A. R. Silverberry, Author of The Stream
One of my favorite parts of writing is not writing. The best ideas come when I’m out in the world, absorbing life. Walking must stimulate the neural network in my brain related to creativity. If I’m stuck, all I have to do is walk. Something is bound to come, especially if I’m out in nature. I jot on a small pad I keep in my pocket. If I don’t catch snippets of dialogue, fragments of description, or a telling metaphor in the first minute, they evaporate more quickly than dreams.
Artists say drawing clarifies seeing. Truly, I don’t know what I think until I’ve written it down. That seems to be true of the novel I’m working on, book two of my YA, dystopian, sci-fi trilogy. (No, not a sequel to Wyndano’s Cloak or The Stream, it’s got all new characters, a setting I haven’t seen anywhere, nor have you!) Book one came out pretty fast, probably because I knew what I wanted to say. I’m not ashamed to admit, book two scares the you-know-what out of me. I don’t know if I can make it all work. I do know it’s getting clearer. I keep reminding myself, just write, no matter how many drafts, you’ll get it. It’s a good mantra anyway.
Some things just take time. I can take some solace: Tolkien took twenty years on the Trilogy; Brahms took the same for his first symphony; Madame Bovary was ten years in the making, and Flaubert was still revising AFTER PUBLICATION! I won’t make you wait for book one. I have one more scene to write, just a transition, really; then it’s out to beta readers and off my mind.
If the intricacies of writing a trilogy aren’t hard enough, I’ve decided to heap on to the craziness of my life by working on a novel with my wife. (I’ve purchased an excellent insurance plan. She forbids me to disclose anything about the story, on pain of death or dismemberment.) It’s my first time collaborating. I didn’t think I would like it. Boy, was I wrong. The creative process explodes with another person to bounce ideas off of. Now I know why some of my favorite films were written by two or more screenwriters. And if we get stuck, no problem, we can always make out.
Back to not writing. Another fun thing is getting away from my desk and talking with readers. With the holiday season fast approaching, I’m really looking forward two appearances. The first is on Sunday, October 25th, at the Shir Hadash Holiday Bazaar, at 20 Cherry Blossom Lane, in Los Gatos. Find unique and delightful gifts for friends and family, and of course, I’ll have lots of copies of my books, Wyndano’s Cloak and The Stream. Entry is free. The event is from 9 –3.
Have a hankering to visit beautiful Monterey Peninsula? St Mary’s by-the-Sea is having their annual Holiday Bazaar in November. I was there last year, and it was filled with wonderful arts and crafts, from hand-cut paper greeting cards to artisan jewelry, from photographs to knitted shawls. Someone played piano all day, ranging from Debussy to jazz standards. I hear there will be an author there whose last name rhymes with Terry, or airy, or bury. You might have to do the latter if he starts singing Silent Night in falsetto, but he promises to bring lots of swell reading matieral. The event is from 9 to 3, on Saturday, November 14, at Central Ave & 12th Streets, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Entry is free.
If you live nearby, I hope to see you there! In case you can’t make it, signed and unsigned copies of the limited edition hardback of Wyndano’s Cloak are available on the home page of my website, purchase button near the bottom of the page. They make great gifts for family or friends!
Well, back to not writing.
Happy Holidays!
A. R. Silverberry
Wyndano’s Cloak, By A. R. Silverberry
The Stream, a Shelf Unbound Notable Book
The Stream, by A. R. Silverberry
