I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce ELIZABETH N. LOVE who has graciously agreed to be my second victim, I mean guest, in the HOT SEAT as I interview her;
Robin Leigh Morgan: Please introduce yourself.
Elizabeth N. Love: My name is Elizabeth N Love, but most people I know also know me as Bee. I’m the 6th of 7 children, and I grew up in rural Kansas. I now live outside of Kansas City with my family. During the day, I work for a small company that does nation-wide business in healthcare, and whenever I get a free moment between that and domestic obligations, I write and read, watch birds, sew, and draw art. I’ve been writing stories since the third grade, when I was about nine. This led to my degree in Creative Writing from the University of Kansas. I am also a French horn player, which I play during the summer in a local community band.
Robin Leigh: Tell us about your latest published novel.
Elizabeth: Pouring the Cup is my first published novel, which became available in October 2013.
This is the first book in a series that focuses on a human colony many years in the future and about a hundred light-years away. The colony has been established for a little over 300 years when we start our story with an introduction to Axandra, a woman who would prefer to live out her life in obscurity. Despite her desires, she is destined to be the vessel for a creature referred to as “the Goddess” and she finds she has no way to escape the consequences that accompany the possession. She leaves her long time home to travel to the capital city and take her place as the Protectress, essentially the queen of her entire world.
Robin Leigh: What are the two latest books you’ve already published? Give us about a five sentence description for each?
Elizabeth: Right now, I have Pouring the Cup, and then a small volume of short stories entitled Through a Window. There are five short stories from 1000 to 7500 words each that have been favorites of my beta readers. I included in illustration and a brief introduction with each story. The topics range from the faith of an ape-bird hybrid species to the races on two planets sharing a close mutual orbit discovering each other.
Robin Leigh: What can you tell us about your current writing endeavor?
Elizabeth: I have at least two works on the table right now. The first is the second book to follow Pouring the Cup, which is going to be called The Dark Days. This story, which should be available mid-2015, will bring closure to some open ends from Book One, and open up some new adventures to lead into a third volume. The characters find out that some important facts from their history books may be incorrect.
The other is a non-fiction depicting the brief life of our first daughter, Sydney, and will show not only a narrative of facts behind her birth defect and the emotional reaction of the family, but will also discuss the struggle we have with allowing human beings to die when their time comes, instead of artificially keeping them alive and suffering. I’ve been working on this for the last 4 ½ years. It’s very difficult to write, and at this point, I still don’t know when I’ll actually finish.
Robin Leigh: Can you give us an excerpt from one of your favorite scenes in your latest novel?
Elizabeth: This is still in the stage of a rough draft, but this excerpt sets a menacing mood for the upcoming novel.
From The Dark Days: Axandra’s own whimpers woke her from sleep. For a brief moment, her body refused to move. She feared the dream was true and the Prophets had her trapped in the Haven. She waited tensely for footsteps on stone, for thunder to crackle through the air.
The darkness of the room, the softness of the bed, and the sweet night noise of the garden reminded her that the terror ended months ago. Fifty kiloms away, the rocky home of the Prophets sat abandoned. Without the protection of the Great Storm, the isolated subspecies moved elsewhere to find solitude. No village would take them in, not after the crimes they committed. She last heard they had sailed to an uninhabited island to the south. There was no proof to this rumor, yet she clung to the idea as an anchor to avoid drifting further into the sea of paranoia. She could not continue to heal if she thought the devils watched her every move.
Trying to still the pounding of her heart, Axandra lay flat on her back and used every muscle for the strict purpose of breathing. Despite her effort, sobbing spilled forth, followed by hyperventilation, and a very real need to flee.
Robin Leigh: What was the inspiration for your latest novel?
Elizabeth: My inspiration has always been finding a way for people to live together peacefully, have the necessities of life, and still have the freedom to believe what they want and do what makes them happy. The world I created for Pouring the Cup explores how human beings might be able to accomplish this, which has a socialist/humanist approach that actually succeeds (unlike communist and socialist states on Earth). It’s not just a government mandate, but an entire paradigm shift. And in this case, it takes moving to a new planet and starting over from scratch. And this type of society isn’t easy to maintain at all times, particularly when the way of life is threatened by war from an outside force, or upset from an inside force.
Robin Leigh: How did you decide what the title of this book would be? If this book is part of a series, then the books in the series.
Elizabeth: Originally, Pouring the Cup was going to be the entire work, but the novel turned out to be about 200,000 words, and as I discovered, that is really long for a first novel. I decided to split that into two to three pieces. To come up with the title, I threw around a lot of phrases from the book itself, and chose Pouring the Cup because it epitomizes Axandra’s struggle as a vessel for another being and how that creature is transferred down her family line. The quote from the book is a conversation Axandra has with her new found lover. “They transfer her from one woman to the next, like pouring wine from one cup to another. What if they don’t pour the cup?”
Robin Leigh: Would you consider yourself to be a plotter or a pantser?
Elizabeth: Mostly a pantser. I have general idea in my head of where I would like to end up, along with some major plot points I would like to incorporate, but how I get there depends a lot on how the characters behave. To avoid stilted dialogue, the characters interact with each other as naturally as possible, as if I’m on one side of the conversation or the other. They don’t always go down the path I chose. Characters who were originally conceived to assist the Protagonist sometimes end up being the worst enemy. I’ve also found this leads to some interesting twists I hadn’t previously considered. This approach can make the writing process longer, but I end up more satisfied with the final work.
Robin Leigh: What made you decide to become an author?
Elizabeth: Writing was always a hobby, something I enjoyed doing. I’m an introvert by nature, so it appeals to my desire to have alone, quiet time. I use writing to explore my universal questions. When I started letting other people read what I wrote, I got tremendously positive feedback. I sent stories out to contests, and was rewarded with placing in the top 10 entries a vast majority of the time. This helped me decide to write a full novel and put it out there for the world. The responses have been positive so far. And despite all of the backend work marketing, I’m very happy I made the decision to move forward.
Robin Leigh: In your latest novel, who’s your favorite character male/female? Tell us why.
Elizabeth: This might sound trite, but it’s difficult to pick one favorite. I spend so much time fleshing out the characters to be more than two-dimensional, that I love them all, even the ones with nasty dispositions.
Robin Leigh: Do you set aside a specific amount of time to write, write/answer emails, and market/promote your book[s]?
Elizabeth: With two young children and a busy husband (high school band director), I don’t always have time to schedule. I make time waiting in doctor’s offices, writing at lunch, and sometimes I plan a day off from the day job when the kids will be at school so I can make it a writing day. As the little ones get older, I hope I’ll be able to make more solid plans.
Robin Leigh: Do you read books outside the genre you write in? What are they?
Elizabeth: I write in social science fiction, but I will read hard/tech sci-fi, fantasy, poetry, and main stream. While that last several years have seen a lot less of me reading, my goal this year is to read at least six books.
Robin Leigh: What must you have around you when you write; food, drink, music, etc?
Elizabeth: Depending on what I’m writing, music is a huge part of the atmosphere. I try to chose music that fits the mood of the scene. This is mostly instrumental, since I tend to sing vocals when they are playing, and it’s difficult to sing and write at the same time. I have several New Age and Classical albums that suit this purpose. When I’m in the zone, I pretty much forget about food. What I don’t want around are other people, if I can avoid them. I’m not a coffee shop writer, unless I’m looking for new character traits.
GENERAL_INFORMATION
Where can we find your book?
Pouring the Cup is available on Amazon.com [as a KINDLE / paperback]
http://www.amazon.com/Pouring-Cup-Stormflies-Elizabeth-Love-ebook/dp/B00GAA0YGY
My short story collection Through a Window is available on Amazon [under Bee N. Love] http://www.amazon.com/Through-Window-Short-Story-Collection-ebook/dp/B00J457AEG
It’s also available on Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble websites.
Where can we find you on internet:
BLOG: http://www.writerbeeblog.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/writerbee
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pouring-the-Cup/586497788065264
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7376912.Elizabeth_N_Love
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/bee_writerbee
THANKS “Bee” for allowing me to interview you.
Robin Leigh Morgan: Please introduce yourself.
Robin Leigh: Tell us about your latest published novel.
Elizabeth: Pouring the Cup is my first published novel, which became available in October 2013.
Robin Leigh: What are the two latest books you’ve already published? Give us about a five sentence description for each?
Elizabeth: Right now, I have Pouring the Cup, and then a small volume of short stories entitled Through a Window. There are five short stories from 1000 to 7500 words each that have been favorites of my beta readers. I included in illustration and a brief introduction with each story. The topics range from the faith of an ape-bird hybrid species to the races on two planets sharing a close mutual orbit discovering each other.
Robin Leigh: What can you tell us about your current writing endeavor?
Elizabeth: I have at least two works on the table right now. The first is the second book to follow Pouring the Cup, which is going to be called The Dark Days. This story, which should be available mid-2015, will bring closure to some open ends from Book One, and open up some new adventures to lead into a third volume. The characters find out that some important facts from their history books may be incorrect.
The other is a non-fiction depicting the brief life of our first daughter, Sydney, and will show not only a narrative of facts behind her birth defect and the emotional reaction of the family, but will also discuss the struggle we have with allowing human beings to die when their time comes, instead of artificially keeping them alive and suffering. I’ve been working on this for the last 4 ½ years. It’s very difficult to write, and at this point, I still don’t know when I’ll actually finish.
Robin Leigh: Can you give us an excerpt from one of your favorite scenes in your latest novel?
Elizabeth: This is still in the stage of a rough draft, but this excerpt sets a menacing mood for the upcoming novel.
From The Dark Days: Axandra’s own whimpers woke her from sleep. For a brief moment, her body refused to move. She feared the dream was true and the Prophets had her trapped in the Haven. She waited tensely for footsteps on stone, for thunder to crackle through the air.
The darkness of the room, the softness of the bed, and the sweet night noise of the garden reminded her that the terror ended months ago. Fifty kiloms away, the rocky home of the Prophets sat abandoned. Without the protection of the Great Storm, the isolated subspecies moved elsewhere to find solitude. No village would take them in, not after the crimes they committed. She last heard they had sailed to an uninhabited island to the south. There was no proof to this rumor, yet she clung to the idea as an anchor to avoid drifting further into the sea of paranoia. She could not continue to heal if she thought the devils watched her every move.
Trying to still the pounding of her heart, Axandra lay flat on her back and used every muscle for the strict purpose of breathing. Despite her effort, sobbing spilled forth, followed by hyperventilation, and a very real need to flee.
Robin Leigh: What was the inspiration for your latest novel?
Elizabeth: My inspiration has always been finding a way for people to live together peacefully, have the necessities of life, and still have the freedom to believe what they want and do what makes them happy. The world I created for Pouring the Cup explores how human beings might be able to accomplish this, which has a socialist/humanist approach that actually succeeds (unlike communist and socialist states on Earth). It’s not just a government mandate, but an entire paradigm shift. And in this case, it takes moving to a new planet and starting over from scratch. And this type of society isn’t easy to maintain at all times, particularly when the way of life is threatened by war from an outside force, or upset from an inside force.
Robin Leigh: How did you decide what the title of this book would be? If this book is part of a series, then the books in the series.
Elizabeth: Originally, Pouring the Cup was going to be the entire work, but the novel turned out to be about 200,000 words, and as I discovered, that is really long for a first novel. I decided to split that into two to three pieces. To come up with the title, I threw around a lot of phrases from the book itself, and chose Pouring the Cup because it epitomizes Axandra’s struggle as a vessel for another being and how that creature is transferred down her family line. The quote from the book is a conversation Axandra has with her new found lover. “They transfer her from one woman to the next, like pouring wine from one cup to another. What if they don’t pour the cup?”
Robin Leigh: Would you consider yourself to be a plotter or a pantser?
Elizabeth: Mostly a pantser. I have general idea in my head of where I would like to end up, along with some major plot points I would like to incorporate, but how I get there depends a lot on how the characters behave. To avoid stilted dialogue, the characters interact with each other as naturally as possible, as if I’m on one side of the conversation or the other. They don’t always go down the path I chose. Characters who were originally conceived to assist the Protagonist sometimes end up being the worst enemy. I’ve also found this leads to some interesting twists I hadn’t previously considered. This approach can make the writing process longer, but I end up more satisfied with the final work.
Robin Leigh: What made you decide to become an author?
Elizabeth: Writing was always a hobby, something I enjoyed doing. I’m an introvert by nature, so it appeals to my desire to have alone, quiet time. I use writing to explore my universal questions. When I started letting other people read what I wrote, I got tremendously positive feedback. I sent stories out to contests, and was rewarded with placing in the top 10 entries a vast majority of the time. This helped me decide to write a full novel and put it out there for the world. The responses have been positive so far. And despite all of the backend work marketing, I’m very happy I made the decision to move forward.
Robin Leigh: In your latest novel, who’s your favorite character male/female? Tell us why.
Elizabeth: This might sound trite, but it’s difficult to pick one favorite. I spend so much time fleshing out the characters to be more than two-dimensional, that I love them all, even the ones with nasty dispositions.
Robin Leigh: Do you set aside a specific amount of time to write, write/answer emails, and market/promote your book[s]?
Elizabeth: With two young children and a busy husband (high school band director), I don’t always have time to schedule. I make time waiting in doctor’s offices, writing at lunch, and sometimes I plan a day off from the day job when the kids will be at school so I can make it a writing day. As the little ones get older, I hope I’ll be able to make more solid plans.
Robin Leigh: Do you read books outside the genre you write in? What are they?
Elizabeth: I write in social science fiction, but I will read hard/tech sci-fi, fantasy, poetry, and main stream. While that last several years have seen a lot less of me reading, my goal this year is to read at least six books.
Robin Leigh: What must you have around you when you write; food, drink, music, etc?
Elizabeth: Depending on what I’m writing, music is a huge part of the atmosphere. I try to chose music that fits the mood of the scene. This is mostly instrumental, since I tend to sing vocals when they are playing, and it’s difficult to sing and write at the same time. I have several New Age and Classical albums that suit this purpose. When I’m in the zone, I pretty much forget about food. What I don’t want around are other people, if I can avoid them. I’m not a coffee shop writer, unless I’m looking for new character traits.
GENERAL_INFORMATION
Where can we find your book?
Pouring the Cup is available on Amazon.com [as a KINDLE / paperback]
http://www.amazon.com/Pouring-Cup-Stormflies-Elizabeth-Love-ebook/dp/B00GAA0YGY
My short story collection Through a Window is available on Amazon [under Bee N. Love] http://www.amazon.com/Through-Window-Short-Story-Collection-ebook/dp/B00J457AEG
It’s also available on Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble websites.
Where can we find you on internet:
BLOG: http://www.writerbeeblog.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/writerbee
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pouring-the-Cup/586497788065264
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7376912.Elizabeth_N_Love
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/bee_writerbee
THANKS “Bee” for allowing me to interview you.
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