The second reason that I'm so excited to have this terrific novelist here today, is that he has been such a GREAT advocate of the Authorpalooza! Every day he's been tweeting up a storm, (and his tweets are downright entertaining), about it. I'm convinced that his tweets have boosted exposure for all of the writers on the tour! So, I'd like to encourage all you wonderful Authorpalooza authors, (be ye one from days gone by, or one yet to be), to return the favor and let EVERYONE know that today...we have none other than Marcus Woolcott on the Authorpalooza!!!
LC: Hi Marcus. Thanks so much for joining us, and again, for all of your hilarious tweets! Why don't we start with you giving us a taste of Kira? Tell us a bit about the book, and, perhaps clarify the genre for us.
MW: Due to the setting, Kira gets labeled as science-fiction when it’s also self-discovery. Kira explores growing up as the last human, never having met another human and having to deal with prejudice against your kind. It was wonderful to explore what a human goes through growing up, but not having anyone around to relate to. It also has action, romance, sex, and some fat twists. Its key strength has proved to be in appealing to those who love science-fiction, as well as those who have never read a science-fiction book in their life.
LC: See... I told you guys that it sounds cool!
Now, usually I jump right to asking how long you've been writing, but I think I'm going to go a different direction today. What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not writing?
MW: I’m lucky to have a day job I enjoy, and I’m also a huge film fan. I’m a big football (soccer) fan and I practice Reiki. But the thing I do most when I’m not writing is think about what I want to write next.
LC: I get that from your picture. You look very much like you're formulating a plot!
So, you mentioned that you like films. Let me ask you...if a big-shot Hollywood producer offered to turn Kira into a motion picture, who would you want to play the lead roles?
MW: Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) is the absolute first choice for Kira. The rest of the cast, being alien, would be CG or heavily made-up. Though I’d love Steve Buscemi to voice Cesar, as it was his role in Monsters Inc. that inspired the character.
LC: Great choices. And what is your favorite movie of all time?
MW: The Shawshank Redemption. The story is actually pretty simple, but the execution is incredible, and I love how you view the story through the eyes of someone who isn’t the lead character. I read a lot of Stephen King after seeing that film and learnt just how much freedom a writer can have.
LC: Shawshank is definitely on my list, too.
Okay, back to the "author" questions. (You knew I'd work this one back in eventually...) How long have you been writing? Have you always known that you wanted to be an author?
MW: I’ve been writing stories since I was old enough to put two words together. In my very first year of school I wrote a story about a boy meeting a dragon and taking him home for tea. That was pretty much the whole story, but I was proud of it, and it did get given a cover and put with the other books.
It wasn’t till I was at college that I decided I wanted to push myself and go from writing as a hobby for the sheer fun of it, to writing for others. And it’s then that you admire writers who can stay true to their original idea while keeping it ”marketable” – every publisher’s favourite word, haha.
LC: And not a word that you want to learn AFTER you've written a whole book! :o) What, would you consider your greatest triumph as an author?
MW: Holding that first published book in your hands is hard to beat, but also getting a letter from Headline Publishing wanting to see more of Kira gave me a lot of confidence in the book – sadly it was 20,000 words too short, not something easily rectified. But Ashgrove House have been fantastic.
Not going to lie that it’s also fun to put your name into Amazon or Google and have it be recognised
LC: Oo, sorry...I just, uh, had to, um...I was just checking something on Google. I'm back now.
Do you have any strange habits or rituals when you write?
MW: On youtube I have a playlist of film trailers that always give me a shot of energy – something about the music and the quick editing. I’ll imagine my story playing out as a trailer and see how the bit I’m working on would fit into it. Quite bizarre when I read that back, haha. I love to air-drum too when thinking. Like air guitar, only…you get the idea.
LC: I'm not sure how film music, etc., can energize you, really (as Hans Zimmer blares in the background), but moving on... If you were stuck on a desert island with one of your characters, who would you want it to be, and why?
MW: It has to be Eve and Alexis from the story I’m currently working on, but if I told you why, my publisher would kill me – I’m probably going to get into trouble just for mentioning their names, haha
LC: Right...next question. Do you ever get in trouble for teasing? Nah...just kidding!
So, where is the most exotic or strange place you've ever traveled to?
MW: Was going to be a smartass and say ‘my imagination’, but instead I’m going to say China. They still deeply embrace their heritage and beliefs, but they’re also progressing at an alarming rate, and it’s going to be interesting to see if they can maintain a balance.
And you can’t get much stranger than Brighton, England. Love the place.
LC: Haha! Alright, Marcus...it's your turn in the hot seat! Now's your chance to SELL IT! Tell us why we should read Kira.
MW: Because Kira truly does have something for everyone. You want a female lead on a journey of self-discovery? You want alien races, spaceships and planetary destruction? You want a well-paced and accessible story that doesn’t alienate the reader with pages of techno-exposition? Whatever you want from a story, Kira has it. Available to buy or download now.
MW: Due to the setting, Kira gets labeled as science-fiction when it’s also self-discovery. Kira explores growing up as the last human, never having met another human and having to deal with prejudice against your kind. It was wonderful to explore what a human goes through growing up, but not having anyone around to relate to. It also has action, romance, sex, and some fat twists. Its key strength has proved to be in appealing to those who love science-fiction, as well as those who have never read a science-fiction book in their life.
LC: See... I told you guys that it sounds cool!
Now, usually I jump right to asking how long you've been writing, but I think I'm going to go a different direction today. What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not writing?
MW: I’m lucky to have a day job I enjoy, and I’m also a huge film fan. I’m a big football (soccer) fan and I practice Reiki. But the thing I do most when I’m not writing is think about what I want to write next.
LC: I get that from your picture. You look very much like you're formulating a plot!
So, you mentioned that you like films. Let me ask you...if a big-shot Hollywood producer offered to turn Kira into a motion picture, who would you want to play the lead roles?
MW: Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) is the absolute first choice for Kira. The rest of the cast, being alien, would be CG or heavily made-up. Though I’d love Steve Buscemi to voice Cesar, as it was his role in Monsters Inc. that inspired the character.
LC: Great choices. And what is your favorite movie of all time?
MW: The Shawshank Redemption. The story is actually pretty simple, but the execution is incredible, and I love how you view the story through the eyes of someone who isn’t the lead character. I read a lot of Stephen King after seeing that film and learnt just how much freedom a writer can have.
LC: Shawshank is definitely on my list, too.
Okay, back to the "author" questions. (You knew I'd work this one back in eventually...) How long have you been writing? Have you always known that you wanted to be an author?
MW: I’ve been writing stories since I was old enough to put two words together. In my very first year of school I wrote a story about a boy meeting a dragon and taking him home for tea. That was pretty much the whole story, but I was proud of it, and it did get given a cover and put with the other books.
It wasn’t till I was at college that I decided I wanted to push myself and go from writing as a hobby for the sheer fun of it, to writing for others. And it’s then that you admire writers who can stay true to their original idea while keeping it ”marketable” – every publisher’s favourite word, haha.
LC: And not a word that you want to learn AFTER you've written a whole book! :o) What, would you consider your greatest triumph as an author?
MW: Holding that first published book in your hands is hard to beat, but also getting a letter from Headline Publishing wanting to see more of Kira gave me a lot of confidence in the book – sadly it was 20,000 words too short, not something easily rectified. But Ashgrove House have been fantastic.
Not going to lie that it’s also fun to put your name into Amazon or Google and have it be recognised
LC: Oo, sorry...I just, uh, had to, um...I was just checking something on Google. I'm back now.
Do you have any strange habits or rituals when you write?
MW: On youtube I have a playlist of film trailers that always give me a shot of energy – something about the music and the quick editing. I’ll imagine my story playing out as a trailer and see how the bit I’m working on would fit into it. Quite bizarre when I read that back, haha. I love to air-drum too when thinking. Like air guitar, only…you get the idea.
LC: I'm not sure how film music, etc., can energize you, really (as Hans Zimmer blares in the background), but moving on... If you were stuck on a desert island with one of your characters, who would you want it to be, and why?
MW: It has to be Eve and Alexis from the story I’m currently working on, but if I told you why, my publisher would kill me – I’m probably going to get into trouble just for mentioning their names, haha
LC: Right...next question. Do you ever get in trouble for teasing? Nah...just kidding!
So, where is the most exotic or strange place you've ever traveled to?
MW: Was going to be a smartass and say ‘my imagination’, but instead I’m going to say China. They still deeply embrace their heritage and beliefs, but they’re also progressing at an alarming rate, and it’s going to be interesting to see if they can maintain a balance.
And you can’t get much stranger than Brighton, England. Love the place.
LC: Haha! Alright, Marcus...it's your turn in the hot seat! Now's your chance to SELL IT! Tell us why we should read Kira.
MW: Because Kira truly does have something for everyone. You want a female lead on a journey of self-discovery? You want alien races, spaceships and planetary destruction? You want a well-paced and accessible story that doesn’t alienate the reader with pages of techno-exposition? Whatever you want from a story, Kira has it. Available to buy or download now.
When the Earth is destroyed the denizens of the Draven Galaxy feel no pity. To them the universe is now a better place without the greed, foolishness and arrogance of man.
Being the last human Kira grows up bearing the scorn and hatred for her race alone. That is until she learns that other humans may have survived and suddenly finds herself caught up in a desperate race to prevent man's most valuable commodity from falling into the wrong hands
…the soul
Ready to win? Well then start commenting! Because on or around September 11, Mr. Woolcott will choose TWO lucky commenters, each of whom will win a SIGNED copy of Kira! Entries must be posted no later than 11:59 p.m. on September 10, and only one comment per person will be eligible to win, (although frequent commenting is encouraged)! Please leave your email address along with your comment(s) so that we can notify you if you win. (Yes, this is mandatory...telepathy has, thus far, proved highly ineffective.) Thanks and don't forget to tweet, post, email, bang drums...ya get it!
Marcus Woolcott is 100% English, but doesn’t drink tea. He has been writing since time immemorial, and watches too many films. Kira is his second novel. He is currently working on his third, an “adventure” novel...with a twist.
Hey...am I allowed to enter? (Teeheehee!)
ReplyDeleteI wanna get this book! sounds like something i would read :D And this was a great interview :D
ReplyDeleteand my email :
coffee_ishita@yahoo.com