It's been awhile since my last guest or my last post but please forgive me as it is summer and I do have young men to raise. In the midst of it I did a book signings but I'll get to those details at another time. So without further ado let's get to the Author Spotlight.
Bio: Justin
E. Geary lives in western Maryland where he spends his time reading various
authors and exploring different subjects. In addition to fiction he enjoys
history and some science. He is the nephew of 1942 Pulitzer Prize winner
Laurence Edmond Allen. Justin’s hobbies are chess, pool and writing epic
fantasy. He started reading Edgar Allen Poe with interest at the age of sixteen
and started writing screenplays at the age of nineteen. Screenplays were
unfulfilling for Justin because they lacked depth. Later on he wrote his first
novel at twenty-one and Midnight’s Cloak his second at twenty-four. After
finishing the rough draft Justin decided that Fantasy was his escape from the
world. Without a college education Justin decided to seek editorial help
sinking twenty-one hundred dollars of his own money into the editing and
proofing of his manuscript. Justin calls the expense a small price for
something he loves so dearly.
Up Close and Personal With Justin E. Geary
What inspires you as a writer? I think people around
you inspire you at times. There are a lot of pessimistic people in the world
and that is sad. I think people need to have a more optimistic view on life. I
believe that authors should surround themselves with others that encourage
them, not the ones who tell us how hard it is to make it in this business. We
already know that and we have a thick stack of rejection letters to prove it.
Good novels have also inspired me over the years. I would say Robert Jordan has
inspired me more than any other author. I learned most of what I know from
reading his work. He was a master at character development.
When did you have that ah ha moment when you knew
you were a writer? When I was about nineteen, I started reading a lot of
Stephen King and one day I sat down and wrote a two page short story called
Wall Climbers. Then I read through it and wondered where it had come from. It
surprised and excited me at the same time. It was creative. Ever since then, I
knew I wanted to write fiction.
What is your writing process? My writing process is
exhausting and a lot of hard work. I don’t use webs. First, I write the rough
draft which is exactly that, rough. It’s undisciplined and totally mine like a
captured wild stallion. After the rough draft is finished I submit to my first
editor. A good editor is a complete jerk when it comes to writing. If he
criticizes everything you do, that’s how you know he is doing a good job. The
more critical he is about the manuscript the better that novel is going to be.
Editors are so important. If you want any chance at success your novel must be
edited. When I receive my manuscript back I will be very upset and go through
many stages of denial. Then after the stubbornness wears off I realize that
this man or woman is trying to help me find the weaknesses in my work. This is
the most important part of my novel’s preparation and if it’s done properly, my
book should be cut considerably. After the work is done on my end, I submit to
a proofreader and make the grammatical changes. I hate grammar with a passion,
because I’m so obsessive with it. I have to check every little thing twice. I
get panic attacks during the proofing stage. The last step is publishing. Every
aspect of the novel should look good, from the inside to the cover. Then I send
it in to print. Anyone can write a novel, writing a good novel is difficult.
Tell us about your favorite character and why you
chose to write about them? I think at this stage in the series Arsidis Vanhorn
is my favorite character because he’s a wandering vagrant without
responsibilities. He finds himself involved in the battle of Quenendor. He’s
trying to avoid getting himself involved and kind of falls into it by
befriending people and finding love within the city. I don’t have a favorite
character though. I love them all. Aramina will definitely be the most
enjoyable to write about in the future. Her magic is very powerful and unique
and while you see her as a girl in the first book you will see her grow and evolve
in future books.
What are you currently working on? I’ve been working
on a collection for a long time. There are a few literary pieces but the
majority is the fiction genre, mostly horror. I don’t even know if I want to
publish it. The stories are good but I would really like to be labeled as an
epic fantasy writer, to promote future Age of the Wrath books. Also, I’ve
started on Shadowlance, the second book in the series. I am about twenty
thousand words in. Dragons will actually be in the second book early on, which
will be a change from the first one.
Any upcoming events? I’m doing a radio interview
which will be on my blog. It also has the book tour information and I will be
on other tours in the future. Just check out my blog. Type in Justin E. Geary
blog and it will be under ageofthewrathjeg. It’s like the fourth one down on
the Google search engine.
Do you have any advice for new writers and something
that a seasoned vet can learn? I don’t know if I have anything I can tell a
seasoned vet but for new writers: Write the rough draft and submit to an editor
and even though it’s hard, you must make the majority of the changes and cuts
to make your work stronger. Never stop believing in your work and yourself. But
realize that writing good fiction is hard work. The more you put into it, the
more you’ll get out of it.
Where can
your followers find you? My blog is the best place, ageofthewrathjeg. I will
keep you posted on any changes and of course, you can see my reviews and read
my sample chapters on Amazon. The cover is not up yet for the paperback but the
kindle is. Also the reviews are spread between the two which is kind of a pain
in the neck for you guys.
Any last words
I would just like to thank the host for inviting me
to The Mind of Omegia and watch for my future novels. My Amazon Kindle is $2.99
and it’s free in the lenders’ library for Amazon prime members.
Please let Justin know you were here by leaving a comment.
Omegia Keeys
