Twice Upon a Time Blog Tour: Interview with Rose Blackthorn

CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

I began "telling" myself stories at 12 or 13. When I was a few years older, maybe 16 it occurred to me that if I wrote them down, then I would be able to go back and re-read them later.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

Firestarter by Stephen King

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

I have favorites in several genres, so I don't know that I'd be able to chose just one. The one that I've probably gone back and re-read the most times is The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip. (And it makes me cry, every single time.)

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

No specific author or book. I have read things that were so wonderful, they made me aspire to write something that would have that kind of impact on someone else. I have also read things that were so bad, I felt there was no reason I couldn't do better :)

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Be true to yourself. You can take classes, listen to and apply advice from others, outline every bit of your story or go from the seat of your pants - but regardless, don't lose your own voice. No one can write what you can.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Probably rejection. It is difficult to spend long hours writing something, putting a part of yourself in it, and sending it out to another person only to have them say they don't want it, don't like it, etc. Publishing is a business, and tastes are subjective—but it still stings to get that rejection.

7. From where did the inspiration for your submission arise?

My story is based on The Selkie Bride. I have always been fascinated by stories of shape-changers from the sea who could live among people and then return to the ocean. There is a bittersweet condition in so many of those old legends that the selkie is held in human form against their will because their seal-skin has been stolen from them. Inevitably, when the seal-skin is recovered, the selkie will return to the ocean, even if there is true love between she and her human mate.
I also have a passion for post-apocalyptic fiction, and I was curious to explore what might happen to a diminishing population of selkies after human beings have poisoned the world in some great final war.

8. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

Naia is the main character of my story, and definitely my favorite. I enjoyed exploring what's left of the human world through her eyes, and the fact that although she has come out of the sea for a specific purpose, she could still come to love the people she meets.

9. On what projects are you currently working?

I have a novella (another post-apocalyptic piece, sort of) that I've been working on over the last few months between other projects. Also, the first of a trilogy of "epic" fantasy novels which includes shapeshifters, war against an evil that is apparently unkillable, and the unexpected relationships that can thrive between people who are so disparate. Between all that is the real life stuff, that so often takes precedence—even when I'd rather be writing :)

Read Rose's story, Before the First Day of Winter, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

Choose a format... Amazon|Kindle Amazon|Paperback

..About the Author..

ROSE BLACKTHORN lives in the high mountain desert of Eastern Utah with her boyfriend and two dogs, Boo and Shadow. She spends her time writing, reading, being crafty, and photographing the surrounding wilderness. An only child, she was lucky to have a mother who loved books, and has been surrounded by them her entire life. Thus instead of squabbling with siblings, she learned to be friends with her imagination and the voices in her head are still very much present.

She is a member of the HWA and has been published online and in print with Necon E-Books, Stupefying Stories, Buzzy Mag, Interstellar Fiction, SpeckLit, Jamais Vu, and the anthologies The Ghost IS the Machine, A Quick Bite of Flesh, Fear the Abyss, The Best of the Horror Society 2013, Enter at Your Own Risk: The End is the Beginning, FEAR: Of the Dark, and Equilibrium Overturned, among others.

..Connect with the Author..