Sunday, February 24, 2008

Interview with Steven Gilby *CONTEST*


Steven is a bang up guy with an awesome personality! He is even offering a copy of Curse of Darkness Part 1. All you have to do is answer a question... read the interview to find out what the question is. Make sure to leave your email addy after the post!!

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SG: So far the only genre that I’ve written is something like the movie Underworld. Vampires, werewolves, and action every now and again. I’ve always enjoyed swords, so I incorporate sword fighting in my story as often as I can. The story I am referring to is called Curse of Darkness and it a series of 4 novellas.Other genres that I want to try out are drama, romance and science fiction. Another story I have in the works has demons and angels, specifically the seven archangels of heaven such as St Michael, Uriel, Raphael and the rest(I don’t remember ALL of their names lol)The one genre I’ve always wanted to try but am a little scared to do is Fantasy. For something like that, you usually need such a large world and my brain would explode if I had to create a whole universe right now lol

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SG: High school, sophomore year! I even remember the first time I visualized something I wanted to write about. I was listening to Evanescence and it was the beginning where she sang, “How can you see into my eyes like open doors?” I just got the image in my head of someone lying on the ground dying and that’s how my story Curse of Darkness was born lolBut after that, I knew that I wanted to be a writer despite knowing how extremely hard it is to be successful. It’s not about money. It’s about fun. And I really enjoy writing.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SG: First of all, it has to be my friends. Without them, I wouldn’t have a lot of the characters in my stories. My other inspiration is music. I listen to music constantly, day and night. If it isn’t a scene with action in it, I usually listen to something soft. If action, then I listen to some hard rock. I remember listening to Reise Reise by Rammstein about a hundred times writing one part in Curse of Darkness Part 2.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SG: Like when do I write? I’ve never done things like I’ve always been told other people do them. I was always told that writers write for at least 4 hours a day. I can’t do that in one sitting or really in the whole day. I’ll probably turn out something that looks like crap lolSo I write on and off throughout the day, and now that I’ve gotten myself a job at Wal-Mart, I will be bringing a pad and pen to work and jotting down notes and things I see that interest me.But my schedule is scattered through the day, but some days I don’t write at all. Like right now. WRITER’S BLOCK MAN! Someone give me a chisel so I can chip my way through it! lol

CA: Hopefully you’ve gotten over your writers block by now and are typing your little heart out!

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SG: …Enjoy! *big smile*

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SG: I love to see movies I haven’t seen! The smallest thing can inspire me. I also like to see my friends. We hang out and play games. Which brings me to the other thing I like to do. I play loads of video games just looking for something new, something that no one has done in a book before. It’s easy to please the eyes with special effects, but it’s hard to please the mind with only words.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SG: I haven’t written a novel length book. Just novella, but so far only two. Curse of Darkness Part 1 & 2 and I am currently working on part 3 of 4. I’ve done three stories about the pasts of a few of the characters from the story, though and I’ve written a couple other short stories to help with more elaborate description. In the works, I have a story called Church Day(the one with the angels and demons), The Crusaders, and one called Dark Carnival. My favorite out of any story I will ever write will always be Curse of Darkness Part 1. It’s my baby. My pride and joy. Even though it’s nowhere near perfect lol

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SG: Right now, I have at least 10 people who are based on real people. I even use their names! They let me. *big smile*Some are fictional, but based loosely from another fictional character. My character Magnus is based off of the character Laurell K. Hamilton’s books, Anita Blake Vampire Hunter. Her character is calm and cool and handsome and in control. His name is Jean-Claude(I hope I spelled the second part to his name right)The video game character Vincent from Final Fantasy 7. I loved the name Vincent and just how cool he was, so I made a character, also named Vincent, but gave him more of a Bruce Campbell type of personality. He calls young people “kid” and all that kind of stuff.My best friend John is an Alpha Male(Alpha Male idea also taken from the Anita Blake books) and he’s also a real badass! In real life, he’s pretty funny, but he can be like that too, so I used that part of him and developed a character with that. As for the main character, I am embarrassed to say, I used my own name. I was only 16 when I started it, and over the years I couldn’t really see anyone else’s name there, but hopefully I can find a name to put in there that fits nice and snug.(wow this answer is long lol)

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SG: Any number of ways. I have a MySpace page(www.myspace.com/steven_blue) and a page on deviantART(http://blue44.deviantart.com). I haven’t made anyone hate me in my life, so I have no problem in giving out my address if you don’t mind. It’ll be at the bottom. Also, the phone I’m sharing with my dad and my brother right now(number at the bottom with the address). Also, my e-mail address, and my messengers(Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger
If you purchase online, I have self-published the first two parts of Curse of Darkness on
lulu.com PART 1 http://www.lulu.com/content/1425484 PART 2 http://www.lulu.com/content/1428611
(361)205-3570 -- NO PRANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
dark_war_lord_123@yahoo.com (also my yahoo messenger address.
Feel free to drop me a message)Gilbysteven@msn.com (my MSN messenger address. Again, feel free to drop me a message)
Steven Gilby
1806 HWY 35N Apt C-3
Rockport, Texas 78382

SG: ****CONTEST**** As an extra tidbit, I’ll try my hand at a small contest lolThe best answer wins a free copy of Curse of Darkness Part 1. Who doesn’t want a free book, huh? LolYou have the choice. Become a vampire, a werewolf(also immortal like vampires), be BOTH but it kills you in the end, or stay human. Which would you choose and why? I’ll do my best to watch the blog spot here and pick a winner.

CA: Steven what a great idea for a contest! So I know I can’t win but I would choose the vampire! LOL I have my reasons *big smile* Thank you again for visiting my blog this week hopefully we get you a lot of responses!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

well those are the best genres right now . i reckon we need good storying telling and dude those genre rocks as to how far uyou can go

Anonymous said...

HI Blackroze good to see you! I agree I love vamp books and can not seem to get enough of them!

Unknown said...

something about love and living forver

Unknown said...

Oh for me that answer is Easy...Vampire!

Being a Vampire is great for many reasons, but my favorite is in the book "The Mortal Vampire"

ewbradfute@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

EW you're a riot! Maybe Steven has read your book :) But from one vamp lover to another..Steven's books sound awesome! Good luck and I'll cross my fingers for you to win:)

Anonymous said...

Yet another author to add to my reading list! Your book sounds very interesting and I loved your interview. Vampires are my passion. I suggest you play Aerosmith's "Chip Away at the Stone" about 100 times to get rid of the writer's block. After listening to that so many time you will be dying to write LOL.

I love your contest idea! Is there any doubt I would choose a vampire? (Stop laughing Crystal!)

Humans? Been there, done that. A werewolf? They have never appealed to me and I find them far more savage in nature. A hybrid of a vampire and a werewolf? Again, vampires have far superior abilities to even consider such a crossing to taint their bloodline.

My eyes find beauty where most do not. A decaying leaf, a forgotten cemetery with tombstones enshrouded in moss and weathered by time, the comfort of the soft suede of darkness as I walk alone at night - these are far more fascinating than the everyday mundane.

Vampires are the creatures that thrive amidst the dark and mysterious shadows. Their eyes reflect and see the underlying beauty that exists in the underworld of the night.

How could I possibly wish to be anything other than something so close to what I already am?

Anonymous said...

oh man i completely forgot about this. I'M SO SORRYYYY!!!
i'll try that aerosmith song lol i still have writers block, so all i'm doing now is going through Curse of Darkness Part 1 and making it better! reading over it like i have been, i realized that its a mix of hollywood and b-movie with things that are said and the way i type lol kind of that Quenton Terrentino sort of flare to it in small doses!

for the contest winner. hmmmmm.
i think ravenn. other than that, EW was the only one to try lol

tell you what, i'll email both of you a copy of Curse of Darkness Part 1(because i'm too broke to buy a copy and mail it lol) if you have msn messenger or yahoo messenger(i dont have AOL messenger) drop me a message with your email or something and i'll send it your way when i finish with the current edit i'm doing =)

thank you Crystal for this =D

PS i didnt know how to leave my name, so i hope my name shows up lol if it doesnt, then this is Steven Gilby =P

Anonymous said...

HI Steven, I was wondering what happened to you LOL! I sent you a couple messages and was beginning to think you were away for the week. So glad you came in though :) AND yay congrats to EW and RAVENN!!! Which email would you prefer them to use?
Thank you again for offering your book as a contest and for being here this week :)
Good luck on the editing, I will talk to you soon! Hugs, Crystal

Anonymous said...

they can use dark_war_lord_123@yahoo.com

i never check my email on the msn address lol

Anonymous said...

has EW sent an email yet? Ravenn sent one to my hotmail, which i got and will reply as soon as i finish this last run of editing and send it to you. but since i dont get a load of junk to it, my hotmail will be fine =)

Anonymous said...

Hi Sweetie, I sent EW's email to you....but lately the weather has my comp screwed up so it may not have made it. Just incase it is EWBradfute@yahoo.com
I will resend the message now sweetie :)
Hugs, Crystal

StevenGilby said...

i wonder if anyone is still reading this lol
i have an edit. the phone number is no good anymore =P
and the link to part 2 of my story isnt up anymore. i took it down for editing. aaaaand theres a new link for part 1 because i edited it and now i think its perfect lol
http://www.lulu.com/content/1425484