Trending: The Collective Consciousness

Kirkus Reviews – Q&A: Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency

I also find it fascinating that as an agent, I’ll suddenly see a slew of similar-type stories cross the transom via query letters or sample pages—as if writers are somehow unconsciously tapping into some cultural zeitgeist all at the same time. Creative synchronicity in the world.

Like Kristin, I am fascinated by the ‘trends’ agents see in their queries from authors. When many authors are working on similar projects at once (without knowledge of each others’ work), it suggests a ‘collective consciousness of creation’ echoed in the world of invention. Several people ‘invented’ wireless radio, but Marconi gets the credit. Edison’s DC current notwithstanding, our world runs on Tesla’s AC current, and we are finally ‘beginning’ to use the wireless power Tesla demonstrated over a century ago.
If YA/New Adult characters with special needs ever become a ‘trend’, I’ll be able to say I was way ahead of that curve

Blog Talk Radio: Jeff Trek interviews Daven Anderson, author of “Vampire Syndrome”

Join me on Blog Talk Radio next Saturday, November 29th, 2014 at 5:30PM Eastern Time for my interview, hosted by Jeff Trek.

“Can a vampire with Down Syndrome survive? “Vampire Syndrome”, the novel that truly goes where no paranormal story has gone before. Join us as we welcome Author Daven Anderson and his world of extraterrestrial vampires to the program.”

Author Daven Anderson discusses his “Vampire Syndrome” Saga with Jeff Trek on Blog Talk Radio

Interview with #PD14 presenter Daven Anderson

Interview with #PD14 presenter Daven Anderson

Dianne Gardner: Oil Paintings and Fantasy Sagas

Deception Peak: The Ian’s Realm Saga (Book 1) by Dianne Gardner. Available in Paperback, Amazon Kindle and Audiobook formats from PDMI Publishing LLC

Dragon Shield: The Ian’s Realm Saga (Book 2), coming May 2014 from PDMI Publishing LLC.

Dianne Gardner is an author and illustrator for PDMI Publishing LLC. She’s an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the National League of American Pen Women. She has written young adult fantasy novels as well as articles for national magazines and newspapers and is an award winning artist.

Having only been published since 2012, her books, art and productions are taking the dragon by the tail and making wind! Her trailer The Dragon Shield placed as a semi finalist in the Moondance International Film Festival and Dragon Shield is a finalist in the 2014 EPIC Ariana Award for children/YA fantasy.

Dianne is currently working with her prize-winning crew on a screenplay and movie of Cassandra’s Castle.

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Good evening, Dianne! Here are my nine questions.

Good evening, Daven! What a pleasure. Thank you for the interview and space on your blog. I appreciate it!

1) What inspired you to write your first story?

As you know, I’m an artist. I have a studio filled to the brim with oil paintings. I sell quite a few, and mostly do commission work, having done quite a few book covers and inside illustrations as well. I always wanted to paint a dragon and I love to paint big. So when I painted Stenhjaert, the 4 ft X 9ft 3-panel oil painting, I knew I had to write about him and the young man, Ian, who tackles him.

Ian Wilson, protagonist of Dianne Gardner’s Ian’s Realm Saga, released by PDMI Publishing LLC

2) Have any events in your stories been inspired by your real-life experiences, or real events which happened to your friends/family?

Many. I’ve lived in the desert, camped in the wilderness, participated in Hopi and Navajo ceremonies, had horses, drove wagons across the desert, climbed mountains and baked bread in a cast iron dutch oven on the coals and many many more. I hope to put all my experiences in my stories at some point!

3) Do you build your fantasy worlds before you begin writing, or do you make adjustments to the fantasy world as you are writing?

I have a pretty good idea what my worlds are going to look like before I start writing. In fact, it’s the worlds that I see that really do inspire my stories. I am always making adjustments though. For instance, in “Altered” Abree and her brother were originally from Socorro, New Mexico, but I needed to get them closer to the border and nearer to the Rio Grande, so I fabricated the town named Sunrise instead, changing the terrain a little and adding some mesquite and ironwood trees.

4) Which character in The Ian’s Realm Saga would you like to be best friends with?

They are all so dear to me, I’m not sure. Ian is like a son. I think the most amazing person is Amleth though. Amleth was designed to look like someone I knew many years ago. I always admired his calm and his sense of justice. He’s one of those characters, at the moment who seem perfect. I do remedy that later in the series when we see him from a different viewpoint in Diary of a Conjurer, book 5 (after Rubies and Robbers).

4) What popular songs capture the essence of your characters?

Every character has a different song. I listen to a lot of Il Divo for the Realm Saga. There isn’t any music that inspired Altered (I wrote it too fast, really) but Pouraka, the story I’m writing now the song Memory is perfect.

5) Which actors do you envision playing your characters?

It’s funny, but I don’t really see any one in particular. Mostly because by the time any of these stories came to being a movie the actors I’d choose now will have all grown up. Most of my main characters are young between 15 and 18. These child stars just grow too fast.

7) What has been the most insightful criticism of your work?

My concept editor Gwen Whiting is always there to tell me where I need more emotion. I have a habit of doing my drafts like a locomotive. I like intense and moving and I think I do it really well. Gwen makes me go back and add emotion and I’m really glad for it! I’m learning to do it on my own now.

8) What is the best compliment you have received about your work?

Oh there have been so many that bring tears to my eyes. The best compliment is when someone really gets the gist of the story…when they tell me the essence, the heart of my work. I’ve had some reviews that have done that and I think that has to be the best compliment for an author!

9) Is there a story you want to write, but haven’t yet?

I want to finish “Pouraka.” It’s a story about mermaids and dolphins and men, and their struggle to coexist in a changing world.

Daven Anderson is the author of the “Vampire Syndrome” saga, released by PDMI Publishing LLC.
Daven also works in PDMI’s marketing department, writing company promotional posts and assisting authors with their social media strategies.