Ask the Author: Grea Alexander
Answered Questions (10)
Grea Alexander
I set up a bunch of free book giveaways lasting through the beginning of 2018.
Once they finished their run and I tried to set up more giveaways, I found out that the site now wanted to charge me 3 FIGURES plus my printing and shipping costs to give away a book for free! (insert blood curdling scream here)
Once they finished their run and I tried to set up more giveaways, I found out that the site now wanted to charge me 3 FIGURES plus my printing and shipping costs to give away a book for free! (insert blood curdling scream here)
Grea Alexander
Amazingly boring books on economics and business (as I'm working on my Masters in Business right now).
Why?
So I can OFFICIALLY be the Master, of course.
Other than those ridiculously thick etexts, I'm hoping to finish up Miael: Lovers and then dig into The Pack and/or Cabello series. Who knows, I may decide to whip out another historical fiction instead. (wink)
Why?
So I can OFFICIALLY be the Master, of course.
Other than those ridiculously thick etexts, I'm hoping to finish up Miael: Lovers and then dig into The Pack and/or Cabello series. Who knows, I may decide to whip out another historical fiction instead. (wink)
Grea Alexander
I get that...a lot. (wink) I thank you and I'm certain the iguana who escaped sacrifice thanks you for your valiant show of restraint.
Good luck in the contest. Even if you don't win, I keep my individual ebooks priced at $2.99 - except for the Rebellion ebooks (which are gynormous yet still priced at just $4.99). It's important to me that my books stay affordable for most everyone.
Thanks for the well wishes (as I certainly need them).
Cheers!
Grea.
Good luck in the contest. Even if you don't win, I keep my individual ebooks priced at $2.99 - except for the Rebellion ebooks (which are gynormous yet still priced at just $4.99). It's important to me that my books stay affordable for most everyone.
Thanks for the well wishes (as I certainly need them).
Cheers!
Grea.
Grea Alexander
That's a difficult question. I don't have a specific favorite per say but rather a favorite archetype: the star-crossed lovers. I love tragic, unlikely couples who shouldn't be together but just work anyway.
Examples include:
Literature
Othello: Othello & Desdemona (though that one didn't go so well for Desdemona)
Wuthering Heights: Cathy & Heathcliff (thought that one didn't go so well either…hmm. Sensing a pattern here?)
The Three Musketeers: Milady & Athos
TV
One Life to Live: Todd & Blair
Misfits: Simon & Alisha
Lost: Shannon & Boone
And of course my own:
Rebellion: Quay & Soung
Examples include:
Literature
Othello: Othello & Desdemona (though that one didn't go so well for Desdemona)
Wuthering Heights: Cathy & Heathcliff (thought that one didn't go so well either…hmm. Sensing a pattern here?)
The Three Musketeers: Milady & Athos
TV
One Life to Live: Todd & Blair
Misfits: Simon & Alisha
Lost: Shannon & Boone
And of course my own:
Rebellion: Quay & Soung
Grea Alexander
I don't get writer's block EVER. (knock on wood) I do however frequently suffer from Writer's Procrastination.
Getting me to make time to sit down to write can be a challenge as I'm very much a person who believes in going out and experiencing new and interesting thing in the real world rather than sitting at home on the computer. However, everytime I commit the time, everything flows like gravy lava on a butter mountain.
Getting me to make time to sit down to write can be a challenge as I'm very much a person who believes in going out and experiencing new and interesting thing in the real world rather than sitting at home on the computer. However, everytime I commit the time, everything flows like gravy lava on a butter mountain.
Grea Alexander
Inhaling Ink? (laugh)
Um, I'd have to say just getting to be the master of your own little universe without having to wear pastel tights and talk in a soft voice. (By the Power of Grea's Skull!)
It's just something I enjoy doing. The reality of it is that it's time consuming and takes quite the effort to get people to invest the kind of time necessary to appreciate the effort. I think it would be easier if I was drawn to be a photographer or song writer or artist - a craftsperson in a medium that can be quickly appreciated in this world of ever shortening attention spans.
P.S. I'm actually a really good photographer. (laugh)
Um, I'd have to say just getting to be the master of your own little universe without having to wear pastel tights and talk in a soft voice. (By the Power of Grea's Skull!)
It's just something I enjoy doing. The reality of it is that it's time consuming and takes quite the effort to get people to invest the kind of time necessary to appreciate the effort. I think it would be easier if I was drawn to be a photographer or song writer or artist - a craftsperson in a medium that can be quickly appreciated in this world of ever shortening attention spans.
P.S. I'm actually a really good photographer. (laugh)
Grea Alexander
Be true to yourself.
Write what you want to write, what you love to write rather than pandering to what you think or are told you should write. In short, write for yourself.
I'd also like to add to write what you know. Draw from your own experiences. This will give your writing authenticity and make your characterizations more vivid, more realistic.
Write what you want to write, what you love to write rather than pandering to what you think or are told you should write. In short, write for yourself.
I'd also like to add to write what you know. Draw from your own experiences. This will give your writing authenticity and make your characterizations more vivid, more realistic.
Grea Alexander
Regaining my sanity.
Grea Alexander
Real life mostly. It could be anything. I could see something - a news report or something in real life and my brain goes crazy. I get a lot of material from dreams as well. It can also be something as random as a word or phrase that pops in my brain and grows like a virus into a concept. Right now I have 4 novels that I'm doing reworks/editing on. I have several more that are fully formed concepts and dozens more that are vague concepts. My problem is less of getting inspired to write but finding the time to actually write and edit all of the mess floating around in my head.
Grea Alexander
For my most recent published book - Amarna Book II: Book of Hawara I got ideas from The History Channel. (laugh) Seriously, I read and watch a great deal of non-fiction. Real life is often far more interesting than a lot of things people make up.
Hearing the myth of the Curse of Tutankhamun when I was young, I wanted to know more. So, I researched King Tutankhamun which lead to me learning about his sister-wife, Ankhesenamun which lead to me learning about their father which lead to me learning about their parents, Ay, Horemheb, etc, etc. As I worked my way through this particular portion of history, I found it interesting how after “King Tut’s” death (when he was around 18/19) the throne jumped around eventually (basically) ending up in the hands of the military and commoners. That made me say, hmmmm. Thus, the original concept for the series was born.
While digging deeper into the aftermath of Tutankhamun’s death, I discovered the whole Prince Zannanza fiasco which lead to researching about his father King Suppilu then learning about Mursili II who I found deliciously fascinating. That this whole colorful Hittite History not only was going on at the same time as the King Tut drama but was actually historically linked at several points throughout history was the icing on the cake. I decided to write Mursili into the series and to deepen the link between the two civilizations.
While I've dramaticized and put my own spin on some things in this series, it's about 95% historically accurate. The overwhelming majority of the characters in this book DID exist in real life. In fact, the only fictional characters in these books are the minions - Ida, Galeno, Nacamakun, Esnai, Clizi etc.; their offspring; and Lord Bietek.
Unbelievable as it may seem, I’d say about 90% of what I wrote regarding the actual historical figures’ actions in this series comes from actual historical fact (AKA what the people clever enough to have recorded it and lucky enough for their recordings to be found’s version of the facts). For instance, the section of prayer included in Book II credited to Mursili II is a real excerpt of a prayer actually written by Mursili II. Even the mention in Book I of the rebel leader who sent out his mother to plead with Mursili for his life REALLY happened.
While most of my historical novels are set in the past and do contain nods to actual historical events, customs, etc., the Amarna series goes far beyond that. It is by far the most historically accurate series I’ve written to date. The true story was just too good and had just too many possibilities for me to want to do anything more but fill it out and have a conjecture field day. It was a challenge to be sure – working within so many pre-set parameters but I really enjoyed writing this series.
I hope to finish the final book in this series - Amarna Book III: Book of Raia by the end of this year.
P.S. My favorite book set in Ancient Egypt that is not one of mine is The River God by Wilbur Smith.
Hearing the myth of the Curse of Tutankhamun when I was young, I wanted to know more. So, I researched King Tutankhamun which lead to me learning about his sister-wife, Ankhesenamun which lead to me learning about their father which lead to me learning about their parents, Ay, Horemheb, etc, etc. As I worked my way through this particular portion of history, I found it interesting how after “King Tut’s” death (when he was around 18/19) the throne jumped around eventually (basically) ending up in the hands of the military and commoners. That made me say, hmmmm. Thus, the original concept for the series was born.
While digging deeper into the aftermath of Tutankhamun’s death, I discovered the whole Prince Zannanza fiasco which lead to researching about his father King Suppilu then learning about Mursili II who I found deliciously fascinating. That this whole colorful Hittite History not only was going on at the same time as the King Tut drama but was actually historically linked at several points throughout history was the icing on the cake. I decided to write Mursili into the series and to deepen the link between the two civilizations.
While I've dramaticized and put my own spin on some things in this series, it's about 95% historically accurate. The overwhelming majority of the characters in this book DID exist in real life. In fact, the only fictional characters in these books are the minions - Ida, Galeno, Nacamakun, Esnai, Clizi etc.; their offspring; and Lord Bietek.
Unbelievable as it may seem, I’d say about 90% of what I wrote regarding the actual historical figures’ actions in this series comes from actual historical fact (AKA what the people clever enough to have recorded it and lucky enough for their recordings to be found’s version of the facts). For instance, the section of prayer included in Book II credited to Mursili II is a real excerpt of a prayer actually written by Mursili II. Even the mention in Book I of the rebel leader who sent out his mother to plead with Mursili for his life REALLY happened.
While most of my historical novels are set in the past and do contain nods to actual historical events, customs, etc., the Amarna series goes far beyond that. It is by far the most historically accurate series I’ve written to date. The true story was just too good and had just too many possibilities for me to want to do anything more but fill it out and have a conjecture field day. It was a challenge to be sure – working within so many pre-set parameters but I really enjoyed writing this series.
I hope to finish the final book in this series - Amarna Book III: Book of Raia by the end of this year.
P.S. My favorite book set in Ancient Egypt that is not one of mine is The River God by Wilbur Smith.
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