Jesse (J): Hello Theodora! Welcome to The Writing Pen, it's a pleasure to have you here today.
Theodora Ashcraft (T): Thanks, it's a pleasure to be here.
J: When did you first start writing?
T: Around when I was five. Obviously what I wrote wasn't very good back then. I didn't really decide I wanted to be a writer for a living until I was about eleven or twelve.
J: Do you still write the same genre as back then?
T: Oh, definitely not. Back then were random knock-offs of stories I had read and Dragon Tales knock-offs. I tend to stick to fantasy nowadays.
J: So you enjoyed Fan-Fiction? Do you still like it?
T: Yes, to both. I don't write it very often anymore, but I still enjoy a good, well-written Fan-Fiction story now and then.
J: As do I. I hear you recently published a collection of short stories. What inspired you to do that instead of publishing a novel?
T: Well, my mom and several friends had been asking when I was going to self-publish something again. I was just starting college classes, and was going through some other things that sapped me of my energy. I decided that putting a bunch of short stories and poems together would take less energy and be easier than writing a novel to self-publish. A silly reason, I know, but it got me to finish another project at least.
J: What is that collection called?
T: Of Whispers and Wanderings.
J: Obviously, as a writer, you aren't content with just finishing one project. Are you working on another story you care to talk about?
T: I'm dabbling with several projects at the moment, but the one that has most of my interest and what little energy I have invested into it is a novel called Tomorrow's Bones.
J: Care to give a short description of it?
T: It might be a secret, or I might just not have it all planned out yet. *smiles* I can tell you, however, that it is a science-fiction mystery, where a group of men and women band together to discover secrets surrounding the death of a millionaire starship owner.
J: Sounds cool! Now, when you write, do you prefer writing with a pen and paper? Or would you rather have a keyboard in front of you?
T: I definitely prefer the keyboard. My hands get tired much too easily when I write by hand. Plus, all of my information and inspirational pictures are saved on my laptop.
J: Sounds a lot like me. Though, I generally type because my handwriting is illegible. *grins* Time for some standard interview questions: Favorite book(s)?
T: Oh, so hard to chose. My top three favorites at the moment are Firmament: Radialloy by J. Grace Pennington, Angel Fall by Coleman Luck, and the Elsewhere Chronicles by Jacqueline West.
J: Favorite author(s)?
T: Now that's an unfair question! I'd have to say my top current three are Aubrey Hansen, J. Grace Pennington, and Wayne Thomas Batson.
J: It's my job to ask unfair questions. If only I could get paid for it...
T: *laughs* True!
J: Favorite genre to write?
T: Fantasy, hands-down. Though I'm trying to branch out into other genres.
J: Similar question: favorite genre to read?
T: Hmm... I like reading all genres, really. I don't like much nonfiction though.
J: One more question, then both of us can get back to our busy lives.
T: All right.
J: What as encouraged you as a writer? What kept you going when you felt like giving up?
T: Two things have. The first and most prominent one is reading good stories, especially those written by friends of mine. For some reason, reading their works inspires me to go back to my own writing. The second thing is when I get good feedback on something I write. Yes, honest feedback - even if it's not 'warm and fuzzy - is good, but there's nothing quite like hearing from someone that they genuinely liked something you wrote.
J: Thank you, Theodora, for being here.
Once again, you can find Theodora Ashcraft at her website: Whispers of Wind and Song. I hope you enjoyed your time on this blog and I hope you come back soon!
Note: I don't own the picture to Of Whispers and Wanderings, nor do I agree with all the posts on the links. Click at your own risk. I'm just providing you with information if you wish to learn more about Miss Ashcraft's favorite authors.
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