Thank you for joining us today on The Bibliophagist, I am very happy to have you here. Well, let’s get right to it? I know I’m not the only one who is excited about this interview.

 

You’ve written many books that all have fantastic ratings. Of course, ratings and reviews are an author’s lifeline, but not all of the ones you receive about the book are positive. How do you handle the more negative reviews? Do you even read your book’s reviews? Any advice for those who struggle to handle those really negative ones?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have not received very many negative reviews during my publishing career, but when it does happen, it’s never easy. I know some authors who would suggest never reading reviews—positive or negative—but I’ve always done it. I think it can be perfectly healthy if you’re able to remain completely objective about it, and maybe some people just aren’t able to. With negative reviews that are just plain nasty and not constructive, the only thing you can truly do is put them behind you and move on, as difficult as that can be, but negative reviews can also sometimes be really helpful if they contain useful information.  For example, I have a one-star review on my first book that just says something like, “The author can definitely tell a good story, but I couldn’t stand the antagonistic leads.” It’s short, but it still gives potential readers something to work with. Someone else might want the book specifically because of my antagonistic main characters. So even though it’s no fun to have someone talk about things they didn’t like about your book, it’s important to remember that negative reviews can help create balance.

 

 

 

 

You’ve written a trilogy, Ziva Payvan. Can you tell us a little bit about it and why it is different from others in its genre? What makes this one a series that everyone just has to read?

I’ll come right out and say it: the Ziva Payvan series is not groundbreaking as far as science fiction goes. It’s certainly never going to be considered a classic masterpiece that’s studied in literature classes, and it’s not even hard sci-fi. But here’s what it is:

A story of lies and betrayal, and of truth and loyalty. Of pain and suffering, and of strength and healing. Of revenge, and forgiveness. Of weakness, and determination. Of fear, and heroism. Of hate, and unbreakable bonds.

This is a story about the people involved, and it just happens to take place in space with advanced technology. The plot centers on a group of superhuman characters who are special operations agents for the primary law enforcement agency on their homeworld, so the series has kind of a spy/military thriller flair in addition to the space opera elements. I’ve got a fairly large cast, and many of my secondary characters shine in their own ways, but the story really belongs to Ziva Payvan and Aroska Tarbic, two people who have just about the rockiest history ever. Ziva has a past full of secrets and leads her spec ops team with cold efficiency; she’s brutal and doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Aroska is a dedicated agent reeling from multiple losses and searching for new purpose in life; one of those losses was his brother, wrongfully convicted of treason and killed for his alleged crimes.

Killed by Ziva.

And now circumstances are such that these two agents are forced to work together to stop something even more catastrophic from happening, not just to them but to their world.

In addition to having memorable characters, I also think the structure of the series as a whole is unique. While there are certainly some overlapping details, the plots of the first two books—Dakiti and Nexus—are essentially standalone. I’ve actually had people read them out of order (though I don’t necessarily recommend this). But then along comes book three, Ronan, and suddenly everything makes sense. Seemingly-unrelated details from the first two books get tied together and gain new significance. Everything that has happened in the series thus far leads us into the finale. Meanwhile, we see how all of these events shape Ziva and Aroska, and how the two of them shape each other…for better or for worse. It was all incredibly fun to write.

In my personal opinion, a novel does not need to be ‘groundbreaking’ to be amazing in its own way. I think what makes a novel great on its own is the ability to take the traditional and make it your own. Bring something that is the same but different. I wanted to read them based on the description alone but now…I just have to.

 

 

 

 

Writing one book is difficult enough, but a trilogy is another beast altogether. How do you make the next story just as interesting for your readers? Do you have the second and third books already planned out while you write the first?

This question actually isn’t as easy as it sounds because I’m in a unique position with the way I wrote this series. When I first started writing it nearly ten years ago, I had no intention of ever publishing, so I was just winging it. I didn’t care much about planning ahead because I was writing for myself and didn’t think anyone other than a couple of close friends was ever going to read my work. This actually kind of explains why Dakiti and Nexus ended up with virtually standalone plots—I’d already finished writing both of them before I decided to self-pub. There was a time when I was closing in on the end of Nexus that I started jotting down some notes about things I wanted to happen in the third book, but I definitely didn’t have a rock-solid plan.

Then when I settled on publishing, I, of course, went back and spruced up the two books that were already done; this gave me the opportunity to work some new continuity details in, which in turn gave me more options for what to do with the third book. But even when I finally started working on Ronan, I just had a fairly high-level outline of major events that needed to happen and then had to go in and fill the gaps in between with material that still flowed and made sense. Sometimes I look back and can’t believe how much improvisation I did, especially with how meticulously I’ve been plotting my current project. I was still able to write a good story, but I can’t imagine trying to write another series with so little planning. I definitely want to make sure every book is better than the last, and I’m the type of person who needs to see everything laid out at least at a basic level before I can do that.

Thank you for sharing your journey a little bit! I think that writing the story without the intent to publish takes some of the pressure off. I love seeing things planned out so, I can understand your need to see the storyline laid ahead of you. As I write my first ever book, I am already jotting down ideas for the second one, gaining some type of idea of where the story will go.

 

 

 

 

Characters become something very special to their author. They are not just fictional people in their mind but real people, ones they’ve known for years. Who was your favorite character to write from the Ziva Payvan trilogy? Why?

I’ve had a lot of fun with so many characters in this series, but I’ve probably got to say that my all-time favorite is Ziva herself. She’s my baby and her character concept has been around since before I even decided to write her story. She has actually existed in my head for about 13 years now. It took me a long time to figure out exactly who I wanted her to be. Make her too soft, and she wouldn’t be realistic given all the background details I’d developed for her (plus I wouldn’t enjoy writing her as much, because I love badass antihero characters). Make her too hard, and she’d lose any shred of likableness. She’s actually not designed to be that likable of a character—Aroska is typically more relatable among readers—but I still wanted to make her interesting and intriguing.

She has endured a lot of trauma throughout the course of her life, both emotional and physical, and that helps explain why she is the way she is. Following orders and killing are things she’s good at, so she has thrown herself into her job and uses it almost as a shield, an excuse to keep being abrasive and distant. She has many secrets, some thanks to the clandestine nature of her work, and some thanks to experiences in her past that still haunt her…and could result in her death if anyone else found out. In fact, when it comes down to it, the whole trilogy kind of revolves around how she reacts when some of these secrets start forcing their way back into her life. She’s a person of many layers, and thanks to the events of the story and the people it contains (particularly Aroska), some of those layers slowly get peeled away, one by one, book by book. It’s been so much fun to write her this way, exposing her, breaking her down, and then using other elements from the story to build her back up.

That is exactly what makes a great character! Someone who is strong but has their own weaknesses. The failures and successes of the characters are what make readers bond with them. It seems cruel, but it is enjoyable putting them through that because you know they grow in the end.

 

 

 

 

I understand that you love music. Don’t we all? It seems that there is a perfect song for every situation we experience. Could you share with us a short playlist for one of your novels?

I actually don’t usually listen to music while I’m writing, but I’ve definitely had specific songs I’ve drawn inspiration from for different writing projects. I tend to choose music from movie scores and other instrumental artists like Two Steps From Hell and Audiomachine because, without lyrics, I can apply the pieces to any context I want and decide what story they’re telling. These are a few particular pieces I’ve listened to a lot throughout the course of writing the Ziva Payvan series and my current projects.

• “Mind Heist” by Zach Hemsey
• “Transcendence” by Audiomachine
• “Time” by Hans Zimmer (From “Inception”)
• “Alpha” by Marc Streitenfeld (from “The Grey”)
• “Goodbye” by Apparat (instrumental version)

Thank you so much for this. I am the opposite, I listen while I write but have to be careful not to get distracted with videos. I think this is a great playlist and I hope your readers agree.

 

 

 

 

Writing is a very personal thing and each author has their own way of being comfortable while they craft their masterpiece. Where is your favorite place to write? Why? What makes it so special?

I’ve never had a single favorite place to write. In all the time I’ve been working on this series, I’ve just written wherever and whenever I can. I was in college the majority of the time I was writing the main trilogy, so I’d find all sorts of little hiding places where I could sit and write between classes. Sometimes I even wrote during class and just pretended I was taking notes on the lecture. At home, I’d write wherever my laptop was. Sometimes, that was at the dining room table. Or the recliner in the living room. Or sitting up late in bed even though I needed to get up early the next day. And now with my current project, I’m drafting the whole thing in Google Docs. It’s certainly not a glamorous composition tool, but it gets the job done and I can access my work on any computer or on my phone. I’ve enjoyed being able to write on the go.

I love that you carry your story with you, being always on the go is something I understand very well. Sometimes you have to write whenever you get the chance.

 

 

 

 

Now that we’ve learned so much about your current novels, what can readers expect next from you? Is there another novel in the works right now?

My main project right now is a two-part continuation of the Ziva Payvan series, but while it follows some leftover plot threads and features many familiar characters, I’m considering it a separate entity, almost like a collective sequel to the current trilogy. I’m actually trying really hard to write it in such a manner that readers could enjoy it without having even read the other books (though I plan on including a trilogy recap at the beginning regardless). The two parts—Fracture: Ziva Payvan Legacy, Part 1 and Embers: Ziva Payvan Legacy, Part 2—are actually just two halves of the same story, but I wanted to split it into two books just so it wouldn’t be crazy long. Ergo Embers picks up right where Fracture leaves off. And at least in Fracture, Aroska is actually serving as the protagonist this time around; it’s been a lot of fun to write more from his point of view and explore his character a little more thoroughly. More information—as well as an excerpt from Fracture—can be found at ejfisch.com/fracture and ejfisch.com/embers.

That sounds like a wonderful way to bring something new to readers but continue with the aspects of old novels they love. I love seeing older characters in other books.

 

 

 

The big debates about e-books, physical books, and audiobooks are as alive as ever. I personally think they always will be. What are your thoughts? Which reading method do you prefer?

I’ve always thought it didn’t really matter how people read books—it’s the fact that they are reading that counts. I’ll personally always have a soft spot for physical books, and typically, when given the option, I’ll choose a physical book over an e-book. But there’s, of course, the problem of space. I bought a brand new bookshelf last year and it’s already full. I almost always have books stacked in random places around my house because I have nowhere to put them. In that sense, you can’t beat e-readers. Thanks to my Kindle, I can carry hundreds of books wherever I go, and they’ll always just be contained in that little tablet, not stacked precariously in corners gathering dust. I also love being able to sync Kindle books across multiple devices, so I can switch from the e-reader to my phone to the desktop app and never lose my place.

Audiobooks, on the other hand, while definitely a legitimate form of “book,” have never been my cup of tea. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I’m a very visual person, so I prefer to be able to see the words on the page/screen with my own eyes. Audiobooks are also typically narrated more slowly than my natural reading pace, so it’s easy for me to zone out and quit paying attention.

I too have a soft spot for physical books but like you, my kindle has given me the ability to read so many books without the space to store them. I recently gave an audiobook another chance and loved it. I think a lot of it is the narrator making or breaking my ability to focus. I do agree that I prefer to look at an actual page/screen rather than listening to someone read to me.

 

 

 

 

Do you snack or drink while you write? What are some of your go-to snacks for writing sprints? If not, why not? Are they a distraction?

I’ve never had any specific snack I like to eat while writing—most of the snacking happens during the editing process anyway—and I detest both tea and (most) coffee. If I’m going to be consuming anything, I like it to be something I can suck on while mulling things over. Stuff like hard candy and mints. I’ve been known to eat an entire box of Tic-Tacs in one sitting while writing or reading.

I like to keep candies too! Tic-Tacs are a good choice, we at least know you had nice breath. (Yes, I did just make that joke…it had to be done.)

 

 

 

 

As an author, I’m sure you’ve had a large number of people giving advice one way or another. Do you have any advice that was given to you early in your career that you can share with other aspiring authors?

I actually don’t remember receiving any specific advice when I began my publishing journey, and that’s part of the issue. I jumped right in without taking the time to network with other writers, make connections with potential readers, or build my platform at all, and thus I was very much alone at the beginning of my career as a published author.

So, based on the lessons I learned throughout all of that, my advice to aspiring authors is this: take your time. Make friends. Talk to people. The #WritingCommunity on Twitter is an excellent resource to start with. Create your social media platforms well ahead of publishing time and spend a while building an audience and a support network. Take your time getting your book ready as well, especially if you’re self-publishing. Make sure it’s the very best it can be before putting it out there. I speak from experience—I got way too excited about sharing my work with the world, rushed the publication process more than I should have, and ended up with a debut novel full of typos. Luckily this was easy enough to fix, but it still could have been avoided in the first place.

So again, take your time. With everything. Build yourself a foundation that will stabilize your writing career early on and allow for more success down the road. It may seem tedious and pointless at first, but it’s so worth it.

Oh, and remember that almost every piece of “advice” you receive about writing is very subjective. “Never use adverbs.” “Prologues are the devil.” “Flashbacks are totally unnecessary.” “First-person POV is best.” “No, third-person POV is best.” Figure out what works for your book and do it, regardless of what other people say and do. It may take some experimentation, but don’t let anyone tell you what the “rules” are.

This is some of the best advice I had heard. I think everyone needs to read this, there are so many people that have been through the process and are willing to reach out and befriend you or help if they can.

 

 

 

Thank you again, so much, for talking about your novels. I had a fantastic time. Before we close this interview, is there anything you would like to add?

You can learn more about me and my work at www.ejfisch.com. Read excerpts from each of the Ziva Payvan books, view concept art, check out my blog, and more.

 

The Ziva Payvan series is available wherever e-books are sold and in paperback format.

 

Dakiti retailers   s   Nexus retailers   s   Ronan retailers

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Thank you again, E.J., for being a great Saturday Spotlight participant. I had so much fun with this interview and I really look forward to getting my hands on copies of your books. Hearing you talk about your journey is inspiring and really pushed me to continue writing. Thank you for that.

 

 

**Again, If you are an author interested in being hosted on Saturday Spotlight use this form to contact me! I would love to help support you and your work.**