Ask the Author: J.D. Byrne
Answered Questions (6)
J.D. Byrne
Accept that it happens, but try not to get bogged down by it. Work through it, just like anything else.
J.D. Byrne
Dealing with the unexpected. Regardless of what kind of story I'm writing I eventually come to a point where I have to put in something - a new character, a new situation - that I hadn't had in mind when I started. It's fun to see where it goes!
J.D. Byrne
Most important, to steal a slogan, just do it! Writers write - it's as simple as that. No book was ever written while the author sat around trying to figure out if she could write it. The other advice I have is to talk with other writers and listen to what they say. That's not to say they know it all - nobody does - but they've where you are and can help you out in ways you can't imagine.
J.D. Byrne
I just finished a short story that's a steampunky reworking of a Grimm tale called "The Aged Mother." I'm also working on revising a novel set in West Virginia that involves zombies, but not the way they're usually portrayed.
J.D. Byrne
I'm more of a perspiration than inspiration writer, mainly because it's so hard to know when those inspiring moments will happen. The key is being able to capture any particular inspiration for use down the road when things aren't flowing so easily.
J.D. Byrne
I had several stories laying around that I thought people would like. There's no unifying theme to them, so there is no grand idea for the book itself. As for a few of the stories:
- "The Dragon of the Bailey" sprang from something I read about the ravens at the Tower of London. Legend says so long as they remain in the Tower the kingdom will stay united and peaceful. But there is someone at the Tower who is responsible for clipping their wings, so they can't really fly away. Seems like putting your finger on the scales of prophecy to me.
- "To Watch the Storms" was inspired by a thunderstorm I watched from an upper floor of a hotel in Richmond, Virginia. The outer walls aren't flat, so the wind really whips around in interesting ways. I stole the title from a Steve Hackett album.
- "Jury Duty" is my obligatory courtroom story - I'm a lawyer in real life. I don't really want to write legal fiction, but I liked the idea of someone standing up to the march of technology in a place where he could really bog things down.
- "The Last Ereph" was inspired by a story I read about Zoroastrianism. It was about how the religion is dying, in part, because its adherents don't prosthelytize, don't try to keep people from leaving the faith, and the like. I thought it was a bit sad for something to disappear just because it won't obnoxiously try to sustain itself.
- "The Dragon of the Bailey" sprang from something I read about the ravens at the Tower of London. Legend says so long as they remain in the Tower the kingdom will stay united and peaceful. But there is someone at the Tower who is responsible for clipping their wings, so they can't really fly away. Seems like putting your finger on the scales of prophecy to me.
- "To Watch the Storms" was inspired by a thunderstorm I watched from an upper floor of a hotel in Richmond, Virginia. The outer walls aren't flat, so the wind really whips around in interesting ways. I stole the title from a Steve Hackett album.
- "Jury Duty" is my obligatory courtroom story - I'm a lawyer in real life. I don't really want to write legal fiction, but I liked the idea of someone standing up to the march of technology in a place where he could really bog things down.
- "The Last Ereph" was inspired by a story I read about Zoroastrianism. It was about how the religion is dying, in part, because its adherents don't prosthelytize, don't try to keep people from leaving the faith, and the like. I thought it was a bit sad for something to disappear just because it won't obnoxiously try to sustain itself.
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