Today, we’re talking with Michael Eves Shaffer about his book, Firing of the Crucible
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
Almost every Friday and Saturday night for over a year I was in a live cast for Rocky Horror Picture Show. The only roles I never played were those of Magenta, Janet and Columbia. Primarily because my girlfriend at the time covered those. This included one weekend were the entire rest of the cast was out due to deployments and illness. So she and I did the show ourselves. I generally played Riff Raff otherwise.
Why do you write?
Mostly because I enjoy it. Once I get into the flow it's fascinating to see where the characters will go and how the world evolves.
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
Most of my inspiration comes from life experiences coupled with a optimistic view of where I feel we, as a race, should go. I draw a lot of inspiration from other writers and even shows. But also a healthy mix of history and science.
What do you enjoy the most about your genre?
Fantasy is my second favorite genre. Science Fiction being at the top. But that's because in fantasy you can do anything; there are no real limits to what you can make your universe do. With Science Fiction, you are bound to reasonable science-based, solutions and problems.
How would you describe your writing process?
I have a general outline in my head for where I want a book to start and finish. I come up with points I need to hit along the way. I put most of that on paper. Then, I sit down to write the first scene. From there, if I've done things correctly, it just takes off. Sometimes, it is almost writing itself. If I try to keep things real, then quite often, one scene will organically lead to the next. One good example was the two I set up to be antagonists of each other. Only when I started writing the scene did I realise there was no way someone as intelligent as I was writing to her would be willing to throw everything away just for ego. So, midway through the scene, she flips and fully supports the actions she was getting ready to condemn. She stunned everyone else in the room and thus gained even more power than she already had. So, my process? Go with the story, not my ego.
What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?
Other than a good way to get in front of a large audience, I can't think of much.
What advice would you have for other writers?
Know where you want to wind up with the story. Then, as I said above, Go with the story, not your ego.
How do you select your books’ titles and covers?
Titles just come to me. Covers, I try to find an artist and work with them on a particular scene. Usually, later in the book
What's your next step?
Write the next book.
What book do you wish you'd written?
I'm not sure about this question. I'm not sure I can answer that until after I'm dead and on my way to Fiddler's Green.
How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?
Any review of my book I appreciate. At least if it's clear they read it. Positive reviews are great, but negative reviews can be useful as well. Letting you know if you are missing something.
