Interview with R.W. Van Sant
Published 2015-03-14.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
I usually see a link on twitter, or when browsing amazon or iStore.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes when I was eight I wrote a story about a half lion and half lizard creature.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first serious, non child book I read was the hobbit, followed by the watership down. They taught me that any creature can be heroic and to look at things from other perspectives.
How do you approach cover design?
At first I thought the cover had to show a scene from the story. Now I believe the need to be evocative of how I want the story to feel. Each cover has to promise a specific experience, and the manuscript has to fulfill that promise.
What do you read for pleasure?
I like to follow an author until I have an idea of why the are successful, then I move on to another. I read science fiction, horror, and fantasies mostly. Love Pratchet, Zelazney, Gaimen, Heinlein, Asamov, and many others.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I have an iPad, but my computer has a kindle reader.
Describe your desk
Cramped, to the ceiling with shelves. It does double duty as I am also a grad student. The top is dor the most par cleaned. Overall, mostly organized.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I was born in California and lived in Sacramento and the bay area. I have never lost my love of the water, ships or sea monsters. I moved to New Mexico where I learned the mysteries of desert, mountains and science.
When did you first start writing?
I have always written, although I wasn't, always very good at it. I always knew I wanted to be a writer. In elementary school I wrote littl one and two page stories and lays. In jr. High I started writing short stories. In high school it was full length plays, songs and a couple attempts at longer pieces.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I have been working and raising my family and trying to get the attention of a publisher or agent. After years of rejection, I looked into indie publishing. I have years of work that I am cleaning up and getting ready to publish, before I can begin working on my next idea. I have around 35 novels worked out and I wanted the world to see the, even if agents refused to read them.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
It allowed me to open the locations where I sold my books from kindle and paperback, to a much wider audience.
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