Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My writer's group members introduce ourselves around the table with "Hi, I'm _____ and I write _____". It sounds like an AA meeting because, well, we're writers, so it's not that untrue.
Me, I'm a film buff, and you can see that in my work. I have an extensive DVD collection, and I play D&D.
I love craft beer, and the fact that, since moving closer to the city, I have choices for bars instead of pretty much just my one local.
I have written two books and two short stories (that have been published) but there's a ton more on the way.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
If you count Writing The Wasteland as my latest, this one's a short primer on how to write apocalyptic fiction, discussing the major story concerns and approaches the author will face. I figured people who write apocalypse fiction probably know all this anyway, would they really need this? I wrote it anyway, because there was like, no competition.
If you count my most-recent release, though, Children of Fire, then it's a massive update to the prior version which, if I'm being completely honest, I was ashamed of. So I fixed that up big time, focusing completely on that for a few months (mostly January), and since it'd been a year without looking at it, I could see things, man.
It's a post-apocalyptic superhero novel with monsters and mercenaries, and it's set in the ruins of Brisbane, four years after some portals opened up and messed the world up big time. (unlike all the movies these days that have portals as a climatic final fight, these ones just opened up from the *other* side, and humanity had zero warning)
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, and I kinda wish I did, because I don't feel like a Real Author without one.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Brooks inspired the merging of apocalypse and fantasy/superhero with Genesis of Shannara, the books that linked Shannara and Word/Void (spoiler alert) and confirmed what many suspected – that it was Earth all along! (also spoiler alert, except not really)
Peter Clines' Ex-Heroes, Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart, and Jim Butcher's Dresden Files all inspire my tone and voice.
What are you working on now?
Hmm, mostly I'm promoting at the moment, hoping that continues to go well. But, on the back burner, I'm starting on Children of Fire's sequel, I've got bits and pieces, and a good overall plot in place (I couldn't get anywhere till I cut the first two chapters I had, and also while I was ninja-ing my life, cut some people from it (I said from my life, not *literally* cut them! Sheesh!) and I'm working on the early stages of Leviathan City (is that name taken?) which, I'm actually onto something good with, I feel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Release it on a Monday.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ask yourself the very basics.
First, who's your main character? What do they want? What's stopping them? How can you motivate them? (Inciting Incident)? How can you destroy them? How can they overcome the Black Moment to kick their problem's ass?
Second, have a plan for the story. "But discovery writing is so magical!" Yeah, it is. You know what else is magical? Not having to rewrite so the story actually has some kind of flow and isn't just a collage of scenes with no rhyme or reason to them. That said, if you ARE the lucky bastard who can make shit up as they go along and it comes out as gold… can I eat your brain? For knowledge. Tasty, tasty knowledge.
Third, organise your life, make writing time a commitment, and tell people that books don't write themselves. That said, don't neglect your friends, family, pets, house, job, all that stuff. But you won't make it if you don't put the hard hours in. You'll also burn out if you don't look after yourself and socialise once in a while (trust me, you need the sunlight, exercise, and
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don't be boring.
What are you reading now?
The Fifth Season.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The sequel to Children of Fire, Leviathan City.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. You may have heard of it…
Author Websites and Profiles
Daniel Ferguson Website
Daniel Ferguson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
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