My Weblog: Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets: A Conversation with EJ Randolph

Posted by Kris Neri, with the Femmes Fatales

Today the Femmes welcome EJ Randolph, science fiction and fantasy author, and the editor of Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets, a new writing book. Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets debuts today, May 1, and is available in both ebook and paperback editions.

Kris: Let's chat a bit, EJ. Tell us a little about yourself.

EJ: As a child, I lived in many different parts of the US and a couple places overseas, but the longest I have resided anywhere has been New Mexico. I went to high school in Las Cruces, both high schools. Then I worked at a local restaurant and a pet shop for a decade. I moved around for a while. Along the way, I got a BA in History and worked secretarial, bookkeeping, and sales jobs. For five years, I tutored history writing. In 1999, I moved to Silver City, NM where I have lived the past 21 years. I have a lifelong interest in cross-cultural affairs, and this is reflected in my books. I also am passionate about finding solutions to conflicts between nations that don’t involve war. The title of my series says it all: Federation Diplomat. I hope readers will see there are alternative ways to view developing conflicts. History proves that most wars come about because leaders and their advisors didn’t see it coming. They paint themselves into corners where they have no alternatives to war. For instance, they deliver an ultimatum any rational leaders will capitulate to—but they don’t. Uh-oh.

Kris: How did you decide to compile Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets?

EJ: This is a case of seeing an empty chair and sitting in it. I perceived an abundance of talent locally [In Silver City, NM and it's environs] and exploited it.

Kris: What was it like working with all those writers?

EJ: Easy. Every one of the writers poured their hearts into their essays. I am humbled by their dedication.

Kris: What's your favorite part of editing?

EJ: I was thrilled at the quality of the submitted essays that were so good they required very little editing. I spent more time compiling and imposing a standard format on essays that were stylistically very different.

Kris: Did you learn anything from your contributors that you find yourself doing now?

EJ: It’s hard to surprise me. I have read widely enough on the subject to be cognizant of much of it.

Kris: How did the Borderland Writers Co-op come about?

EJ: I became aware that we had many good writers locally. First, the Silver City Quarterly Review showcased many of them. Second, we have a local event called "Word Feast," which features a writer and then has a popular open mic for anyone to read their poetry or snippets of prose. I like the idea of community. Writers are my natural community, and I would love to have them be able to get to know one another and support one another in their writing endeavors. We can be a place for writers to find the company of other writers, to come together on projects such as Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets, and to find author services they might want, such as beta readers or editors.

Kris: Are there a lot of writers living in the Silver City, NM/Borderland area?

EJ: That is my impression.

Kris: Tell us a bit about your own writing.

EJ: As a kid, I sometimes dreamed I was reading a book I wrote. For a long time, I thought I should do something far more practical than write stories. My parents wanted me to go into computer science. That was a little too practical. I ended up doing a little of this and a little of that. To me this proves, one needs to go with what’s inside from the very beginning. I found I just couldn’t force myself into a practical mode. Wish I’d figured that out earlier. I tried to write romances at first, and that was a dud. Only when I sat down to write my Science Fiction Federation Diplomat series, did something click. These stories allow me to combine my greatest passion with my greatest pleasure—stories. Finding what was inside was transformative. I felt grounded and centered for the first time in my life. So, if I were to translate my experience for others, I’d have to say, find out what’s inside.

Kris: Any plans for a sequel to Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets?

EJ: Yes. Several writers were not able to meet the deadline for this book or had too
many other projects going. They are interested in contributing to a sequel. Some of the writers for this anthology said they had other topics they would like to consider.

Kris: How did you meet the writers who contributed?

EJ: Many of them contributed to the Silver City Quarterly Review. The editor of that online publication graciously offered to let me send out a request for essays on his mailing list. I met some of the writers at the library when I gave a reading for my first book, Retrograde. I even met one writer at a local coffee shop and one at a local store.

Kris: How has living in the borderlands affected your writing? Can you see it as a metaphor for your creative journey?

EJ: I spent many of my formative years in the borderlands. Before my family moved to Las Cruces, NM, we came to Cloudcroft, NM for the summers. I believe a mix of cultures always spurs creative endeavors. Based on history, a static environment is far less likely to do so. Also, the Southwest has a great variation in climate. Change, variation, these are all good things for self-expression to manifest.

I had to move to the wilderness to find my voice. I live outside Silver City surrounded on three sides by the Gila National Forest. Here is where I realized that no one cared what I was doing and there was no one to impress. Why not do something that I truly enjoyed for a change? On January 1, 2009, I put pencil to paper.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, EJ.

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E J Randolph is an award-winning author of science fiction novels and children’s dragon books. She writes science fiction with a sense of history, and children’s books with a sense of whimsy.

If you like to see a diplomat try novel approaches to conflict resolution supported by her sometimes buccaneering crew, you’ll enjoy her Federation Diplomat series. Start off with Retrograde, then swing into Ore Pirates, The Dead Don’t Believe, The Ambassador Calls Twice, and top it off with No Charity.

If you’d like to meet a friendly boy dragon who saves the town's chile harvest or a fashion-conscious girl dragon who rescues three new friends cornered by wolves, check out Call Me Tony and Zoe, Dragon Princess.

She's also the editor of Deep, Down & Dirty Writing Secrets: A Treasure Trove of Writing Tips, the first writing book published by the Borderland Writers Co-op in Silver City, NM.

https://randolphweb.wordpress.com

https://www.amazon.com/E-J-Randolph/e/B00DPMD2Q4

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Sales links:

Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets

"What a splendid line-up of writers."

-- Beate Sigriddaughter, Writing in a Woman's Voice

"Ideal for beginning writers, as well as reminders for established published authors. Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets tackles many questions necessary to navigate the writing and publishing realm. From creating to editing, this guide is an essential how-to of what to expect while polishing your words, and it will help navigate the oftentimes confusing path to publication. Covered in these pages are the plot development and point of view essential to creating a compelling book series for fiction. Non-fiction writers are also treated to crucial techniques necessary in providing relevant information for creating articles and memoirs."

--Deborah J Ledford, award-winning author and adjunct professor for Virginia Piper Creative Writing Center, Arizona State University.

--"In the delightful writer's-craft anthology Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets, veteran editor Randolph and her merry band of contributors give us a book that avoids the too-broad, too-general focus of so many writer's craft anthologies. And they deliver their practical wisdom with a sense of humor. Maybe there be a sequel!"

-- Bruce McAllister, writing coach and author of the novels Dream Baby and The Village Sang to the Sea.

The Ambassador Calls Twice

Zoe, Dragon Princess