Ask the Author: Lioness DeWinter
Answered Questions (10)
Lioness DeWinter
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Lioness DeWinter
Anguish and heartbreak usually inspire me to write. Whether it's the written word, art, or music it all comes out in a rush of emotional hemorrhaging.
There was a great line once that said "The greatest gift that one can ever give a writer is emotional baggage."
So true, so true.
There was a great line once that said "The greatest gift that one can ever give a writer is emotional baggage."
So true, so true.
Lioness DeWinter
At the moment, I'm writing mostly ideas for short stories. I have two books in the works for the future: One is an offshoot of the Jasmine Vampire series, and the other is a book of reworked classic fairy tales with a bit of my soul-crushing, bloody influence! (smiles) I recommend SCION, my A.I./Frankenstein/Pinocchio hybrid with a bit of a Japanese twist.
Lioness DeWinter
Keep going! It will look hopeless at times, but there is an audience for everyone! Social media is a great place to start! Hang out with fellow writers, and find friends who have been writers for a while. Most of us started out on social media, and we're happy to help point you in the right direction. I started on a site sharing chapters through private messages, and people kept asking me where they could buy my books. Take the chance and run with it! Find a good self-publishing site and build your audience. Be nice to everyone, and block those who aren't. Always mark your copyright on your work (c), and register it with the patent office/intellectual property division in your country. Believe in yourself, even if you get a bad review or two. NEVER answer your reviews, regardless of the tone or content. Remember that everyone that you speak to in person or online may know someone in the industry who can help you, so be humble.
Last but not least: write for yourself first. If it doesn't move you, it probably won't move anyone else either. Be honest, and write what you know.
Thanks for listening! I wish every writer success!
Last but not least: write for yourself first. If it doesn't move you, it probably won't move anyone else either. Be honest, and write what you know.
Thanks for listening! I wish every writer success!
Lioness DeWinter
The best thing about being a writer is doing what you love! Also, when you get letters from your readers and they tell you that your characters have validated and inspired them in some way. I have cried over many letters that I've received from these sweet young people who feel like outcasts because they are gay or trans or they don't fit the rules of society somehow. I like to try to give them support and love and let them know that they're worth something. They're worth a LOT! That makes me happy. A lot of us in the LGBTQ+ community feel shunned at times. It's very important to have representation in books, films, music, and entertainment.
Lioness DeWinter
Honestly, I fume and I fret...and then I do something else. Sometimes, watching an emotional TV show or film can help bring the feelings to the surface. I'll think "How would I have handled that situation?" and that will start my wheels turning.
Lioness DeWinter
Will she ever fully overcome her childhood and stop making the world pay for it?
How can she seem so sunny on the inside and so tortured on the inside?
What exactly happened in the swamps of Louisiana that spring of 2003?
How can she seem so sunny on the inside and so tortured on the inside?
What exactly happened in the swamps of Louisiana that spring of 2003?
Lioness DeWinter
ANYTHING by Gemma Files, Stephen King, or Diane Duane. I tend to reread quite a few books, so add Isaac Bashevis Singer, Michael Ende, Mary Kay Baxter, The Holy Bible, my own books, Gay and Christian? Yes! by Pastor Carey, Pinocchio, Frankenstein, all of the classic fairy tales in those wonderful oversized 1970s editions by McCall's...and tons of books from new author friends!
Lioness DeWinter
I would probably travel back to England in the times of Oliver Twist. The first thing that I would probably do is fall in with Nancy and Bet and try to protect them (and Oliver) from Sikes and Fagin. I have a deep affinity for the Nancy character. She reminds me of myself when I was in my early twenties.
Lioness DeWinter
The world watched in horror as human rights and dignity were stripped away. Mankind had certainly turned a dark corner, and God was nowhere to be found...
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