We have talked to Sweet Secrets author Stephanie Weippert about her new book and her future plans.
Hello Stephanie, welcome to SFFWorld. Who is Stephanie Weippert? Why did you want to become a writer?
It came about because of a slug. Lol A local convention to me called Rustycon had an anthology open call for a book called “Tales of the Slug.” Every story had to have a slug as a main character. The idea tickled my funny bone enough that I wrote what I thought was a short story and sent it off. Well, it was rejected of course. I had no clue what I was doing, but the reply told me they liked my writing but I had a scene not a story so they had to reject it. That was all it took for the writing bug to bite and after seven years of hard work I finally have a book out.
First of all can you tell us a bit about Sweet Secrets?
Sweet Secrets was fun to write. This seven year old, Michael is with his brand new step-dad Brad when UPS mis-delivers a package meant for the neighbor next door. When Michael finds out it’s from a candy company, the moment Brad turns his back, Michael gets in and eats one of the transportal chocolate bars. Brad returns with the neighbor’s phone number just in time to watch Michael fade away.
How did you come up with the idea in the first place? What do you feel is unique about your story?
The idea first came to me as a short story outline that grew into novella length. At the time, I didn’t know anywhere to pitch a novella, so set it aside and worked on another project. When I met Thomas Gondolfi and pitched the book I had just finished, he wasn’t excited about my pitch but said he wanted a new magic system, something unique. I asked if food based magic would work and he told me emphatically yes. I explained I had this novella length outline that I could show him and we could work it up into a full length book if he was interested. Good thing I do most of my world building first, because he told me to send it to him. After we had expanded the outline, I’d write a chapter and send it to him, then he’d send it back with corrections. Sweet Secrets ended up as a collaboration between us, and I think it’s better because of it.
Have you always been fascinated by food?
*laughs* No, I’m not fascinated by food. While I enjoy food, Sweet Secrets came from brainstorming cool magic systems. That’s why when I met Tom, I had the world set up but not much of a story.
Can you give us some insight into your main characters?
Poor Brad, the first time his lovely wife ever lets him watch his step-son for her, the kid gets himself whisked off to another world. Panic is the best description for Brad’s mental state.
Michael is a curious seven-year-old boy who gets to go on an adventure where people make cookies fly. He may never want to go home, until he starts missing his mom, of course.
Chef William is that retired guy next door, who feels somewhat responsible for Michael’s disappearance. He’d rather stay at home, but feels obligated to get up and help his panicky neighbor go get his kid who got into his stuff.
What books inspired your career as an author, and what authors do you enjoy now?
My writer heroes are, in no particular order, Jim Butcher, David Weber, Anne McCaffrey, Jean Johnson, and Kat Richardson. Each of them write books that I read and go, “Wow, I wanna write like that.” Which would spur me on to learn more and make my writing better.
How do you go about the marketing aspect and especially related to your online presence? Anything you’ve seen work better than other things?
I blogged for a while until I realized it cut into my writing time. Now the blog is for announcements and occasional posts so people know I’m still alive. A writer website is a must, even if you don’t do much with it, because people have to have a way to reach you. I’m on Twitter some, but end up on Facebook more than Twitter. On my writer page I posted various pics of the Rah, Rah, Go write! style except on Mondays, where I post one of my Blunt Writer Quotes. Those are quotes from published writers about the struggles, pain and all the downside of writing. Like Steven King’s quote about bad writers. Ones like that. The positive posts were mostly ignored, but those Blunt Writer Quotes get shared often. I suppose that this means you can never guess what will work, because I never expected those to be shared so much.
You also attend various conventions. How has that experience been?
I enjoy conventions. I’m a hotel liaison for a convention. My husband and I have gone to conventions long before I started writing. In fact we met at a convention. Conventions are where my people are, my tribe. Those whacky, intelligent Geeks that secretly rule the world. You’ll find us at our conventions. If I could afford it, I’d go to a con every month.
What do you do when you’re not writing, any hobbies?
If you don’t count reading, because frankly when I’m not writing I mostly read, my husband has a filk band called Starlight, and I sing in it. Like I mentioned already, we were going to conventions long before I started writing, but then it was for the music of fandom, Filk. We have one CD out, and have begun recording for our second CD.
What’s next? What projects are you working on at the moment?
I have finished the final edit of the first book in another series, called Road to Chaos. It’s expected out by October. This was the book I pitched to Tom Gondolfi that he turned down when he said he wanted a unique magic system. Road to Chaos has a magic system based on Math. Math that doesn’t just describe reality, it influences reality. After I finished writing Sweet Secrets, Tom asked to see Road to Chaos, so I happily sent it to him. His response back was “You suck at pitching.” *laugh* I agreed. I’m just ecstatic he liked it enough to publish it.
Once again, thank you very much for your time.
Thank you so very much for having me. J
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Interview by Dag Rambraut – SFFWorld.com © 2016
