About Catrina Taylor:
I’m an avid read, author, gamer, but more than anything, I’m mom. As a thirty something single mom, my focus is always divided between my children, the authors I support, and my own writing. Above all else, my children come first. They have taught me more than any other teacher and together they have inspired many great creations. When I’m not working with authors, writing, or playing with my kids, I find myself sucked into addictive video games.
What inspires you to write?
Knights of the Immortals came about from the desire to create a universe that is vibrant, diverse, and full of expected and unexpected life changes. When I sat down to create this universe I had recently read about a number of non-homo-sapiens hominid ancestors found. It fed the curiosity that led to ‘What if these (fill in ancient ancestor name) was really (fill in fictional/mythological creature)’ and that just fed the creation of the universe quickly.
One of the most enjoyable and challenging parts of creating this universe is lining the history of the universe up with the history of the actual world around us. Timing the separation of the tribes with the slow separation of the species as our world lost one hominid species, after another until only homo-sapiens dominated our Earth. Every time a new change that had global impact occurred on the planet, another inspired idea came for the tribes of Atlantis. This has been a lot of fun. It’s thrilling to look into the future of these characters and see life and excitement for each of them.
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing process is a tried and true method. Every day, after working my more structured job in publishing, I write before I sleep. This is a daily dedication that helps to both sooth the soul and feed the muses. For me, the books come together by through the actual process of writing. When I sit down each evening, I’m rarely able to tell you what will happen. Often I know the direction things are going in, or how they should go, but just as often, I’m surprised by the journey the characters take. This keeps the stories exciting as an author and a reader.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My characters and I often have conversations. Sometimes they are long, drawn out, other times they are simply the characters telling their tale. I love how this method of interaction with my world develops on the page. My characters are truly alive. They are whole people who breathe on the pages created, and the word processor is the tool used to share their story. It’s fun with them talking to me.
What advice would you give other writers?
This is a waiting game. Every bit of hard work you put into your creations is one step along a very long path toward success. Nothing about this industry happens overnight, and nothing about it happens by chance. Keep going, keep writing, keep sharing, and always support your fellow authors. In time, everything pays off.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Initially, I was contacted by two agents and a twitter associate regarding how to get into the traditional publishing industry. All of the contacts were based on a story that I started to release in segments while it was in development. As exciting as it is to have people reach out to you, I’m a researcher. I made several connections on twitter and facebook within the writing industry. Some of those connections are in the traditional industry, while others aren’t. After learning everything I believed I could while writing the first book of the Xarrok series I briefly considered queries but it wasn’t for me. It still isn’t. I published my first book, and after book two and three were released, book one hit the number one spot in Space Opera on Amazon for the first time. I haven’t looked back since.
Because I know that my series didn’t hit number one alone, I dedicate myself to recreating that for and with others. It’s an enjoyable and rewarding venture that I’m passionate about.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
For readers the future of publishing is a lush garden of delectable variety to savor and enjoy. We are already seeing much of this today as authors and small presses are empowered to produce high quality books in all genre and variety. The gatekeepers that once told us what to read no longer dictate our desires for us. Today, as readers, we tell them what we want to enjoy and there’s no going back to the old way of finding books.
For authors the future of publishing is in the small press or small network of authors. While successful independents (both authors and presses) grow their list of titles daily, their success isn’t their’s alone. Success comes from support that stems from readers and each other. By becoming part of a dedicated network of authors supporting each other, learning from each other, and developing together, success becomes inevitable for everyone involved. Small presses, author teams, and cooperatives are the most flexible machines in an ever growing and developing marketplace.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Scifi
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Link To Catrina Taylor Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
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