Interview: Angie Fox Rocks the Ship and Dishes About Bad Boys
Hellion: Hullo, one and all! As promised, Angie Fox is joining us today on the ship. *pokes Jack in the back to make him stop ogling her like a truffle at a confectioner* Jack, behave yourself.
Angie: That’s okay. I like the bad boys.
Jack: *kissing the back of Angie’s hand, smiling roguishly* I am behaving myself. Come, dear, have a seat and I’ll share a spot of rum with you. *leading her to one of the cushy chairs in the Captain’s Quarters* One shot or two?
Angie: Now I do believe you’re trying to take advantage.
Hellion: *sighing* Every chance he gets.
Jack: That’s a luv. *pouring her a glass* So tell me, luv, what is your pirating style?
Angie: It’s the black boots, isn’t it? I’m not really a pirate. I’m just trying to match my book cover.
Hellion: *slapping Jack on the back of the head* I’m sorry, Angie, he’s a bit of a flirt. Something about romance novelists and he completely loses his head.
Jack: *leaning forward* But not before you lost yours, if you know what I mean, lass.
Hellion: I’m afraid we do. Angie, what is your pirating style? In writing, that is. Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a combination of the two—a plantser?
Angie: Just call me a plantser. I like to know where the story is going, but not too much because when I’m having fun, that’s when the story itself takes on a lot more energy.
With The Accidental Demon Slayer, I started with a kernel of an idea that amused me. What if a straight laced preschool teacher suddenly learns she’s a demon slayer? And what if she has to learn about her powers on the run from a fifth level demon? Ohhh and wouldn’t it be fun if she’s running with her long-lost Grandma’s gang of geriatric biker witches?
I started writing and let the story evolve based on the characters and that central issue of what happens when a reluctant heroine is thrust into a series of extraordinary situations. And I knew the story was working when I couldn’t wait to get back to the keyboard every day.
Jack: Ah, not with the writing questions already, Hellie. You’re work-work-work, all the time. *pouting, pouring another jigger of rum*
Hellion: He’s fine. Just pretend he’s a prop. You know, like a cushion or something.
Angie: That’s some cushion.
Hellion: *knowing laugh* Yes, he can be. *holding up a finger to Jack* Not another word. *Jack sits back sullenly, tugging at one of Hellion’s red curls* We love Call Stories—what was yours?
Angie: The first 50 pages of the manuscript had won a contest, and the editor who judged it wanted to see the rest of the book. Problem was, it wasn’t finished. Not even close. So I hurried up and wrote the last eight chapters and emailed it off on a Thursday. A few days later, the phone rang and it was a 212 (New York) area code. I assumed it was one of the agents who had the partial manuscript. Nope. It was the editor. She read it over the weekend and wanted to publish The Accidental Demon Slayer. I was stunned at how fast it happened.
We had friends coming to stay (with their three children), so I did a quick “yay, yay, yay!” and then I had to go scrub toilets and get the rest of the house ready.
Hellion: Holy cow! That’s the most amazing Call Story I’ve heard yet. That’s like a whirlwind marriage—and it’s certainly proof to get your butt in gear if you’re asked to submit a full manuscript and you don’t have it done. It is possible to sell your book right away. Wow. *shakes head* Okay, well, let’s talk about your book. Your debut novel is The Accidental Demon Slayer. You have a very entertaining Ordinary World opening…
Jack: Oh, here we go again with the Joseph Campbell again….
Hellion: …thrust into a Call to Adventure/Inciting Incident (i.e. preschool teacher discovers she’s a demon slayer)—why a demon slayer? What is it about paranormal or demons that draws you? Any authors or shows you draw your inspiration from?
Angie: I wish I could say something profound here, but really, I just tend to write what makes me smile. I read widely – a lot of historical romance, cozy mysteries, contemporaries, paranormals, biographies. Most of the TV I watch is straight comedy (The Office, My Name is Earl, any and all Seinfeld re-runs). I think a great way to draw inspiration is to think of what you haven’t seen.
As for the question of – why paranormals? My favorite part is building new worlds and making up my own rules.
For example, when I sat down to write The Accidental Demon Slayer, I had no notes about a sidekick for my heroine. But in the second chapter, when Lizzie learns she’s a demon slayer and there are some very scary, very angry creatures on her tail, she takes comfort in her dog. As I was writing, I thought, ‘This is a sweet moment. Now how do I throw her off?’
I made the dog say something to her. Nothing big. After all, he’s only after the fettuccine from last week. And he knows exactly where Lizzie can find it (back of the fridge, to the left of the lettuce crisper, behind the mustard). It amused me, so I did it. Thanks to her unholy powers, Lizzie can now understand her smart-mouthed Jack Russell Terrier. Where else can you do that but in a paranormal?
Hellion: *laughs* Nowhere. Clearly “mad, bad, and dangerous” men are your favorite kind. (Well, I don’t recall a single kind and sensitive villain (a.k.a Evil Guy who happens to be a shapeshifting griffin) in my acquaintance, at any rate.) Why do you think women find bad boys so fascinating? Why do you think we’ll fall in love with your hero?
Angie: Dimitri is a Greek shapeshifting griffin, and what I love about him is that he’s incredibly strong. He can be an alpha male, but what sets him apart is that he’s not only a protector, but he’s also intensely loyal. Griffins were used as a symbol of marriage in the medieval church because they mate for life. So here I can have this rock of a man who hasn’t been sleeping around, who really is looking for his life mate and will know how to treat her right once he’s found her. To me, that’s sexy.
Hellion: *fans herself with her question cards* Griffins mate for life, eh? I’ve to look into getting me one of those.
Jack: What are you saying, Hellie?
Hellion: *patting his leg* Nothing, sweetie, have some rum. *turning back to Angie* Your voice is more romantic comedy (versus the broody gothic paranormals that seem popular now)—how hard was it to break into the genre? (I keep hearing Romantic Comedy is dead, so it’s always uplifting to see proof humor is alive and kicking.)
Angie: You know, I also heard romantic comedy is dead, funny paranormals too. Thank goodness I only heard that after The Accidental Demon Slayer sold. But I couldn’t have written it differently. This had to be a quirky book in order to tell the story I needed to tell.
As far as the state of the industry, I have to think funny books are becoming popular again. The booksellers I’ve met have been very positive. The Accidental Demon Slayer also hit the NY Times Bestseller list a week after it was released. Hopefully, editors will see that readers are indeed interested in light paranormals.
Hellion: You mentioned that! Congratulations—I see that you’ve slipped up even higher on the list this week to #31! That’s awesome! Now, I also know you were/are a journalist/journalism major. What might we learn from journalism that would make us better novelists?
Angie: One of my MU J-school professors used to say, “Don’t waste a single word. You have to have a reason for every word you write.” It makes sense for a radio or TV piece (where you might only have thirty or sixty seconds), and also for novels. MU taught me how to write tight.
Hellion: Yeah, a lot of us around here need to learn how to do that more. Stop poking me, Jack. *slaps at his chest* Tell us more about The Accidental Demon Slayer. And I’m particularly curious—is Grandma based off anyone you know? (Does your granny ride a harley?)
Angie: Oh my, no. My grandmother doesn’t ride a Harley. In fact, when I set out to write The Accidental Demon Slayer, I’d never been on a motorcycle before. I also had to figure out how to get Pirate the dog onto a bike.
I went online and learned about the Biker Dogs Motorcycle Club, made up exclusively of Harley riders and their dogs. I ended up meeting some of them, along with a few other bikers along the way. These bikers were so great to me. They hoisted me onto the back of their Harleys (with dogs in tow). They took me to biker rallies (note to self: don’t wear pink). And they laughed at me when I tried to put my helmet on backwards (I still say I was distracted by the Pomeranian wearing a tiny pair of motorcycle glasses).
After a few outings with my new biker friends, I was able to make my geriatric biker witch characters a lot more realistic. And I took home some great pictures, too.
Hellion: *laughs* That sounds like a blast. And I love Pirate the dog…very cool name. Did you go to RWA this year? If so, did you meet any authors in particular that made you have a Fan Girl moment?
Angie: Oh yes, fan girl moments were plentiful. Excuse me if I gush, but it was really fun to meet Sherrilyn Kenyon. She’s so open and warm. When I told her my first book had just come out, you would have thought she was the one who published it. We did the link-y, jump-y hand thing while she asked all kinds of questions and was truly excited. It was really neat. I know now why her books are so moving because she’s 100% present in whatever she’s doing.
Then I got to meet Vickie Lewis Thompson, which was a thrill because I love her nerd series. Of course I wasted no time telling her that. We talked about what we were both working on and then (fan girl) I had her sign a book. And I’ll always treasure it because she used the opportunity to write a personal congrats for Demon Slayer, which was really sweet.
Then I was able to sit down at dinner with Jennifer Ashley (I love her Immortals) and Marjorie Liu (like there’d ever be enough time to gush to her). Both of them were really great.
Hands down – the best part about having a book out is getting to meet the authors on my keeper shelf.
Hellion: Jack would want to ask you how you like your rum…
Jack: Particularly if you like it horizontal or vertical. *winces at Hellion as she slaps him in the arm*
Hellion: But since I know you’re from my hometown too, I have to ask you how you like your Shakespeare’s Pizza?
Angie: Wheat crust, pepper jack cheese, with sausage and onion and a cold beer.
Hellion: I want to thank you again for interviewing with us today. And I totally have to give a shout out to Kimberly Killion for recommending it. It’s just really cool to visit with all you guys. I hope you’re able to stay and answer some questions from the crew. *slaps a hand over Jack’s mouth* None from you. Crew—what questions have you got for the funny and wild Angie Fox?
Books by the Crew
28 comments:
Was Demon Slayer the first novel you tried your hand at writing?
Also, your call story is awesome. Congratulations on your success!
Your book sounds like such fun! I used to be a preschool teacher, and sometimes the kids were the demons---but slaying would have been out of the question.*g* What's next for you?
Welcome aboard, Angie!!
Congratulations on your spot on the NYT list and your wonderful debut!
I'm always interested in hearing how different authors' writing processes work. You said you're a plantser (me too, we're a cool crowd), but do you have any tips for revisions?
Great interview! A lot of fun. Your book sounds like it would be a great romp!
And a Pomeranian in motorcycle glasses?
Great interview! Love the call story and the fact that funny is selling. I hate that I missed the chance to meet you at Nationals. *makes ANOTHER note never to sell raffle tickets during signing again* How long had you been writing before getting "The" call (which is amazing!) and what has been the biggest surprise since publishing?
Congrats Angie on your success!! What a wonderful call story. Just puts a smile on your face to read it, I can't imagine experiencing it!
Oh, just remembered what I really wanted to ask. What are they putting in the water over in Missouri and how do we get some? That seems to be the hotbed for the latest writer success stories.
Hi! [she says, waving] Thanks for having me. And your questions are great, so let's dig in.
Kelly asked if The Accidental Demon Slayer was the first book I tried to write. I wish the answer was yes, but alas I have three unsold novels under the bed. There are authors who have sold the first book they've ever written, but most of us need a bit more time to learn the craft.
I always liken it to when someone says they want to be a lawyer - they then go to law school. If you want to fix cars, you go to mechanics school. If you want to write books, you have to do a lot of the learning on your own.
My first two books didn't come close to selling - looking back, I can see that they're all comedy and no plot. My third book, a humorous mystery, I shelved after only querying it to a few agents. This is where rejection really can be your friend as a writer, because I received a rejection on that book that basically changed the way I approach my writing.
A big agent wrote me an epistle of a rejection letter that hurt, but when I was able to look at it objectively (after putting it away for a few days) it helped me take my writing to the next level.
In the letter, he listed everything he liked about my writing - then told me the book would probably sell, but he hoped it didn't. He said the mystery was good, but that it wasn't the kind of breakout book a first-time author needs to stand out. He felt I was holding back.
He advised me to let go, write what I really wanted to write and then see what happens. At the time, I was noodling around with this idea of a preschool teacher who learns she's a demon slayer... I decided to take the agent's advice and just have fun. I took more chances, let loose and the rest is history.
Hi Maggie! Yes, I can see where a preschool teacher would be used to slaying a few demons. :)
Next on the agenda are final edits to the second book in the series, called The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers. In it, Lizzie decides she's going to learn everything she can about her powers and write the proverbial book on demon slaying. Naturally, things don't quite go according to plan.
Hi Marnee Jo - a fellow plantser. I like that. My biggest tip for revisions is to let the manuscript go for awhile. I call it letting the book ferment. And yes, I know it's not a sexy word, but oh well.
Basically, I like to put the book down for at least a few weeks. Then, when I go back, I'm approaching it with a fresh point of view.
Over the years, I've also made a list of words I tend to over-use. It's different for everyone, but some of mine are: really, that, went, looked. A few are okay, but to me, they're invisible when I over-use them. I always do word-search after the first draft to make sure they haven't gotten obnoxious.
I also found a good critique partner, which has been such a gift. Our styles are completely different, which works well for us. She writes dark sci fi and is a whiz at detail, structure and plotting. She helps me make sure my plots are as tight as they can be. Then I turn around and help her beef up her characters and smooth out dialogue. I think a solid critique partner is critical, especially in the revision stage when tiny errors might not be as obvious.
Thanks, Tiffany. And, yes, dogs do wear motorcycle glasses. They're called "doggles" and there is an entire website devoted to selling them. www.doggles.com
It's a scream - doggles for every size dog. Now don't say you didn't learn anything from this blog.
Angie, don't worry about "ferment" being sexy. Kimberly Killion got the whole crew started with "vomiting up a first draft"--so ferment is nothing.
Hi Terrio. I'd been writing for about eight years before the call. It took me six years to finish the two novels that are languishing under the bed (with time off for this cute guy I married). Then a year to finish the novel that produced the great rejection. Then five months to write The Accidental Demon Slayer.
What made the difference for me was a writing schedule. By the time I wrote Demon Slayer, I had two kids - a three year old and a 5 month old. If I wanted to make a go of writing, I had to have a plan. So I decided to write during nap times. Period. No excuses. It was hard sometimes to ignore a new shipment from Amazon, not so hard to ignore the laundry. But having that time to write made it easier to turn on my brain every day and it kept me involved in the story.
And I hope Missouri becomes a hotbed for writers. We have a lot of stories to tell.
Thanks, Hellion! So glad Kimberly broke the ice with vomiting. I knew I could count on her.
Thanks, Sin! It really was a shock to get the call like that. What I didn't mention in the article is that while rushing to finish the book, I had to create more time to write. It was a challenge with small children at home, so I built an extra writing session into my schedule. I set my alarm for 4:00 a.m. and would write from 4:00 - 7:30 a.m.(or whenever the kids woke up). And I'm soooo not a morning person. But by the time the kids went to bed at night, I was too brain fried to write.
So I'd wake up early. I'd sometimes walk down the stairs in the morning, with everything pitch black outside and think, "Am I crazy? Do I really think this editor is going to like this book?" When she called with a two-book offer, it made it all worthwhile.
Angie - You have no idea how much your answers are what I needed today. So, when you created Lizzie, did you plan for her story to go beyond one book? And I love the story about the agent.
That's great to hear, Terrio.
What a difference one rejection can make. I hope I run into that agent someday so I can tell him. I never queried him for Demon Slayer because he doesn't represent paranormals.
When I created Lizzie, I did plan for the story to go beyond one book. There is just so much for her to experience...and learn. Plus, as a reader, I like series books.
The second book is almost complete. It's due out in April '09. And right now, my agent and editor are trying to hammer out details on books 3 and 4.
Hi Angie, welcome aboard!
In an odd sort of way it was good to hear of early manuscripts stuffed under a mattress. Makes you seem more 'mortal' even though I know that you spend much time with immortals *g*
I think you should auction them in a few years time when your reputation peaks!
I am intrigued to know more of how the inventive mind sets about creating new and highly original worlds populated with demons and the like. Do dreams or role playing games make an input or is the process more analytical, building on the work of others?
Only yesterday I was quoting Shakespeare's Owen Glendower "I can call spirits from the vastly deep" and Hotspur's deflating reply. It seems the the genre is well rooted!
I looked for ebook versions of your work on fictionwise without success. Do you have plans to publish ebooks?
Thanks, Quantum. I asked my editor about ebooks the other day. There's a provision in my contract to have The Accidental Demon Slayer in Kindle, but so far it hasn't happened. She said that it probably will in the future. I'll post an update on my blog if I hear any more news on that front.
And, yes, those early manuscripts are a part of the process, at least they were for me. As far as auctioning them? Well, I'll admit something to you here - I'm afraid to even look at them. What if they are better than I think? What if I haven't learned as much as I imagined? I think that sometimes, the mere belief that we know what we're doing helps us succeed as writers, and it's very easy to shake that belief.
As far as where I find ideas for my worlds, it's less about the supernatural and more about taking what I see everyday and giving it a twist. To me, if you start with the ordinary world, things feel a lot more real. I take what amuses me about life in general and use it in my books.
Although, I will say that I did give into temptation and used Demon Slayer to parody the genre just a bit. I couldn't resist. Again, this came less from a research standpoint and more from a "I've read so many dark paranormals that I'd like to throw this in there and see if anyone notices."
Most people read the book and never catch that nuance. But dedicated readers, as well as industry folks have picked up on it right away. I get these emails from reviewers saying, "Did you mean to..."
One agent wanted to sell Demon Slayer as the book version of "Shaun of the Dead"...with witches. I thought it was a neat comparison (especially since I love that movie).
But, really, I think the key for me (and for most writers) is to have fun with a book, draw on your experiences to make it truly unique.
Angie - Do you have ideas of writing outside of paranormal and do you worry about getting stuck in one genre?
Angie,thanks for giving me such a thorough answer!
And,were the two books that are now residing under your bed paranormal?
Thank you Angie, for your suggestions about revisions. And what an amazing story about the agent who told you he hoped you didn't publish. What a weird compliment, huh?
I mean weird compliment in a good way. I realized that might have come out wrong a second ago. I think that's amazing that an agent would be so encouraging.
Hi Terrio, I do have ideas outside of paranormal. Right now, though, I'm focusing on trying to build a name in one genre. Once my kids are older and in school, I'll probably branch out and try to do more than one series at the same time.
I don't really worry about trying new ideas/genres in the future. Maybe I'm naive, but I believe there's always room for a good book.
Hi Kelly,
The two books collecting dust under my bed aren't paranormal - one is a romantic mystery and the other leans more toward romantic comedy. I read widely and when I began writing, I tried a lot of different genres in order to find what I liked to write.
LOL You sound like my editor, Marnee Jo. When the Romantic Times magazine did a review of Demon Slayer, they said something like, "Fox has created her own twist on the paranormal - and it's a weird one." Leah emailed me right away and said, "Weird good! You know that, right?" I told her any reviewer that would give the book a top rating can say whatever they want.
And, yes, I think I'll always keep Donald Maass's not-so-bad rejection letter. He obviously took some time to write it and that's another thing that gave me confidence when it came to writing the next book. Like I said, I'd just love to run into him sometime and tell him what a difference his rejection made.
Thanks for your reply to my questions Angie and for all the other fascinating and inspirational comments.
I only buy ebooks these days (house sinking under the weight of paper books!) but will definitely be buying yours when available electronically.
Combining humour with the paranormal definitely sounds a winner.....I'd love to meet a witch wearing a corset and riding a Harley Davidson! *g*
*Raises a glass of rum*
Heres to your continued success.
Bottoms up and down the hatch! :D
Thanks, Quantum. I'll take a glass of that. And thanks to Fran for having me. I had a lot of fun today. :)
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