Fear of Mystics – Interview with author Chris Walters

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Today we are chatting with Chris Walters the author of Fear of Mystics

51yWJku7IlL. SX328 BO1,204,203,200Tell us something unexpected about yourself!

I was a professional actor until I was 28 years old, and began my writing as a playwright.

What novels affected you the most growing up?

My dad is a big fan of fiction, and early in life turned me on to Alistair McLean's books. I believe he started me with Guns of Navarone, but then went on to give me every book he had. A 6th grade mythology research project, combined with my love of comic books, sparked a lifelong love of fantasy. I was deeply affected by the works of JRR Tolkien, Katherine Kurtz, Stephen Donaldson and Stephen King. These books took me to a different place, where I could wrestle with issues of right and wrong in a context which was different from my own.

Where did the idea for your current book come from?

The Saga of Mystics series was a concept I could not get out of my head. It is heavily influenced not only by the written word, but by shows based on other media, like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. I began to wonder what our social environment would look like without technology, but having that tool supplanted by the tool of mystical abilities. The end result, staged in my own back yard of Colorado Springs, Colorado, wrapped me with intriguing ideas and characters that I could not help but write down.

Do you think there's any way you could ever run out of ideas for books?

No. Like most writers, I am a dreamer. I am always thinking of things in a different context. I have already completed the second book in the Saga of Mystics, and outlined the third. But, on top of that, I have outlined two other series into which I am excited to delve. I love writing.

What is your routine for writing and has this method changed over the span of your career?

My routine is more organized than I am used to being. I write a general synopsis for the book or series, then I break it into major themes. Starting as a playwright, I tend to think in terms of narrative acts. So, I then break the themes down into an outline. Following that, I free-write from the structure of the outline. Sometimes the story will change a bit, sometimes it changes drastically from the original outline. In those cases, I just update the outline before continuing.

How important is marketing and social media for you?

It is vital. As a self-published author, I desperately need to get my work in front of readers. Marketing ourselves is half the job. I would love to just write the stories and have everyone waiting on baited breath for my next release, but that doesn't happen. I have a decent following, but if I want people to read my work (and I do), then I have to let them know where they can find it and why they should read it.

What advice would you have for other writers?

Create value for your readers. Writers are artists, and we have to be careful about our purpose and attitudes. A writer who has no readers is a typist, not an author. We write for the reader, so keep them in mind when penning your manuscript. It will make all the difference.

What are you reading now?

In an effort to support other self-published authors, I have been reading as much as I can while staying within genres that appeal to me. That being said, I am re-reading the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series by George R.R. Martin at the moment. He is a master at telling an epic tale and I enjoy the nuances of character.

What's your next step?

Keep writing every day. I am on track to publish four books this year, as well as another four to six short stories. The rest of life can get in the way, but I am as interested in what happens next in my stories as my readers are, so I have to get writing and find out.

 

 

Fear of Mystics by Chris Walters is available here


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