4 min read

Starting w a little swearing, a big theme to write about, and ending w writing in bed w the cat - a Twitterview w Sue Lange #BookMarket

In the month of January, I'm doing a Twitter Interview (Twitterview) of many of the participants of the #BookMarket chat. These are people who come and generously share their wisdom week after week. The Twitterviews give them a chance to shine.

For my last #Twitterview, I had a chance to chat with Science Fiction author and self proclaimed literary snob, Sue Lange @SueLange.

ClaudiaC Q.1 - What 5 words would you use to describe yourself?

SueLange Smart, funny, foul-mouthed, entertaining, and old.

ClaudiaC  Old? How are we defining that criteria?

suelange As in, I've seen a lot, too much. Also, my back aches in the am.

ClaudiaC  I'm so sorry to hear about the back. I hope it's not anything serious

suelange Nope. Just too much gardening.

ClaudiaC I'm wimpering at the idea of gardening. It's not the season here. Are you in CA?

suelange @ClaudiC Gardening is over here (PA), too, but the aches are still here. Need to lie around a bit. Perfect for a writer, eh?

ClaudiaC @suelange Writers and Hobbits. Although sometimes I'm not sure there's a difference. #writersarehobbits

suelange Ha!

ClaudiaC  Would you like to share with us a favorite foul-mouthed phrase? or shall we move on?

suelange Hell no. Fuck yes. Or would you rather have a poker up your ass?

ClaudiaC ahahahahaha!

ClaudiaC @SueLange Q.2 - What is your favorite thing about the publishing/writing world today?

suelange Ease with which to get published. Available to all.

ClaudiaC  Q.3 - If someone was totally dialed into your writing, what would they 'get'? Do you have a 'message'?

suelange Yes. Usually acceptance. Of others. Of self. Of mother nature.  Also, to think. Never hesitate to think. Take the time to THINK.

ClaudiaC  Wow, those are wonderful messages. Good for you! :)

suelange Thanks! I love to think and don't know why more people don't.

ClaudiaC  Q.4 - I don't actually know anything about your writing & your career. Can you tell us about it?

suelange Humorous but with a heavy message Often literarily experimental, but not esoteric.

ClaudiaC Ok, those are great, intriguing words, but let's talk nitty gritty - this is your chance to shine! :)

suelange Tritcheon Hash: women live on one planet, men on the other. Guess what happens. Kirkus Best of 2011 list.

ClaudiaC Nice! Congratulations! Is Tritcheon Hash a series? I know it's your most recent.

suelange No it's not. It's a stand alone. Unless someone pays me to write another. (of course)

ClaudiaC How many years? How many books? What genre? Publisher/no publisher?

suelange 9 yrs. 4 bks. sf. small presses.

ClaudiaC Wow. 9 years is an eon for an author.

suelange Also We, Robots (Aqueduct press); a novella of the Singularity (humans and AI)

suelange Textile Planet: experimental ebook. Not for the faint of heart.

suelange Last: UNCATEGORIZED. Publ. by Book View Cafe. Collection of my previously published short stories.

ClaudiaC Nice - your list reminds me of Ursula Le Guin's mix of stuff.

suelange Thanks for mentioning her in a tweet about me. Ursula is actually a member of Book View Cafe.

ClaudiaC Wimper. I'm a huge fan of hers - you?

suelange is there anyone that isn't?

ClaudiaC  Do you write from proposal? Or inspiration? Or...?

suelange Yes.

ClaudiaC  I think we've talked about this before. I know a lot of successful authors who write proposals then book.

ClaudiaC  Feel absolutely free to say no, but I wondered if you'd talk about it a bit. How does proposal to write work?

suelange Isn't that with non-fiction? I've written ss that way, not books. For non-fiction it's a complicated process and includes mkt info.

ClaudiaC No, I have friends who write fiction that way. Maybe a better question is, what's your writing process like?

suelange I think about theme, then characters, then plot, then write. 1st draft is longhand. @ClaudiaC: What's your writing process like?

ClaudiaC Fascinating. Can you tell me more about thinking about theme? Is that world? message?

suelange Theme is idea. Like: "online behavior is changed by thought police." Then you go on from there. How could you depict that? What scenario?

ClaudiaC 1st draft long hand - pen or pencil?

suelange Pen/legal pad. In bed with cat "makin' pudding" on the pillow.

ClaudiaC Sheez that's cool  Is that a method you learned or something which comes naturally to you?

suelange It's instinctual. I write because I want to say something so it's natural to start with a theme.

ClaudiaC Nice! You and Maya Angelou; altho she goes to hotels

suelange I'm going to start doing that. I'm old enough to skulk around hotels.

ClaudiaC I think some of it is the quiet & room service

suelange Rm svc. Definitely. RT @ClaudiaC: I think some of it is the quiet & room service

ClaudiaC  Q.5 - Everyone has a super secret ninja skill. What's yours?

suelange I can julienne anything. Some things take longer than others.

ClaudiaC Fabulous! What did we miss?? What would you like to add?

suelange Thanks, Claudia! Free excerpts at my blog starting this Sunday (http://t.co/LvIKz5EI

ClaudiaC Nice! Congratulations on all of your success! :) May it continue! Thank you for being my last #twitterview. *applause*

ClaudiaC *applause* *applause* *applause* Thanks again!

suelange *aplause* *applause* for Claudia's twitterviews!

suelange No, thank you!

That's my last twitterview for a while. Thanks for listening in! :)

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