Ask the Author: B.K. Bass
Answered Questions (8)
B.K. Bass
Hello! Thanks for the question! I have a doozie of an answer for this one.
When I was managing a hotel in Daytona Beach back in the day, we had the misfortune to happen upon a deceased man floating in our pool one morning. He was unclothed and there were no garments left nearby, nor was he a guest at the hotel. I never heard of the authorities ever found out who he was, what happened to him, or why he ended up there, but I imagine they had quite the puzzle on their hands answering those questions!
When I was managing a hotel in Daytona Beach back in the day, we had the misfortune to happen upon a deceased man floating in our pool one morning. He was unclothed and there were no garments left nearby, nor was he a guest at the hotel. I never heard of the authorities ever found out who he was, what happened to him, or why he ended up there, but I imagine they had quite the puzzle on their hands answering those questions!
B.K. Bass
That's a tough one! There's so many amazing worlds out there, with so much variety that just picking one is hard. I think Middle-Earth from J.R.R. Tolkien would be near the top of my list; mostly because I'd love to live in the Shire!
B.K. Bass
Have more than one project going at the same time, and have them in different stages of completion. If I can't think of what to write next, I'll work on editing something. I might even edit an earlier chapter in the same piece, and that will inspire me to write what comes next. Also, there is a lot more to being an author than writing these days, so use your time productively. If your time at the keyboard isn't getting writing done, use the time for research, networking, marketing, and other related tasks. Don't just blow off work because of writer's block, there's plenty of other things to get done. The words will come, just don't give up.
B.K. Bass
Magically transmuting coffee into words is an amazing feeling. But seriously, I would say that being able to express yourself. Even in fiction, there is an undercurrent of reality. Look at the works of Tolkien, and although there are elves and dwarfs and goblins; there is the undercurrent of what he lived in the trenches of World War One. Also, creating something from nothing is always something to be proud of. This is not exclusive to writing, by any means. Painting, sculpting, wood carving, etc, these forms of creation are all rewarding for the process alone.
B.K. Bass
Sit down and write. It seems simple, but you have to get started. If you want to write, you've probably read a lot. Reading is the best study for writing. Don't judge yourself by your rough draft, either. The word "Rough" is used for a reason. You can go back and clean it up. Once you get started, set a schedule and goals. Creativity starts a book; work ethic finishes it.
B.K. Bass
My focus right now is The Ravencrest Chronicles series, of which Seahaven is the first book. This is a nautical themed dark/urban fantasy series. I've also published The Hunter's Apprentice and The Giant and the Fishes, the second and third volumes. I am working now on an Anthology of short fiction and poetry in the same setting called Tales From the Lusty Mermaid. My next focus will be another series of novellas called The Tales of Durgan Stoutheart, a sword and sorcery series with dwarves! I'm also half way through a science fiction novel, What Once Was Home, but this will take some time. This is a deeply personal book about conflict, loss, and morality. Therefore, I want to get it perfect. It's about the aftermath of an alien invasion, and one boy growing to manhood during the fighting, and then struggling to become a leader without loosing his moral compass.
B.K. Bass
I was inspired to take up writing in the first place by books. I've been an avid (rabid?) reader for most of my life. Beyond that, I love stories. Good television, movies, and video games that tell a meaningful story are all great. Storytelling is humanities oldest tradition, and I've always been fascinated by it in all forms. Writing, to me, is my way to become part of that tradition and history.
B.K. Bass
I've long been a fan of the old pulp magazine fiction from the first half of the 20th century. The short fiction works of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, L. Ron Hubbard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and others were amazing stories compressed into a small format. Many of those stories spawned an entire world, such as the Lovecraft Mythos and the land of Conan The Barbarian. I wanted to experiment with short fiction in a genre that I felt comfortable with, being fantasy, and the result was pleasantly surprising.
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