About S.G. Lee:
S.G. Lee was born in Philadelphia and raised in its suburbs. Forever a die-hard Philly sports fan, S.G. bleeds a dedicated swirl of Orange & Black, Red & White, or Green & Silver, a phenomenon that baffles nurses and phlebotomists alike. Still, it is the love of reading and writing that trumps all else…all except for an encouraging spouse and a rambunctious puppy. Currently, all three reside in North Central West Virginia but this author’s heart still belongs to the City of Brotherly Love.
Though it is rumored that the desire to write about zombies was spawned by intense road rage, and a secret longing to club slow drivers with a tire iron, that claim has yet to be substantiated.
What inspires you to write?
Anything or nothing can be an inspiration to me. I simply love to be engulfed in a story and, regardless of whether anyone reads it or not, I would still be creating stories. I always have, even as a child. I am, however, honored that people do chose to read them and humbled when someone takes the time to write a review or send me message on social media. More than anything, I love to entertain people with my tales and keep them guessing. I believe that a written story engages the imagination of the reader more than any other media. If I can distract someone from the pressures of everyday life, even for a moment, then I feel that I’ve contributed to making the world a more enjoyable place.
Tell us about your writing process.
I have never been able to stick to the confines of an outline. Even in school, when we were required to submit an outline first; I’d write the story and then create the outline. That’s not to say that I don’t have a spark of direction when I sit down to write but I don’t allow an outline to stifle my inner voice. Sometimes, the story takes a strange new direction but, if I am being honest, the organic generation of the story is always better than what I’d predetermined anyway. I playfully refer to my writing style as ’embracing the chaos.’ Letting the story take on a life of its own makes all difference.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I definitely listen to my characters. How else can you connect with your children, if you don’t let them express their feelings, values, and ideas? If we, as authors, can step back from trying to control every single word, there is an extraordinary story waiting to be told. Each character has a back-story and each character has a reason for acting the way they do. It is our job to uncover the heart of their being and present it, without flinching or fear.
What advice would you give other writers?
Embrace the chaos! If you have a story to tell; do it. Not everyone is going to love it but not everyone is going to hate it either. One thing that is an absolute must … learn the craft and get a professional editor. Nothing destroys credibility like poor sentence structure and incorrect verb tenses.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I had been looking into mainstream publishing but the opportunity to publish with new Indie Publisher presented itself and I couldn’t turn it down. It was the best decision for me. It allows me to maintain my blog where I post free blog stories and contribute to anthologies like At Hell’s Gates, where the proceeds go to charity. There are so many avenues available to authors that it is worth researching everything and finding what works best for each story.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think this is the most exciting time, ever, to be a writer. There are so many opportunities available to us that, even a decade ago, were beyond our grasp. I can’t wait to see what new developments are just around the corner and I look forward to embracing those opportunities.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: horror, suspense, thriller, YA,
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
S.G. Lee Home Page Link
Link To S.G. Lee Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Smashwords
