Our Interview with Derek Edgington!

     




                                                                       Bio


Derek Edgington is a seventeen-year-old teen from the small town of Pleasanton, California. He was used to a life of relative transience within the district, and has faced his own challenges throughout his short, but eventful life. The tools he holds in highest regard are his ability to see clearly, most of the time, and his drive to succeed in anything he set his will against. He sought a creative outlet in songwriting, dawdled drastically in poetry, but found both to be far out of his scope or breadth. His artistic talents are famed for their stick figures and abstract qualities within the realm of Photoshop, for that is the only way you can describe inadequacy in graphic art. Derek finds it incredibly surreal to write about himself in the third person.

There was, however, one thread of opportunity that remained, the silver lining that could not be ignored. Being a prolific reader within the realm of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, one could only expect to pick up a thing or two, if only by reverse osmosis. He tried and failed to write his first two novels at 12 and 14, but found that he hadn't yet developed the depth of thought for such an undertaking. At 17 he tried again, the writing flowed in a way which he had never experienced, and The Seven was born.

                                             Bio provided by author's site


It was our pleasure to get a chance to interview such an ambitious young man. Derek volunteered to be interviewed through the community author's site at Kindle Direct Publishing. It was really nice to get a chance to meet and interview such a driven young man in a time when our youth are reported to be only into gaming and instant gratification. Derek has a unique take on life and his own sense of self. Please give a warm welcome to Derek!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

A good hook is one that builds silently, almost imperceptible, drawing the reader in. I think my most persuasive hook is the fact that I'm a teen writing what teens want to read. That, coupled with my synopsis, draws in the readers. My writing will *hopefully* do the rest.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

When compared to other authors, my pre-writing organizing could be considered haphazard at best. As my thoughts flow, I jot them down, to be used or trashed when the time comes. However, much creativity is allowed to filter in through the cracks, filling in cracks and resurfacing others.

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

My normal writing day commences after work, or school, depending on circumstances. I determine to get a couple pages in before going to bed, then hit the sack. The next day, I bull through whatever activity or challenge before me and repeat the process. This continued until the book was completed. My inspiration is a continuous thing, developed day and night as my book is further ruminated upon. Those ideas are implemented once I get the opportunity to write them down.

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

Jim butcher is one of my favorite authors. He takes the realm of fantasy by turning it on its head, injected wit and humor into his work, despite the ever-present doom and gloom that is an inevitable by-product of world ending scenarios.

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

The editing process- the grammar- can get draining, when drawn out over an extensive period. However, its a necessary component of the writing process.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

Before anything else, I was a prolific reader. My extensive digital and print bookshelf exceeds 600. Right now, I'm rereading The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, as well as Legacies by L.E. Modesitt Jr in attempt to study words, patterns, ideas, thereby improving my writing. However, it proves a much more difficult task to read, these days, due to a thought process brought on by my extensive editing.

7. How did you get started in writing for Young Adult fantasy? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

I started writing YA Fantasy almost without any thought, as almost every book on my shelf is from the genre. Available books were trickling, drying up, and so I began formulating an idea for a book of my own: one that was enthralling, never let up, and didn't have whiny hero's who were completely oblivious of their surroundings. Thus, The Seven was born. Of course, bits and pieces of my own personality filter into my writing, coupled with what paltry life experience I have gleaned in my short span of years.

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

I definitely believe that Amazon will continue to grow as a giant in the self-publishing and publishing industry. As borders has closed up shop, and now Barns & Noble declared bankruptcy, it appears exponential growth is more than likely.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

Goodreads has a sample, as well as Amazon. As this is my debut novel, however, there isn't really any extensive works out there on the market. My website and blog is being polished up, which will shortly become a haven where readers can connect with me and converse about the book.

10.Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

Yes, my next book, Leviathan, has been planned out much more extensively than The Seven, and is currently in its start up phase.

11. Who would be your first choice to play Caleb Holden from your book titled "The Seven"?

I don't think I would mind any one person playing the part. Movie's are a wholly different realm, and my influence won't extend very far into that demesne. Creative license in choosing the actor would be proffered to the producer who's running the show.

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

Hmm. Hard question. Possibly a philosopher from the Greek or Roman empire. Their system of government and rule has always intrigued me. Also, they are reputed to have had the greatest minds of their time.