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Interview with Gloria
Oliver
THE ROCK: Who is Gloria Oliver?
OLIVER: I am a speculative fiction writer,
though both my novels are actually in the fantasy genre--"In the
Service of Samurai" and "Vassal of El". I also have several
published short stories which appear in "The Four Bubbas of the
Apocalypse", "Small Bites", and "Fundamentally Challenged"
anthologies. I work full-time in accounting in order to support my family
and my writing habit. I am into all sorts of things--from just the usual
reading and writing to watching movies and Japanese Anime, playing on-line
games, and translating Japanese comics for fun.
THE ROCK: Where were you born, and where are
you currently residing?
OLIVER: I was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto
Rico but for the last twenty years or so I have been living in Texas.
THE ROCK: Are there any other writers in the
family?
OLIVER: No, I am it at the moment, although
my husband has had a lot to do with my own writing in an indirect way.
It was his imaginings that formed the core of my first published work
"In the Service of Samurai" so though he may not be a writer,
I couldn't have done it without him.
THE ROCK: When did you start writing?
OLIVER: I had never intended to be a writer.
Yet somewhere in my teens I got an idea for a book and it wouldn't leave
me alone, so I started putting it on paper. Yet it wasn't until my early
twenties that I met a group of folks who wrote fan fiction over a Japanese
cartoon called "Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman" that I really got
the bug. Seeing what they were doing encouraged me to try stories of
my own and with their support and encouragement, I kept doing more and
more until it become an integral part of who I am.
THE ROCK: What prepared you to become an author?
OLIVER: I don't know if any of us are ever
"prepared". But all the years of doing fan fiction and finishing
that first novel from my teen years pushed me to put words on paper
which slowly but surely gave me an understanding of the craft and got
me to love it. There are so many subtleties in writing aside from just
thinking of a plot and grammar. You have to develop a style… a
flow so to speak. Words on a page are not enough. A book has to have
a cadence to it, like music, which will pull you through the prose.
Writing is a never ending learning process, at least for me, and I am
always discovering new things.
THE ROCK: What inspired you to become a writer?
OLIVER: Once I realized the writing bug
had me, it was the fact that I had stories to tell. Entertaining stories
that would make people feel. My entire goal as a writer is to entertain--for
me and my readers to explore situations and the people who've been placed
in them.
THE ROCK: What inspired you to write your
book?
OLIVER:"In the Service of Samurai"
was inspired by a premise from my husband. There was a lot of research
involved, but since I have always been interested in the culture, it
was a lot of fun to write.
THE ROCK: Tell us about your newest creation.
What is the premise?
OLIVER: My second release is "Vassal
of El". This is a more of a standard fantasy, where the hero is
forced by circumstances to face a past he'd rather forget. It involves
the clashing of two cultures, one land-based, the other a race with
wings on a floating island, and how if they don't somehow reach some
kind of understanding, it could very well signify the end of both their
civilizations.
THE ROCK: Any publishing contracts in the
working?
OLIVER: Yes. Zumaya Publications has contracted
to publish my latest called "Willing Sacrifice". It's currently
being read by my beta readers and should see release in 2007.
THE ROCK: Have you ever self-published? Why
or why not?
OLIVER: I have not self-published. I am
proud of my work; I feel it is worth reading, and if it is truly good
enough, editors will see that and accept my work for publication. While
the major houses are currently flooded with works, there are still a
lot of small press alternatives who work just like the big houses with
respect to editing, formatting, likeable covers, etc. An author should
get paid for their work, never pay for it. There are instances where
self publishing might be the better option for some. Established writers
who want to bring back a work out of print, someone who only wants a
short run of books to share with family and friends, a work too controversial
to go through the standard publishing routine, things of that nature.
But for anyone actually wanting to enter the writing field and keep
at it, I would encourage them just to keep submitting their works until
they find a house that's right for them and who feels the same about
the author. In the end though, it's a decision every writer makes on
their own--they should always choose what's right for them.
THE ROCK: What are "traditional publishers"
looking for?
OLIVER: That is the 50 million dollar question.
I believe the answer changes from day to day sometimes. Basically though,
if you want to write for a specific publisher, check out the books they
currently print and see what it is they are publishing. The same goes
for short stories for magazines. Though it is probably harder, I prefer
to write what I want to write then go looking for where my work will
be a good fit, rather than cater my work to what someone is looking
for. It's one of those decisions each writer has to make on their own.
THE ROCK: If you were a publisher, what would
be your niche and why?
OLIVER: Fantasy and Science Fiction! They
are what I love the most and what I write.
THE ROCK: For an author, is having a publishing
contract with a "traditional publisher" important professionally?
Why?
OLIVER: Yes and no. The publishing field
is changing. With the advent of technology and faster communication,
a lot of people who would not have considered getting into writing are
doing so now. The traditional publishers are swamped with submissions.
They in turn are being bought up by conglomerates who are looking more
at the bottom line than making relationships with writers and readers.
A lot of new writers will get a book out in print through a traditional
large publisher, get little to no marketing support, and then have the
books yanked from the shelves in three months never to be seen again.
Regardless of whether you go with a traditional or small press, you
have to be a marketing guru anymore to push your own work. Many publishers,
large and small, now want to see marketing plans with the manuscript
submissions. The biggest advantage of the traditional press is the distribution
network. Of small presses is the fact the books will not go out of print,
especially if they are using a book printer using "print-on demand"
technology, and that you feel more like a part of a family than a corporation.
In the end, it all comes down to what is right for a particular author.
THE ROCK: What are some of your professional
achievements?
OLIVER: Personally, I guess my biggest
achievement was getting my first novel actually written! There are so
many people who start a novel yet never see it to fruition. Just making
it that far was a major accomplishment in my book. This of course, spurred
me to do more of them, since I already knew I could. Professionally,
both of my novels have been finalists in 2004 and 2005 for the EPIC
awards called EPPIES. Just making the cut to finalist was a great thrill
for me.
THE ROCK: Who are some of your favorite authors?
OLIVER: There are so many! Top on the list
would be people like Stephen King, Tanya Huff, Carole Nelson Douglas,
Barbara Hambly, David Eddings, Tad Williams, Stephen R Donaldson, Chelsea
Quin Yarbro, Robert Heinlein, Edgar Rice Burroughs; the list goes on
and on. I am also trying to read more small press authors and have enjoyed
the works of Selina Rosen, Jeff Turner, Jeff Strand, Murdoch Hughes
and others. It's just a shame I don't have time to read more!
THE ROCK: Where do you want to be in five
years?
OLIVER: I would like to have a book or
two more under my belt, possibly some more anthologies, enlarging my
fan base, showing more growth in my writing and therefore telling even
better written and more entertaining stories, getting my name out there
and reaching those who would enjoy the stories I have to tell.
THE ROCK: Where can readers find you?
OLIVER: Info about me and my works as well
as sample chapters and other tidbits can be found at my website: www.gloriaoliver.com
THE ROCK: Thank you Gloria, and much success.
http://www.rockpublications.com
http://www.the-rock-newsmagazine.com
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