Ask the Author: Baj Goodson
Answered Questions (8)
Baj Goodson
Ooo, fun question! There are so many worlds I'd love to visit. Of course, the most cliche of them all is the world of Harry Potter. But I'd also want to hang out in Narnia and make flower crowns with the dryads and go swimming with the naiads, and I'd die to stay in luxurious Rivendell and have a feast in Hobbiton. And oh to just sit and chat with the crew of the Rampion as it floats between Earth and Luna!
Baj Goodson
Oh gosh. I'm TERRIBLE at sticking to reading lists!! Case in point: at the start of 2019, I aimed to read as many books from my personal shelves as possible without borrowing from the library or buying new ones. It's now September and I've only read 7 books I own, most of which I'd read before! But out of a shortened TBR of 22 from the start of summer into fall, I completed A Darker Shade of Magic & A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab, Meet Cute by Helena Hunting, The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan, Don't Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno, Romanov by Nadine Brandes, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Waiting for August by Jessica Shook, A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway, and Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey.
Baj Goodson
Hmm, I'm not sure if this is referring to what I'm working on NOW (my second book), or WALL OF CROSSES. I'll go with WoC since that is coming out soon. ;)
The inspiration was a conglomerate stemming from the Great Louisiana Flood of 2016, which I experienced firsthand. My entire region was turned topsy turvy after that, and my eyes were opened to that post-disaster season of life that so few will know in their lifetime -- but it is definitely book-worthy with its constant aches and pains, and having to adapt to so many changes at once had my mind reeling with ideas to capture pieces of that sensation. WoC's story was one of them!
The inspiration was a conglomerate stemming from the Great Louisiana Flood of 2016, which I experienced firsthand. My entire region was turned topsy turvy after that, and my eyes were opened to that post-disaster season of life that so few will know in their lifetime -- but it is definitely book-worthy with its constant aches and pains, and having to adapt to so many changes at once had my mind reeling with ideas to capture pieces of that sensation. WoC's story was one of them!
Baj Goodson
Lots of ways! I'm a daydreamer by nature, so inspiration for stories comes at me from all over. Dreams, nature, movies, books, music, historical events, life experiences, stories about other people's lives/adventures...and sometimes just a simple "what if?" question.
Baj Goodson
Ahhh, I am SO EXCITED about what's coming next! I was inspired to write my bestie a love story awhile back, and I have since known that as soon as WoC was done, this would be my next project. I can't give details yet, of course, but I can tell you I love the themes of grace, redemption, and unconditional love in my romances. ;) Also, I'm continuing work on my YA side project, SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, which is a free serial on Wattpad.
Baj Goodson
Practice, practice, practice. Read, read, read. And stick with it, even when you don't feel like it. If you want to make a profession out of writing in any capacity, it's takes ambition, dedication, and tooons of practicing the skill. Have you heard of the 10,000 hour theory? ;) Always be a student of your craft -- study, pay attention to what other writers do and how they do it. Then write. And write some more. It's my (humble) opinion that you never truly "arrive" when it comes to writing; you should forever be learning new ways to write better.
Baj Goodson
-Contented sigh- Being a writer is amazing, in many, many ways, but the best thing about it? Letting my imagination roam. Cultivating it, broadening its scope. I get to build worlds, cultures, families, relationships...that's a pretty incredible thing. I love creating, and telling stories is one of my favorite ways to do it. It feels like I was made to do this, cheesy as it sounds.
Baj Goodson
This is a two-fold answer, baha! When I'm being bad, I run away from writing and let myself be stumped because I'm straight-up intimidated. This is, naturally, ineffective in resolving anything. But when I'm being good, I have a myriad of ways to deal with writer's block: Talk out the scene with my writer's group, force myself to do a writing sprint, try writing only dialogue, read a book, watch a well-written movie/tv show, or verbally act out the scene like my own mini-improv exercise. In worst case scenarios, I take a nap. Sometimes lack of sleep is the only thing standing in my way!
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