Interview with Lynda Williams
The Blog Ring of Power Presents...
An Interview with Author Lynda Williams
Author Lynda Williams is here today to talk about her many, many projects (including the 10-part Okal Rel series), and to share some words of wisdom with other aspiring authors.
This is part five of a five-part interview. Be sure to check out the other BRoP sites for the rest of the interview:
Part 1 @ Teresa's site - Thursday, November 15
Part 2 @ Emily's site - Friday, November 16
Part 3 @ Sandra's site - Monday, November 19
Part 4 @ Dean's site - Tuesday, November 20
BRoP: Tell us about your route to success –how did you land your agent/publisher?
Lynda: I was lucky. I was introduced to my publisher, Brian Hades, by my co-author at the time, Alison Sinclair. Brian has since become a mainstay in my life. A friend and a partner in creation. I never had an agent. I certainly tried, although not as diligently as one should. I think in the end my goal was just too big and implausible. To be honest, we didn`t tell Brian Hades of Edge that Throne Price was part four of a ten-novel series until after he published it.
BRoP: What are the most important elements of good writing?
Lynda: For me, as a reader, the most important element is substance. Does the writer have something worthwhile to grapple with? Does he or she care about it? Technique and other considerations of business or craft might sink a good story. But a limp or trivial one dressed up in the best of clothes doesn`t cut it for me. I get more out of a rough diamond with guts.
BRoP: What tools are must-haves for writers?
Lynda: The stubborn determination to believe in your work and your stories. The will to share with others. The resilience to absorb setbacks, sort out what to listen to and what to ignore, and keep going. All much, much easier said than done.
BRoP: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Lynda: Write. Share it with others. Have the courage to defend a point of view but do it with enough honesty to acknowledge the difficulties. Be brave enough to put something of yourself into your work, and yet remain capable of exposing your flaws as well as your virtues. Claim the right to be a writer and defend it against your worst enemy – your own doubts.
BRoP: What do you feel is the key to your success?
Lynda: My characters. My Welsh heritage of story-telling and the love of story. Good luck. Good people. Surviving a lot of soul-searching periods without losing hope. Coffee. Beer. A love of reading undiminished by a parallel immersion in technology. Meeting the right people when I needed to. Overcoming my sensitivities about promoting my own work. In short, learning to fly for my own reasons.
BRoP: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Lynda: Come take part in the creative campfire at Reality Skimming. Have a question about the Okal Rel Universe or a summary explaining some aspect of it to a new reader? Email it to michelle(at)okalrel.org. Want to take part as a writer in the campfire readings we working on developing? Contact lynda(at)okalrel.org Have an article you think should appear on Reality Skimming or suggestion of someone to interview? Get in touch. Google “Reality Skimming” to explore the possibilities.
BRoP: What are your current / future project(s)?
Lynda: Finishing the Okal Rel Saga, the ten associated Opus anthologies (one per novel in the saga) and novellas in progress. Working on Reality Skimming to engage the creative community of readers interested in the ORU and fellow writers and scifi enthusiasts with an optimistic (vs. nihilistic) outlook on the role of art in the world.
BRoP: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Lynda: Thank you for the opportunity to share my world with your readers and congratulations on being a reader and writer in a busy world. I hope I have the opportunity to meet new connections through this blog project and while I am not always as fast to respond as I would like, I am always open to personal contacts on facebook or via email at lynda(at)okalrel.org. For inquiries about appearing on Reality Skimming, michelle(at)okalrel.org or okalrel(at)gmail.com can be faster. Writers interested in submitting to the Writer`s Craft feature on the Clarion blog should send submissions or inquiries to david(at)okalrel.org
BRoP: What format is your book(s) available in?
Lynda: Trade paperback (the Saga), Print on demand (Legacies), Kindle (all)
Ack rel!
Where can readers can stalk you:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon | Clarion Foundation Blog
LYNDA WILLIAMS is the author of the ten-novel Okal Rel Saga (Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing) and the editor of the Okal Rel Legacies series (Absolute Xpress). She hosts the Writer’s Craft on the Clarion Blog with David Lott. On Reality Skimming (okalrel.org/blog), she works with David Juniper, Tegan Lott and Michelle Carraway to celebrate the Okal Rel Universe in particular and the joy of writing and reading in general. See http://okalrel.org/blog/contribute/ for how to take part on Reality Skimming to promote your work or share your love of words and ideas.
