Editing often takes more effort for me that the writing. My instinct is to ask, “Is this bad?” and leave anything to which the answer is “No.” But more productive editing requires me to take a more active view and ask “Could this be better?” and change it if the answer is “Yes.” 

Elizabeth Corrigan – 1 April 2013

The Back Flag

Carrie works at a diner in South Philadelphia, dispensing advice to humans and angels wise enough to seek her counsel. But there are some problems that even the best advice can’t solve.

Her latest supplicant, Sebastian, is unique among those who have sought her aid. He sold his soul to a demon in exchange for his sister’s life, but his heart remains pure.

Carrie has lived for millennia with the knowledge that her immortality is due to the suffering of others, and she cannot bear to see another good man damned when it is within her power to prevent it.

In order to renegotiate his contract, Carrie must travel into the depths of hell and parley with the demons that control its pathways. As the cost of her journey rises, Carrie must determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to save one good soul.

About the book

What is the book about?

Oracle of Philadelphia is about an immortal girl with the power to read other people’s thoughts and emotions. One day, she meets a man who has sold his soul to a demon, but she doesn’t think that he deserves to go to Hell. So she decides to bargain with the forces of Hell for his soul.

When did you start writing the book?

I first came up with the idea for the book in 2007, but I didn’t start writing it until October 2010.

How long did it take you to write it?

I wrote the first draft in a mad writing spree that took about two months. Then it sat on my computer for about a year and a half before I got a contract with Red Adept. After that, I rewrote the entire thing in an editing process that took more than twice the length of the time it took me to write the first draft.

Where did you get the idea from?

Shameful disclosure time. At the end of season 2 of Supernatural, one of the characters sells his soul to a demon. Over the summer waiting for season 3, I started to think about how the boys would solve this problem, and I came up with the idea of an immortal oracle who could see into the hearts of people who visited her. I became fascinated with her as a character—what had her life been like? Who were her friends? How would she save someone from Hell? Eventually this grew and developed into a story that I hope bears little to no resemblance to Supernatural anymore.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

The entire editing process of the book was a struggle for me. I discovered that my instincts are more toward “telling” than “showing,” so I had to relearn a whole new style of writing. In the end it was worth it because I learned a lot and made the book better. Hopefully, the process will get easier for my future novels.

What came easily?

Making up the stories is the easiest part for me. I start with something basic in my mind, and then it spins itself out into a multi-novel saga without any effort on my part.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Most of my characters are angels and demons, each of whom embodies a particular virtue or vice. So they end up being more like archetypes than characters, and I definitely don’t know any archetypes in real life.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I’ve actually learned through my writing process that I don’t really pay attention to writing styles when I read. When I was struggling with something, my friend would often say to me, “Well, why don’t you look at authors you like and see what they do?” And it made me realize that I had no idea how authors dealt with things like description and dialogue tags. I’m trying to pay more attention, but I still have a tendency to get caught up in a story and ignore the structure.

Do you have a target reader?

Well, in an ideal world, I would have the same audience as Harry Potter, and everyone would read my book. But in reality, I think my book will appeal to fans of urban fantasy in general. I also think that it will speak to people who are interested in religion and morality in the modern world, with all their questions and doubts and good intentions.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

My writing generally goes something like this:

Step 1: Sit down in front of computer. Open document I am working on.

Step 2: Open gmail and Facebook. Look to see if anyone I know is on line. Talk to them.

Step 3: Stare at document. Try to remember what was going on when I left off. Write a sentence.

Step 4: Go get a soda.

Step 5: Write a few more sentences.

Step 6: Check word count. Wonder how all that effort is only 50 words.

Step 7: Check to see if anyone new is on line to chat with.

Step 8: Struggle to determine how to word next thought. Write next thought.

Step 9: Play a game of Spider Solitaire.

Step 10: Repeat Steps 3-8 until reach word limit for the day, usually 500 or 1,000 words, unless I’m feeling really motivated.

Sometimes this process takes more time than others. It all depends how the juices are flowing.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I generally know the basic plot of each book before I start. I like to plan out how many chapters I’m going to have and write a quick note of what is going to go in each one. But most of my outlining is done only in my head.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I wait until I am done. Editing often takes more effort for me that the writing. My instinct is to ask, “Is this bad?” and leave anything to which the answer is “No.” But more productive editing requires me to take a more active view and ask “Could this be better?” and change it if the answer is “Yes.” This latter approach is much harder because there is almost always something that can be improved upon.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I’m published by a small press.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I have a soundtrack for each of my books that consists of the “theme songs” I have chosen for the main characters, as well as music that reminds me of particular scenes. A lot of the music I listened to while writing Oracle of Philadelphia is actually mentioned in the text, because one of the characters always sets the juke box in the diner to his mood.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I did try to get an agent to read my book, but I was completely unsuccessful. A lot of this was my ignorance—I had no idea how I was supposed to be writing query letters when I started out. Before editing, my book was also rather ploddy and “telly,” especially in the first chapter, so it wasn’t going to catch anyone’s attention.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I was actually quite frustrated by my inability to get an agent to read my book, and I considered giving up altogether.  The whole process made me give more consideration to the indie books that were being published on Amazon. I thought that my book was pretty good, even if I couldn’t get an agent, so it stood to reason that other authors were having the same experience.

I decided to start a blog to read and review indie books, to let readers know which ones were worth reading. While doing this, I interacted with some of the authors I was reviewing and saw what good experiences they had with self-publishing, and I decided I wanted to go ahead and do it. I originally planned to have Red Adept edit my book, but after talking to the owner, I decided to submit it for publication instead. They chose to accept it, on the condition that I was willing to put a lot of work into the editing process to get my manuscript up to snuff. That seemed a fair deal to me, and I have not regretted it.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did it you do it yourself?

Red Adept has all their covers done by Streetlight Graphics, and their work is amazing. I absolutely love my cover, and Streetlight Graphics made me a blog header to match.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I’m working with a publicist at Red Adept to get the news out about my book. Right now I’m doing a blog tour with an accompanying raffle. The first prize winner gets to name a character in the second book in my Earthbound Angels series! (Note, you can enter that raffle below.)

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

My first piece of advice is not to be afraid to publish your book! That said, if you are serious about getting people to read your book, hire a graphic artist to do your cover and have your book professionally edited.

About You

Where did you grow up?

In a town called Clarks Summit near Scranton, PA. Yes, like The Office. That boat-shaped restaurant with the octopus on the roof? I have eaten there many times.

Where do you live now?

I live in Towson, MD, just north of Baltimore.

What would you like readers to know about you?

Hm. In most circumstances, the most interesting thing I can tell others about me is that I wrote a book. But that’s sort of a given in this scenario. In terms of Elizabeth trivia, I have two cats, a purple Smart Car, and over 150 seasons of television on DVD.

What are you working on now?

Oracle of Philadelphia is the first book in the Earthbound Angels series. Right now, book 2 is ready to start professional editing, and I’ve started the first draft of book 3. Eventually I plan to have 7 books in the series. That is subject to change, but the series should keep me occupied for the foreseeable future.

End of Interview:

For more, visit Elizabeth’s website.

Get your copy of Oracle of Philadelphia from Amazon US (paper or ebook), Amazon UK (paper or ebook), or Barnes & Noble.

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