Hey Everyone!! :-)
Douglas Schwartz is joining us here, today. Douglas, will you please tell us about yourself and how many books you have written?
Douglas: Hello, I'm Doug Schwartz and I am an Idea-holic. I have published three books: Checkered Scissors (first novel), Pickled Bananas (first collection of short fiction), and Spilt Milk! (first illustrated children's book). I am currently working on another novel (sequel to Checkered Scissors), another short fiction collection (unique, modern fairy tales), and another illustrated children's book (about facing my fear of fried eggs). While I'm not making up stories, I also design tabletop games. And when I am not doing that, I am spending time with my family.
Me: It sounds like you've got lots of irons in the fire! :-) What's the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Douglas: I wrote Spilt Milk! for my kids when they were about half the age they are now. The story was inspired by an inside joke with my family where we all joked about having the last name of "Pants". I am the original Anson Pants. Also, it was inspired by how I can be a big klutz.
Me: That's adorable! What are you working on now?
Douglas: As I said above, I am actively looking for an agent to represent my collection of unique, modern fairy tales. My editor suggested I traditionally publish this one, instead of self publish. The stories teach lessons like not procrastinating, bullying, believing in yourself, and so on. Also, I am trying to work with my illustrator to do the artwork for the next children's book. It's about a boy whose babysitter tells him about a giant, flying fried egg. The moral of the story is if you are afraid of something, learn more about what you fear, and it isn't that scary after all. I am editing the sequel to Checkered Scissors and have started writing the third book of the series. Novels take a long time to craft. Hopefully, these won't take the decades it took to craft the first book.
Me: Yeah, novels definitely take a while to crank out. What authors, or books, have influenced you?
Douglas: Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman have all inspired me and my writing. I have had the pleasure of meeting all three. I aspire to create vivid character like Stephen King and rich worlds like JK Rowlng.
Me: Those are some amazing role models! :-) What are you reading now?
Douglas: I am reading a friend's first book. I'd rather not mention the title or the author because I am undecided if I like it or not. The writer in me is picking it apart as I read it, but there are elements that I really enjoy.
Me: Well, sometimes you have to wait until you finish a book before you can decide if you like it. ;-) For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
Douglas: To use carnival comparisons, my stories are more like a funhouse than a thrilling roller coaster. I write what I typically like to read before going to bed--light, whimsical fiction that does not tax the brain, but tickles the senses.
Me: Sounds like fun! :-) What is your favorite part of being an author?
Douglas: I find writing to be therapeutic. Creating stories is like working out the issues of myself and the world. Finishing a story is uplifting. Like, "There! That's sorted out. Now what problem can I solve?"
Me: And think of all the money you save on therapists! ;-) Do you have a day job as well?
Douglas: I did. I had been doing software QA testing. In the fall, I went through my fourth layoff in the tech industry and have been pursuing other interests. Do I really want to keep doing what I have been doing? Or, do I want to try something new? While I pursue something old and something new, I am also partially focused on advancing my own projects, even though I know I need to find something to better help support the family. Ideally, my fiction and games would be lucrative enough to do both for a living.
Me: It's hard to be out of work. I hope something shakes out for you soon. What would you say are the hardest and easiest parts about being a writer?
Douglas: Earlier, I would say criticism is the hardest, because it is difficult to not take feedback personally. Now, I take it very well. Now, the hardest part is connecting with new readers and finding the right readers to help spread the word to other potential readers. For me, the easiest part is the ideas and the creativity. The easiest part sometimes turns hard when I have too many ideas, and need to focus on one or two at a time.
Me: I think a lot of authors would agree with you that marketing is the hardest part of the job. What genre do you place your book in?
Douglas: Is it too late to change my answer for the hardest part to deciding what genre bucket to put my stories into? Some books fit nicely into their particular buckets. You know this book is a romance and that one is science fiction. Fantasy is too general a term, and makes me think of dragons and epic quests. Pickled Bananas has the sub-title of "...and Other Schwartz Stories", but there isn't an Amazon category for Schwartz Fiction (at least not yet). What I write is light, whimiscal, humorous, imaginative fiction. That's not exactly a category either. Sometimes there are fantastical elements. Sometimes it is more contemporary, but with quirky characters. It is what it is. Can you point me to the Unique Fiction section? Is there such thing as Comfort Fiction, like Comfort Food?
Me: Ha! Well, at least you know what you like when you see it. ;-) Is there anything else you'd like to tell your readers?
Douglas: To readers...Read what you enjoy. If you struggle with a book (that isn't part of an assignment), then do not hesitate to put the book down and move on to something else. Or, back to what you know you enjoy. Reading should be a pleasure, not a struggle. There are many great writers out there creating some fantastic stuff, but there are also those who struggle to find their writing voice. To parents of young readers...Do not discourage any form of reading for your child. If they like reading comic books or cereal boxes, reading is reading. Help them find the pleasure in reading.
Me: Amen! And so these fine folks can find pleasure in reading your work, are there any links you'd like me to post?
Douglas: Here is my homegrown author website: https://www.checkeredscissors.com
Twitter: @CheckerScissors
Me: Perfect! Thank you so much for dropping by, today, Doug. And thank you also to everyone who joined us. Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistra Dawn's Musings! :-)
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