One of my best friends, let’s call her the literary evangelist, called me one day to tell me what was going on in the publishing industry. I paid no attention to such matters. I wrote, slept, took care of my family, and repeated that the next day. Everything she said resonated with me because of my own personal experience of publishing the traditional route.

Kaaronica Evans-Ware – 10 July 2013

The Back Flap

Banished from her clan for being a Muslim, a 400 year-old jinn named Zamar is hiding from her past. But an ancient evil is about to surface, unearthing her secrets and carrying painful reminders of the life she once lived. Ages ago, Zamar had lived in solitary exile along the banks of the Senegal River. Then a lone man entered her world, altering it forever.

Spanning several centuries, book one of Fire & Clay, pulls you into the unseen world of mankind’s distant cousins, the jinn. Like humans, these beings were given the gift of free will. And like us there are a few that choose the way of good, some that choose the way of evil, and many that live their lives torn between the two.

But what happens when the lives of creatures cast from smokeless fire, and those shaped from the clay of the Earth become intertwined?

About the book

What is the book about?

Fire & Clay is a fantasy book about the relationships between humans and jinn. Even though Fire & Clay falls into fantasy, and even paranormal romance fiction, it really makes an attempt to picture the relational dynamics of two mostly different beings.  It deals with the history between humans and jinn—a history rarely found in fiction with jinn characters.  Fire & Clay imagines an unseen world juxtaposed with ours, the world of the jinn. It is a story of love and jealousy, and how both can last for centuries.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing Fire & Clay on December 18, 2005.

How long did it take you to write it?

From the initial idea to publishing it, Fire & Clay took seven years, four months, and seventeen days to write. I paused many times in those years but I never stopped plotting or building scenes. So, whenever I did sit down to write, I had to incorporate my notes or new plot points into the working manuscript.

Where did you get the idea from?

My husband returned from a research trip to Futa Toro on December 18, 2005. There, he met a man who said he was a descendent of a human and jinn union. Immediately, I barraged him with questions like what did he look like? Did he have special powers? In hindsight, some of my questions were very silly. At any rate, he didn’t have any answers to my questions because as soon as the man told him this, another researcher with my husband changed the subject and they never got back around to the burning question of “how can humans and jinn procreate?”

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Absolutely! Since all I had to go on was the idea of a human and jinn procreating, I struggled with what such a union looks like in the real world. It was difficult to imagine a whole cast of jinn and how they interacted with one another—with us.

What came easily?

Writing dialogue was the easiest part of writing this book. I also found it easy to come up with names.

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

All of the jinn characters are fictitious. The human characters are not based on a single person I know but more a composite of many people and many experiences.

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?

J. California Cooper for voice. Toni Morrison for theme. Gabriel Garcia Marquez for character depth. Octavia Butler for re-imaging reality. Stephen King for supernatural suspense. I read all of the aforementioned writers regularly and often the same book several times. I read a lot of books and articles about Islamic epistemology and eschatology. I generally do not like reading light-hearted works. I crave reading that has a greater meaning than the surface. Other writers that have influenced me are Haruki Murakami, Walter Mosely, & Alexander Dumas.

Do you have a target reader?

No. When I was writing, I was thinking everyone would be able to enjoy it.

About Writing

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

I sit outside or near a window when I’m in the beginning stages of writing. I need the fresh air and sunlight. I often jot down notes or fragments in a notebook. And, I keep a notebook on my night side table. I’m always writing even when I’m not in front of my computer or with a pen and paper in hand. I have a lot of epiphanies when I step away from the computer or notepad. Whenever I am stuck, I walk away. I did this once and had the greatest epiphany ever.

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

When I first started writing full-time back in 1999, I did not outline. I just wrote what I felt and imagined my characters experiencing life. Then, my husband introduced the concept of a post-outline to me and that was helpful. But, it would have been unnecessary had I outlined first. When I write a complex scene or theme, I outline just to prevent confusion.

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

My internal editor wanted perfection from the outset.  It took several months of spinning my wheels before I stopped editing while writing Fire & Clay. What made it click for me was to recall a concept one of my creative writing instructors taught.

Imagine the first draft is a skeleton. A skeleton that cannot get up, walk around on its own, and tell folks what it is thinking. It needs a brain, muscle, blood, and all of that good stuff first. This concept helped me to place value in editing and rewriting because the first, second, and sometimes the third draft is just a skeleton.

Did you hire a professional editor?

My husband, who is a brilliant professor outside of slaving (his words, not mine) over my manuscript, graciously took on the role of editor. He found unclear sections and asked me what I meant by this or that. Invaluable. I wrote on this book for six and half years before I showed a single person. He was the first and the last person to enter this world of Fire & Clay before it was published.  In between that, my eldest daughter read it and gave me valuable suggestions as well.

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

I used to listen to music while writing. Now, I need peace, herbal tea, comfortable clothes, and a window. However, when I did listen to music, I found I worked best with music that related to the theme of my story. For instance, when I first started Fire & Clay, I listened to West African songs like Nguisstal by Assane Ndiaye, Saude by Celina Pereira, Falso Testemunho by Maria Alice, and my ultimate favorite  is Tajabone by Ismael Lo. Pretty much ANYTHING by Ismael Lo stirs in me a longing, and if I’m really feeling it, an aching in my soul that helps me to imagine a time long past, or a world I’ve never seen.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

After receiving curt declines from my inner circle of publishing professionals, I sent out 20 query letters, and 5 synopses. They all passed.

One of them said if I re-wrote for the YA market I might have a shot. Another said that publishers are not buying fiction marketed for adults from new, unestablished writers. I was unwilling to change my entire story, my message, because I felt it was for everyone.

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

One of my best friends, let’s call her the literary evangelist, called me one day to tell me what was going on in the publishing industry. I paid no attention to such matters. I wrote, slept, took care of my family, and repeated that the next day. Everything she said resonated with me because of my own personal experience of publishing the traditional route. A good amount of time had passed from my being traditionally published to the phone call that changed my entire outlook. To hear that I can market Fire & Clay the way I wanted was empowering to say the least. I was converted. I did waffle from time to time. But a quick peruse of J.A. Konrath’s blog set me straight each time.

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

I did the cover myself with Creative Suite software. I am a do-it-yourself kind of person so this was very fun to do!

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

I have a very basic marketing plan that requires I do something to promote Fire & Clay every day.

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

Seriously, weigh the pros and cons first. Read from both camps on the matter before making a decision. What works for me may not work for you.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Decatur, Illinois. Decatur will always have a place in every fiction book I write.

Where do you live now?

I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on two projects. One is project I started with my literary evangelist friend in 1997! The other is Book Two of Fire & Clay. 

End of Interview:

For more from Kaaronica, visit her website or like her page on facebook.

Get your copy of Fire & Clay from Amazon US (paper or ebook), Amazon UK (paper or ebook), or Smashwords.