Thursday, March 31, 2011

Interview with Fantasy Author: Glen Quarry


I recently read and reviewed Glen Quarry's young adult/fantasy novel: Thyme in a Flask. Soon after, I invited him to give a brief interview at Paranormal Wire, here is the result of my request =) Enjoy. 

Q: How long have you been writing?

Sometimes it feels like I've been writing a long time, though in reality it's been less than ten years. I have a lot of interests, and early on I never took the time to sit down and write creatively. I've always been an avid reader of  fantasy fiction, and nine years ago or so (when I first bought a computer and armed it with Microsoft word), I decided to try to put an idea into words.

Q: What was your favorite book as a child?

The first books I read for myself were the fanciful animal stories by Thornton W. Burgess (Peter Rabbit, Reddy Fox and many others.) These stories were very easy reading, and chock full of illustrations. What an adventure to fly with Peter for the briar patch, with Reddy or Granny fox hot on his heels!

Q: How did you come up with the idea for you're book, Thyme in a Flask?

I have to admit, I did things wrong when I first began to write. Because of my inexperience, I started with a singular adventure and had no plan for the sustained story. Once the original adventure was done, where should I go from there? Instead of learning from my mistake, I added another adventure to the first, and then another to  that. I wasn't seriously writing, but just finding a way to explore my creativity. After a few years of piddling around, I decided I needed a master plan. This is when I finally conceived the idea for Thyme in a Flask.

Q:  Besides writing, what else do you enjoy doing?

I love working with wood, and in my spare time, I like to build furniture. I also do crafts and birdhouses.

In the summer, I enjoy riding my bicycle on the many trails around my home. My brother often visits from Kansas, and we'll spend a week going from one trail to the next.

Q: Can you offer my followers any advice on getting published?

Do not be easily discouraged, as getting published is much harder than writing. It's too bad it is this way, but there are so many talented writers out there that you must compete with them for the right to have your story printed.

Q: What are you currently reading?

I am reading Laddie, a True Blue Story, by Gene Stratton-Porter. This is a story about the youngest girl in a large family and her brother, Laddie. The author pens the dialogue in an ingratiating, homely style, which I find very pleasing. The story is old, first published nearly 100 years ago, but there is an endearing quality to this aging writing that makes it worthwhile.

Q: Tell us about any upcoming projects you have in the works.

I am working on a sequel to Thyme in a Flask. This will take Jon and Samuel, and Dorthea too, to Pagrah, where they find themselves in an unexpected predicament.

Without wanting to give too much away, I will say Jon and Samuel are visiting voluntarily, whereas Dorthea finds herself there very much against her will.

Q:  Who is your favorite author?

Terry Brooks, author of the Shannara series.

Q:  Who is your favorite character in Thyme in a Flask, and why?

This is a toughie. When I started the story, I identified myself with Jon, the main character. We have a lot in common, me and Jon. Our personalities are similar and we see things in the same way. Yet, in some peculiar way, I find I liked portraying Dorthea the best, and she soon became my favorite character. Several people have told me they preferred Dorthea also, and perhaps this is a direct result of my own fondness for her.

Q: What is your favorite Harry Potter movie and why?

I still like the first one the best. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone is the beginning of the series, where Harry is a young boy; an orphan, yet a King in the world of wizardry. It reminds me of the Cinderella story. Harry may seem ordinary, but he so much more than what meets the eye. He is raised by abusive relatives, but rescued and taken to Hogwarts, where he begins to find out enticing information about his true parents and their elevated standing in the world of sorcery.

J. K. Rowling is very good with putting the right words on paper to bring her readers into the world she is creating. As she progresses into the series, her writing becomes more sophisticated and involved. Her later works delve deep into the darker side of wizardry, but I prefer the innocence of the beginning.

Q:  How can readers contact you?

I can be contacted either through my website, www.glenquarry.com, or by sending me email at glenquarry@myomnitel.com. My author's page with Eloquent books is: http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/ThymeInAFlask.html

Q: Can you offer any advice on writing young adult fantasy?

For me, writing fantasy was natural, and probably the only genre I would be good at. All you need is an imagination, but it needs to be a good one. Nowadays, there is so much fantasy written that you need to think outside the box, lest you find yourself visiting an old story you have read. This can be very easy to do, and highly undesirable, though it's not a fatal mistake, as long as you be sure to put your own vision on the paper. Avoid using made-up terms you've seen in other fantasies; these belong to the inventors that coined them.

Last, don't be discouraged after writing for several hours and then going back to review it, only to find a ghastly composition that you see as a complete waste of time. First writing is rarely good enough. After you have committed your idea to paper (or word document), you can go back and edit to improve it. I found that I had to edit and re-edit my writing many times, but I am very proud of the end result.


1 comment:

D. R. Rux said...

Fascinating review! Also, I nominated your blog for an award. See here: http://drrux.blogspot.com/2011/04/overloard-award.html