Writing for characters you’ve already established is like putting on a pair of comfy slippers. You know them well, you’ve learnt their fobiles and it feels natural to be writing about them again.

Claire Buss – 25 July 2019

The Back Flap

Ned Spinks, Chief Thief-Catcher, has a new case. A murderous moustache-wearing cult is killing off members of Roshaven’s fae community. At least that’s what he’s been led to believe by his not-so-trusty sidekick, Jenni the sprite. She has information she’s not sharing but plans to get her boss into the Interspecies Poker Tournament so he can catch the bad guy and save the day. If only Ned knew how to play!

The Interspecies Poker Tournament, Case 27 of The Roshaven Files, is a humorous fantasy novella.

About the book

What is the book about?

The Interspecies Poker Tournament is a case file from the thief-catchers of Roshaven. Ned Spinks, Chief Thief-Catcher, and his sidekick Jenni the Sprite are investigating a series of fae murders however, Ned doesn’t have all the facts. A poker tournament is created in order to trap and catch the killer but as always, things don’t quite turn out as expected.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing The Interspecies Poker Tournament last year (2018) and originally it was a very short story but I wasn’t happy with it so I rested it for a while and went back to it at the beginning of this year, in January 2019, to rewrite the beginning and turn it into a novella.

How long did it take you to write it?

The actual writing didn’t take very long but the editing and cross checking took longer because this novella is a prequel to my novel, The Rose Thief. I had to make sure characters remained consistent and also that I didn’t reveal anything readers might not already know.

Where did you get the idea from?

The idea for the novella came from a throwaway line by Ned in The Rose Thief. He says that he owes the mermaids for the interspecies poker tournament and I just thought that was such an interesting idea, I wanted to see where the writing would take me.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I had to convince my husband to play several rounds of poker with me so that I could write a convincing card game. I have played poker before, but I am by no means an expert. It was a fun research project.

What came easily?

Writing for characters you’ve already established is like putting on a pair of comfy slippers. You know them well, you’ve learnt their fobiles and it feels natural to be writing about them again.

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

As far as I know my characters are entirely fictitious. That’s not to say that I haven’t been influenced by the people I’ve met, programs I’ve watched or books I’ve read. But I was not trying to consciously imitate anyone 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 enjoy reading sci-fi and fantasy novels and have read all the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. That type of humour and fantasy is very prevalent in The Interspecies Poker Tournament, I have certainly been inspired by him. I always try to make a mental note of ‘good writing’ when I’m reading so I can figure out how the author has achieved the effect. I’d like to think I’m always learning and always improving.

Do you have a target reader?

My target reader is someone who enjoys reading humorous fantasy. Fans of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Piers Anthony and Douglas Adams to name a few.

About Writing

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

I am a stay-at-home mum so having a dedicated writing time or even a schedule I can reliably stick to is nigh on impossible lol. My writing process is to try and snatch writing time when I can. I enjoy the NaNoWriMo approach of writing the first draft as fast and as rough as possible with a daily word count target but often find it impossible to stick to those targets. I do my first edits with a paper print out, a chapter breakdown and a list of plot holes.

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

I have never outlined at the beginning. I often get half-way through the first draft, start to feel overwhelmed and then rough out the rest of the chapters with brief notes. When the ideas start rolling, I often chuck down general directions in caps that I can come back to and flesh out in more detail later.

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

I wait until I’ve finished.

Did you hire a professional editor?

It’s a catch-22 situation. I know I need to pay for a professional editor but until I start making money, I can’t afford to. I have a great team of beta readers who catch content editing issues and pick me up on commas as they are my grammar nemesis.

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

Sometimes I do. I listen to classical music or film scores. I prefer it to be a background noise that also acts as a muffler to everything else that is going on.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I submitted my first novel, The Gaia Effect, to agents and received some positive no thank-yous and one request for a manuscript but it wasn’t picked up so I decided to take the self-published route. I may submit to agents again in the future.

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 wrote my first book after becoming a finalist in a book writing competition organized by my local library through an initiative called Pen to Print. Part of the prize was the opportunity to be printed by New Generation Publishing, an independent publisher. After the manuscript had gone the rounds with agents, I decided I just wanted to publish. I’ve had a steep learning curve, but it’s all been part of the process and I like the control afforded by self-publishing. I am planning to go wide next and try my luck with publishing on other platforms like Kobo and IngramSpark.

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

The cover for The Interspecies Poker Tournament was designed by Ian Bristow from Bristow Designs. We had a short conversation about what I was envisioning and after just one draft, he was able to capture my idea. He’s a very talented artist.

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

I have several marketing plans. I have a monthly promotional plan so that I’m rotating the promotion of all my book titles. I have a quarterly plan to keep me focused on my long-term goals. And I have a weekly planner with daily marketing tasks. I don’t always achieve everything on my plan but having it in black and white helps to keep me thinking about what I need to achieve.

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

Writing the book is only half the work. You need to make time for the marketing if you want to be successful and it takes just as much time and dedication as writing the book in the first place.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a town called Peterborough, in Cambridgeshire in the UK.

Where do you live now?

I live in Southend-on-Sea in Essex, UK.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I am blown away when readers get in touch to let me know what they thought about my books and I’m so grateful for the time taken to write a review. Knowing that others are enjoying the result of my imagination is a wonderful feeling.

End of Interview:

For more from Claire visit her website and blog, like her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter.

Get your copy of The Interspecies Poker Tournament from Amazon US or Amazon UK.