How long have you been writing?
I
started writing when I was like eight. It’s been a tremendously long time. I
wasn’t very good at first, but I feel I’ve grown a lot. It’s been twenty-four
years since then and still writing. I now just actually write stories rather
than nonsensical words strung together. I’ve always written fantasy-based
stories though, so it’s no surprise that’s the genre I’ve stuck with.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or
do some of them come to you as you write?
For the
most part, when I start a story, I have a main cast in mind. Not all of them
are completely fleshed out, especially those that will be joining later, but I
have an idea of who they are and how they will interact with the rest of the
characters. Other characters, especially side characters and even sometimes
villains, develop as the story moves along, so it’s not uncommon for a
completely unplanned character to show up in a supporting role. As soon as a
character appears in my mind, I draft out a profile for them and usually even
do a bit of sketching to understand that better. My drawer at work is full of
random doodles and sketches of characters as I go through them. Every character
I create has their own profile, though it’s not usually super in-depth for
characters that are short-term or not tremendously important.
What kind of research do you do before you begin
writing a book?
It
really depends on the book, but I do usually do some research before I begin
writing. In the case of fantasy books, it’s often just simply things like
character names, the distance between places, time it would take to ride
somewhere on horseback or walk, and even the basics of different cultures or
religions. In other cases, especially with books like Archive of Sinners or
even my webcomic Zos Kias that take place in our real world and in real
locations, I do a lot of research and photograph or save photos of those
locations to use as reference or just better understand the build. Archive
takes place in Chicago and Schaumburg area which makes it easy for me to go
visit, but I’ve never been to London or Warrick, so Zos Kias uses a lot more
research. Zos Kias in general probably has the most research involved since
there are also a couple characters based on real people (historically dead). I
have a whole binder full of notes for that series.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite
genre?
I try to
read as much as I can, but I haven’t had as much time as I used to. I
predominately read fantasy, but I also love a good mystery, or even paranormal.
I tend to be the type who chooses books at completely random. I like going to
stores like 2nd and Charles, or Half Price Books, and looking
through the shelves and picking stuff that looks interesting. I’ve also found
great books at local author events or even at conventions. I admittedly tend to
favor indie authors or small authors for what I read, but I usually don’t look
for author names when buying books. The only genre of fiction I steer clear
from is romance. Just not my thing.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
I like
to work with noise. It helps me focus and drown out a lot of unnecessary
distractions. I know a lot of people are the opposite, but when it’s extremely
silent, my mind just wants to do a million things at a time. The noise helps
keep that in check a bit better.
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several
going at a time?
I tend
to start a lot of projects at the same time, but I try to give my focus all to
just one at a time as I can. For instance, right now, I have Dragon Pillars:
Shadow & Light, Hanif, and The Archive of Sinners: Envy, all started. I’ve
been focusing on writing Hanif for now, but that could change easily. I also am
always scripting out new storyboards for my webcomic Zos Kias on top of that,
though I usually do it chapter at a time, which means I get a couple months
between each writing. I’m the type that works better when I have more than one
thing going on though.
Pen or type writer or computer?
I prefer
to type on my computer, but it’s not always possible. I used to write in
notebooks a lot, but I haven’t done that in quite some time. Computer is still
my most used, but I also have written a lot in the notes on my phone, or more
recently, just right on google docs. My current big work in progress, Hanif,
had a couple entire chapters written on my phone while waiting for my fiancé to
do a test drive at an auto show.
Advice they would give new authors?
Never stop
writing. It’s okay to faulter and not have strong ideas, but you should always
write, no matter what, no matter how weak. You can always go back and edit, but
once you break that flow, it’s more difficult to begin again.
It’s
also a good idea to set deadlines for yourself. Nothing too extreme that will
leave you stressed, but just goals to reach in a certain time frame. It’s
easier to develop habits if you push to make them.
What are they currently reading?
The
Devil in the White City (Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed
America) is my current read. I know a lot about HH Holmes and the World’s Fair
growing up so close to Chicago, but there is a lot of the specifics I didn’t
know, especially the politics behind it. I thought this book would be a bit
tedious to read since it’s so heavy with facts and data, but it’s well written
and I’m quite enjoying it. It’s mostly been the book I’ve taken with me to
physical therapy appointments, which always makes for strange conversation. I
already have a small stack of books lined up in order to read next.
Water & Fire
The Dragon Pillars Book 1
by Sanzaki Kojika
Genre: Epic Fantasy
There is a legend that everyone knows- the legend of the Dragon Pillars. Every several hundred years, darkness befalls the land. The Dragons awaken and choose their Pillars, humans strong enough to withstand their powers, and together they drive back the darkness.
In the towering cathedral of Vivdaugas, students flock to study the archives built upon the legend and train to reach the glory of its heroes. Garred Conway is preparing for his test to become a true Defender when a storm threatens to destroy the citadel, and the land around it. Trapped in the catacombs, desperate to save those he cares for, he finds help from the most surprising place- the Water Dragon Aysu. Now, as Aysu's new pillar, he finds himself with more responsibility thrust on him than he could have ever imagined.
**Only .99 cents April 7th-14th!!**
Earth & Wind
The Dragon Pillars Book 2
The Pillar of Fire Shula is left reeling with loss and a new heavy burden of responsibility. The Water Pillar Garred leads a small party into the dangerous Whispering Forest to seek out weapons that were blessed by the Light Dragon. Disaster is narrowly avoided, but it brings a dark secret to light.Once reunited, Shula steels her resolve and the journey continues. With two Dragons awoken, their quest for the third leads them to the harsh terrain of the desert. The sand dregs up a certain Defender’s self-proclaimed pathetic past and the hard feelings associated with it. Can a Dragon really chose a Pillar from an isolated people dedicated to a life of pacifism?
**Only .99 cents May 4th– 11th!!**
Fawn Szymoniak, aka “Sanzaki Kojika” has been a resident of the fantasy world from a young age, growing up in a house full of books and mythology. Her mother introduced her to fantasy works by authors like Barbara Hambly and Terry Brooks. By the age of 8, she had already written her first novel (albeit crudely). Since then, she has taken to mostly writing fantasy, following characters through magical worlds full of wonder and danger. Her series “The Archive of Sinners” stands out as her only non-fantasy, being a paranormal mystery.
On top of her writing, she is also a freelance graphic designer. Her love of art and writing, spurred her onto comics. She has several graphic novels self-published, including her webcomic “Zos Kias,” which is over 10 years old.
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