Whit McClendon's Blog, page 2

Dennis L. McKiernan is the guy who really got my wheels turning in regards to fantasy fiction. Back when I was a young teen, I'd long been into comic books and heroic stories. I'd read LOTR and Robert E. Howard's Conan books, and loved them too. Even so, I didn't really get fired up until I stumbled across a hardback copy of The Dark Tide (the first in his Iron Tower Trilogy) in the Brazoria County Library. That book and the ones that followed it were amazing, and really started me on the path to eventually writing my own fantasy stories. His writing is smooth, descriptive, and conjures visions of a lush and exciting fantasy world. You'll fall in love with his characters; he's made me cry while reading his stories more than once.A US Air Force veteran and former electronics engineer, Dennis was hit by a car in 1977 while riding his motorcycle. During his recovery (stuck in a hip spica cast for many months) he wrote a sequel to Tolkien's LOTR. Publisher Doubleday was interested in his work and tried to obtain permission from Tolkein's estate, but they said no. Dennis rewrote his story, placing the characters in Mithgar, rather than Middle Earth, and Dennis was off and running. Since then, he's written over two dozen books in total, including his entire Mithgar series, The Faery series, and the Black Foxes books, as well as a slew of short stories. He's always been a huge inspiration to me, and he also happens to be an awesome human being. Seriously, he's really cool.I asked him some common questions (and maybe a few not-so-common ones), and here are the results. Without further ado, I present the amazing Dennis!1. When did you write your first story? What was it about?a. Back in the day, a childhood friend and I used to tell stories, and we decided to write one. It had to do with an underground world where the Aztecs, the Mayans, and the Incas retreated in order to escape the invading Spaniards. It was set in the 1930s and was a sort of an archaeological adventure that we tackled and immediately discovered that for elementary school kids, writing was not easy. We didn’t get past the first chapter. b. When I was in the USAF (1950-1954), my dad and I wrote a humorous detective spoof of a Micky Spillaine type of story. That one we finished and whenever we got together we would read it aloud and laugh through tears of joy. c. My dad and I continued to write short stories to one another, none of which was ever published, but we had fun doing it. d. Later, in the 1970s I wrote for a number of different dirt bike magazines: how to articles, guest editorials, event reports, and humorous articles … and they paid me for it. e. Finally, when I was run over by a car in 1977, I set my hand to pencil and legal-sized tablets and hand wrote my first Mithgar book, The Silver Call.2. What do you use to write; pen and paper, computer, table, or maybe a dictating device?a. I started out writing with pencil and paper, then typewriter, then mainframe computer, then PC. The Silver Call and The Iron Tower ran that full gamut, but with my next book (Dragondoom) I did that on the PC.3. When did it dawn upon you that ‘this writing thing’ might be for you?a. When I finished The Silver Call.4. What inspires you to write?a. When I get the creative itch. i. Not for money ii. Not for love iii. Not for fame iv. Just to create something5. What is a typical writing day like for you?a. Well, when I am writing a novel I usually start my day (5 AM) with coffee and the newspaper b. Then I review and edit what I wrote the day before c. Then I have breakfast d. If it’s an exercise day, I move on to the rowing machine or the weights and situps etc. e. Then shower f. Then, about 10 AM I move to the computer room (my office) and input the editorial changes to yesterday’s work and that gives me a real rolling start to continue the story. g. Lunch, and more writing h. Finally, at maybe 3 PM or 4, I print out the day’s work and set it by my bedside for review and editing the next morning i. That’s my Monday-Friday schedule. I usually don’t work on the weekends unless I am burning with the story, in which case I write till the burn subsides6. Do you need to be in a specific place or room to write, or you can just sit in the middle of a café full of people and write?a. I have done so, but don’t usually. Instead I treasure quietness when writing7. Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day?a. Nope. If I kick out an average of 30-35 pages a week, I’m happy8. How much of your story do you know for sure when you start writing? Are you ever surprised by plot twists that emerge during the process?a. I know the beginning and ending of every novel I write, as well as some key scenes, because I contemplate the story long before I begin.b. I am always surprised by plot twists and unplanned characters popping up as well as what comes out of various characters’ mouths9. What are some of the most unlikely things that inspired ideas for story elements?a. Sometimes it’s a single word that I think is a splendid word, and I think of incidents or scenes just so I can use that word. At other times its while looking something up (research) that triggers something completely unrelated to the story but I can use it in the next story, or the next chapter. I always tell myself to treat these things with caution, and make certain they fit in the tale, and when necessary to see if I need to go back and foreshadow that thing which is now in the story … or save it for the next story10. What, according to you, is the most challenging aspect of writing?a. Persistence, dedication, ignoring distractions11. What would you say is your favorite part of being a writer?a. Creating something heretofore untold12. Have you ever been stricken with Writer’s Block? If so, how did you deal with it?a. Nope. I have stalled while searching for the best way to set a scene, or choose just the right word, or get done with the research to make certain that “this is the way it works” or “yes, horses can really do that” or …13. Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors?a. I read thrillers and mysteries. Lee Child, John Sandford are two of my favorites. I try to stay away from Fantasy14. Any advice you would like to give to your younger self?a. Don’t get run over by a car b. Start your Mithgar stories with Dragondoom15. Was there a particular book that inspired you to begin writing?a. LOTR was a huge influence. But I broke away from that with Dragondoom16. Tell us about your writing style, how is it different from other writers?a. I am not certain that it is that different, but in the main I try to use words that fit the era that my stories are set in, but not overburden the reader with too many of those era-centric words. I also try to drop “red slippers” here and there that hint at a much storied world, with deep history. I try to avoid info dumps, but rather scatter those things forward through the story—a dribble here, a drabble there/17. Do your novels carry a message?a. War is hell. Ordinary people can rise to the occasion and perform extraordinary deeds. Good will triumph. There are lots of philosophical issues that get brief exposure, too: what is the essence of evil?; the nature of faith; the so-called glory of war; etc.18. How much of yourself do you put into your books?a. I think I am a Warrow, or a Pysk, or an Elf, or a Human b. My characters always have some reflection of me, in their outlook, their pragmatism, their belief in the goodness of others, their optimism, their gallows humor, and so on19. Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?a. Some of my characters have a limp from a shattered thigh bone20. How did it feel when your first book got published?a. I was elated21. Was there a point when you really felt like you had ‘made it’ as an author?a. When I was signed to a contract for three books that I could choose to write with no strings attached22. Do you have a day job other than being a writer? And do you like it?a. I am retired now, but I did have a great career as an electronics engineer with Bell Labs, in R&D, in Anti Ballistic Missile Defense Systems, and other cutting edge work23. Does your day job ever get in the way of your writing?a. It did, but I always managed to scribble some words in the cracks of each day24. Did any of your books get rejected by publishers?a. Yes. A collection of short stories that I had written for other books, other publishers and that I wished to collect together, They are now in a kindle eBook Strange Reflections25. Do you enjoy book signings?a. Yep26. What was your favorite interaction with a fan?a. During a blizzard in Columbus Ohio, over icy roads and through howling wind and flying snow one guy showed up at a long-scheduled reading at a local bookstore. I read to him.27. Which of your books would you most like to see adapted as a movie?a. The easiest book to turn into a movie is Once Upon a Winter’s Night28. Have you ever written a character based on yourself in some part? Someone you know?a. Once MLee (Dennis' wife) asked me to put a particularly obnoxious coworker into a book and kill him. I did. He died a particularly bloody death29. Are you working on something new at the moment?a. I have started a novelette set in Mithgar30. What advice would you like to give all those aspiring writers out there?a. Have an education that will get you a good job while waiting to become a famous writerIf you're interested in checking out Dennis' books, you can find them on his Amazon page. You can also find more information on his website, Mithgar.com, as well as the Facebook group, Dennis L McKiernan's Mithgar.

I finally handed off a rather large binder to the amazing Michelle M. a few days ago, and now we wait. She's a busy lady, my proofreader/editor, but she's amazing at what she does, and I very much look forward to seeing her input on the new books. I wish I could give an estimate of when this project will hit Amazon, but rest assured, it’ll be available as quickly as I can get it up there.This story came to life at some point during the writing of the trilogy, but I only had the barest outline of it, certainly nothing resembling a full story outline. I saw a couple of scenes, at best. I jotted them down and kept my focus on finishing the trilogy. Once that was completed, I was at a bit of a loss as to what else to do. I took a couple of months off, and then in February, I finally saw enough of the story to start working on it. After that, I finally got my groove on and started writing seriously; it started to appear on the page.I write because it’s fun. I mean I really love it. Writing is also a huge pain in the butt on occasion. I don’t always have the clearest vision of what happens next in the stories I write, and that frustrates me just as much as having a bad cable connection might frustrate others. In the end, though, it’s pretty rewarding, no matter how many times I tear my hair out while waiting for the next piece of the tale to reveal itself. I’m a determined sort, though, so I’ll get the story out to y’all eventually.This new story is set in the world of Talwynn, a little over two decades after the events in the Fire of the Jidaan. You’ll see some familiar characters in this one and introduced to some new ones that I think you will enjoy. There’s a lot of action, too. Bad guys…werewolves…monsters...there's a lich in there somewhere…and big, honkin’ spiders. And did I mention the woman of fire?This isn't my pic, just one I found on the internet, but it fits pretty well. Where does it fit? I guess you'll have to read the books to find out!#amwritingfantasy #fireofthejidaan #epicfantasy #swordandsorcery #fantasyauthor #authorlife #forgebornduology

Hey, folks! Here's the upcoming event I mentioned in my last post: I'll be releasing a newly updated version of Mage's Burden tomorrow (Thursday, Nov 29) at 9am Central time with a brand new, cover! Here's a link to the event:https://www.facebook.com/events/956256614525555/I'll be posting the new cover, PLUS a sneak preview of my new book, which is a tale of the Guardians that takes place long after the events of the Fire of the Jidaan trilogy. I hope you'll stop by and say hello! #fireofthejidaan #magesburden #amwritingfantasy #brunarkicksass #epicfantasy #swordandsorcery

Well, my latest story is still rolling along. I'm only a couple of chapters from the end, but you never know how long they will end up until they've been completed. I'm having a blast, though. As always, I'll keep you, dear readers, informed of the situation. I'm close enough now, at least, that I can start on the cover art. Wait, that sounds like I'm the one doing the artwork. If you know me, you absolutely know that my talents lie in other areas, so I'm having someone else do the artwork. I've found a couple of amazing artists, and think I've settled on the one I'll be using for this story.One thing I struggle with is ALL THE THINGS. We all lead busy lives, and I'm no exception. The fact that I run my own business just adds to my list of THINGS that need to be done each day. As the owner of a martial arts school, that adds even more THINGS. It's not enough to only handle the admin stuff. My own training, both for skills and physical fitness, demands a high priority. I'm also a family man, so there you go...more THINGS on the To Do List. As an Indie Author, I also have to handle all the publicity and admin stuff for my work. You guessed it...more THINGS.I love to write. I schedule some time every day for my WIP (Work In Progress), though it never seems like enough. I realize that there's no rush...I don't have a deadline unless I decide that I do. The only pressure that I really have is the fact that I really, really want to see how the story comes out. I have a pretty good idea what's coming, but more often than not, I'm surprised by what comes out on the page in the same way that a reader might be, and I find that to be pretty exciting. I'm a loooong way from being a full-time writer, and in truth, I'm a martial arts instructor first, and a writer second. Even if I was extremely successful with my book sales (yes, please!), I'd still teach martial arts.I've got another project almost ready to hit the shelves that I'm pretty excited about, and I'll post about it very soon. Keep an eye out!#fireofthejidaan #authorlife #amwritingfantasy #fantasyauthor #swordsandsorcery

Just a little update, folks. Going strong on Book 4 again! Woo hooo!

A little update!  I forgot to mention on the VLOG that I had a WONDERFUL time on Dellani Oakes Tea Time on Red River Radio!  My good buddy Brian Briscoe was also on, although our schedules didn't permit us to be on at the same time.  Honestly, that was probably for the best...we get distracted easily.  If you'd like to hear us, you can check out the show here!http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2017/05/08/red-river-radio-dellanis-tea-time-presents-brian-christy-and-whit

Well, I'm moving along pretty well on what I'm calling Book 4.  I had been working on a modern urban fantasy, but the story stalled for me.  I decided to write a scene that had been floating around in my head for some time, and that scene led to another scene, and now I'm almost 30,000 words into the new book.  It's set in the same world of Talwynn as the Fire of the Jidaan Trilogy, but around twenty years following the events of those books.  There are some familiar faces, as well as some new ones, and I'm having lots of fun writing it.  I'd love to say I'll have it out by the end of summer, but heck, I don't know...it'll probably take longer than that.  Fortunately, I already have an idea for the cover, so that part won't take nearly as long as it did for A Mage Awakens.Recently, I was playing around with my Jidaan at my martial arts school, and I posted the video on Facebook and such.  I figured I should post it here, too, so here you go.Have a great weekend, and I'll do my best to write here more often.  By the way, did I mention that I'm now the official announcer at Domination Zone Wrestling, our local pro wrestling promotion?  More on that later.

The book signing was wonderful!  So many people came by to say hello; friends, family, students, and even a few fans!  My pro wrestler friends even stopped by!  I really enjoy these events, and I'm deeply grateful to Anna Brown and the whole gang at Katy Budget Books for having me out again.  It made me want to hustle up and finish my next book so that I can see about another book signing!In other news, I'm going to be on Red River Radio again tomorrow!  This time, my lifelong friend, Brian Briscoe will be there too, so I'm just going to assume that there will be shenanigans.  There's a chatroom on the site where you can make trouble and ask questions while listening to the show, and I'll do my best to type and talk at the same time if necessary.I hope you'll come join us!  You can listenHERE.

I had a fabulous time at Katy Budget Books this past weekend! They were kind enough to have me there to sign copies of my newest book, A Mage Awakens, and copies of the other two books in the series. It was so much fun!

I was so excited that so many people came out to say hello. Several of my friends were there, and many of my martial arts students and their families, as well. Some of my buddies from Domination Zone Wrestling, Inc, our fabulous local pro-wrestling organization came by, too! I also had the pleasure of signing books for new fans.

Admittedly, the whole experience was so gratifying that it made me want to get back to writing. You see, after Nanowrimo, I took a break. I had reached a sticking point in my latest story at the end of November and took a short time-out to think about it. My focus shifted to other things, and the time-out lengthened. As of Saturday, I was still on it. Talking to those folks at Katy Budget Books really inspired me, though, and not long after, some ideas started floating around.

Yesterday, I started jotting notes about the story, and I finally caught a glimpse of the next scenes. Whew! I can only write what I see in the movie theater of my mind, so it was a real relief to finally start getting some images on the screen in there.

I'm planning to finish GrimFaerie by the end of summer. I'll keep you posted. And thanks again to all of you who came out to see me at KBB. Hopefully, I'll have some new stuff for you to read and you'll see me out there again before long.

Hey, folks!  I'm excited to announce that I'll be signing copies of my new book (and the others, too) at my favorite bookstore,Katy Budget Books!  I'll be there on Saturday, February 4th, from 2pm to 4pm, just hanging out and happily answering questions from readers about the books, writing, or anything else you might want to know.  I may very well do a reading from A Mage Awakens as well.  I love to talk to folks about this stuff, so if you're in the Katy/West Houston area that day, stop in and say hello!