The Complete Tweeterview

This is the complete tweeterview from June 20th with authors Jamieson Wolf and Sandy Lender. Here you will find questions that were deleted from the online tweeterview due to time limitations. Please enjoy and feel free to use this as a template for future tweeterviews in the Twitter universe.

Tweeterview for June 20th

UR following the 1st live #tweeterview in history! Also follow @jamiesonwolf 2 catch the whole interview w/author #sandylender.

ABOUT SANDY LENDER
@SandyLender Q:So let’s get started! I’m so thrilled to be interviewing you today Sandy!

@jamiesonwolf A:Pleased to be making history with the #tweeterview, my villain!

@SandyLender Q:Let’s start with a bit about you: have you always been a writer?

@jamiesonwolf A:Thank God the #tweeterview starts out easy…Yep, #SandyLender has always been a writer!

@SandyLender Q:Do you remember the first piece you wrote?

@jamiesonwolf A:I think the 1st piece I wrote was a haunted spider story for Grandma
@jamiesonwolf A:So I’ve been a spec fic writer since Day 1—he he he

@SandyLender Q:Not many people know that, as well as being a fantasy writer, you’re also an editor…

@jamiesonwolf A:journalism pays the bills

@SandyLender Q:Do you want to tell us a bit about that?

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender is the editor of a construction pub 4 the day job; edits fiction books 4 ArcheBooks Pub

@SandyLender Q:What is it that drew you to the high fantasy genre in the first place?

@jamiesonwolf A:Dragons draw me to fantasy. #SandyLender LOVES dragons.

@SandyLender Q:Do you have any favourite high fantasy authors? Any that inspired you?

@jamiesonwolf A:Charlotte Bronte—seriously. Also Tolkien, Goodkind, Eddings…

@SandyLender Q:You’ve been credited with re-inventing the high fantasy genre. How do you respond to that?

@jamiesonwolf A:I can’t believe #SandyLender has been credited with re-inventing the fantasy genre. LUV the concept…humbling.
@jamiesonwolf A:makes me work harder at editing Book III so no one rescinds the compliment!

ABOUT CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS
@SandyLender Q:Let’s switch gears: describe Choices Meant for Gods in five words or less.

@jamiesonwolf A:CMFG is a Girl Power Fantasy (without the Feminist Agenda)

@SandyLender Q:For those not familiar with the novel Choices Meant for Gods, could you tell us about it?

@jamiesonwolf A:CMFG takes folks on a fast-paced fantasy adventure where prophecies r outta control & gods need an orphan’s help

@SandyLender Q:What came to you first when you began writing CMFG: The images, the plot or the characters?

@jamiesonwolf A:the characters came to me 1st
@jamiesonwolf A:The evil bad guy, Drake, showed me Chariss.

@SandyLender Q:How did you go about creating the world of Onweald? Did you plot the land as you developed the plot?

@jamiesonwolf A:That’s pretty much right—plotted the map as the characters/timeline moved across it

@SandyLender Q:Chariss is such a strong willed character. How did you go about creating her?

@jamiesonwolf A:Chariss kinda created herself—I just wrote what she presented to me

@SandyLender Q:I love Chariss’ protector, Hrazon. How did you first visualize him?

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender always saw Hrazon as an older, grandfatherly figure, but a tone, able-bodied man, very capable

@SandyLender Q:How did you keep Hrazon from being the stereotypical old wizard that graces so many fantasy novels?

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender kept the cheesy character-ticks away. Y’know…like eating all the time or some obnoxious catch-phrase
@jamiesonwolf A:Hrazon is a respected, educated, loved, well-known, street-smart wizard who lives above stereotypes

@SandyLender Q:Nigel Taiman is a complicated guy. At first he seems so simple. How did you develop the layers of his character?

@jamiesonwolf A:Nigel appears 1 layer @ a time coz Chariss exposes him 2 himself 1 layer @ a time; his blog http://sandylender.blogspot.com

@SandyLender Q:You also created your own kind of magic. Can you explain to readers what the Geasa is?

@jamiesonwolf A:Geasa is a power the gods breathe into a person at conception; it’s “magic” from a good source in #sandylender’s fantasy world

@SandyLender Q:What does Chariss’ magic have to do with the violet coloured jewel near her eye?

@jamiesonwolf A:the amethyst birthstone on Chariss’s cheekbone is the mark of The Protector; her geasa is separate from it

@SandyLender Q:Why has Chariss been chosen to be a protector of the Gods?

@jamiesonwolf A:Ooo…#SandyLender can’t give that away! Folks have to learn that w/ Chariss in Choices Meant for Kings. ;)

@SandyLender Q:Was it difficult to write the book knowing it was the first in a trilogy?

@jamiesonwolf A:Not really difficult to write the first book. Excerpts at http://www.authorsandylender.com Editing Book III is difficult!

ABOUT WHAT CHOICES WE MADE
@SandyLender Q:Describe What Choices We Made in five words or less.

@jamiesonwolf A:WCWM is a Collection of Onweald Histories and Characters; excerpts at http://www.authorsandylender.com

@SandyLender Q:For those unfamiliar with it, can you tell us about What Choices We Made?

@jamiesonwolf A:WCWM is a brief collection of stories to give some background of Onweald’s history/people/ideology

@SandyLender Q:Where did you get the idea of doing a companion book to the series?

@jamiesonwolf A:#sandylender got the idea for a companion book from #Terry Goodkind

@SandyLender Q:Can readers who have not read Choices Meant for Gods read What Choices We Made?

@jamiesonwolf A:WCWM is easy to consume as a stand-alone; it can introduce someone to the world

@SandyLender Q:The stories in WCWM give us a different glimpse into the people of Onweald…

@SandyLender Q:What was it like for you to write these stories? Did they come to you all together or individually?

@jamiesonwolf A:the stories for WCWM came to me over YEARS; #sandylender has more for the next chapbook :)

@SandyLender Q:We get to see some new characters in this collection of stories. Will we see them again in the trilogy?

@jamiesonwolf A:a couple characters from WCWM appear in the trilogy
@jamiesonwolf A:a couple characters from WCWM are from the past and their stories were just short snippets—already told now

@SandyLender Q:Do you find it more fun to write in shorter format, or do you really love tackling a novel?

@jamiesonwolf A:oh, man, give me the freedom of a novel any day
@jamiesonwolf A:CMFG was 250,000 words when #sandylender (I) first turned it in to the pub; he asked me to trim it :)

@SandyLender Q:Was it easy to keep up the suspense in the shorter form of story? Or was it easier to build tension?

@jamiesonwolf A:Edgar A. Poe said every word in a short story has to apply to the story. Period. Every word has to count.
@jamiesonwolf A:So if the short story is supposed to be suspenseful…just gotta make every word count.

@SandyLender Q:Where did the ideas for the stories come from?

@jamiesonwolf A:ideas for the stories came from the characters, dreams, necessity, conversations in real life, writing prompts…

@SandyLender Q:Will there be more books in this companion series to the Choices Trilogy?

@jamiesonwolf A:there will definitely be more companion books for the #Choices trilogy; #sandylender has a ton of backstory material


ABOUT CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS
@SandyLender Q:I know you’ve been pretty hush hush about Choices Meant For Kings, the second novel in the trilogy…

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender’s just waiting on the Choices Meant for Kings release date info…pins and needles, you know

@SandyLender Q:Can you tell us what it’s about?

@jamiesonwolf A:CMFK takes Chariss’s job protecting an arrogant deity to a new level, brings her enemies closer, reveals more secrets

@SandyLender Q:I’ve read CMFK and I have to say, beyond a doubt, it does not suffer from boring middle book syndrome…

@jamiesonwolf A:***grinning*** #SandyLender says thank you!

@SandyLender Q:Far from it. It is a faster, more urgent read. Was this a conscious decision while you were writing?

@jamiesonwolf A:Conscious? Yes and no. The story is what it is and the characters had to respond.

@SandyLender Q:You deepen the relationships these people have in CMFK. How did you plot out the character development?

@jamiesonwolf A:Some characters naturally run a course; some I had to prod/edit

@SandyLender Q:You’ve also given Chariss an awful lot to take on. Why did you decide to give her the weight of the world on her shoulders?

@jamiesonwolf A:My poor Chariss…she has no choice now that she’s accepted the responsibilities that she’s agreed to.

@SandyLender Q:Who is your favourite character in the trilogy thus far?

@jamiesonwolf A:Oh, man. My publisher’s fave is Rohne. Mine depends on the day and how cooperative they’ve been
@jamiesonwolf A:The safe answer is that #sandylender’s fave character is Chariss. That makes Nigel and Hrazon happy. :)

@SandyLender Q:Have any characters surprised you? Have they developed differently than you thought they would?

@jamiesonwolf A:Hands down—Brendan Naegling. Near the end of CMFK, I actually gasped at the computer screen.

@SandyLender Q:Do you have a release date for Choices Meant for Kings? Will it be coming out soon?

@jamiesonwolf A:CMFK will be out very soon. #SandyLender sent the galley corrx to the publisher last night.

@SandyLender Q:What will happen in the third book? Can you tell us that?

@jamiesonwolf A:Everybody dies. The planet implodes. Both suns go supernova and a black hole develops in space.
@jamiesonwolf A:Bwuahahahahaha

@SandyLender Q:The trilogy seems to deal a lot with a search for, and attaining, power. Is this theme important to you in your work?

@jamiesonwolf A:Onweald is the Old English word for power.
@jamiesonwolf A:The characters r learning that power’s not worth losing everything u luv 4…


RANDOM AUTHOR QUESTIONS
@SandyLender Q:Now I’d like to switch things up a bit with some random author questions…ready?

@jamiesonwolf A:Tell me u’ll be kind to #sandylender…

@SandyLender Q:What is your favourite colour?

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender’s fave color is violet—the color of Chariss’s eyes & the amethyst near the corner of her eye

@SandyLender Q:What is your favourite food?

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender’s fave food is chocolate.

@SandyLender Q:Pizza or nachos?

@jamiesonwolf A:Oooo! What do u call cheese that doesn’t belong 2 u?

@SandyLender Q:Care to explain your obsession with Barry Manilow?

@jamiesonwolf A:I’m not sure if I can explain the #Barry Manilow obsession. I’ve loved his voice & music since I was 5.
@jamiesonwolf A:I’ve only seen him in concert a few times, but once was on our birthday—June 17

@SandyLender Q:How about your obsession with Duran Duran?

@jamiesonwolf A:Ah. #SandyLender has been a #Duran Duran fan since about 1984. Also unexplainable. Just crazy.

@SandyLender Q:If you could have one super power, what would it be?

@jamiesonwolf A:Teleportation would be fab for #sandylender.
@jamiesonwolf A:But the superpower #sandylender wants is the ability to forego sleep w/o adverse effect.

@SandyLender Q:Favourite song that makes you smile?

@jamiesonwolf A:The song that makes #sandylender smile is Girls on Film (and my Duranie friends understand)

@SandyLender Q:Favourite book?

@jamiesonwolf A:#sandylender’s fave book is Jane Eyre (and Choices Meant for Gods, of course! And Hunted by JamiesonWolf)

@SandyLender Q:Favourite movie?

@jamiesonwolf A:#sandylender’s fave movie is Finding Nemo

@SandyLender Q:If you could be one animal in the world, what would it be and why?

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender would be archelon, the giant, ancient sea turtle, bcoz it would mean he’s not extinct…

@SandyLender Q:Describe yourself in five words or less!

@jamiesonwolf A:#SandyLender is crazy, a survivor, intelligent, creative, compassionate

CAP OFF
@SandyLender Q:Well, we’ve come to the end of the interview! That wasn’t that bad, was it?

@jamiesonwolf A:I don’t know; do your fingers hurt like mine?

@SandyLender Q:Is there anything you’d like to tell readers?

@jamiesonwolf A:I know it’s tough 2 decide 2 buy books from new authors, so folks can choose 2 buy the eBook 4 http://www.archebooks.com

@SandyLender Q:Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

@jamiesonwolf A:aspiring writers should network at conferences; don’t rely on queries 2 get in the door; keep writing!

@SandyLender Q:Now for the plug: where can readers find out more about you?

@jamiesonwolf A:Definitely check out #sandylender stuff at http://tinyurl.com/CMFGamazon

@SandyLender Q:What about your fancy new web site?

@jamiesonwolf A:Dude. I luv my new site. Folks can learn about #sandylender at http://www.authorsandylender.com

@SandyLender Q:Well, Sandy, we made history. How do you feel?

@jamiesonwolf A:I feel like #sandylender and #jamiesonwolf should be trending topics.
@jamiesonwolf A:I also feel like I need a nap; I was on the beach for #sea turtle patrol as the sun came up this morning

@SandyLender Q:Thanks for letting me chat you up today.

@jamiesonwolf A:You’re an angel 4 doing this interview! Thanx 4 making history w/ #sandylender!

Thank you to everyone for tuning in! It’s been quite the interview and I know that you’ll all want to know more about Sandy and her work!

And, thank you everyone for taking part in history! The first ever Tweeterview! How’s that for super cool?


Tags: tweeterview, twitter, jamieson wolf, sandy lender