Coffee.

A work bomb has detonated over my desk, and the paperwork shrapnel is everywhere.

Thinking about writing, LOL.
I can't really turn it off. When I'm writing, I usually have another story scratching at my brain waiting to get out.

Daydreaming plays an enormous role in my writing. As a producer and director, most of my writing has been scripts for movie, television or documentary. I have to visualize what I'm about to write. I need to take a moment, and walk around in the scene. I need to see what the light is like, what scent is in the air, and what dangers are lurking in the background, and then I drop my characters into that setting, and I see how this environment effects what they are dealing with in the scene. Sometimes I use the settings to accent what their emotions are. How I describe something will add depth and flavour to their interactions. There is an opening scene at the beginning of The Sorcerer that I love, that is a fantastic example of what I mean. You can download the free chapter preview and see it for yourself. *wink*

My latest book, the Prince, is a continuation of the Lies of Lesser Gods Series. Book Four finds our hero, Gralyre, struggling with his identity, as he has finally regained his lost memories. Who is he to be now? The Sorcerer and Rebel Swordsman that he has been over the course of the series, or the Prince, regal and privileged in life? How will this effect his relationships? The war for humanity has begun, and the Rebels are woefully unprepared. Though allies from the east, the Dream Weavers, have arrived to help them in their struggle, they are vastly outnumbered, and their leadership is in tatters.
The Sorceress, Catrian is still recovering from her illness, and in the midst of the wars, feels her connection with Gralyre slipping away from her, as the mystical talisman, the Dragonsword of Lyre, begins to exert more influence upon Gralyre's life. She has lost everything, her family, her power, and soon the rest of humanity if a way is not found to defeat Doaphin the Usurper. How will she bear it if she loses Gralyre as well? First chapters will be posted to my website soon. lgamcintyre.com

Word of mouth is the best marketing tool, by far. If you are an author, there are some great online tools, and I make use of them as well, but you become one of thousands barking for attention, and you become lost in the noise.
Take the time to do live events, book signings, sales and readings. I enjoy setting up booths at small town markets, and Comic Cons where I can talk to people, and share my passion for what I've created. I do some sales, hand out thousands of bookmarks, and see a spike in add-on sales, follows and organic likes after each appearance. Slowly, but surely, I've created an online following of true advocates, who share and promote my exceptional books to their friends, family and strangers on my behalf. It is a true symbiotic relationship, and I would not survive as an author without them. These fans provide far more than sales. They provide emotional support when I feel blocked, and a cheering section when a new book is published, which feeds my desire to continue. It takes time and effort, it takes respect and love.

Reviews are almost the only way to get feedback on what you are writing. Are people enjoying it? Hating it? Can I do better? Creation doesn't take place in a vacuum. Without feedback, I cannot improve or grow. So far, my fans have given me top marks. Yay! I must be doing a good job!
I've heard of some authors purchasing reviews to drive their book upwards in the sales matrixes of some websites. The more reviews, the closer you land towards the top of the lists. I am proud to say that every one of my reviews is from a real person who has read my novels - and who isn't related to me LOL!

Going the independent route was an easy decision for me. I've been an indie producer all of my adult life, so adding "Indie Author" to my portfolio was a natural choice. I love it. I have 100% creative control over everything I do. Which means I can be a rebel and a rule breaker, a rule changer, and give people an authentic reading experience, unfiltered through a large corporation's money making formula. It was the right choice for me.
There is always a pushback, of course. "Indie Author" is sometimes portrayed as "Vanity Author", which I think is ridiculous propaganda. Indie Authors are still banned from mainstream awards or grant programs. However, I think that the tide will turn soon. The film industry embraces the Indie Producer, and you will see independent films at the Academy Awards. The book industry has been slow to change, because it is ruled by the monopoly of the large publishing houses. Self publishing is a revolution. Indie Authors are here to stay, and I am happy to note that the public agrees with us.

I do! I think I was about 6-years old, and our family dog, Tippy, had been kidnapped by the evil dog catcher. I wrote a poem about it. It wasn't half bad. :-)

This is one of my favourite parts to my writing process. I design and create all of my own covers. I take a scene from the book, something chaotic, something visual, and something that was a pivot point for my character's journey. I see it in every detail as I write it, so transferring that to a cover, is exciting and fulfilling. As I look through the covers in my series, Lies of Lesser Gods, I can visually see the journey that my hero has taken.
When creating the covers for the Lies of Lesser Gods series, I try to maintain a cohesive look and feel to the designs.
I make use of similar elements, the man and the wolf.
I use the same fonts, in the same sizes.
I use a monochromatic overall colour scheme. For example, Exile is Blue, Rebel is Orange, Sorcerer is Gold. You can view all the covers at my website: lgamcintyre.com

I read everything. Horror to Horticulture, Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy. Currently I've been crushing on folk tales from different cultures all over the world. The mythology of it all is fascinating!

Smashwords has been instrumental in my success as an Indie Author. Finding distribution for your novels is one of the major struggles of an Indie Author. Having a single site that oversees dozens of distribution channels is priceless. I upload my ebook formatted manuscript, and Smashwords ensures that it populates almost everywhere e-books are sold. Then they collect my royalties for me. "Work Smarter, not Harder" is a motto to live by, especially when you have marketing, writing, promotional appearances, publishing, importing, distribution, accounting, etc, etc, etc to do.

Well, I have outlines and drafts completed on several new fantasy novels. I've been obsessing over one in particular that is more contemporary in flavour. Fans of Lies of Lesser Gods will not be disappointed!