Blakely’s Friday Interview with GL Giles

Please give a warm welcome to GL Giles, author of Water Vamps.

GL Giles on New Year's Eve 2013Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I have recently finished (edits and all, thankfully!) a short story for an anthology with my fellow BlackWyrm Pub authors. If all goes according to plan, it’s slated for an April 1st (2014) release—no foolin’! 🙂

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
My WATER VAMPS (2nd ed.) is YA Horror, but it also has some paranormal romance (for the target audience of 12-16 yrs.) in it. I have also paired up with wonderful illustrators to create children’s picture books—including HURRICANE HOUND, THE CLEVER CAT THAT COULD, THE BOULDER’S RAMBUNCTIOUS LITTLE ROCK and I WANT MY KITTY CAT TV!

Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by those who work tirelessly to make the world a better place for all animals.

Has a dream every inspired any of your stories?
Yes, the Prologue in my WATER VAMPS (2nd ed.) was inspired by a dream (well, more like a nightmare 🙂 ) I had.

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I was happy to sign on with BlackWyrm Publishing in 2012, and they published my WATER VAMPS (2nd ed.). BlackWyrm Publishing is a traditional publisher, and I was also traditionally published through Alexandrian Archives in 2009. Before that, I was nontraditionally published.

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
I plan on having two beta readers for the novel I’m currently working on. Fortunately, I’ve already roped one of my fellow BlackWyrm Pub. authors into being one, and I’m trying to get another. As I love their writing, I really want them to inspect mine and give me pointers. I’ve had issues in the past with things like pesky misplaced modifiers, so it’s great to have ‘fresh eyes’ look over my work.

What book are you currently reading?
I am currently reading (and greatly enjoying) DESCENDING LINES by L. Andrew Cooper.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
If there are any hidden messages/agendas, then it’s for readers to deduce. 🙂

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I love listening to music, as I’m also a lyricist. I wrote the lyrics to “Don’t Just Sit on Your Laurels” after being inspired by the Dogs in Brazil cause; you can check them out, at Target Audience Magazine.  And, I also wrote the lyrics to “Medusa’s Revenge” and “Don’t Ask” (these were both set to music by the New Zealand band Beltane). Plus, I love checking out bands via YouTube videos, etc. in my spare time. In addition, I really enjoy all of the what I call ‘kitty cat parkour’ (compliments of our 7 cats: Eclipse, Luna, Vega, Anubis Star, Comet, Bo Aries and Dyson Mars) in our home—on the cat boards, through the tunnels, et cetera. As a matter of fact, I’ve been working on a children’s picture book entitled KITTY CAT PARKOUR for about four years now; it’s based on my cats’ antics and acrobatics. Then there’s great fun to be had in walking with my ‘pittie’, Dejah Thoris, and going to watch movies with my husband.

How much time a day do you spend on social media?
Too much! 🙂

What do you do to stay sane as a writer?
Strangely enough, I stay sane by embracing my insanity, and then turning it into great plotlines. 🙂

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Since A WILD AND WONDERFUL WALK has already been done, I’m thinkin’ IT’S A SPRINT NOW would be applicable as, at nearing 50, I’m ‘sprinting’ to have my dreams fully realized.

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share writers that you recommend for us to check out.

  1. I had the pleasure of interviewing author L. Andrew Cooper in 2013.
  2. I had the pleasure of interviewing author Georgia L. Jones in 2012.
  3. I had the pleasure of interviewing author Hunter S. Jones in 2012.

You can find GL on Twitter, Facebook, & blog.