Tag: Q&A Page 8 of 18

This is another connection made by my friend who had a nearby booth an Arts fair (or something like that). I don’t know if either my pal or McBee sold much that day, but I appreciate them conversing at least! If you look at his material and compare it to others from this series of posts, one thing you’ll see off the top is the wide variety of genres we have here. It ain’t all potatoes and mountain scenes here, folks.
Anyway, sit back and enjoy this chat with Bryan McBee–and go check out his site and books afterward.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
My name is Bryan McBee. I am an Idaho author. I served in the US Army for five years. After which, I attended BSU and graduated in 2018. I have been a bookworm for most of my life, thanks in large part to my mom, who caved in to my constant pestering, and read to me from Stephen King’s The Night Shift in third grade. I have been in love with reading and writing pretty much all my life. I finished writing my first novel, Vector Zero, in 2013, and found a publisher for it in 2021. My second novel, Afterworld, came out in 2022, and I just signed a contract for my third novel which is titled Abnormal Ends. A few of my favorite authors are Dan Simmons, Stephen King, Robert McCommon, Megan O’Keefe, John Scalzi and Brandon Sanderson.

What kept you going from 2013-2021? Also, how many revisions did Vector Zero go through in that time? Incidentally, what I’ve heard of Abnormal Ends on social media has me really intrigued—looking forward to that.
Some of the time in between was taken up by college. I took advantage of the GI Bill and returned to school. For much of that time Vector Zero sat in a file on my computer collecting metaphorical dust. I took it out from time to time trying to find an agent to represent it. Each time I reread and revised it a little. Then came working with an actual editor with an eye towards publication and release. All told the novel went through at least five or six major revisions/rewrites before hitting the shelves.

I’m glad to hear that you’re looking forward to Abnormal Ends. I was excited to write it. It’s with the editor as we speak. I will send out updates as they come in.

Are you a native Idahoan? What brought you to Idaho in the first place? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I’ve lived in Idaho most of my life. I moved here from Oregon when I was 13. My mom’s job transferred her here, and I being her only remaining dependent, was carted along with the rest of her luggage. I love it here. It’s clean, the people are nice, and the country is beautiful.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author.
I am still pretty new to the whole published author thing, so I’m still trying to find my place in the local culture. I’ve joined the Idaho Writer’s Guild. They’ve been pretty helpful with finding events and giving support to a newby like me.

I’m hearing a lot of good things about the IWG from this series of Q&As. What kind of support/help have you found from it? Here’s a chance for a newby to do some outreach so he can become a respected vet 🙂
I’ve only been a part of the Guild for a year, and due to work haven’t had as much time as I would like to take advantage of the conferences and other events they hold. I am hoping to change that this year and become more active within the Guild.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
I’ve gotten in touch with several bookstores in the Boise area to do signings. They’ve all been very accommodating. Most recently, I was at Barnes and Noble. In addition to bookstores, I will be at the Gem State Comic Con for the second year in a row, and the Idaho Halloween and Horror Con for the third year in a row. Both are great events. Very fun, and I get to meet lots of awesome nerdy people like me. I attended FanX, the Salt Lake City Comic Con in 2022. That was amazing, and almost overwhelming.

I haven’t made it to Gem State yet—what’s it like for authors? (or in general, come to think of it). I don’t think I’ve heard of the Halloween and Horror Con, either—but if you’ve gone twice and are coming back, it’s got to have something going or it, what’s it like and where is it held?
Gem State Comic con was pretty fantastic. I’m told that last year was the first year back after a hiatus. I found the crowd very welcoming and friendly. Lots of people from all sorts of different fandoms gathered to celebrate the things they love.

The Halloween and Horror Convention was my first big show since becoming a published writer. Last year and the year before they held the convention at the Red Lion hotel downtown. But they’ve outgrown that and will be holding it at Expo-Idaho, like Gem Comic Con. It’s a really great show if you like all things Halloween or Horror.

I will try to keep going back to both shows, as long as they will have me.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
I am still a very new author on the scene, and in the process of building my audience. Much of my audience is local to the Boise area, because that’s where I live and can easily reach. However, several of my old army buddies have become dedicated readers, so I have some out of state reach. According to the demographics function on my Facebook page, I even have a follower in Malta. Which I think is tremendous!

Malta? Sounds very exotic. You need to arrange a signing there. (The snarky part of my brain just flashed on Cliff Poncier from the movie Singles, “we’re huge in Europe right now. I mean, we’ve got records… uh, a big record just broke in Belgium.”)

Are those buddies spreading the word as well? I’d think that could be good marketing (especially if they’re still enlisted and stuck on base somewhere with other people who need something to fill downtime).
I just rewatched Singles for the first time in years a little while ago!

My army buddies are spreading the word about my books. A few of them have been fans as well as friends for a long time! Every little bit of exposure helps when it comes to building an audience, and word of mouth is absolutely invaluable!

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley?
I can’t say that I’ve seen any particular challenges to being an author here in the Treasure Valley. The internet has made it so that one doesn’t need to be in New York to be discovered. One thing I have noticed, is there is a strong feeling of local pride among people when they see that I’m a local writer. People here love to support local artists and creators. Which I think bolsters the strong sense of community that we all share here.

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I’m not really sure. My main focus as I’m scribbling away is to try and make my characters and situations as believable as possible, especially when it’s completely unbelievable. I feel like a writer has to be true to the world they have created and the people who inhabit it. On the main, I like to write what I like to read. Which is a little bit of everything. Hence, my first book is a military thriller, my second is a post-apocalyptic fantasy, and my third is going to be a cyber-punk serial killer novel. The only sensibility I try to bring to my work, is to tell the best story I can.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. Such a good book.

That’s my first Doerr response, which really surprises me.
In college, especially in English classes, especially in the writing classes, and most especially in the fiction writing classes, the professors name drop Anthony Doerr constantly. Not quite to the point of annoyance, but only just. It did make me curious about his work. So after I graduated (and gained free time with which to read what I wanted to read) I checked out his work. Very impressive, in my opinion. Well worth all the name dropping I heard as an English major in school.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the opportunity to chat with you!

Back before this series had a name, I posted about Danielle Higley’s book (described below) and she participated in a nice Q&A about it. Now, I’ve got her back to talk about writing in Idaho. I can’t recommend her book enough and I think she gave some great answers below. Hope you enjoy!

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Sure! I’m Danielle Higley, author of The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Children’s Books” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Children’s Books.

It’s a nonfiction collection of backstories that details how books like Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and even Captain Underpants came to be. In 2022, it was selected by the Idaho Center for the Book—an affiliate of the Library of Congress—to represent Idaho at the National Book Festival. Since then, I’ve done some public speaking engagements, school visits, and local events to help promote the book. I’ve also been learning how to promote myself as an author and reader online, so if anyone is interested in finding me, you can do so on Instagram at @bookishinboise.

Are you a native Idahoan? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I’m as close to being a native Idahoan as you can get without getting your eye wet. My family moved to Boise from Arizona when I was five, and my parents actually still live in the house I grew up in. I left Idaho a couple times in my 20s—twice for internships and once for fun—and I came back loving Idaho all the more.

To me, Idaho is the stuff of love notes. [IR: That’s such a great line!] It’s beautiful and generous; bountiful with mountains, wildlife, and opportunities to explore the outdoors. I grew up near the foothills, where people spent long minutes waving one another forward at a three-way stop. We borrowed sugar from our neighbors and traded vegetables across the fence.

Idaho is changing. We’re proud of our state, and rightly so. But I hope we always keep our kindness, our welcoming hearts, and our neighborly compassion. More than our simple freeways, our four colorful seasons, our ski resorts, and our beautiful downtown, it’s the culture that keeps me close.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author.
Boise has several great groups for authors and book lovers. My favorite group is the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), which has a local chapter that meets monthly. Since I write almost exclusively for kids, it’s a good fit for me. I’ve also done some events with the Idaho Writers’ Guild and found that group to be welcoming and well-established.

If you’re a local writer, I’d encourage you to consider joining such a group for several reasons: First, there’s the community aspect. Writers are solitary workers, but the revision process requires us to bring in other perspectives to see where we can improve. Getting input from fellow writers can help uncover plot holes, inaccuracies, and inconsistencies.

Second is the education component. Writing groups often offer conferences and other literary events that can help writers and illustrators hone their craft. Such events sometimes also bring in publishing professionals and, for a fee, you may be able to show your work to an agent or editor who could offer you a contract.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
Last year (in 2022), I attended the first-ever Idaho Books and Brews event, which brought together local authors and local breweries—seriously, what a genius marketing idea that was! I also attended a local author’s event at the Eagle Public Library. Other than that, you can sometimes find me at Rediscovered Books—either the Boise or Caldwell location—and I try to attend any school that wants to have me for an author’s event.

I missed the Books and Brews event (and doing so led to this series!). What was that experience like?
It was great! Basically, the space was divided in two—local authors and their books along the outside edge, and a bunch of local breweries in the middle. Attendees could buy tokens to be exchanged for books or beer. The beer was served in small glasses, perfect for tasting a variety of flavors. The best part, I think, was that authors had plenty of time to talk to readers and sign books.

I hope it does become an annual thing. If so, I definitely plan to attend again.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
That’s a great question! I do get messages sometimes from readers, librarians, and booksellers around the country, but most of the people I’ve talked to about my book have been local.

I’m fortunate to have found a really wonderful partnership with Rediscovered Books in Boise, and they’ve supported me by including my book at events and putting it on display in prominent spots in their store. My book doesn’t have a huge marketing budget behind it—Bushel & Peck is a small, independent publisher—so having that kind of attention from a bookseller has made all the difference. I’m truly grateful.
It’s hard to say enough good things about Rediscovered, isn’t it? (incidentally, my copy was on a big display there before it was on my shelf). I’ve imagined the experience as an author would be good—it’s great (and dangerous to the checking account) for the reader.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
People always say “write what you know,” but what we know is a culmination of our life experiences, opportunities, and surroundings. To me, that makes my challenges and advantages one and the same.

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
Hmm… I definitely picture my books in Idaho when I write fiction. Strolling my childhood sidewalks, marching the practice field of my high school, walking along the canal behind my parents’ house. I suspect others could point out my Idaho-isms better than I could, as I’m often guilty of being blind to my own assumptions and generalizations.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
There’s a really beautiful picture book that just came out and made me think of the Idaho pioneering and family spirit. It’s called Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall, and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

For YA, I’d say All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. My mom and I once made a tour of unique Idaho landmarks, including Balance Rock, Soda Springs, and Hagerman (home of the Hagerman horse fossil). That sort of “explore your own backyard spirit” is a cornerstone of that book.

For adult fiction, The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes comes to mind. Once upon a time, before there was a library in Garden City, my mom and I would visit our local bookmobile to check out new reading material each week. Not exactly books in saddlebags delivered on horseback, but that sounds quite “Idaho” as well.

And lastly, for nonfiction readers I really must mention The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party by Daniel James Brown. Had they taken the conventional path through Idaho, the Donner party might have escaped their terrible fate. As it was, we know what happened, and unfortunately I have to admit that had I been a pioneer in their shoes, I absolutely would have opted to take the shortcut…
Wow…this is a great (and thorough) list. My TBR is bigger!

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!

A friend of mine had a booth a craft fair recently, and messaged me about Rebecca Carey Lyles and suggested I track her down for this series (she also scouted out someone else to come in the next few weeks). I gave it a shot, and have had a great interaction with her so far—I’ll hopefully continue that when I try to get to one of her books in February (or later, we’ll see how I do). Her material isn’t quite what I typically feature here, but the cliché about the spice of life has to be based on something, right? Anyway, that’s for another day—for now, enjoy this Q&A.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Thanks so much for asking, HC. I’m a wife, mom and grandma as well as an author and an editor. Although I’ve written for a variety of publications, fiction became my passion when I moved to Idaho and joined a wonderful Treasure Valley writing group. Since then, I’ve compiled a short-story collection with local authors and written two fiction series plus the first book in a third series.

My tagline for my novels is Contemporary Christian Romance Set in the West and Salted with Suspense. But some have suggested the books are suspense salted with romance due to the subject matter and action/adventure aspect. Although I tackle difficult subjects like human trafficking, coercive cults, and contemporary polygamy, I always promise happy endings—because I like happy endings. 😊
I know some think of me as shallow, and I’m okay with that, but while I understand the need for dark or ambiguous endings (and love several books with them)…give me a happy ending almost any day over those.
Here are some links for you to peruse:
Website: http://www.beckylyles.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rebecca-Carey-Lyles/author/B005EJ8LP8
Facebook Author Page: Rebecca Carey Lyles
Twitter: @BeckyLyles

What brought you to Idaho in the first place? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
My husband’s job with the phone company brought us to Boise 16 years ago, and we are forever grateful. We raised our kids in Wyoming and then Steve was transferred to Phoenix. After three long hot summers, we jumped at an opportunity to move north to God’s country again. We love this area and the creativity we’ve found here along with opportunities to connect with other musicians (Steve) and writers (me).

Now I’m curious—are you a native or a transplant, HC?
I’m a native (3rd generation on both sides, I believe)—born in the panhandle, spent a couple of years in Eastern Idaho—but have spent 4+ decades bouncing around the Treasure Valley (well, the University of Idaho was in there, too, but my home address stayed in Caldwell)

This is going afield from the “literary locals” idea, but oh well…you mentioned musicians and your husband—is there a project/band that you could plug here, or is this more of a personal pursuit on his part?
Steve loves to jam with Boise Ukulele Group. (https://boiseukulelegroup.com/) BUG is an open group and from what Steve says, a lot of fun. Everyone is invited, no matter their level of ukulele ability. He also sings and plays his uke with a four or five-person group called the Daydreamers. (https://boiseukulelegroup.com/the-daydreamers/)
I should also mention Steve and I host a podcast we call “Let Me Tell You a Story” that features authors and their books as well as people with interesting personal stories to tell. (http://beckylyles.com/podcast.html)

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
A year after we moved here, a young author named Angela Ruth Strong established an American Christian Fiction Writers group in Boise and christened it Idahope Christian Writers. We hosted monthly meetings, yearly writers’ conferences, brainstorming sessions, trainings and webinars. Through the group, I gained the information and confidence needed to begin publishing fiction.

Was there something specific that the group did to get you that confidence, or was it just repeated exposure to and interaction with other writers?
I’d been in fiction-writing groups in Wyoming and Arizona and had started my first fiction book, but no one in those groups seemed interested in writing for publication. From the beginning, ICW members pursued publication, which meant honing their craft, learning the ins and outs of publication, meeting agents and publishers at conferences, and studying marketing techniques for authors. My guess is at least a dozen ICW writers have published a minimum of one book since then, and some of us have written multiple books.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
Attendees loved our conferences, but the pandemic put a halt to monthly meetings as well as to yearly conferences and other get-togethers. We still have a Facebook page, and fun plans are in the works to revive the group in the fall. I’m happy to report critique groups were spawned from the mother group. We continue to support each other’s writing, sometimes online and sometimes in person.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
Hmm…my audience. My books mostly sell in eBook format in the US, with an occasional eBook purchase in another English-speaking country. I attend local book-signing events once or twice a year and some people purchase print copies online, but eBooks are by far the bestsellers. And, as might be expected, women are the primary buyers. However, men occasionally write to say they enjoy my stories. A local guy who loves my books likes to say, “How does a nice lady like you write such terrible stories?” Makes my day when he says that!(That is such a twisted compliment—based on what I’m learning about your work, a fitting one, too!)

Because we’ve lived in California (Steve), Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and Idaho, we have friends, relatives and former classmates all across the West who read and promote my books for me. I also advertise online and love to read comments and reviews by far-flung readers I’ve never met.

I haven’t thought too much about online advertising for books—what kinds of places do you advertise online (at least effectively)—are we talking Facebook/other social media platforms, online magazines/journals, or other places?
As far as I know, Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads and BookBub are the main sites where authors market. Many other advertising options are available, but those three are key. I tend to focus on one at a time, partly due to cost and partly so I can judge the effectiveness of specific ads.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
The Northwest is an amazing creative corner of our great country where artistic endeavors are encouraged and appreciated. I feel blessed to be enveloped in such a welcoming, supportive environment.

Have you run into a lot of creative people in the Treasure Valley, HC?
Thanks to things like the Boise Library’s Comic Arts Festival, I’ve met some—but I need to find more of you. I know you creative types are out there, I just need to encounter some. That’s half the reason I’m doing this series, to meet more! (far easier for this introvert to do it this way than in-person, too).
Haha, I understand the introvert thing. 😊

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I grew up in a small Wyoming farming town with mountains visible from our backdoor, so I feel right at home in Idaho. And then I attended college in Denver where I got a taste of city life (and more mountains!). As a result, I feel at home in Boise. To answer your question, my books are set throughout the West, but no doubt Idaho has informed the way I describe not only settings but characters. The stalwart grit and independent spirit found in our beautiful state inform themes of hope and freedom in my series.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
Educated is an Idaho story, though a challenging one to read. The author’s fight to escape her family’s abuse and insanity is remarkable and commendable. However, this is not necessarily a recommendation because the book is disturbing and not for the faint of heart. Also, the author, Tara Westover, was only 32 or 33 when her book was published. It has an incomplete feel about it, I think, possibly because she has more life to live and more healing to pursue. All that said, Ms. Westover is a good writer, and I enjoyed the book.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!
Great questions, HC! Thank you for letting me talk with you about my lifelong obsession, reading (and writing) good books. 😊

After I announced this series, I got a message, “Hey, would you be interested in NE Oregon writers as well? Just on the west side of Hells Canyon in Wallowa County.” So, I expanded my horizons (just a bit) and jumped on it. Here’s the result–Reynolds-Ward is quite the prolific writer and one you should definitely find some time to check out.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Joyce Reynolds-Ward has been called “the best writer I’ve never heard of” by one reviewer. Her work includes themes of high-stakes family and political conflict, digital sentience, personal agency and control, realistic strong women, and (whenever possible) horses, frequently in Pacific Northwest settings.

She is the author of The Netwalk Sequence series, the Goddess’s Honor series, The Martiniere Legacy series, The People of the Martiniere Legacy series, and The Martiniere Multiverse series as well as standalones Beating the Apocalypse, Klone’s Stronghold and Alien Savvy.

Samples of her Martiniere short stories/novel in progress and her nonfiction can be found on Substack at either Speculations from the Wide Open Spaces (writing), Speculations on Politics and Political History (politics), or Martiniere Stories (fiction).

Joyce is a Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off Semifinalist, a Writers of the Future SemiFinalist, and an Anthology Builder Finalist. She is the Secretary of the Northwest Independent Writers Association, a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, and a member of Soroptimists International.

Find out more about Joyce at her website, http://www.joycereynoldsward.com. Joyce is @JoyceReynoldsW1 on Twitter, jreynoldsward on Tumblr, joycereynoldsward on Counter.Social, and jreynoldsward on Dreamwidth.

Are you a native to the Idaho-ish area? What brought you to the area in the first place? (answer whichever question applies) What is it about the area that keeps you here?
Well, I’m over here in what some call “Greater Idaho,” aka Northeastern Oregon. I split my time between the Wallowa Valley (where I have excellent views of the Seven Devils on the border, clouds and wildfire smoke depending) and Portland, but I spend more time in the Wallowas. I am a fifth-generation Oregonian, but my family was primarily in Southern Oregon. I love the drier climate, the access to mountains, and the wide open spaces. Not always thrilled about the local politics, but that’s a given no matter where I live.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
Pre-Covid, I was involved with Fishtrap, which is Wallowa County’s literary organization. I have attended their winter Fishtrap Fireside readers and their Summer Fishtrap Conference at Wallowa Lake. While Fishtrap is more literary-oriented rather than genre-oriented (I write science fiction and fantasy), I’ve found it to be useful in some respects. I’m not currently involved because my doctor has asked me to avoid indoor gatherings, continue to social distance, and mask. I am, however, very involved with a regional writer’s organization, the Northwest Independent Writers Association. I have sent my books to events hosted by NIWA and host their monthly Zoom chats, as well as being a Board member. NIWA has done great things for helping regional indie writers and I’m glad to be part of the process.

(Fishtrap is such a great name)
It is. Their logo is based on the design of a fishtrap used in the local rivers. Of course, I also think of the submerged fishtrap that I saw in Crane Prairie Reservoir (near Bend) where my parents used to fish as a kid. There was a very good fishing hole near the fishtrap, so we were always looking for it.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
At the time, due to doctor request, I am not attending in-person events. Because of the paucity of virtual events locally, most of my event attendance tends to be located out of the area. I have participated virtually in the World Science Fiction Convention as a panelist and volunteer, the World Fantasy Convention as a panelist and attendee Weeknight Writers as a panelist and attendee, Quarancon as a panelist and attendee, SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association) write-ins and virtual gatherings, Substack Fictionistas Zoom calls, PNW Meetup (20Booksto50K local group) Zooms, as well as hosting the NIWA Zoom chats. I also plan to participate virtually in SFWA’s Nebula Conference this year.

I participate in a Northeast Oregon Writers Facebook group, but alas, I seem to be one of the more active participants. I’d like to see more regional virtual events if possible. I would LOVE to do virtual bookstore appearances and readings in Idaho, especially for my Martiniere books, which are heavily based in the inland Northwest. As an older writer, it is becoming more difficult for me to travel and reach out to potential readers. I’d love to have more virtual options.

So many of those virtual options are disappearing now, and I really thought we’d all discovered something great that would stick around along with in-person events once they returned. Which is a crying shame. For example, I attended an event hosted by (and attended primarily by the customers of) a North Carolina bookstore with an author in Liverpool—there’s no way any of us would have connected in-person. Is there a way for authors (or readers) to help get more of those going?
Contribute financially to the existing virtual options. For example, Weeknight Writers and Flights of Foundry are still continuing with virtual opportunities but they need financial support. SFWA also does a lot of virtual activities, in part due to the growing international membership. The Nebula Award Conference sponsored by SFWA will have a virtual component. Jane Friedman is continuing to offer excellent, reasonably-priced online classes along with her in-person options. NIWA is getting more participants in our online Zoom chats, in part because we are trying to create learning programs of interest to our membership.

I am also participating (along with several other people) in hosting a First Sunday Brunch podcast that is run by B-Cubed Books. B-Cubed has regular Sunday morning podcasts, and we’re filling one regular slot.

Another thing I am considering is doing a regular Zoom chat with readers. Considering the possibilities, anyway.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
I’d like to have a stronger local base, for sure! But I do have worldwide readers and fans. Pre-Covid, I was a regular at a science fiction convention in Missoula, MisCon, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting inland Northwest fans and readers.

Did many of those NW fans find you because of your locale, or did you get some readers who discovered after they were reading you that you’re from the same-ish area? I assume that most that discovered you via MisCon were the former, but what about the rest?
MisCon discovery was through my participation on panels and in readings—in many cases, I did the readings and panels first, and readers discovered me through seeing me. Or just hanging out in the lobby or bar and chatting with people. Similar for other conventions I attended—OryCon, in Portland, and RadCon, in the Tri-Cities. When I was handselling books at bazaars locally, if I included “local settings” in my pitch, I’d get a little bit of interest. It’s harder to sell science fiction and fantasy to a general attendance population simply because there’s a lot of reactive “oh I don’t read that stuff.” Even if it’s set locally.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in this neck of the woods? (possibly both)
In my case, I’m speaking to the whole region, not just the Treasure Valley. I think there is much more genre potential (SFF) here than many people realize, especially given that I’m trying to write agritech-based science fiction of late. It’s just getting the word out to readers. The other piece is getting past particular regional biases on the part of more influential gatekeepers in the publishing industry.

For you—what’s been the most effective way to get the word out to readers? Anything you’ve tried that hasn’t worked? Or anything you haven’t yet tried, but have thought about?
Oh, this changes every few months. I use social media a lot and have played around lightly with running ads. The problem is that what will work for a couple of months doesn’t always continue to work. The industry changes, big time. Right now, I’m considering running Pinterest ads, but setting up a new campaign or something like that requires a lot of preparation. Creating visuals. Creating promotional text. I had plans to get very aggressive with promotion last year, but then developed a cataract which really set me back for most of 2022. I’m regrouping and taking another run at trying to promote myself in 2023. I may try Kickstarter or Patreon, this year, and possibly selling things through my website. The problem with selling hard copy books through my website, however, is which vendor to use and which printer. Right now, some people are saying Lulu. However, I’ve been underwhelmed by what I have seen of Lulu’s production work. But I don’t know for certain, because those books have frequently been local histories and memoirs. They may turn out a perfectly nice book.

Do you bring Eastern Oregon (or some sort of Eastern Oregon-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Wallowa” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I’d like to think that people can pick up my work and recognize the inland Northwest! It doesn’t matter if I’m writing science fiction or fantasy, I like using settings from eastern Oregon/Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
Idaho-specific, I would say Big Jim Turner, by James Stephens. Otherwise, I tend to think of other inland Northwest writers such as Ivan Doig, Norman Maclean, and even Craig Johnson.

Good picks all around—especially with Johnson (a big favorite on this patch of cyberspace)
Craig Johnson is amazing. I try to reread the series once a year, simply because he does such an excellent job not only of evoking the region but in dealing with the supernatural. I’m really surprised he doesn’t have a greater following in speculative fiction because he writes stuff verging on horror very, very well. Stephen Graham Jones is another excellent writer who evokes that feel of the inland Northwest/Rocky Mountain region.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!

I talked about James T. Lambert’s first book, Aether Powered, last month–and he participated in a Q&A about it and his writing in general (both the book and his answers are well-worth your time). Now he’s back with some thoughts about the writing life in Southwest Idaho and some related things, too. I had a blast with this one, I hope you do, too.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
My name’s Jim Lambert, but I write under James T. Lambert (my real name, lol) for that sweet, sweet Star Trek cred. I have read a lot of science fiction and fantasy for a long time. I always loved reading. I saw a NaNoWriMo poster up in a game shop back in (I think) 2009 and thought that would be fun. But it was already November 15th so… next year (NaNo runs from 11/1 to 11/30 with a goal of writing a 50,000 word novel in that time). Next year I did a little better. I was only a week late. In 2011 I remembered it on 11/3. “I’m a fast typist. I can catch up. Now what am I going to write about?” Yeah, pretty silly.

But I came up with an idea and made it to 50,000 words (barely). I did it for several more years, ending up succeeding four times early on, then falling apart in 2016. I didn’t get anything substantial written for several years, but this year is my ‘Year of Getting Stuff Done.’ Last year I finished polishing a novel from 2014, and Indie published it in January. That was Aether Powered, a ‘modern steampunk’ novel. I also did some work on a non-fiction book and with my co-author we put The Tao of Trek out in March. I Indie published a science fiction novel, Proxies, in August. My next book comes out mid-November: Steam Opera, a more traditional steampunk novel. I’ve got another science fiction novel ‘in the pipe’ for next year, Relics of War.

You can find my books through my website http://jamestlambert.com/ or directly through my Amazon author page http://amazon.com/author/james.t.lambert.

What brought you to Idaho in the first place? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I’m not a native. My family moved here in 1976 when I was between third and fourth grade. I grew up in Meridian, took a job in Bend, Oregon for a couple of years before moving back to Boise. I like a lot of things about Boise. It’s a small city, so you get the advantage of a city, but not nearly as many of the disadvantages. It’s clean, the people are friendly, and it’s safe. Well, all mostly. It’s a rough world and that affects everywhere. But I do like running into people I know all over town.

I had to grin at “Well, all mostly.” It’s easy to forget both the friendly and safe parts if you spend too much time online (and easy to forget the “mostly” part, too). What’s one thing that you find yourself telling people who aren’t familiar with Idaho about the state (after the obligatory “we do more than grow potatoes here”)?
That we’re in the Pacific Northwest and that’s where most of the hops for beer for the US comes from. Yeah, strange factoid, but I’m a craft beer guy so I like that one. I often mention the geographic isolation of Boise. We’re 300 miles from the next ‘major’ city (Salt Lake City). 400 miles from Portland and 500 from Seattle. Other than the string of cities right next to us (Nampa, Caldwell, Meridian, Eagle, etc) we’re a long way from anywhere. That has a lot of impact on us. There’s not nearly as much ‘through traffic’ since anyone going somewhere on the ‘other side of us’ is going to be best off flying and skipping the 700 miles to get from Portland to SLC. It really depends on what the person I’m talking to is interested in. If they like the outdoors, there’s a lot of good stuff here. Fishing, the same. Major concerts? Not so much. Book tours? Not so much. Conventions? Yeah, there’s a few, but being isolated makes it tough for people to come here.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
At one time, early in learning to write novels, I was in five critique groups and a member of the Idaho Writers’ Guild. I’m still a member of one of those critique groups and I’ve recently rejoined the Idaho Writers’ Guild after a few years out. I’m on the board of directors and hope to help make the Guild more valuable to its members. I’m in the Boise Speculative Writers Support Group, where we compare notes and encourage each other. I’ve also been involved with the NaNoWriMo community here and attended some of the writing-related (and science fiction/fantasy-related) conventions in the area or nearby.

I think it’s important for everyone to ‘find their tribe’ and surround themselves with supportive people interested in the same things you are. I have many friends from the writing community I can ask for help or for recommendations for things like editing, proofreading, beta readers, and publishing. My good friend, fellow writer, co-author, freelance editor, and partner in publishing I met in my critique group. Another of my good friends came from that group and she’s also a partner in publishing. We formed a group called Bert Books, https://bertbookspub.com/, since we all (at one time) had last names with ‘Bert’ in them. A member of the critique group when I joined, but who has since moved away, just finished proofreading my latest book. A friend from the Spec Fic Support Group will be joining me on the board of directors. When we all pull together, we can do just about anything we set our minds to.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
There used to be a science fiction/fantasy/etc convention, Fandemonium, which has since missed several years. I enjoyed going there and meeting with genre authors and going to panels and talks about writing for that fanbase. I’m still friends with the founder.

I go the Idaho Writers’ Guild annual conference, which doesn’t focus on my genre, but has a lot of great material.

A new annual event Boise Books and Brews, began this year and I’m part of the group organizing it.

I missed out on the Boise Comic Arts Festival this year, but plan to catch it in the future.

I made it to the Nampa Festival of the Arts and had a booth there.

Idaho Writers’ Guild schedules author networking events.

Some of the local libraries schedule author events (I should be at one in Eagle in December). (clearly, there’s a gap between when he responded and now…be sure to come back to The Irresponsible Reader to learn all about the events you could’ve attended months ago)

I attend a few conventions outside the area, mostly ones that specialize in my genre. A particular favorite is LTUE (Life, The Universe, And Everything), which happens in Provo Utah, is inexpensive, and has a wide variety of topics covered. Another is Fyrecon, which is now a virtual convention, which I’ve attended every year since they started. Missoula has Miscon, a long-running genre con with amazing guests. In the past they’ve had George R.R. Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and Christopher Paolini. FanX in Salt Lake City, Rose City ComicCon and Emerald City ComicCon are all big events with tens of thousands of fans.

I’d like the strong program of LTUE, the dedication of Fyrecon, the guest list of Miscon, and the big crowds of the comic cons to happen more often in our area.

I heartily recommend the Library’s Comic Arts festival (I spend more there than I budget for every year, it seems) and am glad I saw you at the Nampa Arts festival this year. The Books and Brews event looked great—glad to hear it’s going to be an annual thing. Outside of sales (can’t minimize their importance), what for you is the best part of these events (Books and Brews/Nampa Arts/Library events) where you can interact with readers/browsers? Are you picking up enough readers at events like these to justify them, or is this a long-term plan—if you keep showing up, people will pay attention?
I like meeting people (although as an introvert it wears me down some) and it’s an opportunity to find out what readers are reading. When I’m asking about what they like to fit them with one of my books I’m also finding out what they like in general and getting a sense if that would be a good fit for me to write. I’d like to think I’m getting some regular readers from being there and being friendly with folks, but it’s hard to gauge. I plan on continuing to do these since it’s the only way to get that in-person feedback. Economically it’s not bad either. Eliminating the extra expenses of resellers means I can make more money per sale even if I lower prices a little. It’s not a perfect system and there’s definitely limitations to how much you can sell at an in-person event, but I like it for now. I do keep in mind the advice I’ve heard “would I be better off writing?” Big name authors (Brandon Sanderson for example) have to balance going to a convention every weekend with getting new books written. His big Kickstarter talked about how the pandemic prevented him from touring and gave him enough time to do four extra novels. I remember Terry Pratchett saying he quit his day job when it was costing him money to go to work instead of staying home and writing. My goal isn’t to be a speaker and make money from appearances, I want to write some books and have people buy those. I do want to be well known enough that I can go to some of the cons and hang out with the ‘cool kids’ but if that doesn’t happen I’ll hang out with the cool kids I already hang out with, lol.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
I’m just getting started, so my main audience is family and friends (many from the writing community) so far. I’ve had a few sales overseas, the UK, Australia, and Germany for example, but I’m still building my audience and getting ramped up. I’ve done stand-alone books so far, so I haven’t been able to take advantage of the series readers returning to the next book in the series. My next book kicks off a trilogy, and some of my stand-alone books have the potential to turn into series, so that may change in the future.

Fair enough—so, let’s tweak things a bit. Based on what you know from your local contacts, how would you expect/hope things to go and how are you working to that end? Or do you have a plan yet?
I don’t have a firm plan for an end game. I’m at the ‘get some books out there’ stage. I figure people can’t buy my books if I don’t have any out there to buy. So I’m building my backlist. That being said I am doing some things to try and get some readers involved. I’m advertising on Amazon. I’m planning on getting some series going. I’m planning on publishing some short stories that are in a series. I hope that will give people a series to link into and since they are shorts maybe make it easier to write a new one on a faster schedule. Maybe even get involved in Vella and publish some things through there. Mostly I need to work on getting some regular sales so I know I’m doing things right and then just keep moving in that direction. One specific thing I haven’t gotten rolling yet is an email list and newsletter. I know they are important and effective, but I’ve just not gotten them going.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
With our geographic isolation (nearest big city is SLC, and the next three nearby ones are over 8 hours away by car) it’s not easy to jump over to a convention or event outside the valley. I’ve driven to Seattle for one day visits twice to see authors who are my particular favorites (Lois McMaster Bujold once and Terry Pratchett {GNU} once). We do get some ‘big’ authors here at times. I saw Margaret Atwood at BSU.

This same problem combined with a relatively small population leads to more niche interests having smaller representation. I’ve an interest in Steampunk, but we only had a dozen or so active steampunk fans in the area. The club for it eventually faded away.

But if you do find your ‘tribe’ here it’s much more likely you can get involved in activities with people who ‘get’ you. You aren’t one of dozens trying join a particular group, but probably someone that group is trying to seek out.

Of course, if you appreciate isolation and a distraction-free environment we have lots of natural areas close by where you can sit and write until your laptop battery runs out. And then switch to pen and paper! Several groups have sponsored retreats to cabins in nearby areas where a small group can isolate and really dig into their writing.

I definitely get the small population leading to small representation and how that impacts things here. When I brush up against someone with similar likes in the area, I’m always surprised (not sure why, but I am). A few years ago, when Scalzi was at the Boise Library! my reaction was kept bouncing between “I can’t believe this many people turned out” and “Of course he’s this popular.” If you were new to the area, how would you go about finding a tribe here? Google?
Google is a great place to start. Facebook is another, as it allows creations of groups. I’m interested in boardgames and there’s a Boise Area Boardgaming Enthusiasts group on FB. The Library used to have a club registry (last time I looked at it was pre-Google) so they probably still have something like it. The Boise Weekly has an events calendar which can get you to an event where people interested in your topic are going to be. I remember way back in the 80’s when a local comic book store owner did a talk at the library he had a signup sheet for forming a local club. He just waited for the first person who called interested in how the club was going and put them in charge. I was the second person, lol. We started a Science Fiction club that lasted a decade or so and many of the people from it are still friends. Offering to do a community education class on something you are interested in will bring in some people to meet. Once you meet a few people you can ask them for introductions or information about more.

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I do steal settings from around me. I have a partially completed book where the beginning is all set in an unnamed city which I used Boise as a model for. Characters visit 8th street to have coffee, go to a Rave at the Mardi Gras, and visit a local library.

I’m almost finished with a short story set in downtown Boise featuring Meriwether Cider, the Idanha, and the Owhyee Plaza. Okay, and the Chinese Tunnels under downtown.

I’d probably use locations from whatever place I was living. When I visited my hometown in 2011 I was doing a NaNo project and visited a coffee shop that made a big impression. I used it as a setting for a short story I wrote later.

I’m sure some of my language, colloquialisms and such, are based from Idaho, or at least the Pacific Northwest, but I don’t think my stories have much flavor from here beyond using real locations for models or as settings.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
Oh, that’s tough. Hmmm. A friend wrote Fearless about the guy who started Fearless Farris Stinker Stations, that’s pretty Idaho.

My friends Troy Lambert, Danielle Parker, and Marlie Harris all wrote some stuff that is set in Idaho.

Troy and Dani each wrote a novella which ended up combined in Incidents in Idaho. They are in the same universe, our Monster Marshals stories. One is set in Boise during a snow storm in July. The other in a mine (Troy has a deep background in mining history (yeah, I know what I did there)).

Troy and Marlie wrote a story collection called Into The Darkness about evil spirits in mines and in reservoirs in Idaho. So that one really has Idaho ‘spirits’ lol.

I haven’t read a lot of books that are set in Idaho and give a deep feel for the state. I know some authors who write stuff set here, but it’s not really in a genre I read. A former Idaho Writer’s Guild president I knew wrote a book about Bogus Basin history I enjoyed.

So I don’t have any I strongly recommend for their Idaho-ness, but the Monster Marshals stories are good. And Into the Darkness is good if you like horror (not my favorite genre, but they submitted some to the critique group I am in so I did read most of it. I might have beta read it later too, it’s been a few years, so memory is a bit fuzzy).

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!