If you don’t know (and you don’t) I’m Belart Wright, indie author extraordinaire of the glorious book Average Joe and the Extraordinaires. Today I’m going to ask a good friend of mine: Alexandra Engellmann, indie author...Sky Ghost-inaire..? Sorry, I tried to use her book title in her intro, but it doesn’t have the same ring as extraordinaire. Unwarranted egotism from me aside, she’s one of my favorite people on the planet and super interesting besides all that and this interview will show a side of her that you all aren’t even ready for. Let’s begin.
BW: First and foremost, who the hell are you? The people deserve to know. First describe yourself in five words, then elaborate on that. Don’t lie, the internet knows!
AE: Okay, here are the first five words that come to my mind. I am a:
bookworm
artist
storyteller
thinker
nerd
The first means that whatever the world out there holds, I’d prefer spending my time reading whatever gem I’ve just discovered.
The word ‘artist’ describes much more than just an occupation. I see the world as a piece of art, and I live to find beauty in little things around me.
I prefer ‘storyteller’ over ‘writer’, because the last is too big of a word. You can write about anything, but what I do is share stories about my characters, many of which come to life on their own by some weird glitch in my brain that prefers to be thinking about imaginary things rather than real.
I like to think a LOT about everything that happens to me. I think my writing is a way to avoid thinking too much and keep myself distracted from obsessing.
And lastly, nerding out is my profession, and I love it.
BW: Okay with that out of the way, I feel as if we all know you a little better, but still we can always dig a little deeper. I’ve heard it said that all writers are narcissists. We’re conceited enough to think we have something important to say that the world should hear. Why should the world hear your voice? What have you always wanted to share?
AE: I don’t think it’s my voice they should hear, but the characters’ voices. I think it’s more about giving a life to someone who’s persistently asking for it in your head, about giving them a chance to show who they are and who they can be. And on the other side, it’s about entertaining people with all kinds of emotions they can find in your book. So, I guess it’s emotions that I’m sharing with the world.
BW: Okay, I went a little deep with that last question so let’s lighten it up a little bit...with more psychological questions. So Pain and Marco, my two favorite characters in the Sky Ghosts series, have a very interesting relationship. It’s a friendship that goes beyond normal boundaries. There’s a lot of unspoken feelings that get communicated through physical means rather than verbally. In my opinion, that’s the best kind of relationship. Why was this the method you chose for their relationship? What type of relationship communication do you prefer?
AE: I don’t think there are any boundaries for friendship, and I’m one of those people who believe and respect friendship way more than love that’s often too complicated because of selfish emotions we people bring into it. The friendship between Pain and Marco is the only type I’ve ever had and will always prefer. I’m very open to whoever I meet and can easily share personal things with any stranger if I feel like it, or if the conversation is interesting. I hate formalities and limitations, and it’s often hard to stop myself from saying what’s on my mind. It entertains me how shocked people are sometimes by it, especially those who aren’t used to laughing at themselves. I’ve never really chosen anything for my characters, including their relationships, so that was how it naturally unfolded in my mind.
BW: Continuing from that last question: what type of sick person imagines a relationship like Pain and Marco’s? They’re animals!
AE: Me, the animal :) Considering their lifestyle, it’s impossible for them not to bring a little extra blood into it.
BW: Last question...for now. So your action scenes in Sky Ghosts: All For One and Sky Ghosts: Marco had a grounded reality to them even though they involved superhuman combatants. I attributed this to your descriptive style and attention to detail. The action was always bloody and intense so that clues me in that you may have an inner warrior in you. So I’d like to know what are your top 3 fighting disciplines worldwide? And what existing fighting styles match your favorite 3 fighters that we’ve met in Sky Ghosts? If none exists, make ‘em up.
AE: That would be boxing for Marco, because he’s one of those who can kill with a single blow.
Krav Maga for the sisters, because they have to finish the fight quickly without giving the opponent the chance to get hold of them, and also because they’d go for the vulnerable points.
The third one would be Taekwondo, and that’s certainly Ryan’s style because of its emphasis on kicks, which someone as tall as him would make really powerful.
Well that's it for now folks. Hope it was as fun for you as it was for me. If you have more questions for Alexandra please go visit her at her website: www.engellmann.com or her twitter: https://twitter.com/engellmann or really anywhere you find her on these world wide interwebz. She's good at responding. You can find my own interview on her blog too.
Also check out her books via the links below. Just click the picture link and it'll take you to each book's Amazon.com page. Again, thanks for the read my glorious readers and til next time.
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| Book #1 |
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| Book #1.5 |
