Interview with T. M. Hunter

Today is something special at the blog. Below is an interview with Todd Hunter, author of two "Aston West" sci-fi novels and several short stories. Todd asked me questions at his blog; find 'em here.

RC: What is your latest novel?

TH: My latest published novel is Friends in Deed, a playful little romp through the universe of space pirate Aston West, where he discovers sometimes friends aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be.

RC: What else have you published featuring Aston West?

TH: My first novel Heroes Die Young came out in September 2008. In addition, I’ve had several short stories featuring Aston published in online magazines such as Ray Gun Revival, Residential Aliens and Golden Visions Magazine.

RC: How did the character come about?

TH: Aston actually came from the remnants of a novel I started many years prior. In that book, the main character discovered his cargo was a container full of slaves, and he made it his mission to save them. The novel never really panned out, but in retrospect, it probably served as the basis for one of my more popular short stories, “Redemption” (seen in Residential Aliens, November 2009). When I had the dream that started me down the path of creating Heroes Die Young, I just knew that character would fit.

RC: What are your plans for Aston?

TH: Aston’s the primary focus of most of my writing. Within the in-work queue, I have several short stories, a little novella featuring a mind-reading psychic, as well as the third novel in the Aston West series. The last two short stories I had on contract were just published through Ray Gun Revival and Residential Aliens, so I plan to get more out there soon. The only other item I have on the way is a ten-story collection which Residential Aliens will be publishing soon, entitled Dead or Alive. There’s plenty of material left to write with Aston, so I don’t see an end in sight.

RC: Have you thought about writing outside of Aston and his universe?

TH: I’m actually editing a novel entitled The Cure which is not related to Aston (yet). Fans of the series will likely see some similarities in the world it’s set in, but other than that, it’s a completely separate story. Not to say I won’t use this novel to generate a plot line for a future Aston novel...

RC: What inspires you to write?

TH: I love to tell stories, because some just beg to be told

RC: When and where do you write?

I generally write anywhere I can, before I go to work in the morning and between the time I get home and bedtime (so in other words, every waking moment I can). Things have been much improved since I was convinced to get a netbook which I can take almost everywhere. Before that, I used to handwrite material and then transcribe it into the computer. As you can imagine, that was a very time-consuming process. Honestly, the netbook has truly been the best writing purchase I’ve ever made.

Thanks for having me, Robert! And if anyone is interested in learning more about my novels or short stories, stop on by Aston West.com.

One last thing: if you post a comment, you'll have a chance to win a copy of one of Todd's novels! I'll choose a post at random, and you pick which novel.

An Introduction

For those few that may have stumbled here by accident or referral, I'm Robert Collins, I'm an author living in Kansas, and this is my blog. If you want to learn more about me, check my profile, or visit my website. I can wait.

Okay, so now that's done, you're probably wondering what I intend to blog about. Well, there will be some shameless self-promotion here. I'll blog about my books, my events, and my shorter works, all in the hope that you'll want to spend your hard-earned money on them. There will even be times when, while I blog about something else, I'll drop references to my works.

I will try to blog about other things. Writing, for instance; I've written many columns about writing. I could devote space to Kansas history. I might do what other bloggers do and ramble off the top of my head. Heck, I might blog about something worthwhile.

As to when I'll blog, it will depend on how busy I am. Don't expect entries while I'm on the road. When I do post, it will probably be in the latter part of the day, as I write in the mornings.

To wrap this up, here's something substantial; my basic advice to aspiring writers:

1. Write at least five days a week. Six would be better. All you need is an hour each day. But you have to write, otherwise you're not a writer.

2. Don't work seven days a week. Don't work all day. Creativity, even in nonfiction, can't be forced. Give yourself time to live your life, so you'll have something you can draw from when you write.

3. Finish what you start.

4. Write what makes you happy, but remember that if you take the time to write, you ought to submit your work to publishers.

5. Unless you only have one book or short piece in you, think about the next project. Having something else to work on is especially useful if you're blocked on the current project.

There you have it. Stay tuned for more useful and useless posts.

Robert