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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Legend of the White Wolf, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 17 of 17
1. The Trouble with Chickens



Trying to conserve water, reduce evaporation, all that sort of thing, I spread bark mulch underneath my shrubs. It looks nicer than bare earth too. Great idea, right?

Except for one thing. My neighbor has chickens and they dig in it. So every time that I sweep it off the brick walkway and back under my shrubs, the chickens invade and scratch it all back onto my patio.

That's me above. Only I don't get the eggs!

When I lived in Oklahoma, we had problems with a neighbor who had cows. He believed since he sold the land to folks on the ridge and the rest of the land around us was his cattle grazing land, he shouldn't have to fence them in. That we had to fence his cattle out. Didn't work. The calves got beyond my split rail fence, the cows reached their heads underneath the lower posts and yanked out all of my newly planted shrubs, killing them. After all that work of planting around 30 shrubs, I was pretty angry.

Now, I like animals. And I have to admit those doe-eyed cows and calves tugged at my heart, but the farmer only cared about eating them. And he didn't care anything about what they did to the properties that he'd sold to others.

Free range went out a couple of centuries ago! Free range meant he could graze his cattle anywhere. Then barbed wire fencing came into fashion. Instead of barbed wire though...I just got a lawyer's letter explaining we weren't living in "that" world any longer and he had to fence his cows to keep them contained off our property. He moved his cows, knowing he couldn't put fences up here, and there, and everywhere. Too many homesteads. The property all cut up. Talk about wanting your beef and eating it too!

I still love living out with the "wild" animals.

Only, I wish they'd quit messing with my garden! The good thing about the chickens is they do eat bugs. Have at it! I've got plenty of those!

Ever have problems with neighbor's pets???

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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2. Interesting Entrances into a Scottish World


See the little path and the slight rise in the hill and then the hole in the rock? That's an entrance to the castle.

I just loved it. I could envision guarding that entrance from enemies, or hoping that if I entered through there, I would be thought of as friend, not foe.

The castle sat high above cliffs so not easily accessible.

I envisioned the lairds who ruled over the castle and lands--whether they be the usual sort, a little wolfish, or even part of the fae world. :)

So if you visited here in the distant past, who would you have encountered?

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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3. Fae Transport in Scotland...


Some thought that the blurred photo I used in The Dark Fae book trailer was photo shop magic.

But it's really true fae magic.

Okay, here's the secret: We were driving through a really cool tunnel of trees. I was sitting in the back seat, trying to take pictures of everything and anything, and I wanted desperately to take a picture of this mystical area after leaving the B&B. We drove through it several times, seeing a deer in the thick forest the one time as we had to find a place to eat dinner, and we ventured onto one of the islands the next day and returned to the B&B that night.

So I took the photo from the back seat, trying to get a picture through the windshield. We were really going slow as it was pretty much a one-car road and it wound around so you couldn't see head-on traffic coming up. Actually, if I had been driving, we would have been going slower. Which would have meant we probably wouldn't have seen half as much of Scotland as we did! :)

Luckily, we only encountered another car coming from the opposite direction once. And the other good part was that it didn't matter which side of the road we drove on. There weren't two sides. :)

Clever, the Scots, eh?

The only thing I photo shopped out was the rear view mirror, that had the nerve to be in the picture, and a little bit of one of the head rests, same story. :)

And that's the story...how we fae transported in Scotland. :)

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com


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4. When the Story Beckons...

Who needs sleep? Well, I do.

But when the story is keeping me awake, I have to write it or I'll keep thinking about it over and over, trying to "remember" it for when I wake. Which can have disastrous consequences. In other words, I don't recall anything I thought of once I wake. Or, I don't ever sleep, and still can't remember what I was thinking of.

So what happens when the story hits in the middle of the night?



I see full scenes.

Sometimes it just happens. Last night, I woke from a nightmare and couldn't quit thinking about work and whatnot, and couldn't get back to sleep. So I forced myself to think about a scene in The Winged Fae I needed to write.

And that's when it happened.

I can stare at my computer screen every minute I have free from work and not get anything written. So sometimes I just have to get away from the computer and brainstorm, and then if it comes to me, I begin to write it down by long hand.

Which is why I'm up really early typing my notes up now.

Well, actually, I never got back to sleep.

It's really a major scene, the turning point in the story. I need to write more that leads up to it. And flesh it out more, but I actually wrote the whole scene--9 pages long, 3,000 words. :)

Less than 9,000 words to go and The Winged Fae will be done!

Did it come to me in a dream? Absolutely not. I was fully awake, sort of. Now I'm even less so.

:)


I told you the fae are mischievous!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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5. The Vampire...In My Dreams is on the Move!

The birthday bear is done with her very own autographed The Vampire...In My Dreams! I still need to finish the Scottish bear once the fabric gets here, for the other bear in the order. And then they'll be ready to ship!



For the silent auction at Australia Romance Readers, I'll be shipping a couple of mohair bears, their tags autographed, and these autographed books:Legend of the White Wolf, To Tempt the Wolf, Destiny of the Wolf, Seduced by the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Winning the Highlander's Heart, and The Vampire...In My Dreams.



And another copy of an autographed 0 Comments on The Vampire...In My Dreams is on the Move! as of 1/1/1900

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6. Wolf Dog Jumper



Wolves can jump 35 feet, and here is a wolf dog who successfully leapt out of her pen--twice. Even though she's really loving toward humans, and she's very dog-like, she's very wolf like too when you look into her eyes, don't you think?



Why would she not be home with a family? I had a standard poodle once, given to me by a woman whose health was failing. I already had a standard poodle, so took in Angelina too. The name means Angel, although she was far from it. Totally loving, yes, but she had so many faults, one of the biggest--digging out and running.

After the two incidents with the wolf dog, it made me think of how impossible it would be for someone to keep the animal confined in a normal yard with normal fencing. Obviously, even the higher than normal double fencing didn't keep this wolf-dog inside her pen!

So even if the wolf dog is totally good natured, there can be other problems with keeping them.



Here I am petting the wolf dog who had happily just come back from a walk, and she was very thirsty! They kept feeding her ice chips when I thought she needed a nice bowl of water. For the hot climate here, they had misters in each of the pens.



Have a super Saturday! I'm off to work! :)

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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7. Donna's Wolves!


Donna sent me a couple of pictures of wolves at a zoo. They're lovely, Donna, thank you!! The two white wolves were moving quickly, like the ones I was trying to capture in pictures. I ended up getting a LOT of backsides. LOL Donna did better! :) Must be her wolfish blood.

The black wolf has a stick in his mouth. :) Looks like a cigar!


And here is an elegant gray on slippery wet rocks!



And here is my work station. I may not be able to work at it much because of having to work out front, but I've claimed it as my wolf territory! :)



Thanks to my fans for the lovely cards and posters that make it my home away from home. :)

The tile men didn't come last night to move my furniture. They may not show up at all. argh. And so I continue to breathe in mildew. And my AC that I had fixed a few weeks ago isn't working again. Of course it's still running 95 degrees out with no sign of it cooling down anytime soon. And ...yes, there's more, my main computer still isn't working. So I'm going to try to make it all right with the world and spend sometime with my SEAL. :) If Meara would let go of him a little so I can have my turn! :)

Have a great day!

Terry
www.terryspear.com
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."

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8. A Beta Wolf


This was one of the wolves that was walked when we were at the St Francis Wolf Sanctuary. She's a beta, as you can see from the way she stands. She was thrilled to go for a walk, yet she kept her ears back, her tail tucked between her legs, her body slightly bowed.

She has always lived alone, so she stays alone in her pen, while all the other wolves or wolf dogs had companions. But those who managed the sanctuary felt she wouldn't allow anyone in her pen to share it. She's the only one of the full blooded wolves that they walk. She loves the man who walked her here, but some women, she doesn't like he told us!



When you see the wolf like this, it reminded me so much of one of my standard poodles, how she would do this on occasion.




I'm wondering, though, if she found the right male, would she be happy to share her pen with him?

Of course, she would. :)


Have a super Wednesday! And remember, whether a beta wolf or alpha, everyone deserves a delectable mate!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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9. Wolf Dog Grieving

I made a 5 hour round trip to Montgomery, Texas to see wolves and wolf dogs that have been taken into protective custody at St Francis Wolf Sanctuary.

It was hard to get a picture of the carved wolf head beyond the gate, but here is the gate to the estate of the St Francis Wolf Sanctuary.



I wanted to share a few blogs about the various animals/sightings, and am working diligently on Heart of the Highland Wolf edits since it's due on Monday. So I've really got to get back to it. But here is the first of the stories.


Part of the reason I write that my werewolves have long lives is I don't want them to lose their mates at an early age. This is a part wolf, part dog, but looks very much like a wolf and acted like one, who lost his mate, Spirit, three weeks earlier. This was the first time he came out of his home to sit on top of it after losing her.

He actually came to the fence and howled a couple of times, but it was hard to get a picture of them howling. They'd howl, then pace and with their long legs, moved very quickly.


One thing that can distinguish a wolf from a wolf dog is the narrow chest, longer legs, and many constantly paced around their pens. Arctic wolves do have shorter legs and ears though. Arctic wolves are gray wolves also.

But he really did come out of his grief somewhat to finally come to the fence and participate a little in the excitement caused by visitors and volunteers who were there to see them and that was good to see. He was very alpha--his ears always perked up. I'll show a very beta wolf also--and how different the posture.

Hope you all have a great Sunday!
Back to work!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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10. Red and Black...Vampire Colors...


When I saw Dracula in NYC on Broadway one year, the settings were all in black and white with one red object in the scene...a red rose, a glass of red wine...can't remember what the other red object was. But I remember how that one red item really stood out. The rest of the scenes were done beautifully-elegant, perfect, and the the hint of the notion of blood in the form of a red rose or glass of red wine.



Red sports cars are hot!



And this is a Scottish tartan plaid!



This jester is down in the dumps...



Bright red lips are always eye catching.



Definitely, he's a vampire, don't you think?



And this rose looks as though it suits a vampire's lair.

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11. Orange is...

time for Autumn and the renewal of wolves' winter coats. It's time for cooler weather, and warmer colors. For fires, and oranges and orange-flavored green tea.





It's time for Halloween and redheads and things that go bump in the night.



It's October and November and sugar-drained leaves.



It's time for wolves like this in hunting mode in fall.



I love the oranges of fall, although it's not really my color. What do you think of when you think orange?

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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12. Pink means...

parrots...



fancy drinks...





and magnificent, unreal skies.




Crepe myrtles in bloom.



The Pink Panther and...


the Pink Panther Mobile.



Barbie in a pink 50's poodle skirt.



My version with a teddy bear in a 50's poodle skirt.



A VERY pink poodle!

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13. I Loved The Prince of Persia!


I love to play RPGs (Role Playing Games) but I've never played The Prince of Persia. The movie was wonderful. After work last night, my daughter and I went to dinner and then saw the movie--

It had adventure, romance, mystery, fantasy, and delightful humor. I loved it!!! And it made me want to write a story just like that!

So if you love all of the above, you might want to check it out. Really, really enjoyed it!

Well, I had planned on getting WAY ahead on Dreaming of the Wolf, but I just received Wolf Fever edits, so need to work on those also this weekend.

But I wanted to share another one of my very favorite wolfish characters!!!


Hmm, isn't he just awfully dreamy?

And his eyes, very, very wolf like. It's a combination of come hither, and I'm coming after you---so yep, he's a wolf all right!

And he's definitely in Heart of the Highland Wolf, complete with sword.

I had a wonderful fan facebook me, asking if I was going to put my books into movies--yes!!! As soon as someone sends the contract, I'm signing. The only stipulation? I get to meet the male hunks applying for the main roles (and 2ndary roles....you never know when one of them might be the next major hunk star) so they can prove to me how wolfish they truly are. :)

Wouldn't you love to see the wolves in a movie of their own??? :)

Have a super Saturday!!!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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14. Motherhood and Beginnings and Happy May Day!!





This month's theme is about motherhood and new beginnings. But today also is May Day. :)

In August, my new release is Seduced by the Wolf, where Leidolf Wildhaven has his heart set on a loner red wolf, and Cassie Roux has other notions in mind. It's spring and the time for wolf pups and the rebirth of the trees and flowers--
but as a wolf biologist, who had been raised by wolves after her family perishes, she is dedicated to the wolf's cause. And that means, she has no intention of mixing it up with an alpha male leader, who's looking for a mate.



Leidolf believes the werewolf's cause is just as important, if not more so, and therein lies the difficulty.

I was just watching a film about a man who's lost his wife of many years, and how desolate he becomes. Until he saves a wolf's puppies after the she-wolf is killed. The wife had been feeding the she-wolf before she died, and he had shown no interest in the wolf. It showed how even a guy can be a great mother to a pack of wolves when they need him--ahem, of course he had to have an angel intervene to point out the way to him, but after that...well, it was fun watching him playing with the wolves. :) And how that nurturing side of him made him live again.

But Seduced by the Wolf was based in part on a true story, where a wolf biologist rescued a she-wolf and her pups after her mate is killed. And it had a happily ever after for her...just like with mine!!! Wolves and werewolves alike.

Although, not for the bad guys. :)


I was reading an account of two Blackfeet who found a single wolf pup alive in a den, the others having drowned because of flooding, the alpha male and female frantic, but unable to reach them. The one Blackfoot took the pup and raised him, and twice, once from a raiding Crow war party and another time from a Sioux, the wolf saved them, even though it would have nothing to do with the dogs in the Blackfeet camp, and the other braves were reluctant to take the wolf on raids. But then, the wolf left the camp more often, and finally quit returning to the brave who had raised him. And then, he returned with another wolf, but this one wouldn't approach the camp. Then restless, he left and a year later, returned with another wolf. He took off with her and they were never seen again. His friends told him to find another wolf pup to raise, but he simply said, "No."

Was the wolf his mate? I'd like to think so, and he ended up with a litter

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15. Ever Want to Stick Your Tongue out at Someone?


Well, if you were a werewolf and shapeshifted, here's what it would look like.

The other wolf is so surprised, it twists around in and looks at the projecting tongue, not sure to what to think of it.

Yep, even as adults, we stick out our tongue. Mostly in playfulness. At least I hope!

The other wolf isn't pay any attention. It's just between these two wolves. Which is as it should be. Just because one wolf behaves a certain way toward another, there's no reason that all of them in the pack have to pay any attention to it. :)

It's personal. :)

Sticking one's tongue out might not be as acceptable a practice as you grow up, but how about eye rolling? Wolves haven't learned that one yet, but works for me!

Then again, there are perfectly acceptable reasons to stick out one's tongue--to capture a snowflake, to lick one's lips, to make a face when something is intolerably horrible tasting.

One of the most memorable "tongue" scenes for me was in Star Wars, when Princess Leia, slave girl, was accosted by Jabba's huge licking tongue. :) Yuck. :)

You've probably heard of the sticking a tongue out at something frozen to see what happens, and getting it stuck. My grandmother and her twin sister did that when they lived in Portage-la-Prairie...or they might have been in Treherne, Manitoba by then. But one dared the other to touch a metal pole in freezing weather and, yep, wet tongue stuck to frozen metal. Works every time. Now, how to get it unstuck? Their mom had to bring water. Hmmm, the other twin didn't test the theory, and the one that did, luckily didn't lose any tongue over it (tongue in cheek here), but forever they'd know the answer to their question. Wet tongue to frozen metal means you aren't going anywhere anytime soon. :) And if you're lucky, someone will rescue you.

Sooo, have you stuck your tongue out at anyone lately? Or tempted fate???

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

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16. True Ghost Story in the Wild, Wild West


Doesn't this look like a place where ghosts could exist?

Ever encounter a ghost in your wanderings? I have...it wasn't the usual human type spirit though.

Here I was, sleeping on a cold night with our Army ROTC cadets on the rocky ground in Palo Duro Canyon. But not sleeping exactly. Everyone else was, but I'm born of the Princess and the Pea blood...which means, anything can bruise
me.

So the lumpy, rocky ground kept me awake, the cold, the sounds in the night, the breeze stirring over the cliffs, the thought rattlesnakes, or tarantulas, or scorpions would seek heat would find their way into my sleeping bag, kept me awake. I stared at the sky that stretched forever. The
Texas sky does, you know. In other places, mountains and trees and buildings might break up the sky, but not out there. Not in the vast wilderness that was the Panhandle of Texas. The stars sparkled across the dark sky like jewels twinkling in the night. And I was frustrated with myself for not being able to sleep, knowing we had to run up and down the hills in the morning to search for clues on an orienteering course.

Sometime during that night, I finally drifted off, but then heard the sound of horses running, stampeding in our direction. They snorted and whinnied and the sound was frightening. I recalled deer running through our friends' tent
when we camped off an island in our boat in a lake in California. They don't go around, I thought. The horses will run straight through us and trample us to death. I tried to wake my sister who was sleeping in a bag next to me. She grumbled at me to leave her alone and I watched the others in
the dark. No one heard the noise but me.

I lay back hoping that the horses would skirt around us. I realized the pounding of hooves didn't shake the ground like it should have. Maybe they were too far away. And then, they moved off in the distance, fading until they were gone. I lay awake for a long time, unable to get over how close we could have been to being trampled, fearing their return. That they'd switch back and come this way again.

And then finally, I was able to sleep and before I knew it, we were sitting at a campfire, cold, achy, having breakfast. I asked about the wild horses. Our cadre said there could be. Sure. But no one had heard anything last night.

Years later, I wanted to write about the wild horses for a magazine, only when I began to research them, I learned others had heard the ghost ponies in the dead of the night. I sat slack-jawed reading the accounts. Ghost ponies? For years, I had believed they were real. The sound of their running, snorts, whinnies were real. It happened.

But they were whispers of the past--of soldiers running Indian ponies off the cliffs in an attempt to keep the gathered tribes from fighting back. Without their horses, the tribes could no longer be mobile. They could no longer mount any campaigns.

The horses were terrified and were driven to their deaths. And now, they live in the canyon forever, a memory of past deeds, a remembrance of their past life.

So what about you? Have you had any ghostly experiences???

Chance to win The Vampire...In My Dreams or other vampire books at:


Terry

www.terryspear.com

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17. MEET AUTHOR: MAX ELLIOT ANDERSON




Shari: You write wonderful books for reluctant readers. How many of those books have you written? Have they all been published?

Max: Thank you, I appreciate that, and the opportunity to talk about the subject of reluctant readers, especially tween boys. I’ve completed a total of thirty-five manuscripts for this age group. In addition, one of my short stories is included in the book, Lay Ups and Long Shots, from Darby Creek Publishing. Seven other books have been published.

Shari: Would you tell us about them?

Max: The titles are Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbot's Cave, and Legend of the White Wolf. I would describe them as action-adventures and mysteries that are filled with exciting stories, humor, a lot of dialog, and heart-pounding action and adventure. Kids tell me that reading one of my books is like being in an exciting or scary movie. I should point out that this is good scary, not dark or evil scary. The books have completely different characters, settings, and plots, so you can pick up any book and begin reading, without having to start with any particular title.

Shari: Are many publishers looking for books for reluctant readers?

Max: From what I see in trade publications and newsletters, they are. But publishers are also looking for well known authors, or authors with a solid platform. Platform, of course, means that the author has several ways to help get the books sold. I’m not that famous, and I don’t have something like a national radio show, so I continue working on my platform in other ways. I write articles, short stories, give interviews, speak, maintain email lists of schools and homeschoolers, along with a number of other initiatives. My blog, Books for Boys
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com has been holding # 4 on Google over the past several weeks. So if someone is looking for that subject, they will find my blog near the top of the Google list. I also have a short story under consideration at Boys’ Life. Something like that, with a circulation of 1,300,000 would help a lot in name recognition.

Toward the end of 2008, and into the first part of this year, my agent has sent quite a few proposals to interested publishers. So we’re hopeful to see some doors open before too much longer.

Something that interests me is that James Patterson, author of a ga-billion books, has a ten-year-old son who is a reluctant reader. I, too, grew up as a reluctant reader, even though my father was the author of over 70 books. I never read any of them. Mr. Patterson has started a web site to help in the fight to reach reluctant readers. That site is
http://www.readkiddoread.com

Shari: How would you describe a book for a reluctant reader?

Max: It would be a book without a lot of large blocks or paragraphs of words. Sentences tend to be shorter, with lots of dialog. They must be fast-paced, and grab the reader right away. In the case of my books, almost all chapters end with a cliffhanger, so the reader simply must keep reading. My books are printed on bright, white paper, with larger type and wider spacing between the lines. Vocabulary needs to be more simple to grasp, without talking down to the reader. These are some of the elements that I use when writing. The interesting thing I have found is that my books are also enjoyed by avid readers, girls, and even adults. So writers need to make sure to tell a good story. If you do that, the readers will follow.

Shari: I bought some of your books for my grandson. He really enjoyed them. Do you visit schools where you get feedback from your readers?

Max: Yes. In fact, I’ll be speaking in a school this week. My program is called Imagine
http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/whats_new.html My presentation is very interactive, so I get a lot of feedback during the process. Most often I speak to just one class or one big assembly. But this time I’m speaking to the assembly, where I’ll give the first ¾ of my program, and then go to a couple of individual classrooms and do the writing assignment, followed with question & answer. It’s not only an opportunity to connect with potential readers, but I have the schools send a pre-order form home with the students. It’s a nice way to add to their enjoyment of the experience.


Shari: Will you tell us about your latest book and how readers may purchase it?

Max: All of my books are available on Amazon.com, and all are rated by Accelerated Reader. That’s important to kids because they can earn points in school by reading them. My most recent full length book is Legend of the White Wolf. What I’ve written about that one is, “They didn’t call him a liar; they just couldn’t believe his story. Brian Fisher was determined to prove it was true even though it involved the risk to his own safety. His rescue of a wolf pup from a steel trap results in a mysterious relationship with surprising results. The story is set in the lower elevations near Yellowstone.”

The most recent book is Lay Ups and Long Shots. It includes my short story, Big Foot, which is a football story about a boy with a dis-ABILITY. One of his feet is much, much larger than the other and it causes him to be teased and bullied, no matter where he has lived. After his father dies suddenly, we learn a special secret that only he and his son knew.

People can send orders to me for my books and I sign all of those books. Email for details at
[email protected] However, I don’t have the right to sell Lay Ups and Long Shots. That one is available in most stores or on Amazon and other online outlets.

Shari: If you weren’t a writer, what do you think you would be?

Max: Actually, when I’m not writing, I’m a producer of video programs and television commercials. I’ve shot, directed, or produced over 500 national TV commercials for True Value Hardware, and done a number of commercials for my state senator. Most of my work comes from industrial or medical clients, although, with the severe economic downturn, that part of my life is pretty quiet right now. I grew up around film production since that’s what my dad did. It kind of got into my blood early, and I’ve always enjoyed the process. That work also gives me a different opportunity for writing video and commercial scripts.

Shari: Would you describe your work space?

Max: Both of our children are grown and out on their own, so I took over our son’s bedroom, turning it into my writing room. I have a separate computer there along with all my reference books and tools for writing. The room has windows on two sides which are a must for me, creatively. I can close the door and be completely isolated. I have a stereo set up in there too, and an extensive CD library of classical music along with several others. When I write, I burn a candle right next to the computer. I only write scary scenes after dark, and keep the room dark too. Next I find some really spooky music and play that. It never fails to put me in the right mood. Then, when I write something really creepy, I get chills all over, just like I hope the reader will. For sad scenes, I’ll choose very sad music and that can bring tears. And for comedy, I’ll put in funny music. That’ll make me laugh at times. But I can’t have any music playing that has lyrics. I can only write to instrumental music.

It’s good if you can have a designated writing place because, once you get there, it helps to put you in the right frame of mind to start writing, and to experience the full creative process. I marvel at writers who can work with the TV blaring, kids screaming, and a lot of interruptions. That’d drive me crazy I think.

Shari: Will you tell us how you work? (Time of day, attire, process, etc.?)

Max: My last book-length manuscript is called Scanners. About it I’ve written, “What do bar codes, scanners, tattoos, and 666 have to do with the life of a twelve-year-old boy? Maybe nothing. Maybe everything.

Alex and his friends, Noah Bates and Tim Price began working with him, in his father’s grocery store, for the summer. But it wasn’t long before some money was missing, a lot of money. And it always happened on the weekends.

Alex didn’t care what it took, he was determined to catch the thief. Only he could never have imagined how big it was, or how many people were involved.”

I completed Scanners in March of 2007. Again, that was a conscious decision to stop, after writing thirty-five of them, and concentrate on becoming a more attractive prospect for publishers. I often tell other writers, who haven’t yet been published, that writing your book is the easy part. The truly hard job is all of what comes next.

I dress normally when I write. I’ve read about how some people slouch around in P J’s, or a robe, but that wouldn’t work for me. I believe that you change, mentally, depending on what you’re wearing. Just remember back the last time you wore a Tux or evening gown as compared to jeans or shorts and a T shirt.

The best time for me to write is beginning in the evening. I like to finish two to three chapters, and I’ll never start a chapter that I can’t finish in that session. When I come to the end of the session, I place a post-it-note on the freshly printed pages that says, “Next.” On it I scribble a few notes about what would happen next, if I were to continue writing. But something funny happened with Legend of the White Wolf. I don’t write to an outline. So the story is happening fresh, as I go along. I began writing on a Friday evening, and the next thing I knew, it was tomorrow. That was a little shocking, but I just kept on writing, and the first draft was finished in three days. I did this because I couldn’t wait to see how the story was going to turn out.

I don’t edit as I go, and don’t read anything until the first draft is finished. I will have made notes, and there are scraps of paper scattered around with pieces of dialog, a funny line, or a fine point I want to include

I like to write summer scenes or stories when it’s hot, and winter when it’s freezing cold out. There have been times when I’ve cranked the heat up, during cold weather, just to simulate the summer heat.

What I enjoy most about writing is being able to plunge into a different world with characters that I get to create. I’m the most at peace when I’m writing, and I love everything about the process. Then, when a parent, or a young reader send a letter, or an email, to tell me how one of my books has touched their lives, or when I find that a reluctant reader is now a reader, because of one of my books, that makes everything worthwhile.

7 Comments on MEET AUTHOR: MAX ELLIOT ANDERSON, last added: 2/6/2009
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