you think you might need from other writers, offer twice as much yourself. Love your craft and respect your craft.
Write with humility, gratitude and fear.
8. Social media: Tell us where readers can find you (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, website)
My official website is www.cclarkfiction.net. You can find my weekly offerings of flash fiction at www.bakedscribe.net. As for other social media, I am currently on both Facebook and Twitter, under the username, @cclarkfiction.
9. Book links: Tell us where to find your books!
The book is currently for sale exclusively through Amazon although in October this will expand to other retailers as well, including Barnes & Noble and the Apple store, among others.
