Join the Facebook launch party of The Redemption of Erâth: Exile here!
As part of my ongoing launch this week, I’m going to be interviewing guest authors here and on my Facebook page. This will be a great way to discover new and exciting authors, and possibly win free copies of their work! My next guest is V.R. Leavitt, reviewer, blogger and author of the short story compendium, 5 Tales of Transformation. Read on to learn more!
Q. What do you write, and what inspired you to start?
I primarily write speculative fiction, but I have a non-fantasy manuscript I’m working on as well. As far as what inspired me, I can’t really pinpoint an exact moment, but I’ve always had little stories and characters bouncing around in my head and at some point I decided I should write them down. I’ve been writing ever since!
Q. We all know writers love to drink—coffee, tea or worse! When you’re writing, what’s your poison?
All of it! What’s funny is that I love coffee and tea, (and worse) but I seldom drink anything while I’m actually writing. Not sure why that is.
Q. Do you have a favorite line that you’ve written? If so, what is it?
That’s a great question! I suppose I like a lot of them for different reasons, but I’m going to say it’s one from a story of mine called John Luckett and Mr. Smith. It’s about a grim reaper that has to take somebody’s soul, but he just can’t seem to do it. I like the line because it’s one of those hard life lessons that honestly I’m still trying to learn. “If you never hurt or never had anything bad happen, how would you even know it when something good happened? It’s the bad times that make you appreciate how good the good times really are.”
Q. What are you most known for amongst your friends and family?
Hmmm, I honestly have no idea. You’d probably have to ask them. Hopefully it’s something positive and not something bad, like my cooking is terrible or I get lost easily. Great, now I’m worried.
Q. Have you ever seen a movie that you thought was better than the book?
It’s a pretty rare case, but yes. I thought the movie “Chocolat” was better than the book. It almost wasn’t even the same story.
Q. Is there a message in your writing that you would want your audience to grasp? If so, what is it?
I’m not really sure if it’s a message so much as it is a theme that just seems to run through my writing. One of my friends said it best when he described my book of short stories. He said, “Death is always on the periphery—mixed with a little light and hope.”
Q. Seven is a something of a ‘power’ number in The Redemption of Erâth; it crops up rather frequently. Is there any similar symbolism or talismanic aspect to your own writing?
Another intriguing question! In most of my work, I’d say no, but in my finished (but still being edited) novel, “Shaping Fate” has the symbol of a four point star that plays quite a big role throughout the story and carries with it one of the central themes of birth, life, death, and rebirth.
Thank you for your thoughtful answers, V.R. Leavitt—and I can’t wait to have you over on Facebook today!