Anna L. Walls
King by Right of Blood and Might
Date Published: March 20, 2008
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Fiction – I’m told it’s fantasy, but I see fantasy as including fairies and vampires and other such fantastical creatures. Though my story contains some extra-human peoples, they come by their abilities through natural selection and could, one day, maybe, exist.
What is your day job?
During the summer, I work as a housekeeper and gardener at a fishing lodge not far from where I live.
What is your book about (in a few sentences)?
For the first sixteen years of his life, Prince Harris was raised by his reclusive father, never allowed to venture from the palace walls, though he occasionally made it into the village, and sometimes he would be allowed to go riding, but only under guard and never very far. At sixteen Harris started to wonder how he would know what it meant to be king in his turn. His father realized that he couldn’t possibly teach him what he needed to know, so he sent him to the neighboring king to the south. During his stay there, Harris not only learned how to manage a country, but many secrets concerning how things were at home. There was no just returning home when he came of age. He needed to go home at the head of an army, but where was he to find an army?
Most challenging part of the writing process:
For me the most challenging thing was learning the mechanics of writing. I can tell a story, but writing it is a whole new dimension. I hated English in school and never planned to be a writer. A couple years ago we got a satellite dish for internet access. I’ve learned so much since then.
What motivates you to write?
I love to read, but I ran out of unread books long ago. I don’t go to town often and when I do, getting to a bookstore of any kind is generally last on my list. Time is short and there are many, many more important things to find before needing to make it back to the airport in time for the flight back home.
One day, my son gave me an old laptop computer so I decided to see if I remembered how to type. Next I was typing a story I’d started writing longhand, then I was learning how to edit and correct the spelling and move around blocks of text. Woohoo! I had a new toy and I could write my own stories, and they were every bit as new as one fresh off a bookstore shelf.
Now, more than twelve years later, I have over twenty stories of all lengths and easily as many ideas set aside for later attention.
Did you experience writer’s block? If so, how did you overcome it?
Sometimes I was at a loss for how to get from point A to point C. Sometimes I would hash it out in the story – I mean, if I was having trouble deciding where to go, my characters were having the same problem. And sometimes I would go to my list of ideas and write on one of those for a little while. Other times I would put it away for a day or two – there was usually some chore(s) I could work on to occupy my mind away from the problem for a little while.
How long did it take you to write this book?
I never timed the writing of this book but I’ve always said that it took me about two years to complete. That may sound like a long time but I was also learning how to use my computer, which involved using the paint program too. I used paint to draw all of the pictures for this book, even the map, though the map was a copy from my Encarta encyclopedia to paint and then recolored. I needed a new shoreline. Other pictures I drew for this book were left out as they didn’t show up well in shades of gray.
Why did you decide to self-publish this book?
Where I live is isolated, even mail is inconvenient – I get my mail during the summer and maybe once during the winter if I’m lucky. Sending queries and manuscripts was therefore unwieldy, not that I didn’t try. I sent out a handful of queries to a long list of different publishers. Those I got back all said they required an agent. Those I didn’t hear from, I called – yeah they too required an agent. So, I sent out another handful of queries to a list of agents. Mind you, I got my lists from a book that had everything one needed to know in this regard; it must have been three inches thick. Come to find out that my really cool book was way outdated and none of the agents worked for the agent houses anymore. Therefore, most of those queries were return unopened, the rest were rejected. Of course, what did I know about writing a query or any of that other stuff? I next turned to my phonebook; maybe there was someplace here in Alaska. Believe it or not, that’s where I found the number for AuthorHouse and I was finally able to talk to a person. I ordered the contract but when I got it, the price was way over our heads. Poof – there went any hope of publishing. Oh well, I still had my little computer and I still continued to write.
Sadly, in 2007, my mother died, but her passing left me with an inheritance and that inheritance brought the dream of publishing back to life. I kick myself for forgetting to put the acknowledgement in the book, but I was in such a tailspin what with all the long-term planning we needed to do, and frankly, I didn’t think of it until it was way too late.
What is the biggest misconception about writing a book?
There have been bards for centuries, some sang ballads, and some recited poetry, and some merely told the stories with captivating theatrics designed to hold their audience’s attention. All of them told some story or recounted some point in history. I have always believed that if you can string words together, you can tell a story. That only a select few can write a book is therefore the misconception. All it takes is for the person to be brave enough to venture into a new media and begin to put words on paper (so to speak).
What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book?
Ever since I started writing, I have fallen in love with the creation of the story. Allowing my characters to lead me where they want to go is truly a delight. However, in the creation of this particular book everything to do with writing a story was so very new that I can’t claim any one thing as a favorite.
What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book?
Promoting my book has always been difficult. AuthorHouse offers a media package for several thousand dollars so I bought the most expensive package they offered. I was highly disappointed in the results I got for my dollars; their mass email, even twice, produced no results. They did advise me to get a Facebook and a Twitter account, which I did. Since then I have advertised on both sites every day with few exceptions. I have found other useful information since then and I have improved my advertising. I have had moderate sales as a result, but nothing to make a living on. I have also sent my book to any blogger willing to post a review. At first I queried them too. I have a long list of such bloggers, but I have been lax in that effort of late. I still offer my book free to anyone willing to review.
Every time I hear of another author going to some writing conference or having a book signing, I sigh. These are things I can’t do because of where I live. Now that one of my sons lives in a town within reach, I may have my chance to do a little more personal promotion but only time will tell.
What advice would you give to writers regarding promotion?
My advice is to be tenacious. Never give up. Success is not handed out on silver platters; it is worked for.
I’m a writer – if I stop writing, I am nothing. Wilbur Smith Is this true?
I have not read any of his works so I Googled the name. Obviously he is a prolific writer, and since he writes many different things, it’s sad to think that he considers himself nothing if he can’t write, though he may not be able to picture himself doing anything else. In my opinion, if a person is nothing outside of writing, then their stories risk being nothing too. A storyteller must have ‘been around the block’ a time or two in order to fill in all the nuances necessary for a great story.
Inspiration is the act of drawing up a chair to the writing desk. -Anon How do you feel about this statement?
Inspiration is the desire to tell a story. The act of drawing up a chair to the writing desk is that act of bravery necessary for taking that first step in getting that story down on ‘paper’. Too many people never take that step – they just aren’t brave enough.