I write for those with big imaginations and big goals, those who occasionally hit brick walls and know how hard it can suck to fail at something really important. Those who keep trying, despite their own flaws. I write for the dedicated dreamers.

Jasmine Giacomo – 29 April 2013

The Back Flap

“Change it. The thought rolled over in Skag’s mind — change it. The world unfolded beyond that gray wall. He thought then of Father Daugth sitting like a pending nightmare upon the stone dais. It made his heart weaken, but his eyes still glittered. . .”

The bogfoke are the remnant of a diminutive, diminishing, ancient race of creatures who have lived secretively for centuries in a vast cemetery. When a gnawing desire for purpose awakens in the heart of one of the bogfoke, he sets in motion a series of events that will lead the bogfoke from the despair of their furtive existence and into a world that is more dangerous and wondrous than they could ever have imagined.

The bogfoke come to find themselves unwillingly entangled in an primordial and elemental struggle that has engulfed the fate of both humankind and the ancestors of the bogfoke. In their endeavors, the bogfoke come to find who they are, who they were meant to be, and that they are not alone.

About the book

What is the book about?

In Rebel Elements, I’ve got some Magical Farmboy mixed with School For Magic Teens going on, but that basic plot is set against the backdrop of a sprawling, ancient empire with a less-than-stellar record when it comes to absorbing other cultures. Social rank and perception, old grievances, outdated traditions, and unspoken rules all affect the way my hero, Bayan, fits (or fails to fit) into his new role as a servant-for-life to an emperor he’s never acknowledged.

When did you start writing the book?

This novel was my NaNoWriMo 2010 project.

How long did it take you to write it?

About 21 days.

Where did you get the idea from?

I remember I was tired and ready to fall asleep on a night in early October, 2010, when my mind started musing over all the series that contain some kind of magic school. Some of those series interested me, and others didn’t, so I was trying to nail down the characteristics that appealed to me. Then my brain just wouldn’t shut off. I mentally sketched out my magic system—based on six elements and some basic body movements—and crafted a main character who have to learn the ways of my enormous empire. I lay there for hours, into the middle of the night, unable to sleep because my brain was high on ideas. I came up with the basic plots for all three planned books in the series and did some basic worldbuilding for book one. Best sleepless night ever!

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I thought I had my bad guys all mapped out, but when I got into editing, I realized that I was ruining a critical plot point for book three (and this is why I try to plan my series all at once). So I had to completely rewrite all of the bad guy POV scenes, and no one gets to peek at the originals. They’re reference material now.

What came easily?

Magic. I love making up magic systems. I’ve heard Brandon Sanderson called the Magic System Guy, and I can relate. I hope he enjoys that aspect of worldbuilding as much as I do. I took jujitsu for several years, and I hadn’t yet devised a magic system based on elements, so I married the two in this series. (It was a beautiful ceremony.) I use six elements, likely because I’m influenced by the Eastern five-element pattern as well as the Western four. And six is a great number. I like base-six math, and I have lots of story aspects that use the number six in my world.

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

I didn’t base any one character on any whole or partial real person. Fragments of personality, distilled from personal experience, filter into my stories on some level, though. And a lot of my teenage rage made it into Bayan, my main character, because he needed it and I don’t anymore.

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?

Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Anne McCaffrey, Terry Pratchett, Lois McMaster Bujold, Michael Moorcock, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, J. R. R. Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, and many more. All of these authors have showed me how to make magic and how to tell stories in different ways. Sometimes, I discover something in someone’s writing that doesn’t work for me, and that’s a learning experience, too.

Do you have a target reader?

Seals of the Duelists is a New Adult series about flawed characters living in a flawed world. Sometimes they’re in control of events, but most of the time they’re just trying to do the best they can. They fail a lot while they’re trying to succeed. I write for those with big imaginations and big goals, those who occasionally hit brick walls and know how hard it can suck to fail at something really important. Those who keep trying, despite their own flaws. I write for the dedicated dreamers.

About Writing

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

I write everything out as quickly as I can, for hours at a time, six days a week (I have to take mental and physical breaks once a week), until I reach the end. When I take a break, I keep up my energy level by doing dishes or laundry. My house is never so clean as when I’m writing a rough draft!

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

I use the Snowflake method. I have a program to help me organize everything. I try to work out all my character details, and all the kinks in my plot, ahead of time (though I don’t always succeed). The final step is filling out the scene list, so I know whose POV I’m using and a little synopsis of what plot and character development needs to happen in every scene. Having that helps my writing just fly onto the page.

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

Editing is a big morass of doom if I’m still working on the rough draft. I try never to do it. I work better (and by better, I mean faster) when I’m focused just on creating the story. I always leave plenty of time for editing afterward.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I used Red Adept Publishing’s indie editing services to clean and polish my book. My book is amazing now, and its early reviews (and fantastic sales) had no trouble convincing me that RAP’s editing services were worth every ducat.

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

I listen to something with a quick beat but no lyrics. Soundtracks are perfect for keeping me in the world I’m creating. Current favorites include a Doctor Who (Eleven) compilation and the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl soundtrack.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No, but I may try that with my next series. Maybe. It’s going to be eight books long, and that’s a lot to commit to with anyone.

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 never really tried to get into publication. It sort of fell in my lap… and fell through shortly after. After that odd initial experience with a small press, I decided I trusted myself more than others and headed down the indie route.

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

Streetlight Graphics did my cover. I’m very pleased with their work. They’re doing the cover for Traitor Savant soon, and I’ve already contracted with them for new covers for my first fantasy series as well.

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

I’m learning as I go. Some winging, some tried-and-true.

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

Spring for that editing and cover art, guys. Less than three weeks after Rebel Elements was released, I had earned all my money back. Every book is different, sure, but every book is better with editing. And the reason we have the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is because everyone does. Make it pretty and make it clean, and you’ll have a solid product to offer.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in California and Oregon.

Where do you live now?

In 2002, I completed my collection of Residences on the West Coast by moving to Washington State. I’ve lived here ever since.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I’m a natural sciences geek, and I love worldbuilding. I put tons of background work into geology, geography, wind and ocean patterns, biomes, creature creation and habitats, etc., for my fantasy worlds. You’re not supposed to notice all the work behind the scenes. But I love doing it.

What are you working on now?

Traitor Savant, the sequel to Rebel Elements, is in editing right now (also at Red Adept). I have a date for cover art creation, and I’ll be releasing the novel later this year. My summer will be spent planning the third and final book in the series, Master Steelwielder, and I’ll write it out this November during NaNoWriMo. It should be out by next summer.

End of Interview:

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Get a copy of Rebel Elements for your Kindle from Amazon US or Amazon UK.