Welcome back to a new blog, although I apologise for how rare they’ve been lately. Yep, still delayed unfortunately. Still dealing with a lot of personal issues right now, and need to put self-care first. I have the interviews lined up it’s just finding the time and energy to put them up. However, I have several ready to go, as well as a few gaming articles to write and post up. I know many of you who have submitted interviews to me are asking when they are up, which is understandable. The answer is “They will all go up, but I don’t know when yet.” That currently is the best answer I can give you, sorry!
I’ll do a little summary of stuff before I post up this interview. Writing is going okay, at least on some grounds. Editing Counterbalance is progressing, and while Book II of it has stalled, I at least have a couple of plans for it. My main focus right now has been for NaNoWriMo in November, with a whole new novel based around mage persecution in a war-torn realm. I’m rather excited about it, and hopefully the 50k word count challenge will finish the novel in one go. Counterbalance is still a heavy focus, but I’m happy in expanding my world as well. Writing is a life-long mission for me, so I have no need to rush.
Onto the main event. My interview today is with someone I only met recently, on a podcast by another cool friend of mine, Andy Peloquin. I will post the link to the YouTube video on said podcast too. Sci-Fi and Fantasy Podcast. She writes portal fantasy, which is something I find to be pretty cool and hard to get done right. She’s awesome too, so give her a warm welcome!
1. First of all, tell me about yourself! What do you write?
My name is Agnes Jankiewicz, I go by the pen name of A.A. Jankiewicz and I am the author of Q-16 and the Eye to All Worlds, which is a portal fantasy. I write both science fiction and fantasy and am an enthusiast of both. By day I also work as a graphic designer and social media lead for a group of construction companies.
2. How do you develop your plots and characters?
As simple as it may sound for plot, point form on paper. The characters come much later once I am writing draft one.
3. Tell us about your current project.
Currently I am in the process of editing the sequel to my debut novel Q-16 and the Eye to All Worlds, which is entitled Q-16 and the Lord of the Unfinished Tower.
4. Who would you say is the main character of your novels? And tell me a little bit about them!
My main characters are Annetta Severio and Jason Kinsman. They are both teenagers that are avid fantasy fans who have grown up in present day Toronto Ontario in Canada. Annetta is a tomboy, a dreamer, a bit short tempered and has a bit of a chivalrous streak to her in wanting to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Her best friend Jason is a bit sarcastic and questions his validity on much of his journey through the first book in the series. He’s a tad bit paranoid when it comes to his importance in their quest and strives to prove himself as not being just his father’s son but also his own man.
5. What advice would you give new writers on how to delve into creative fiction?
Just write! A lot of people always ask how I did it and the truth could not be more simple than that. Have a set amount you want to write, say 500 words a day. It seems like a little but I think it works well as a minimum and if you write that amount everyday it starts to add up and soon, you see those 500 words a day grow into a novel. When I wasn’t working full time I would be writing 1000 words a day everyday and before I knew it I was done draft one. I found also this method helps to limit writers block from happening.
6. What real-life inspirations did you draw from for the worldbuilding within your book?
I would say history in terms of the various races in my own books, which is always a fun process when it comes to researching and reimagining things.
7) What inspires you to write?
Music has and I think always will be my biggest inspiration. Hearing certain pieces triggers scenes, characters and even story arcs in some cases. I would also say medieval history.
8. What was the hardest part of writing this book?
I think for me it was the mindset I found myself in when I began. My father had just survived a serious heart attack and two months later, my uncle passed away suddenly. At first, it seemed a chore to write as I tried to process all of my other emotions I was dealing with but the more I forced myself and the more I stuck to it, the easier it became. Eventually I was back into my routine but it was only through being consistent that I was able to overcome this. I think going through the things I was helped me to write better and to pour out what I felt onto the page, especially during parts where the characters I wrote about were experiencing similar emotions.
9. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
In my newest book that is not yet released I would say writing about why it is we truly always seem to misplace our pens and lose single socks in the laundry. I’ll leave it at that.
10. Did you learn anything from writing this book and what was it?
Writing can be a powerful tool for helping one heal emotionally.
11. It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it?
For me, the plot will usually come first. I know what the journey will be from start to finish and I have a somewhat good idea of who my characters will be. As I write, they become more fleshed out. I get to discover who they are on a more personal level as I go through the journey of the story with them.
12. What are your future project(s)?
Why the sequel of course! I have five books planned for the main series and two prequels and after that. Ah, well… you’ll just have to wait and see I suppose.
13. If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?
A filmmaker because I would still get to tell stories just in a different medium.
14. What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?
You can find me on my website at www.aajankiewicz.com or lurking on any of the following social media;
Facebook – A.A Jankiewicz’s Facebook Page
Twitter – @aajankiewicz
Goodreads – Goodreads Page
Thankyou for your interview Agnes, and as always a pleasure. One of the things authors need to do is support each other, which I’m always willing to do. If you would like an interview, don’t hesitate to message me, but coming weeks may be a bit slower then normal.
I hope to return soon!
The Thousand Scar's Muse 