Short Story Connect discussion

Join us on Wednesday, November 26, 2014, for a special discussion with author Chris Brown: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... If you have a question for him, please post it in this thread, where Chris will be discussing his writing and books.

Remember - you can post questions here throughout the duration of the Featured Author Read at any time!

Looking forward to the discussion!

Hi Chris,

Thanks for being our featured author! To start things off, we see that you write both poetry and novellas. Which do you find more of a challenge, and why?

First of all, thank you for asking me to be one of your featured authors. It is an honour to have been recognised for my writing.

In answer to your question, I would say I find it harder writing novellas. Why? For me I love to set a scene. Paint a picture in words that I see in my head. Both poetry and flash fiction allow me to do this to my heart’s content and fits in easily with a busy life. Novellas take patience whilst a story unfolds and this can often leads to frustration in my writing, especially fitting it in around work and family life.

Hi Chris! I think every writer struggles with trying to fit writing into their life! Do you have a specific writing process or do you plan your writing time?

Hello Chris,

When you are struck by an idea, do you know immediately if it will work best as poetry, flash fiction, or novella? How do you determine which medium to use?

Hi Chris!

I was wondering what your favourite reading material is. Do you read the same types of works as you write? Thanks!

Chris, I just finished reaching "Beaches, Boys & Forgotten Bras" and enjoyed the light read! Are you writing more romance/chick lit?

Amanda wrote: "Hi Chris! I think every writer struggles with trying to fit writing into their life! Do you have a specific writing process or do you plan your writing time?"

Thank you for your question Amanda. I'm fortunate to have an hour during my lunch at work in which to work on ideas, then it is a case of fitting writing in as best I can with home life. In an ideal world I'd be able to allocate several hours a day, maybe if that big break ever happens.

DigiWriting wrote: "Hello Chris,

When you are struck by an idea, do you know immediately if it will work best as poetry, flash fiction, or novella? How do you determine which medium to use?"

Pretty much all my thoughts and ideas get processed into flash fiction. Poetry comes from my conscious decision to want to write poetry. When it comes to novellas, I really need to focus on a single idea and allow it flourish into the full story. I guess I make the predetermined choice as to what I'll be writing moments before sitting down to write.

Talia wrote: "Hi Chris!

I was wondering what your favourite reading material is. Do you read the same types of works as you write? Thanks!"

Thank you for your question Talia. My reading foundation is rather varied, from fantasy and science fiction to the genre I choose to write, chick lit. Lately I've been reading works suggested to me by other aspiring authors.

Monica wrote: "Chris, I just finished reaching "Beaches, Boys & Forgotten Bras" and enjoyed the light read! Are you writing more romance/chick lit?"

Monica thank you for your question, as well as reading my second book. In answer to your question, yes. I'm currently writing another called 31 Sleeps, however unlike my first two books, this one has a male protagonist. In addition I have a couple of YA books written for my daughter, as well as a post apocalyptic adventure for my male friends that tease about my desire to make my mark in the romance/chick lit genre.

So does 31 Sleeps have a romance angle or what genre is it in?

Monica wrote: "So does 31 Sleeps have a romance angle or what genre is it in?"

Hi Monica. 31 Sleeps tells the tale of a man down on his luck that gets offered a route into male prostitution for means of easing his financial worries. He sets himself a month (hence 31) in which to set his life on a better course. Light hearted with some mild erotica, and a love twist thrown in for good measure.

Hi Chris,

Where do you get your ideas for your stories? They are so diverse, we cannot believe they all stem from the same writer!

Hi Chris!

Have said aspiring authors recommended anything great lately? What's the last really good story you read?

DigiWriting wrote: "Hi Chris,

Where do you get your ideas for your stories? They are so diverse, we cannot believe they all stem from the same writer!"

Back in 2013 I was diagnosed as having suffered a minor stroke as well as a bleed on the brain. I’m not saying it was the contributing factor, but since then it has been as though I can see scenarios play out in my mind. They can be extremely obscure to the mundane, and it is those that I decide to sketch out in words. Sometimes I can just see a picture and it will instantly provoke a whole story arc for me to plan around. My plan is to publish my flash fiction and short stories with a history of what happened to myself in 2013, then donate the proceeds to a stroke charity. Without the care and support I received, I doubt I’d be here talking about my writing.

Talia wrote: "Hi Chris!

Have said aspiring authors recommended anything great lately? What's the last really good story you read?"

I’ve been re-reading Silent Whispers by S.A. Smith, she used the same publishers as myself for her debut novel and so showing my support. As a great story I’ve recently read, I would have to say Cooke Coffee Shop by Sharon Atkinson. Not ready for publication yet, but will be a bit hit for her when it is finally released.

Hi Chris,

I read some of your poems in "Freedom through Verse." They're very moving with powerful themes of loss and regret. Do you set out to write around a theme? Also, do you have a personal favorite poem?

Cheers,
Piper

Piper wrote: "Hi Chris,

I read some of your poems in "Freedom through Verse." They're very moving with powerful themes of loss and regret. Do you set out to write around a theme? Also, do you have a personal..."

Hi Piper, thank you for taking the time to read some of my poetry. The answer to your question is in two parts, as the early emotional loss and regret poems deal with my depression and sadness after the breakup of an 18 year relationship. I found putting my feelings into verse much easier than talking about thinks. My later poems have come to me much in the same way my flash fiction does, via a thought, picture or even word title. Do I have a favourite poems? Yes, probably this one:

Daughter

I saw you standing in front of the mirror
Tears were falling from your eyes
The little girl I’d watch grow up
Into this woman I almost didn’t recognise

The time has come to say goodbye
To the baby I held close to my heart
But I’ll lead by the arm on last time
Before you’re new life makes a start

And though you leave for another man
Know that in my heart you’ll always be
Because nothing will ever break the bond
Those years built between you and me

I really should say you look amazing
But within my eyes you always are
So come my daughter all dressed in white
It’s time to leave now for the bridal car

That's a beautiful poem, Chris, one that I think every daughter would love to receive from her father on her wedding day.


Piper

Piper wrote: "That's a beautiful poem, Chris, one that I think every daughter would love to receive from her father on her wedding day.


Piper"

Many thanks for your kind words. It was written for my own daughter, but as she's only 11, I think I've a few years yet :)

Hi Chris,

I have one more question. What advice would you give to a young, budding author? How do you get past writer's block?

Thanks for all of your detailed responses, Chris!

Your poem to your daughter is lovely. Do you often write to or about people in your own life?

Talia wrote: "Hi Chris,

I have one more question. What advice would you give to a young, budding author? How do you get past writer's block?"

Hi Talia. I think the advise I would give any aspiring author would be “Don’t worry about getting it right, just write.” As for writers block, that is where I will either turn to flash fiction so as to go completely off topic, or just read so as to spark inspiration from others.

DigiWriting wrote: "Thanks for all of your detailed responses, Chris!

Your poem to your daughter is lovely. Do you often write to or about people in your own life?"

Thank you, with regards the poem. I think it is almost impossible to not draw inspiration from the people we know or meet, and as such, some of my work has been inspired by friends and family and those that have parted from my life, but never technically drawing them personally in words.

Do your friends and family enjoy reading your work? Who are your toughest critics?

DigiWriting wrote: "Do your friends and family enjoy reading your work? Who are your toughest critics?"

I’ve been lucky to have had two book launches held in my local town and had great success in selling my two published books to friends and family. So far the response to all of my work has been favourable, and I’m regularly asked about current work in progress. As for my toughest critic, I think that has to be myself. I’m passionate about delivering stories and poetry that people will want to read and hopefully enjoy. To that end, I always question if I have the talent to be good story teller.

Hi Chris! I've been looking forward to your Featured Author Discussion. In the above question, you mention that you've had great success in selling your books to friends and family as well as local book launches. How do you use social media to promote yourself? Is this something you dedicate a lot of time to? This is always a big question for authors.

Adam wrote: "Hi Chris! I've been looking forward to your Featured Author Discussion. In the above question, you mention that you've had great success in selling your books to friends and family as well as local..."

Hi Adam, thank you for your question. I was adverse to social media at first because I use it in my personal life and felt that bombing friends with my vocation could be seen as somewhat annoying. How wrong I was. Facebook, Twitter and indeed here on Goodreads, has allowed me to reach out to a far wider audience than physical social circles and word of mouth ever could. Whilst not overly advertising my current works, I try to keep my Facebook page in particular, fresh with teasers for work in progress as well as snippets of flash fiction as I write it.

Chris,

How do you select the title for your books? Do they grow from your writing or do you have the title in mind before you start to write?

HI Chris,
Did you always want to be a writer, or was it something you fell in to? What was your plan? Your dream?

Blue Moon wrote: "Chris,

How do you select the title for your books? Do they grow from your writing or do you have the title in mind before you start to write?"

Thank you for your question Blue Moon. Both novellas I have published evolved around their own unique pieces of flash fiction and it was from these that I worked their titles. From there the stories pretty much told themselves to me.

Katherine wrote: "HI Chris,
Did you always want to be a writer, or was it something you fell in to? What was your plan? Your dream?"

Hi Katherine, thank you for your question. I've always had a love for telling a story, but it has only been recently that I've put them onto paper. Much nudging from others was needed too I might add. I still don't consider myself an author, more a storyteller having to scribe his own tales.

As for my dreams, my plan. It was to put together stories my children would go to bed to and grow up with. Obviously peer pressure has led me away from the bedtime stories to more mature writings, but I hope one day my children will be proud of the fact I'd fallen in love with writing and had books out there in the marketplace.

Thanks Chris. Speaking of titles, if someone were new to your writing, which book would you start them off with and why?

Blue Moon wrote: "Thanks Chris. Speaking of titles, if someone were new to your writing, which book would you start them off with and why?"

Whilst either can be read as a standalone story, "One Man to Love" tells the story of Crystal and her trials and tribulations over love and life choices. My second book starts with Imogen meeting Crystal where she is at the end of her story, before embarking on her own.

For the sole reason of insight, I'd recommend "One Man to Love" to read first.

I also learned a great deal about the do's and dont's after the first book, so I hope readers are able to see me improve as a writer that way too.

Thank you for all of your excellent answers, Chris! We've learned a lot about your writing, and the process in general.

DigiWriting wrote: "Thank you for all of your excellent answers, Chris! We've learned a lot about your writing, and the process in general."

Thank you for asking me to take part in these Q&As. It has been fun parting with a little of myself and sharing with you all my experiences to date in the literary world. Thank you all.