AUTHOR INTERVIEW - S.M. WHITE

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

My name is S.M. White and I was born in Louisville Ky, where I still live, near the banks of the Ohio.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

I can't say I always wanted to be a writer. When I was young I wanted to be a ninja. Not for the clandestine killing, of course, but rather for the prowling of the night. I've always like prowling the night.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?

A couple of years ago when I found myself staying home everyday to work on my novels. I was spending more time writing than I was at my actual job.

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?

I self-published my first book in October 2012. I had spent three years working on it and its sequel. I consider that a long time. It might have taken even longer if I hadn't decided upon self-publishing.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

At the moment I'm just writing. I have quite a few books I'm working on, as well as doing reviews for Indie authors. It's a full-time job in itself.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My latest book is "The Lonely Man: The Witch's Price." Broken man seeks help in ridding a curse. Agrees to a witch's terrible price.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?

 I self-publish

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

This varies. As I said, the first novel I published took me three years to finish. My latest novel took my three months.

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?

 "The Pale Hand of God" was the hardest to write. It was draining on so many different levels. I put a ton of effort into it, and as it was the book where I found my 'voice' it was the one that went through the most edits. Thus the three years.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre?

Books of a different genre? It'll definitely be more books in fantasy genre.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

 I have plans for a hundred different books. But right now I do plan on doing two more book about Mhets. After that I have a series titled "Visions of Eternity" planned.

What genre would you place your books into?

Fantasy

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

That was the genre that inspired me to start writing. I grew up with Tolkien and Anthony and Jordan. I read heavily everything fantasy that I could get my hands on.

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?

I can't say I have a favourite. They're all a close part of me. It'd be like determining which child was my favorite (if I had multiple children).

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

This is a bit easier to answer. I think Kinlan for my Paruus Histories books is my favorite. He's so carefree and witty, even when the world is black.

If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and why?

Hah! I wrote fairly dark material, and my characters don't often have that good of times. I'd probably like to be one of the characters that are met in passing, in a secluded part of the world, where they're relatively safe from harm.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

 I've been writing seriously for eight years. But I've been writing stories for as long as I can remember. My inspiration came from reading fantasy books, and wanting to create my own worlds and heroes.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?

I sit and I write. I usually start out with a simple description of something and go from there. I'm pretty much a discovery writer. I don't plot my books, I let my books plot themselves. This means I edit profusely. So maybe I'm not really a write, maybe I'm an editor.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?

 I have a couple of people read through my drafts and tell me what works and what doesn't. Of course, the meat and bits are cut or kept based on my discretion.

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?

I have started doing that with "The Lonely Man: The Witch's Price." I didn't do it so much in the past.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

I try to, as long as I'm aware of them.

What was the toughest/best review you have ever had?

 The best reviews are going to be the ones that praise your writing and all that good stuff. The tougher reviews are the ones that rip your book apart, often 'missing' the intent of the story, or 'missing' a vital plot point that they assume ruins the book. But I enjoy them all, and learn from them.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?

Never. I think every opinion is important. And you can't learn a lot more from what someone doesn't like than from what they do.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I write the books and then choose the title. I find better titles come out organically as I write.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

Sometimes they appear at the moment of conception, and other I struggle for days searching for just the right name.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

As a discovery writer, it all comes together as I write. I let the characters determine their plots based on how they act in certain situations.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?

 I'm sure this happens to a lot of people, but I really haven't suffered through it. If I find myself stuck I just write. It helps clear the clog.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?

I play tennis and run. I try and stay active. There's only so many hours you can sit and write before you body needs motion.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

There certainly are. Everyone has their own outlook on life. I don't overly promote messages or morals in my book, but they're there. And it's for the readers to find them.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?

 I always tell new writers to write. That's the advice I have: Write. Write as much as you can.

Where can readers follow you? 

Your Blog Details? http://smwhitefiction.com/newsblog.html 
Your Website? http://smwhitefiction.com/ 
Your Facebook Page? https://www.facebook.com/pages/SM-White/427751413952563?skip_nax_wizard=true 
Your Goodreads Author Page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6561639.S_M_White 
Your Twitter Details? @smwhitefiction