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Thanks for coming over again today. We have been busy this month. Today's author is Daniel J. Peyton. Author of The Crystal Needle.
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| Author's self-portrait |
Daniel (who has informed me he doesn’t do
head shots, or photos of myself….hmmm, wonder what that's about) was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma and
lived there for 18 years. He moved to Tennessee and began working at a local
video story, then at a major department store. He has been writing since he was
in fourth grade. In high school he won the national PTA reflections contest for
writing. In 2007 he published his first novel, The Jalan Chronicles: Eyes of
Amaterasu.
In 2011 he published his second novel, The Crystal Needle. He works as a volunteer in his churches food pantry, as a professional Okinawan performer, Okinawan taiko drummer, and a ghost writer for online games.
So, all grab a chair and get comfortable as we chat with Daniel Peyton.
In 2011 he published his second novel, The Crystal Needle. He works as a volunteer in his churches food pantry, as a professional Okinawan performer, Okinawan taiko drummer, and a ghost writer for online games.
So, all grab a chair and get comfortable as we chat with Daniel Peyton.
When did you start writing, and what did you write about?
I
started writing in 4th grade. My first stories were about a private
detective named….Private Eye Peyton ( again, 4th grade)
What is the difference in your perception between now and
the time you started writing?
I always measured by
how long the story was, now I am more concerned about quality. I target a word
count, but it is not the driving force for the characters. If I come to the end
and it isn’t long enough, I will go back and write more to fluff it up, but the
main story remains solid as I wrote it, no matter how long.
Please write a few lines about the books you have published,
and what brought you to publishing each one of them.
My second book is The Crystal Needle.
Oh yes, I read the review of a reader of The Crystal Needle.: "This is not only a great fantasy, it is also a wonderful romance story filled with magic and intrigue. ” I have to say it peeked my interest. What made you write it?
I started considering this story a long time before I wrote it. I was inspired by my EGA, Embroiderers Guild of America, who hosted a stitching convention with the theme of magic. I wanted to have it ready for the convention, but the story took off and I did not finish it in time.
It is set in a fictional New England town, Featherville. The story begins in the current day, but another story is woven through it about the founding of the town by two stitching witches. One turns evil and has to be sealed by her sister in the nearby forest. 300 years later she returns and still seeks to obtain both needles and control mankind through magic. Under a curse for 300 years, 19 year old Yuki, a magical Kitsune from Japan, has not lost her taste for retribution. However, her desire to destroy the witch that killed her father has come into direct conflict with something unexpected—the love of a young human. With the return of her archenemy at hand and the world in peril, Yuki must choose between satisfying her vengeance and saving what she has come to love.
It grew far beyond my expectations and I decided to publish it on
my own. I will soon have a follow up short story published set in Featherville
after the events of The Crystal Needle. What are you writing about now and why are you writing this book?
I am writing a
fantasy novel that is independent of anything I have ever written before. I
must always write and I could not seem to get my mind wrapped around the full
sequel to The Crystal Needle just yet. So I created a mythical land called
Aldaria and am weaving a story around it. I do not know if the book is good or
not, but I will finish it and have fun at the same time.
Tell me, how do you go about writing your books? Do the
ideas just pop in your head or do you have to plot and plan?
Sometimes a set a goal for myself in creating a story and
then work on finding it. Other times I am inspired by something, a painting, a
song, the sunrise over the Appalachian Mountains, anything that stirs a story
in my head and I consider how it might be told. Then I start to consider a plot
and goal. From there I just write. I do not do much outlining, but I do write a
heck of a lot of notes wherever I am when I get an idea and then use those
notes to write. I have ADHD and find it difficult to follow a direct path to
write something. However, I do write from start to finish, no jumping around.
Once done I will go back and add in stuff that helps the story, but the ending
is already written by that point.
I’m having a bit of a hard time marketing my books. What are
your techniques and do you feel they are working?
I have tried quite a
few things. I joined twitter, I started a Facebook fan page, I post it in
blogs, Facebook, everywhere that doesn’t mind. I have linked up with other
writers and networked. I have bought time with Facebook ads. I have submitted
my book to review sites and friends to get reviews. I have given some of my
person artwork and prints of the cover art to websites that are hosting online
competitions as prize support. Most of my marketing has been lackluster at
best. Recently the prize support angle has been beneficial. It has given me
great exposure and garnered me the best sales month so far, which is
serendipitous considering my next book comes out soon.
Where can the audience purchase your books?
For the ebook,
Amazon. For the print version, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Createspace.com, and
other various outlets. ( both books)
I have a habit of talking (interviewing) to the people in my
books. How do you communicate with your characters?
They are a part of me….okay, I do
not have voices in my head. I live through them; I am them…both the good guys
and the bad guys. In a scene I see, feel, and know what they see, feel, and
know. When they are in pain, I am in pain. When they are happy, I am overjoyed.
I let the story tell itself. Often I have had wonderful ideas for how a scene
will play out, but while writing it I get swept up in the moment and it takes a
whole different direction, and often I find that that new direction is so much
better than my plan that I go with it. For my more unique characters in
appearance, I will draw them to know them better. Sometimes that enhances the
characters too. Such as I drew a feline man for a fantasy species in a book.
The model had the thighs of a champion swimmer ( in fact it might have been a
picture of a swimmer) and that translated into the character and suddenly I had
a new depth to him, he would be a cat that enjoyed water.
If I were to interview one or two of the characters from
your novel what do you thing he/she would say about the role you put him/her
in? Do you think they would like the book?
Not sure. In The Crystal Needle there are two main
characters, Joseph and Yuki. Joseph would probably love his role, he is
handsome, charming, and has a good family. Yuki, well, she might not be as
happy. She has lost both of her parents by the time the story starts, she is
cursed and is afraid of society. Considering the ending, I would say they both
would like the book.
What hobby or activity do you enjoy other than writing?
Drawing, stitching, playing music, dancing, charity, video
games, I have never been one without at least five things happening at the same
time. Did I mention I am ADHD? I am sure that….hey look a cookie. Check out the up-to-date information about my new
book.
Amazon
Blog
Facebook
Amazon
Blog
Thank
you for your time and stopping over to chat with us here at IN THE CHAIR, Daniel it has been fun.
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