An interview with A.C.Warneke!
Please introduce yourself and your books.
Hello! (This part is always so awkward!) I am A.C. Warneke, author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, from the light and fluffy to the much darker and slightly macabre, all with a healthy dose of heat; they’re not for the faint of heart. The path of self-publishing began in January of 2012 and it has been a wonderful journey so far, filled with new opportunities and incredible people.
Five books are currently published: Darkness Comes, Blight, Stone Lover, Siren Song, and Stone Romance and many more that are in various stages, including Stone Destiny, After Blight, the continuation of Darkness Comes.
Darkness Comes is the story of Malorie Sinclair, a young woman who was raised with a non-traditional upbringing by a father who has been keeping secrets from her. It has been a few years since the vampires she had hunted all of her life have promised to behave and she finally has the chance to live a normal life with her young son. But a fateful trip to the mall on Christmas Eve changes all of that when she is caught up in a surprise Open Feed, losing herself in the embrace of a vampire.
Rebecca “Beck” Lewis is an elite warrior, battling the hordes of undead instead of herself in Blight. She is slipping into madness and she welcomes the darkness if it means an end to the pain of living. After Blight picks up where Blight left off and will be available in 2013.
Unlike Darkness Comes and Blight, Siren Song is a romantic romp with a splash of the paranormal. After Lexi Darling falls madly in lust with a stranger, she discovers that she is a Siren. Even more peculiar, she discovers that the stranger is her new boss Duncan Tremain. Despite an irresistible attraction, Duncan tries to keep his distance from the vivacious Lexi for two reasons: he’s her boss and, well, he’s a wolf. Lexi is just as determined to claim Duncan as her own. Poor Duncan doesn’t stand a chance.
Stone Lover and Stone Romance are the first and second books of the Stone Passions trilogy, which features gargoyles and the women who love them. Stone Lover is about Vaughn and Melanie, whose attraction is so powerful they act on their primal desire shortly after they meet. Melanie is impossibly sweet and a little naïve and Vaughn will do everything in his power to keep her safe, including giving up his nights to protect her. Stone Romance follows Vaughn’s brother Rhys and Melanie’s sister Jenna on their journey that started in Stone Lover. Life has been much harder for Jenna and Rhys is exactly who she needs to bring color back into her life. Stone Romance also delves deeper into the gargoyle mythology.
Stone Destiny is Armand’s story and will be out in the early part of 2013.
Why did you decide to become a writer?
Sadly, it wasn’t a choice. :) When the urge to write hits I have to find something and write down what is playing in my head. At that point I shut out the rest of the world until what needs to be written is written. The muses have kept me awake at night long after the lights have been turned off so I write in the dark with a pen that I hope works on a piece of paper that I hope is blank. It’s painful trying to figure out what was written but if I can make out a word or two the memory generally returns.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Sometimes an image or a character will pop into my head and I want to know what happened to get to that particular scene and what’s going to happen next and I want to know more about the characters involved. Sometimes dreams are involved but generally my dreams are far too weird and convoluted to translate properly into a story.
A conversation with a friend, the melody of a song, a cool breeze on a hot day; inspiration is everywhere
A conversation with a friend, the melody of a song, a cool breeze on a hot day; inspiration is everywhere
Can you talk us through the process you go through when you write a book.
The first stage is freaking out and wondering if I still have that unknown thing that will allow me to write. This stage can last anywhere between a few days to years – and when it hits the years it is just awful and even though I am still scribbling out scenes and story ideas I am not writing stories. But writing begets writing and once I start I’m good to go; it is just really hard to start some times.
Once that initial stage of panic and doubt has passed and I move onto the actual writing, I have found that I don’t have a specific process because each book I have written has travelled different paths. What works for one definitely does not work for another, no matter how much I wish it would. I have sat down and written a story from beginning to end in a linear process, saving it as one large file; I have written pieces and parts out of order, saving each individual chapter (which is always interesting trying to figure out what has been written and in which order everything goes): I have worked from detailed notes; I have gone with a vague idea of where a story was heading and discovering the story as it unfolded.
When I write I spend an inordinate amount of time playing solitaire and minesweeper, letting my brain figure out the kinks in a story while my hands and eyes engage in mindless activity. It seems like nothing has been written but suddenly there are two or three thousand words on the page. I have tried not playing the games and discovered that I couldn’t write at all.
Once that initial stage of panic and doubt has passed and I move onto the actual writing, I have found that I don’t have a specific process because each book I have written has travelled different paths. What works for one definitely does not work for another, no matter how much I wish it would. I have sat down and written a story from beginning to end in a linear process, saving it as one large file; I have written pieces and parts out of order, saving each individual chapter (which is always interesting trying to figure out what has been written and in which order everything goes): I have worked from detailed notes; I have gone with a vague idea of where a story was heading and discovering the story as it unfolded.
When I write I spend an inordinate amount of time playing solitaire and minesweeper, letting my brain figure out the kinks in a story while my hands and eyes engage in mindless activity. It seems like nothing has been written but suddenly there are two or three thousand words on the page. I have tried not playing the games and discovered that I couldn’t write at all.
If you could have dinner with one of your characters who would it be and why?
This is a really tough question because I would love to meet ALL of my characters! I think the most fun would be Lexi (Siren Song) or Rhys (Stone Romance) but the most interesting would be Beck (Blight), though she would be the most difficult to have a conversation with since she would probably spend the entire meal glaring at me and tapping her foot, anxious to get the heck out of there. I would really just love to spend the day with Lexi, living as boldly as she does, jumping whole-heartedly into adventures, not letting fear hold her back. She goes after what she wants and pushes herself past the limits that are set in place but remains true to herself.
And then there is Armand (Stone Destiny) and Wilson (Blight)…. Swoon.
And then there is Armand (Stone Destiny) and Wilson (Blight)…. Swoon.
If you were not a writer what would you be?
I would be a companion to the Doctor, travelling through space and time and averting catastrophes at the last possible moment.
What is the best thing about being a writer?
I love the control I have as a writer – ultimately I get to determine the fates of my characters (insert evil laugh.) But the best part is connecting with readers from around the world through the various websites. I think it is so freaking awesome that someone in Australia or Germany or the UK reads the books and I get to meet them on-line. It makes the world that much smaller and accessible.
And the worst?
The worst is the anxiety of not knowing if I will be able to write and the dread of the next book (currently Armand’s) not living up to anyone’s expectations. Those authors that can write long series and still keep things fresh are an inspiration.
The other part that is difficult is writing a blurb that is engaging and peaks a reader’s interest without giving too much away in two hundred words or less.
The other part that is difficult is writing a blurb that is engaging and peaks a reader’s interest without giving too much away in two hundred words or less.
Did you have a favourite author as a child?
Shel Silverstein. I think his silly poems and quirky drawings were an impetus to learning to read – I wanted to read the poems even when no one else was around to read then to me. They sure as heck beat Dick and Jane.
What do you do in your free time?
I LOVE listening to music and if music isn’t playing somewhere in the house then I will sit down and play the piano or listen to my son as he strums out a few songs on the guitar.
I enjoy watching television series on DVD – no commercials and instant gratification when an episode ends on a cliff hanger. And if I have the next season, no fretting about how Sam or Dean or Buffy will come back from the dead this time. While watching the television I like to crochet because it is something to keep my hands occupied.
I also surf the web, always searching for something that is just out of reach. I think it would help if I knew what it was I was looking for but I keep searching. I search elsewhere, too, pondering life and death and ice cream. :)
I enjoy watching television series on DVD – no commercials and instant gratification when an episode ends on a cliff hanger. And if I have the next season, no fretting about how Sam or Dean or Buffy will come back from the dead this time. While watching the television I like to crochet because it is something to keep my hands occupied.
I also surf the web, always searching for something that is just out of reach. I think it would help if I knew what it was I was looking for but I keep searching. I search elsewhere, too, pondering life and death and ice cream. :)
You can visit one place in the world right now, where and why?
I would be back in Minnesota spending the holidays with family. :) At any other time I would love to see the whole world, starting with London.
Can you give us an odd fact about yourself?
The day after high school graduation I flew down to the Virgin Islands for a three week trip and I ended up staying for ten months, calling home from Virgin Gorda to let my parents know that the plane that had just taken off from St. Thomas didn’t have me on it. My poor, poor parents – though I did warn them when I was getting on the plane that I might not be back for a year.
Can you give us an odd fact about yourself?
The day after high school graduation I flew down to the Virgin Islands for a three week trip and I ended up staying for ten months, calling home from Virgin Gorda to let my parents know that the plane that had just taken off from St. Thomas didn’t have me on it. My poor, poor parents – though I did warn them when I was getting on the plane that I might not be back for a year.
Anything you would like to add?
An enormous thank you for welcoming me here today. <3 Thank you!
Also, if anyone is interested in learning more, they can visit my little-bit-of-everything-blog acwarneke.com.
Also, if anyone is interested in learning more, they can visit my little-bit-of-everything-blog acwarneke.com.
A few quick fire questions:
Coffee or Tea? Tea.
Summer or winter? Summer.
Physical book or ebook? Both. :) I can fit a lot more books on the kindle and they take up a LOT less space but I LOVE the feel of a physical book – and taking a sneak peek at what’s coming up.
Wild night out or cosy night in? Cozy night in.
Thank you A.C., excellent interview which gives us a real insight into your authors world! I love how much you put into the answers! I'm a detail girl :-)
More about A.C. ~ here's her Bio!
In the real world my life is probably considered somewhat dull but it is full of love with three incredible kids and a wonderful husband. On the other hand, the world inside my head is chaotic and sometimes scary but it is a very interesting place to be at any given moment. I tend to jot down my ideas on whatever is handy, from scraps of paper to the back of receipts. I have notebooks filled with scenes and characters and story ideas – they won’t let me go to sleep unless I write them down. It becomes a problem when it is the middle of the night and I am exhausted and I have to be up early so I always keep paper and a writing utensil on the nightstand next to my bed. Unfortunately, writing in the dark that is written while half asleep is very difficult to translate in the morning but as long as there is a word or two that I can make out, I can get the general idea of what I was trying to say.
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Thank you A.C., excellent interview which gives us a real insight into your authors world! I love how much you put into the answers! I'm a detail girl :-)
More about A.C. ~ here's her Bio!
Thanks to recent technological advances, I have been self-publishing my paranormal romances and urban fantasies since February of 2012. I have also been trying to navigate the world of marketing and that has been interesting.
Every time I think I have it figured out, I learn something new that changes everything and I have to re-evaluate what I have done and see if I need to make any major changes or if I can use what I already have or if I have to scrap the whole thing. Whether writing, publishing, marketing or just living, that is pretty much how it goes and the learning just never seems to end. Thank God!!
I currently have five books available: Darkness Comes (Feb. 2012), Blight (Mar. 2012), Stone Lover (Mar. 2012), Siren Song (May 2012) and Stone Romance (Sept. 2012) All are available on the Amazon kindle and in paperback form; Darkness Comes, Blight, Stone Lover and Siren Song are also available on Smashwords and their various channels. Soon Stone Romance will be there. Just be warned: my books tend to be steamy – the lights are definitely left on – and I am a sucker for happy endings.
Every time I think I have it figured out, I learn something new that changes everything and I have to re-evaluate what I have done and see if I need to make any major changes or if I can use what I already have or if I have to scrap the whole thing. Whether writing, publishing, marketing or just living, that is pretty much how it goes and the learning just never seems to end. Thank God!!
I currently have five books available: Darkness Comes (Feb. 2012), Blight (Mar. 2012), Stone Lover (Mar. 2012), Siren Song (May 2012) and Stone Romance (Sept. 2012) All are available on the Amazon kindle and in paperback form; Darkness Comes, Blight, Stone Lover and Siren Song are also available on Smashwords and their various channels. Soon Stone Romance will be there. Just be warned: my books tend to be steamy – the lights are definitely left on – and I am a sucker for happy endings.
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