We have talked to L.S. Gibson, the author of The Eynan and Questor.
Can you tell us a bit about your two books, Questor and The Eynan?
Questor is a SF/futuristic novel with a touch of fantasy. Here’s the blurb:
Thrown way off course by a dangerous phenomenon, the crew of the spaceship QUESTOR are desperately low on supplies when they discover two inhabited worlds.
Hoping to gain the assistance they need, the captain visits the nearest planet and sends a small team to the second world. It transpires that things are not as they appear and the crew learn too late that the price of help may be too high.
The Eynan is a Fantasy action/adventure novel. Some sites have labelled it epic fantasy. Here’s the blurb:
When his dreams of marrying his beloved Gallia crumble to ash, Jhond of the House of Reeve knows he must leave home. Having grown up among the old legends of the time of magistry, he decides to follow the clues to find the fabled Temple of the Magi. On his journey there he meets up with Ninian who knows more than it first seems. Together they investigate the Temple and Ninian helps Jhond to realize the truth of his ability. Magistry is not simply a long past myth, it exists. Ninian is a mage – and so is Jhond.
It is only the beginning of their epic journey. They make new friends and dangerous enemies, become embroiled in a war of empires, encounter old loves and learn the value of forgiveness, , while all the time Jhond is refining his skills as a mage.
Gradually all the pieces begin to draw together and Jhond learns he may be more than a simple mage, he might just be the answer to everyone’s prayers. He might be the much vaunted Eynan of long forgotten legend.
Tell us a little bit about the cover art for your books. Who design it? What made you choose that particular image/artwork?
The artwork is provided by my Publisher, Amber Quill Press. One of the owners, Trace Edward Zaber, is the Art Director and does the art work for all the book covers. The author provides suggestions for the cover art but the final choice is the Art Director’s. I have been very pleased with the covers he has provided.
You have one Science Fiction and one Fantasy book out now, which genre do you prefer?
That’s a difficult question. I have been reading both genres for many years and I guess I swing between them like a pendulum. However, there is an element of fantasy in the science fiction novel involving one of the alien races. I think it’s fair to say that I find fantasy easier to write because I can let my imagination run away with me, while with science fiction I have to keep at least one foot on the ground
How do you organise your writing?
With great difficulty! There never seems to be enough hours in the day to cope with the actual writing – I am in the process of writing the sequel to The Eynan – and do all the promotion and marketing necessary. I do what I can but am a firm believer that the best marketing tool for any author is the next book
What is the hardest thing about writing?
I find it virtually impossible to plot out an entire novel and then stick to it. I try and fail abominably, in fact I’m what is generally called a ‘panster’. I start with a vague idea and run with it, see where the characters take me. Usually I enjoy the ride, though all too often I get bogged down when the characters take me down a blind alley, then I have to dig around to find the best way out.
How do you market your books?
As with most writers these days the bulk of the marketing is with the author. I have a website, a blog, use Facebook and Twitter. I also have a Goodreads page, use Pinterest and LinkedIn. Oh, and I also have an Author page on Amazon. I’m never sure if that’s enough or too much Though I am a firm believer that the next book is probably my best advert.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Like any author I love to get good reviews, but understand that even a bad review isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Recognition of any kind can only be positive. I know of some readers who check out poor reviews because they want to make their own decision.
How do you define success as an author?
That people want to read my work. At the moment Questor isn’t garnering as much success as The Eynan but I guess it’s still early days yet.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
I have shelves full of paperbacks, and a few hardbacks, collected over many years of dedicated reading, but for the past few years I’ve mostly been buying ebooks. I like the convenience of having a library permanently on my person in one small device, and choosing to read whenever, wherever I like.
What kind of books do you read, any favourite authors?
I have a very wide taste in reading, dipping in and out of genres as the mood takes. If however, you’re referring to SF and Fantasy, I guess I read more fantasy than science fiction – which I seem to prefer to watch on TV and the cinema than to read these days, not sure why. My list of favourite fantasy authors is endless A few off the top of my head: Louise Cooper, Terry Goodkind, Roger Zelazny, Terry Brooks, Raymond E Feist. I’m also interested in reading Joe Abercrombie, but haven’t yet bought one, soon though.
What’s next?
I’m presently working on the sequel to The Eynan, continuing the adventures of my mage, Jhond, together with Ninian, his erstwhile teacher, now loyal right hand man. I’m also very fond of historical books and I have an idea for a story set in the very early days of Ancient Rome that I want to write next.
