I recently interviewed the talented DS Williams, author of the paranormal romance series ‘The Nememiah Chronicles’ and asked her some questions about her writing and her inspiration. The Nememiah Chronicles – Knowledge Quickening, the second book in the The Nememiah Chronicles Series has recently been released. The first two books in the series are available at Amazon and Smashreads (links below).
How did you come to be a writer? Was it always something you were interested in? Or did it just ‘happen’?
I have written since I was five years old. My mum says when I was a kid, friends would come to the door, asking me to come out and play and I would announce I couldn’t, because I was ‘writing’. I think it was something I was always going to do, but it took a lot of years before I was brave enough to share what I was doing with other people.
Do you do much research for your novels, or do you just leave it up to your imagination?
I do LOTS of research, usually because I’ve got a plan of where I’m going and need to know more about the subject I’m writing. Google is my best friend! I tend to set a lot of my work overseas, so a lot of time is spent studying photos, travel and tourism websites to pad out my knowledge. And quite often, I’ll have a medical drama in my WIP and need to learn more about the appropriate treatments. It’s a great way of learning new things, too!
Why did you choose the self-publishing route? What’s the good and the bad about it?
I think self-publishing was always going to be the best choice in my case. I love writing, adore spending time creating new characters and putting them into situations where they grow and evolve. But like a lot of writers, my confidence is a very fragile shell. I was certain the rejection that comes from mainstream publishing would dampen down my creativity completely and set me on a path of self-doubt, perhaps stopping me from doing the one thing I love most in the world. Consequently, as self-publishing has become more and more popular, I decided it was the best choice for me. I like the control I have over my work, and knowing it’s being published the way ‘I’ want it to be, not the way some Editor tells me it ‘has’ to be. It’s been a rewarding journey so far, but it is extremely hard work. The hardest part of all – the constant work to publicize my books and ensure readers know about them. The great thing about self-publishing is the wonderful friends I’ve made amongst the other Indie authors. They are all very supportive and we all try and help one another.
Tell us a little more about Nememiah. Where did the idea come from?
Hmmm, that’s a hard one. Quite often my ideas come from just a ‘snippet’ of a thought. I’ve always had a fascination with the Picts and their painted emblems on their bodies, and I love ghosts and the idea that they really exist. Where do we go when we die? Is that the end, or is there something else?
Add those two interests to my love of all things paranormal, and The Nememiah Chronicles were born. I don’t plan out a whole book, I tend to write ‘by the seat of my pants’, so the story has evolved and grown as I’ve written – new ideas of where to go in the series pop into my head randomly (usually in the middle of the night!).
Which ‘creations’ have been your favourite to write (eg vampires, werewolves etc)?
I love putting my own slant on vampires. They have appeared in so many, many books and it’s hard not to be compared to other people’s versions. My favorite thing to do was trying to work out how my male vampires could be sexually active when they weren’t actually alive and didn’t have a blood flow – it presented quite a conundrum for a while there! You’ll have to read the books to discover how I figured it out…
Who are some of your favourite authors?
There are so many – at the moment, my very favorite is Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. The Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris are also a firm favorite and I’ve read them over and over again. My reading choices are eclectic and wide-ranging – Louisa M. Alcott, Laura Ingalls Wilder, J.K. Rowling and I read lots and lots of indie author work on my Kindle. I also love non-fiction, particularly true-life murders and serial killers.
What are you currently reading?
My friend Rachel Brune just self-published her first book, ‘Soft Target’, which is proving to be a great thriller. I just wish I had more time to devote to reading!
What are you working on now?
Editing, Editing, Editing! The third book of ‘The Nememiah Chronicle’ series is due to be released in July, so I’m busy working on that. And keeping copious notes on the new ideas which keep popping into my head for my next books
The first two books in the Nememiah Chronicles are available now at Amazon and Smashwords
You can WIN a copy of The Nememiah Chronicles – Knowledge Revealed, the first book in the Nememiah Chronicles Series by entering the Rafflecopter giveaway on the blog home page!
About D S Williams:
D.S. Williams started writing at the age of five, when life was simpler and her stories really didn’t have to make sense. When you’re five, happily ever after always ended the story and how you got there didn’t matter so much.
Older and wiser, D.S. Williams has continued to write… and write… and write. With the support and encouragement of her husband and friends, she has finally come to the conclusion that she can’t keep hiding from the world forever and should try sharing the numerous novels which have been written over the past 40+ years.
D.S. Williams enjoys writing (obviously), reading (voraciously) and making lists (obsessively). She shares her life with her husband of twenty six years, the gang of four and the current furry residents, Tuppence & Angus
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